DIFFUSE ESOPHAGEAL SPASM- FEEDBACK-

I was curious about your condition I found out this:


Achalasia is an esophageal motility disorder: The smooth muscle layer of the esophagus loses normal peristalsis (muscular ability to move food down the esophagus), and the LES fails to relax properly in response to swallowing. It is characterized by incomplete LES relaxation, increased LES tone, and aperistalsis of the esophagus.
Achalasia is characterized by difficulty swallowing, regurgitation, and sometimes chest pain. Diagnosis is reached with esophageal manometry and barium swallow X-ray studies. Various treatments are available, although none cure the condition completely. Certain medications or Botox may be used in some cases, but more permanent relief is brought by esophageal dilation and surgical cleaving of the muscle (Heller myotomy).

The most common form is primary achalasia, which has no known underlying cause. It is due to the failure of distal esophageal inhibitory neurons. However, a small proportion occurs as a secondary result of other conditions, such as esophageal cancer Achalasia affects about one person in 100,000 per year.

Did you have the manometry and barium swallow, yet?



Joy

i ama so glad and thank GOD that i found this site. I have been suffering all these simptons for almost five years and have also done all the things mentioned. ER visits cardiologist and even a shrink thinking i was going crazy. i have never been diagnosed with esophageal spasms yet but will b looking into it......i have tried sooooooooo many things that and very doubftul anything will work but what the heck a couple of more things cant hurt. i prefer the natural way so will try the oil, and then see what happens. i like the comment the one guy said the only thing that keeps mi sane and not thinking its a heart attack, is the fact that nothing ever guest any worse just the constant pain and after 6-8 hours anyone would b dead if it has anything to do with the heart....thanks i will save this page and will visit often.....please keep posting remedies....going to gulp glasses of water right now lol....than you

HELLO!  I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING FROM WHAT I THINK ARE ESOPHAGEAL SPASMS SINCE MAY 10.  I TOOK STEROIDS FOR POISON IVY AND SHORTLY AFTER THAT THE SYMPTOMS STARTED.  IT STARTED AS SHORTNESS OF BREATH FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AND THEN TURNED INTO INTENSE CHEST PAIN RADIATING TO NECK, ARMS, BACK, SHOULDERS AND SOMETIMES JAW.  MY PCP PRESCRIBED PRILOSEC 40 MG DAILY, WHICH HELPED FOR AWHILE, UNTIL THE PAINS STARTED GETTING MORE INTENSE.  I HAVE BEEN TO THE ER SEVERAL TIMES FEARING I WAS HAVING A HEART ATTACK AND HAD MANY TESTS RUN.  SEVERAL CHEST X-RAYS, BLOOD WORK, 2 EKG'S, BARRIUM SWALLOW, MANOMETRY, UPPER GI SCOPE, GULL BLADDER ULTRASOUND AND A CT ANGIOGRAM.  ALL WHICH WERE NORMAL.  AFTER THE SCOPE I HAD SPASMS THAT LASTED FOR 24 HOURS.  I STARTED SEEING A GENERAL SURGEON WHO PRESCRIBED PROCARDIA TWICE DAILY (CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKER) AND STILL TAKING THE 40 MG OF PRILOSEC DAILY.  THEY SEEMED TO HAVE REDUCED THE INTENSITY OF THE CHEST PAIN, BUT STILL HAVING THE RADIATING PAIN ESPECIALLY IN MY NECK AND BACK.  I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE GULL BLADDER DIET HOPING TO REDUCE THE FREQUENCY OF SPASMS AND CUT OUT ALL DIET POP, CHOCOLATE AND SMOKING (YUCK).  I HAVE LOST 15 POUND SINCE THE START AND SOMETIMES I AM AFRAID TO EAT, IN FEAR OF A SEVERE SPASMS.  I USED TO EXERCISE SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK, PRETTY INTENSE, BUT HAVE CUT THAT OUT AS WELL SINCE THEY TRIGGERED THEM SOMETIMES.  I TRIED TO ADD IN SOME YOGA HOPING TO REDUCE STRESS AND ANXIETY.    MY SURGEON HAS INFORMED ME THAT THERE IN NO KNOW CURE AND ALL I CAN DO IS TREAT THE SYMPTOMS.  THAT WAS QUITE DEPRESSING.  OH, FORGOT TO MENTION, SOMETIMES WHEN I LAY FLAT ON MY BACK AT NIGHT I CAN FEEL FLUTTERING (BUBBLES POPPING IN MY CHEST).  I ALWAYS CHECK MY PULSE, IN FEAR IT IS MY HEART.  I WOULD IMAGINE I WOULD BE DEAD BY NOW, IF IT WAS MY HEART, SINCE THE SPASMS DO LAST FOR HOURS.   I NEED HELP, VERY FRUSTRATED.  I AM ONLY 30 YEARS OLD AND I MOTHER OF TWO BOYS.  SOMETIMES THESE CAN BE QUITE DEBILITATING AND I FEEL HOPELESS, OTHER TIMES I GET ANGRY AND WANT TO FIGHT IT.  ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE HELPFUL, I AM NOT SOMEONE WHO LIKES TO TAKE A LOT OF MEDICATION.  THEY ONLY CAUSE OTHER SIDE EFFECTS THAT WEREN'T THERE PREVIOUSLY.  I HAVE NITRO TABS TO TAKE IT THEY BECOME INTENSE, BUT I AM TERRIFIED TO TAKE THEM.  THANK YOU FOR LISTENING, IT IS NICE TO SEE I AM NOT ALONE.  SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE I AM GOING CRAZY.  SORRY, I AM A RECEPTIONIST FOR 4 FAMILY PHYSICIANS AND USED TO TYPING FAST IN CAPS.      

