Showing symptoms of achalasia/ barrets, have been to multiple doctors and have had no tests as they keep blaming pollution/ allergies.

[laccfitz]

Hi,

I have been getting most of the symptoms of achalsia for well over a year now. I was convinced it was my throat/sinus for the most part as I am currently living in Malta which has a terrible pollution problem, and it only started when I moved here. I start to realise a month or so ago that food was getting stuck in my oesophagus and weirdly enough things like milk shakes would be the worst. I work in an office that has constant AC on so this is usually where I am most affected. I was forced to work overtime around two weeks ago and this put a serious stress on my symptoms, eventually resulting in lumps appearing on my neck/face/shoulder area. I went to my GP and he gave me a course of anti biotics for a skin infection, and after 2 weeks it didnt get better so I went back and he prescribed another course of anti biotics .

Here is where my biggest issue lies. I have gone to 3 different GP's, 4 different ENT doctors and even a gaestrontologist over the last 3/4 months. Each time I am told something different. whether it be complications from heartburn/ environment/ allergies but none of these explain my symptoms and the constant relentless stress my body is going through.

From reading first hand accounts of achalasia, I can confirm I have had every symptom apart from weight loss and that is because I can still eat food at the moment, as long as it is small frequent meals that are easy to digest. I have also noticed that after I play competivie sport I will inevitably get stomach pains/cramps every time over the last few months. My Mom also has Multiple Sclerosis and her brother and dad both died from oesophagus cancer.

I am on my last legs ready to give after spending 100's on different doctors, explaining that I know something is definitely wrong with my body. To just be told bullshit explanations without even doing one legitimate test.

Can someone please advise what I should do next and what my options are?

Do I just go in and demand certain tests cause if I dont push for it myself I dont think they will never do an actual test.

Thanks,

[FKM100]

Hi, laccfitz, normally I would say listen to your doctors, but given your family history with oesophageal cancer, I think you would be quite within your rights to insist on an endoscopy. It's the only way to check out what's going on down there, then at least you'll know.

In my case, was fairly convinced that I had achalasia. It turned out to be stage 3 GEJ cancer! How I wish I had gone for a scope earlier...

[laccfitz in reply to FKM100]

Hi FkM100

I’m sorry to hear about your condition and wish you all the best, I’m just going to have to stick it out and the ride the wave until things are normal and I can see a specialist again.