spasms after surgery or procedure

Hi Teresa,

Thanks so much for sharing your story! I just had the laparoscopic myotomy this past Thursday. When it came to digesting food, I definitely experienced an immediate positive effect. Now, granted, I am currently on a 'mechanical soft' diet (essentially softer and more liquid based foods, you can google the term to see what options exist under that diet), so I haven't progressed to heartier things like chicken or pork chops yet. But the intention is that I will progress to a harder diet in 3-4 weeks. There's a lot of options under mechanical soft , so I don't feel like I'm missing out. I immediately noticed how much easier it was to eat and I haven't had any issues with regurgitation. Yet, it's still early - so I haven't been laying flat yet to completely test that out. Overall, the surgery itself seemed to really work wonders when addressing the principle issues. I didn't even have pain in my throat at all, aside from a minor sore throat in the day after my surgery.

However, what brings me to this forum, that Amy so graciously started, is that I just experienced an incredibly severe spasm (or at least what I think is a spasm, I haven't spoken to my doctor yet). This spasm was far worse than any spasm I've had before. I felt it in more regions of my chest than before. (Which could be a result of the surgery and my nearby muscles and nerves feeling more connected). However it's very curious because I stopped getting my spasms long before my surgery. One doctor's opinion was that all my throats nerves (related to this issue) basically died out as the achalesia progressed. So in my mind, I believed I wouldn't have a spasm again - until just now.

It's been very helpful to hear your stories so far, because I had no idea what to make of what just occurred. Since the surgery, my main issue has been dealing with the muscular pain of undergoing a surgery (soreness,stiffness,lack of mobility, tension,pain around my stiches). However, I felt that with each day I was progressively recovering. But this spasm sent me reeling back to the days when I first started getting my spasms 8 years ago. I was also very startled by how extreme this one was, to the point where I was throwing up due to the intensity of the pain. It was quite alarming. It also happened completely without warning. I was asleep and woke up naturally to shift around, and then it immediately started. I didn't think to drink water because I didn't know it was a spasm a time first. I thought it was something else , related to the surgery. In the past, gulping water at the beginning would stop it from progressing. So maybe I just got so good at that technique that I haven't felt the true intensity of a spasm in a long time. The whole session felt like it lasted 45mins. So at this point , I'm not sure if the water technique no longer works for me because I didn't employ it this time. I was really caught off-guard.

Teresa- You mentioned that you eat cheese to help stop it, do you mind elaborating on that? Would you eat it while having the spasm? In what way?

Like Amy said, if there's others who experienced spasms after surgery, I'd love to hear what they was like. I wouldn't go as far to say that I would advise against the surgery or that I regret it. If the spasms are an unavoidable leftover, I'd rather have just that than all the other symptoms too. The freedom to eat normally again is truely a gift. But I'd like to know how I can best manage the spasms in the future - and that these spasms aren't a sign of anything else foreboding.

Thanks again for all who are sharing. The more anecdotes, the better. I'll also follow up with my doctor tomorrow and report if there's updates.

Unfortunately the spasms are not necessarily cured by the surgery.   They seem to be caused by a) the muscular tension of the lower oesophegal sphincter, b) reflux, or c) some other unknown cause.   Or perhaps combinations of a) b) and c).   So it is possible that the surgery disturbed the nervous system and has recreated a tendency to spasms, and this might be temporary side effect of the surgery - we hope so.   But on the basis that sometimes the surgery has increased the flow through the lower oesophageal sphincter, and you suffer at night, I am wondering whether the reflux, which might be able to flow upwards now, might have set it off?   If so, I am wondering whether taking Gaviscon when you go to bed might help.   But it is definitely worth a call to the surgeon to see what they suggest.

Some people have banana that helps with the spasms, and some take Buscopan, but as it is so early after your operation you should talk to your surgeon.

And I have just thought that although you are not sleeping flat, you might try raising further the angle of your head / upper chest to help gravity keep the reflux in your stomach?  

Thank you so much Alan. That was very helpful. I'm calling my surgeon now and will see what he says. But your thesis sounds very reasonable and will help me narrow down what's going on. I was sleeping with my upper body on pillows , but it's very possible slipped down during the night.

Some people try a memory foam mattress topper, or a duvet underneath the sheets to help with the slipping down problem.

The sleeping position can certainly affect reflux.   That is because the stomach junction is slightly off to one side.   So sleeping propped up and on your left side does make a big difference to reflux seeping up through gravity.   So it might just be that sleeping position affects the spasms, whether or not they are caused by silent reflux that you do not actually feel.

 

I get spasams all day long too, randomly. When I'm walking, sitting, or doing anything. I have had them for 8 years before and after the surgery. I don't know if it's from reflux, it could be but I tend to spasam if I am on my left side, more often. I can try to sleep more elevated. I am at the point of nothing helps. It's my new reality, I'm afraid.

Thank you Teresa! Appreciate that insight. In case it happens again I'll try your method. 

I feel exactly what you are saying. Like I said before, I eat string cheese for its density. Sometimes fruit snacks work too if I eat a few at a time and swallow them only partially chewed. Water used to work for me too. I also feel that my spasams are completely debilitating. So painful and I cannot function during them. My Dr says they will go away eventually but it's been about 8 years that I've had them. I also have tried botox with some relief, the spasams are weaker since the botox injections.

I think the spasms are a real problem, as they sometimes happen after the surgery to alleviate the achalasia swallowing issues.   Something triggers them off and I suspect that this varies from person to person. 

​If it is reflux, then Gaviscon might have a preventive effect, or some other anti reflux medication like Omeparazole, Zantac etc.

If it is stress / anxiety, then some form of relaxation therapy might help, or even medication.

​If it is blood supply, then some medication like nitrates might help.   Some people have reported beneficial effects from Viagra / Cialis but you really need advice from a doctor about this.   There are other anti spasmodic drugs about as well, like Buscopan.

​Perhaps they might be triggered by swallowing something that was a bit difficult or lumpy in texture?   The reactions in the nerve system are very sensitive.

​Or it might be combinations of more than one of these issues, or indeed something else.   I do feel that this is something that is not dealt with in the same comprehensive way as the surgical treatments.

I am definitely going to try string cheese thank you for the tip.