Hello, I've been having what appears to be esophageal spasms seven to nines times each month with a series of seven to nine spasms with each occurrence March 2009. They always come in the early a.m. hours while sleeping between 1:00am - 5:30 am. The spasms always start at the sternum and immediately radiates to both of the lower forearms and travels up both arms to the shoulders and back to the sternum. The sensation is similar to a that of blowing up a balloon with the pain increasing until reaching its apex when the balloon is fully inflated. The pain slowly dissipates as the balloon is deflated. The spasms last about one minute with seven to ten minutes between each spasm. One a scale of 1-10, the pain is a 12.

I've seen a GP, gastro, pulmonary, and cardiology drs. I've had a battery of heart related tests (nuclear medicine, EKG, stress, echo) that showed my heart is strong and working fine. I've been admitted to the emergency room twice. I've had tests/imagines that eliminated the pancreas, gall bladder, kidney's, and liver and had a barium swallow. I have taken calcium blockers, Isorob, tramadol, and carafate. None of these have helped. Prinzmental angina has also been ruled out.

I'm 57 weight 165 non-smoker male in good condition and health. I coach a high school baseball (active with the kids), walk, do not drink cola's, stopped eating chocolate candy, and practically eliminated caffeinated coffee from my diet. I drink a couple beers each evening. I've been taking prilosc for many years and do not suffer heartburn.

I'm not sure of the next step. The gastro dr suggested looking down my esophagus if the carafate wasn't successfull. Although it will not be a dilation, I'm very apprehensive with this procedure as my esophagus was perforated sixteen years ago during a dilation. I spent three weeks on a breathing tube and several months in the hospital.

Coincidentally, the spasms began a couple days after I stopped taking Lexapro on dr's orders as it was no longer necessary. Is it possible that the spasms began as a result of the body chemistry being altered by Lexapro? I'm grasping at anything at this point. Thank you.

Hi misticfins,
Welcome to Healing Well! I'm so glad you've found us. I know your feeling of finally finding a place where others have experienced what you've experienced. While I haven't had those types of spasms, others will be along, I'm sure, to share their experiences and support.

