Esophagus spasms - RELIEF! YAY!

[Finally! 0]

I posted yesterday that I was having SUCH a hard time getting any liquids down at all because I would have such painful spasms in my esophagus afterwards. I was tempted just to skate by on a little Protein and Water - and hope that was good enough.

But then did a lot of reading and I'm SO grateful that I got scared enough to man up and act like an adult in charge of her own health, not a helpless kid hoping things would somehow come out okay without much effort. (I've seen where that strategy has gotten me in the past with other things. Nowhere good.)

TODAY - