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Newly Diagnosed 26yr old female with Achalasia

Posted , 3 users are following.

Friday13
Friday13

I am a 26 yr old female and have just been diagnosed with Achalasia :cry: . The endoscopy showed nothing but the barium swallow found the problem. After having trouble swallowing food for nearly 1yr and it gradually getting worse, I now have trouble getting yoghurt down on a bad day.

Like you who suffer also, I am fed up with the sickness and never eat out in anymore. At one point the doctor thought I was severly depressed so I began to think I was going mad! sad .

I am really scared about having an operation for this, the very idea of being knocked out makes me shake. My Father had an osephagectomy last year after being diagnosed with osephageus cancer! So this is probably why I am real worried about the whole ordeal and the prospects of getting cancer. I don't know what to do. Soon I will be getting pressure tests done to determin the extent of the achalasia, that alone creeps me out!.

I would love to hear from sufferers, how you cope and if you went ahead with the op or any other alternatives.

Thanks, a worried sufferer. sad

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    Hi

    My brother has just been diagnosed with Achalasia in the past few weeks. He has had symtoms for a few years now not knowing what it was and just dealing with it. Recently though, it has got so bad that he has had to go see a doctor hence the diagnosis. Swallowing water is a problem for him now. He has had various tests done and because of how bad his condition has become will be admitted next week to hospital for the balloon dilation. He is nervous as hell and subsequently totally stressed out by it. I have been doing research online hoping to find some information and found this forum. I have forward the link to him hoping that he will find some answers and support too like yourself.

    I wish you all the best.

  • AndrewS
    AndrewS

    Posted

    Hi,

    My sis just posted a reply to you. I'm her brother who just got diagnosed with Achalasia. Yesterday I had the pressure test but before I had it I asked for a spray for the back of the throat. This numbs the throat which is really good because the first time I had it I didn't ask for it and it was really sore and I felt I was gagging.

    The tube they put down your nose is uncomfortable and may make you sneeze. It tickles (ish) when it passes your tonsils but for me it was very uncomfortable when it finally got into my stomach. The first time they tried this it didn't get that far hence the second appointment. Once it's in the main thing to do is try and relax and breathe through your mouth. You get given sips of water for your test and if you burp (dry or wet) they will ask you which you did.

    Because of the seriousness of the level of Achalasia I have, I have been \"fast-tracked\" for the dilation next week. I am scared, I admit that and I have been depressed about this for a while. If you want to email me direct you can

    Good luck to you.

    (Sorry but Patient Admin have removed either a telephone number, an email address, and or web address, from this posting, as it is the policy of Patient UK not to publish these on this forum.

    As you are a registered member, you and other registered members will be able to communicate with each other via Private Messaging (PM) or e-mail at the bottom of their postings.)

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    I just found this website. I was diagnosed with achalasia at age 30 after having my first child. I had balloon dialation which did not work well for me. Like you, I was petrified at the thought of having surgery to correct the problem. I am so glad I had it, since I had lost the ability to swallow anything, inlcuding water a couple of months before the surgery. The worst part of the surgery was the day after, because I was so uncomfortable with all the tubes coming out of my nose/throat. But to be honest, it was not much worse than all of the tests I had gone through to diagnose the disease in the first place. I am now leading a normal life. I still have difficulty swallowing certain foods like carrots, dry chicken, dry bread, but am fine otherwise. I am currently taking protonix to help control GERD. When I do have reflux, it tends to be pretty painful, probably because of scarring in my throat.
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