For the first time, I ran into a fellow Achalasia sufferer in person! Being that this disease is rare (1 in 100,000 occurrences), it was nice to meet someone who as been through the very same struggles as myself. She had her surgery at Mayo Clinic, which is surprising as she is from the same area of Southeastern MI as myself. That being said, I think it heavily depends on the doctors you see early on and whether or not they have experience with Achalasia. I was fortunate enough to see Dr. Larry Adler, at Huron Gastro in Ypsilanti, who was familiar with the disease. We pretty much knew after my first test (an upper endoscopy) what I had, and used the remaining tests as confirmation before scheduling the surgery. (That't not to say I didn't go through many hoops with my primary care physician and various types of heartburn medicine before she finally referred me there!)
What this all leads to, is I realized it may be helpful to post how I am doing now, 3 and a half years, and a baby post surgery, and still suffering from Achalasia.
Does food still get stuck?
Yes, of course. I had a more severe form, so the entire lower half of my esophagus muscles fail to propel food downwards. I usually just chug water or some other fluid to help the food pass. I am also cautious about how much I eat, what I eat, and to chew my food as much as possible. There are of course times I forget, and end up in some pain as I wait for food to clear, but overall, no where near what I was experiencing pre-surgery.
Weight Gain?
Sort of? This one is tough for me. I feel like I still can't eat as large of meals as I used to before I had Achalasia. I try to eat lots of small meals, but between long work hours, and chasing a toddler, it can be hard. I was able to gain weight and have a very healthy pregnancy. So I know the possibility is there! Just need to make the time.
Spasms
With my type of Achalasia, I frequently had debilitating chest pain before. These are usually referred to as esophageal spasms. I will still get them from time to time. Overall less than 3 occurrences a month, some months none at all. The intensity is no where near where it was before. For some, this may sound scary, but in comparison to what I endured before, these are nothing. Most people probably suffer heartburn at a similar pain level. Which brings me to....
Heartburn?
Nope!! Happy to say Dr. Vita McCabe and the DaVinci robot at St. Joseph Ann Arbor did a fantastic job on the Fundoplication. Not so tight I can't swallow food, and not too loose as to cause me any heartburn. I even made it through pregnancy with minimal heartburn.
Final Thoughts
I go through most days not even thinking about my Achalasia. I still have a love/hate relationship with food, which I don't know if I will ever overcome. When you love food, but struggle to eat it, it's not something you can forget about. I have to actively adjust how I eat to prevent myself from suffering. I can't eat lunch in 15 mins, or scarf down a sandwich, I have to take my time. But that is not such a bad thing!
