I just wanted to pass this on may help others.

[Sarahvit]

Hi everyone, I just wanted to pass on what I learned yesterday from a surgeon.👨🏼‍⚕️ I will try to make this as short as possible but need to share some history. In 92 stomach ulcer during whole pregnancy symptoms is the same burning blood in the pit of my stomach nausea and vomiting. After I had my daughter symptoms went immediately. 94 gallbladder stopped working. Functions test showed it wasn’t working right. Surgery to removed symptoms again went away immediately. 96 symptoms came back turned out to be gall stones took 6months for symptoms to ease up. Oh in 93 or 93 esophageal spasms started up and has been there all along the years not every day but 1-2x a week. 98 3 stomach ulcers, bile in the stomach and gastric acid in the esophagus, surgeon did the endoscopy he said I needed to have surgery to redo the stomach drew diagram as to what he wanted to do. But he wanted me to see a gastroenterologist to get a second opinion. So saw the one he recommended got nowhere, saw another and another and every gastroenterologist that friends were recommending. Then we moved and the second gastroenterologist said he would do another endoscopy with a fresh pair eyes. This was in 2000. He said the problem was the was stomach tissue in the lower esophagus excreting stomach acid. I had lost about 30lbs over the 2yrs because I could only eat a bland diet. The doctor prescribed protonix which made a big difference. I could eat again! 😊oh I was diagnosed with gastroperesis by one of the gastroenterologist who ordered a gastric emptying test after 2hrs the eggs and OJ was still in my stomach.this was during the 98-00 time period. Anyway after that I would have stomach flares but no major developments until 2018 where I started having new symptoms of really bad heartburn which would lead to a very sore esophagus so went for endoscopy and other tests including a esophageal mobility test. This showed achalasia. I saw the surgeon yesterday who said it is very hard to diagnose. Basically it is finding the right doctor who will order the mobility test. He said that I probably had this for years and it went undiagnosed. Being I had Barrett’s esophagus so I had GERD at one point in time but you can’t have GERD and achalasia at the same time. I forgot why he said this but they are opposite disorders. Sorry for long post but am posting this in hopes that it may help someone. 🤗💕🦋🌻💜

[Michelekk46]

Yes you can have achalasia and gerd at the same time!!!!!!!!! Whoever told you that did not know what they were talking about. I had POEM surgery on june 1st for achalasia and had fundolocation (sp) surgery about a month ago. You need a 24hr study or a bravo test to see how much stomach acid is coming up. POEM surgery is relatively new and is a form of a hellor myectomy AND permanently reverses the achalasia. BUT not too many surgeons are trained in POEM surgery. Research this. I still have acid reflux but it is SO much better post surgery that I feel like I have gotten my life back.

[Sarahvit in reply to Michelekk46]

It was my surgeon who said you can’t have GERD and achalasia at the same time. I had the 24hrs Bravo test and a non acidic 24hr test done too then the esophageal mobility test done. I forgot what the 2nd test was called but it involved having a tube down my nose for 24hrs like the bravo test but it was measuring something else. 🤔hmm I think it showed reflux but the Bravo was negative. The surgeon said that achalasia is hard to diagnose. It is finding the right doctor 👩🏼‍⚕️who will order the right test. He said I had GERD at one point to have Barrett’s but the way he explained it made since at the time. I have memory issues too so I don’t remember what he said now other that the two are 2 opposite problems. I’m not familiar with the POEM surgery. I googled achalasia when I first learned about it and the surgery described was what he was talking about. I will google POEM surgery. Thank you 😊 for your comments. 😊💕🦋

[Michelekk46 in reply to Sarahvit]

I am only saying that I have had both at the same time

[Sarahvit in reply to Michelekk46]

I believe you since the surgery I have still get the sharpe pain in my chest and food and water still can’t pass down into my stomach and I still get GERD from time to time. It isn’t as frequently nor as severe after the surgery but breads are trigger along with reheated rice and fries.🍟