It was a really helpful South West meeting yesterday organised by Lil. In due course we hope that people can meet up again in person, but meanwhile we make do with zoom, which also allows people to join in without the travelling!
If you are interested in future meetings, visit our website achalasia-action.org and sign up for our newsletters.
People with achalasia can experience a very wide range of symptoms. We are not all the same as each other. It can also be an anxious time when people have seen their consultant but are worried about the prospects of surgery, particularly when their previous experience of an operation has not been a happy one. The relationship and trust between a patient and their surgeon is really important. Statistically, around 80-85% of those who have surgery for achalasia experience an improvement in their symptoms.
At the moment many appointments and procedures are postponed because of the COVID19 crisis, but it seems that gradually the situation in hospitals might now be easing a little, especially for urgent cases, so if you are experiencing difficult problems, do not forget that you can still see your GP and discuss how best to be referred for advice and potential treatment.
Stress and anxiety can make the symptoms worse. Your digestive system needs to be relaxed to be able to swallow food well, so the additional tension that many people feel nowadays is likely to make their achalasia worse. So finding ways to relax, although sometimes easier said than done, can be helpful.
Talking to other people with achalasia can also be helpful, and our new charity aims to provide the means for people to do this. There are potential groups to be set up in other parts of the country. If you would like to be involved in this process please contact us through the website.
