Jack hammer esophogus Gross pain and severe sob

[carolg1]

Following even small amounts of food I can barely breath it is so painful excruciating it’s like I’ve got a thick film front of my chest and esophogus,I have severe copd so double whammy , any help please to help me cope this is horrendous. Thanks Any help in moving the gunk quickly up or down it’s terrifying. Xx

[Magpuss]

Hopefully someone will come along with some advice soon carolg1 - sorry I'm not able to help.xx

[Hidden]

This is normally caused by the peristaltic muscles going into spasm in an uncoordinated way, when they should normally contract and relax in sequence so that the food gets propelled down towards your stomach. You do need to see an experienced specialist, and it is likely that some form of surgery will be part of the answer.

It also depends on what triggers the spasms. Sometimes it might potentially be reflux, so taking Gaviscon Advance might be worth trying. There may be some relief from medication like Buscopan, nitrates etc depending on what the specialist recommends.

If it is food going though the oesophagus that triggers it, you might try massaging your chest, or jumping down on your heels to assist the food to pass through.

It is easier said than done, but relaxation may well help, by using relaxation techniques, or indeed medication.

But specialist, qualified advice is what you do need.

[carolg1 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Alan, thanks for replying I’m under consultant for the jackhammer but apparently there is nothing further they can do as apparently I’m not fit enough for surgery, my plea is to try and lessen the horrendous sessions, IV tried different meds as instructed by consultant but non worked eg viagra , nitrate and morphine sulfate, I have non acid reflux and take 80mg per day , and donperidone, at present the stuff coming up is really stubborn thick it neither wants to go up or down, I am so desperate xxx thanks carol

[Hidden in reply to carolg1]

If it is non acid reflux, then it would perhaps be bile? In which case a review of the medication might be worthwhile, just to check in case it is the effect of bile that is triggering the spasms. It is feasible that a dilatation might provide some short term relief but this is really an issue for experienced specialists. A further / second opinion might also be worth thinking about, not because of any doubt about the diagnosis, but for further ideas about what could be tried.

[carolg1 in reply to Hidden]

So would you suggest an appointment with a gastroenterologist, as the respitory consultant who organised my manometery is quite a long way from me and has suggested a better management plan there should be one at northern general hosp , whom is more local to me.

[Hidden in reply to carolg1]

I suggest that you see somebody like Ian Beckingham the Upper GI surgeon at Nottingham, but I have to admit that I do not know any of the surgeons at Sheffield so I may be doing them an injustice. But a specialist surgeon is what you should be aiming for.

[carolg1 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your help Alan il follow your advice. Carol