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Where are you from?

Posted , 8 users are following.

heather311
heather311

I'm curious where all of us with Achalasia are from.

Where are you from?

My name is Heather, I'm 36 years old and I'm from a suburb near Portland, Oregon (USA).

1 like, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • JoyAsh
    JoyAsh heather311

    Posted

    Hi Heather, 

    Im 44yrs old and am from a small town in Texas. 

  • pratik20
    pratik20 heather311

    Posted

    I am Pratik. I am 35 years old male originally from Nepal, living in USA since 2006.

    In my case, there were early symptoms in 2014 but the problem was dysphagia was very very rare. Finally got diagnosed in June 2017. I wish there was enough research done to find the cause. This disease gets diagnosed so late that only thing of concern is the treatment, not cause. 

  • saxjean
    saxjean heather311

    Posted

    I live in MD near Annapolis.

    Started symptoms 14 months ago and it has been getting increasingly worse. I'm scheduled for a Heller's myotomy in late November. 

  • dolphinz930
    dolphinz930 heather311

    Posted

    Hi Heather, My name is Beth and I am from South Florida and I am 46 years old. I am so excited to find this site as I feel so alone with Achalasia and dont have many to talk to that can understand what I am saying. Nice to meet you. have great rest of day!
    • donna15310
      donna15310 dolphinz930

      Posted

      Hi Beth, and welcome.  You will find this as a place to receive support, information, and a sharing of our different experiences with Achalasia.  You are not alone.  We are a small group, with a rare disorder, that unless one has Achalasia, they really cannot fully understand what we are experiencing or feeling.
    • dolphinz930
      dolphinz930 donna15310

      Posted

      Hi Donna, How nice to hear from you.  I am excited that I found this site.  I know more than my primary care doctor and even more than the nurses in the gastro. office.  I am used to having rare things happen to me but not one that NO ONE has even heard of.  I am one who finds the silver lining out of the blackest of clouds. and so far the only silver lining I have come up with is I have lost weight. and fast.  How long have you had Achalasia?  If you have any tips please share, I am open to trying anything. (Well almost anythinglol)  look forward in hearing back and learning your adventure with this disease. 

      Beth

    • donna15310
      donna15310 dolphinz930

      Posted

      Hi Beth.  Apparently, I have had Achalasia for 'decades.'  When it was diagnosed, a year ago June, I was at the end stage of type 1.  My esophagus is paralyzed, done, finished.  Whatever goes into my mouth has to be washed down with copious amounts of water.  I was told that if a doctor had even one case of Achalasia in their entire career, that was something.  It is rare, and many doctors have not even heard of Achalasia.  I am fortunate to have a surgeon who has specialized in Ach., and is the only one in the Province I live in, in Canada, that does the surgery.  First of all, there is a 'Patient's Handbook on Achalasia,' that you can download.  This comes from a hospital in England, through the Osaphageal Patients Assoc. [OPA], and 'Alan,'  who is a volunteer on this Forum, can give you directions/links to find this handbook.  I have my copy in a binder...it is very thorough in terms of contents, and since there are no books on Ach.  I would suggest you pursue this.  Maybe even let your GI know!  I have been blessed with people on this Forum who have shared their experiences, and so forth.  Each of us travel our own journey, and a lot of the diet, etc., especially post-operation is 'trial and error.'  Your specialist/surgeon will determine what surgery, if needed, is best for you.  Some have the Heller Myotomy & Fundoplication, which I had last Nov.,  Others have the POEM, which I don't know much about.  Both of these surgeries are discussed in that handbook.

      Fire away any questions you like toward me.  You are NOT alone...with this disorder...

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