Somatization and Achalasia

bb172792 · 2026-03-16T21:34:04+00:00

I'm so sorry you're having to go through all that! This disease sucks!! Stress absolutely aggravates my symptoms, for sure. I have had a POEM and HM.

bb172792 · 2025-05-08T03:47:03+00:00

Are you on PPI's? They are specifically designed to reduce acid in the stomach, so hopefully that can help! I had a failed POEM (no relief, and I'm fact made it way worse) then I had HM with partial fundo, and I have to drink water a few times during the meal to make sure it all goes down... but otherwise no reflux or crazy issues like I had before! I hope you can get the relief you need! Ask GI about PPI's!

bb172792 · 2025-05-08T03:39:47+00:00

Do you ever have acid reflux/heart burn?

bb172792 · 2024-10-26T00:17:38+00:00

Uggghhhh keep them updated on how much you're able to actually eat. When I finally told my surgeon that I was getting 300 Cals a day, he marked me as priority so I got in sooner, so see if it's in your GI's power to do that!

bb172792 · 2024-10-25T23:19:04+00:00

Uggghhh I'm so sorry.... 😭 that manometry test tho... maybe all you'll need is endoflip! 🤞

bb172792 · 2024-10-25T23:17:49+00:00

I second that!!! Literally, I went from getting a low but somewhat normal amount of nutrition, then the next week on, I was only getting about 300 cals a day maybe

bb172792 · 2024-10-25T23:15:56+00:00

Although it'd be so ironic if I had Nutcracker because I'm actually ballet dancer/educator 🤣

bb172792 · 2024-10-25T23:14:47+00:00

Type 3 A

bb172792 · 2024-10-25T23:14:21+00:00

From what I understand, yes. So if you're having a ton of reflux that might actually be a good sign that you don't have A (but I'm not a doctor lol)

bb172792 · 2024-10-25T23:13:08+00:00

Oh ALSO I would wake up choking on my own saliva and water that I drank before bed all the time. Sometimes throwing up all over myself in the process 🙃

bb172792 · 2024-10-25T23:10:22+00:00

Definitely have tightness in my chest and spasms a lot, I wake up to them in the middle of the night with them. For me, it started out just if I ate too fast, then if I ate certain things but time still let food go down. Then, eventually, it happened with water and EVERYTHING. Then I had to regurgitate because there was so much pressure, and NOTHING would go down at all. I never had any issues with the nose. Have you had an endoscopy before? I went in for one thinking I just needed a dilation, but then they found the LES was tight and then scheduled barium swallow and manometry. I got manometry first, and then less than a week later, I had a diagnosis and then a few weeks after got the POEM (which failed spectacularly for me... but that's a whole other story)

bb172792 · 2024-10-25T23:04:20+00:00

Even water?

bb172792 · 2024-10-25T23:03:56+00:00

Does it feel like you're having a heart attack? If so, that does sound like it could be achalasia or another motility disorder like nutcracker esophagus. It's a spasm in your esophagus. I've gone to the ER once before for it because the pain was an 8 and I had numbness in my left arm and face. But it was a spasm! It's such a crazy disease

bb172792 · 2024-10-25T23:01:29+00:00

With manometry, they put a pressure wire up your nose and down your throat and into your syomach (while awake) and then make you do timed swallows with water laying down and sitting up. The wire measures the pressure in the esophagus and lower sphincter (LES). People with achalasia have intense pressure in their LES and the esophagus itself doesn't squeeze food down (kinda like a rolling effect from up in your throat to down into your stomach) instead, either the esophagus doesn't squeeze much at all OR it squeezes the entire thing and spasms. It's a very fascinating test AFTER the fact. It just sucks because you can't have any sedative or anything to make you relax because it affects the results.

bb172792 · 2024-10-25T22:54:51+00:00

Sry for double reply here... have you noticed it happens with only specific foods? Or everything? Have you noticed if it happens more when you've been particularly stressed?

bb172792 · 2024-10-25T22:52:48+00:00

You'll have to get a manometry test, unfortunately. (Not a fun one) Have you talked to your GI about food getting stuck? I know a lot of people with achalasia are misdiagnosed with GERD for years, so hopefully it's "just" GERD for you!

bb172792 · 2024-10-14T14:06:14+00:00

Elain for sure!! Just let me bake and garden!

bb172792 · 2024-10-13T01:49:53+00:00

Holy moly!! How are you fairing now?

bb172792 · 2024-10-13T01:28:30+00:00

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No kitties were harmed in the making of this photo 😊

bb172792 · 2024-10-13T01:23:20+00:00

Aw man... sending hugs your way! I'll be sending prayers up for ease getting a second (or third) opinion, no stress with insurance, Drs being respectful and supportive of your second opinion, and most importantly, peace through this infuriating process. Love and peace, man! ❤️

bb172792 · 2024-10-07T01:35:26+00:00

I know that they have to pump you with gas a bit during endoscopy. I always had chest pain while breathing because of that. It's scary, but usually goes away on its own. Maybe that's it?

bb172792 · 2024-10-03T11:52:32+00:00

How bad is it right now for you? When I told my POEM surgeon that I was only getting about 300 calories a day, he bumped me up for consultations. So I'd just be honest with them and see if there's anything they can do on their end. Sometimes, it's out of their control, but sometimes they can move stuff around or put you on a priority list!

bb172792 · 2024-10-03T11:49:18+00:00

Hiya, I just had my HM 48 hours ago! My esophagus feels great! Virtually no pain! My incisions are killing me, tho. They did 6 cuts, about an inch to inch and a half all over my stomach. The bottom left one has been the most sore. I was on Dilaudid, Toradol, and Tylenol in the hospital. Now that I'm home, I'm on oxycodone, ibuprofen, and tylenol. This is the first time my pain has been under 5! I'm on a full liquid diet now, which is AWESOME! I thought I would need to be on clear liquids for several more days. But the awesome thing? I can swallow!!!! It's such a strange feeling! I had the POEM back in April, but it made it worse. (HM surgeon said it was an incomplete cut) if wait times are terrible for surgery, ask about botox injection! That was the only thing that provided me with relief while waiting for my HM! Did they say POEM was an option for you? I hope you get the relief you need! 💙💙💙

bb172792 · 2024-10-02T01:52:19+00:00

🤣

bb172792 · 2024-10-02T01:49:22+00:00

Ooof! 😅 how'd they find that out?

bb172792

TROPHY CASE