I hope you find a solution soon, so you can regain your feelings of well-being. How lucky you are to have an understanding husband to support you.

Again, glad to see you here. I suggest you start a new thread, as it's easier to be noticed if you do. Sometimes posting on these older threads can cause you to get lost in the shuffle.

Feel better soon,
Denise

Hi Gene,

I see a lot of sublingual products that are flavored with peppermint but none that are just peppermint.  You might check with a store that sells natural remedies and see what they have to offer.

Also feel free to start a thread of you own so all of the members get the chance to meet and greet you.

Welcome to HealingWell.

Kindly,

Kitt

Mine started after the nissen; it has something to do with the vagus nerve, and although tests show that it's not damaged, the spasms continue. I have severe...severe..migraines, a variant of cluster migraines, I may get 9 a day...anyway, I was given klonopin as one of the preventatives and this also has helped the spasms. Theoretically, the dr.'s are saying that the nerve was probably damaged during the surgery; it has probably healed, but the nerve transmission has now patterned itself to my brain, so my brain thinks it's normal for me to have these spasms.

Leave it to me to somehow send a message I didn't want to send about a nerve, that I didn't know was there to my brain that is damaged from the migraines and said brain damaged brain....LISTENED.. LOL!!
Janice

Yes, I'd be working and feel an odd sensation then things would begin to fade away or spin.

Hello everyone. This website had been so helpful. Thank you for the suggestion of peppermint oil. I will try that asap. I had a couple questions about it though before I try it. I was wondering the difference between the oil, the pill, or peppermint tea? Does anyone have a prefrence on which on works the best? I was also wondering if anyone has had the botox injections and could share their experience with the botox injections? One last thing, I am suppose to have the wireless 24 ph bravo test done next month and I was wondering if anyone has had this done and could also share their experience of this as well with me. Thank you all so much for sharing all of your stories. Keep your heads up and we will find answers together! God bless!

I had the botox for 2 months and 2 weeks now and im trying to patiently wait for it to wear off. I am suffering horrible. The day i had the botox injections i came home and had excessive gas and still have it. I feel like the botox was either injected wrong or just didnt work for me. I had the balloon dialation and that seemed to help me alittle bit but the botox journey has been misery. I have now been on pure liquids for almost three months and cant eat even mashed foods without constant spasms. Sometimes even room temp liquids cause a lot of spasms as well. Im at my last straw with doctors since none of them have seemed to help me. I am desperate to even find relief. I also have severe acid reflux which doctors think could be causing the spasms but I am on ppi's to help the acid. I just dont know where to go from here. Please someone help with any suggestions or anything that i can try i will be more than willing to do so. My very last option is surgery because of the risk and how dangerous it is. Anyone else want to know more about my situation with spasms feel free to write me. Thank you Alexandra for the suggestion!

thank you joy. I am trying the peppermint right now. I havent been able to even eat soup broth today and thought it was important to try the peppermint to see if I could bring down something before it got too late. it seems to be working ok right now. At least its giving me some comfort to at least swollow some broth. Finally!! Thank you all so much for the help! Ill be on the thread daily to stay in touch. Please anyone feel free to write me and ill get back to you asap!

So sorry to here that. Sometime peppermint can backfire on you.

I have had this now for two months. I am all right as long as I do not eat. I have had an upper endoscopy and the doctore stretche dthe ring at the end of my esophagus Because it was not closing therefore my hernia was pushing up through the esophagus. He stretched this . I had an upper GI and a stomach scan. Everything is clear except that there is a slight twist to my esophagus so he wants to doing another EGD with a Balloon this time he said that if this does not work there is nothing else they can do. Like the others this pain comes when I eat. Mine has lasted up to 9 hours. Just when I think I have found something I can eat the next time I eat it the pain comes. I was told not to eat spicy foods greasy food, tea, coffee, chocolate, peppermints, . I feel like I am going to exploied sometimes.