My RH and Esophageal spasms

Aestire

Active Member
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Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
So we are all on very strict diets of counting fats, carbs, sugars, etc. We do this all so well, we should be nutritionists ourselves!
However, recently I've been faced with the biggest challenge and I want to share how I feel.
I have been experiencing Esophageal spasms. For those who are unfamiliar, this is an extremely painful condition: my esophagus doesn't work properly. It feels like a charleyhorse in my chest, most with the condition relate it to a heart attack. Im supposed to avoid triggers for this condition: no cold stuff, most room temperature or wet foods cause it to flare and it is becoming impossible for me to keep food down. I eat 6+ times a day and not eating is very dangerous for me especially because I'm a security vehicle patrol officer. My diet is restricted more than ever and I just can't do it.
I'm actually feeling very depressed about it. And here's the thing: I'm so tired. I'm tired of fighting with doctors to look at what's wrong, I'm tired of not being believed about stuff until it turns into something huge, and most of all, I'm just tired of fighting. I feel like every time I get up, I get slapped back down. I'm in so much constant pain, I dread eating because food won't stay down, I can't keep my blood sugar where it needs to be at and it's making me look bad in my line of work. I have to miss days when I can't keep my bs normal or daya where the spasms are so painful that I feel as if I've dislocated my shoulder.
Idk if I need encouragement, advice, a hug, reassurance, or what, but given how beaten I feel... I welcome anything..
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Brunneria

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Oh @Aestire i am so sorry to read this. It sounds like an awful experience. Does it happen with everything you eat? It must be torture.
 

tina_marie

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Not sure . Although he does experience problems swallowing with everything he eats . He chokes then starts coughing which can bring on chest pain. It has put Ron off eating and like the op has said not eating isn't good . Trying to control Ron's bgs is a daily struggle . I'm hoping that the ENT doctor can shed some light on things .
 

charliebarker

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I'm not sure whether my problem is spams or regurgitation based - but I'm in a similar (if not quite as distressing) position.. have literally just been looking up foods to avoid if you have GERD (which both my and quite possibly your symptoms - although I'm not an expert - suggest). I'm at a loss. The non-GERD diet is almost entirely the opposite of the LCFH diet that is working so well for me. How do I balance the two??? GERD diet says to avoid all fats! I feel your pain (literally as well as metaphorically).
 
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tina_marie

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Have you tried reducing your fat intake slightly to see if that improves your condition @charliebarker
 

charliebarker

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Have you tried reducing your fat intake slightly to see if that improves your condition @charliebarker

Yeah - that's the next thing I'm going to try - I may have gone overboard with the cream & yoghurt !! - probably eliminate one thing at a time, in case it's a specific thing that'a causing it. I guess I should start looking at the fat content of these products and work out which is the 'highest' and start with that....
 

DCUKMod

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@Aestire - I don't have any wisdom to offer you with your problem, but I do sympathise with your plight; trying to find a way through what must feel like a darkened maze.

My post will bump your thread up the lists and it will be seen by members logging on this afternoon, or evening.

I really do hope you can find a way to a more comfortable way of life.
 
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Aestire

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Thank you all for your empathy with me. I did suffer from GERD for years, medications stopped helping and before long, everything I ate hurt. I mostly drink coffee because the warmth relaxes my esophagus. It feels like I'm being punished for eating: cold foods, and any drink that isn't warm hurts. Doctors misdiagnosed me 5x before they finally bothered running a real test. The advice they gave me was avoid my triggers, but that's the problem.... Everything is a trigger. @charliebarker Where do you feel the pain? And why do you think you vomit? Does food feel stuck, or do you think maybe some antacids will help?
 

charliebarker

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Messages
256
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Thank you all for your empathy with me. I did suffer from GERD for years, medications stopped helping and before long, everything I ate hurt. I mostly drink coffee because the warmth relaxes my esophagus. It feels like I'm being punished for eating: cold foods, and any drink that isn't warm hurts. Doctors misdiagnosed me 5x before they finally bothered running a real test. The advice they gave me was avoid my triggers, but that's the problem.... Everything is a trigger. @charliebarker Where do you feel the pain? And why do you think you vomit? Does food feel stuck, or do you think maybe some antacids will help?

It's more the feeling of regurgitation - not vomiting. And so far I've only actually regurgitated food entirely once (not nice!!!) :arghh:It feels as if the food is stuck in my esophagus, won't go down and wants to come us again. I feel the pain in my chest and back and often have profuse saliva. It only happens as I'm eating not before or after. The action of swallowing sets it off (although swallowing itself seems fine). No particular triggers but it's happening to a lesser or greater degree at every meal now. Liquid is fine, but solids have to be eaten very slowly. I've been on Ranitadine for a few years and my doc has recently put me on omeprazole to see if that helps as I've only had this symptom in the last few months - it doesn't.
 
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Aestire

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It's more the feeling of regurgitation - not vomiting. And so far I've only actually regurgitated food entirely once (not nice!!!) :arghh:It feels as if the food is stuck in my esophagus, won't go down and wants to come us again. I feel the pain in my chest and back and often have profuse saliva. It only happens as I'm eating not before or after. The action of swallowing sets it off (although swallowing itself seems fine). No particular triggers but it's happening to a lesser or greater degree at every meal now. Liquid is fine, but solids have to be eaten very slowly. I've been on Ranitadine for a few years and my doc has recently put me on omeprazole to see if that helps as I've only had this symptom in the last few months - it doesn't.
Yeah definitely not nice! I'm pretty good at keeping food down, but I can't seem to do it so well anymore. I used to chug a drink to get food to go down all the way, and pills were a nightmare. I took ranitidine for the first great and a half of my diagnosis and one day it just didn't help. So I took 2 of my 50mg tablets and nothing. I've been prescribed about 10 different acid reducers and proton pump inhibitors and Omeprezol was one that didn't make a difference for two weeks and the 3d week made me vomit 30 minutes after taking it. Haven't taken it since, but I instead Bagan eating raw almonds. Their oil prevented the acid from climbing and made new feel 70% better. Then one day I'm at work and BAM . felt like I was having a heart attack. Im sure the spasms arrive differently for everyone. My doctor thought I had asthma and maybe an allergy to my cat. . . another thought I had arthritis in my sternum (keep in mind I'm 20 years old) and another thought it was numerous issues with my heart or perhaps bronchial spasms ( which I've had before). Something I've learned is the spasming could be for 2 different reasons- either could be yours, but I would see a doctor and ask about it, maybe ask to be tested, do you have a gastroenterologist? (I didn't get one till they had proof of the spasming, like my GERD wasn't enough).
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DCUKMod

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@Aestire - Id you're eating a lot of almonds, have you been checked in case you're overdosing on them?

Apologies if I have misinterpreted your post.
 

Aestire

Active Member
Messages
33
Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
@DCUKMod almonds as in the nut, it would be possible I was allergic, but I don't eat them to excess, and the symptoms are all there regardless as to if I've eaten any. The almonds don't help anymore. They help the acid but not the spasming.
 

Lunarteddy

Newbie
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Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Insulin
I have sudden acute pain in my chest and throat which my cardiologist puts down to ‘oesophageal spasms’. My GP shrugged it off but it’s agonising and I’m lucky it doesn’t happen too often. I eat one main meal a day a vegetarian one and it’s this one that causes the pain. I need to eat it because I’m underweight or I wouldn’t bother.
 
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Aestire

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Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
I have sudden acute pain in my chest and throat which my cardiologist puts down to ‘oesophageal spasms’. My GP shrugged it off but it’s agonising and I’m lucky it doesn’t happen too often. I eat one main meal a day a vegetarian one and it’s this one that causes the pain. I need to eat it because I’m underweight or I wouldn’t bother.
I can't eat anything cold and room temperature threw me into agony. I was drinking a lot of coffee because the warmth felt nice until recently and now everything hurts. They shouldn't sheriff the spamming off. It can be caused by some very serious things. My Digestive disease doctor found extensive gastritis and I find out today what the cause is. Then if we fix it, it should stop the agonizing spasms. Please push your doctor to care or perhaps ask for a second opinion. If you're health isn't important to them, they don't deserve your business.
 
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luckygut

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Hi Aestire how did you manage your gastritis? Did you resolve it that time? And what treatment you took for that? Have same symptoms need your advise. Thanks in advance!
 

Brunneria

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Hi Aestire how did you manage your gastritis? Did you resolve it that time? And what treatment you took for that? Have same symptoms need your advise. Thanks in advance!

Hi @luckygut I am afraid that Aestire hasn't logged in for over six months, so may not see your post.
If/when they do log in, they should see an alert that I have tagged them and will see my and your post (a tag is when someone's name is written @Aestire and the text changes colour).
 

Auto E

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Prediabetes
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It's more the feeling of regurgitation - not vomiting. And so far I've only actually regurgitated food entirely once (not nice!!!) :arghh:It feels as if the food is stuck in my esophagus, won't go down and wants to come us again. I feel the pain in my chest and back and often have profuse saliva. It only happens as I'm eating not before or after. The action of swallowing sets it off (although swallowing itself seems fine). No particular triggers but it's happening to a lesser or greater degree at every meal now. Liquid is fine, but solids have to be eaten very slowly. I've been on Ranitadine for a few years and my doc has recently put me on omeprazole to see if that helps as I've only had this symptom in the last few months - it doesn't.
I just want to double-check that you've been tested for achalasia?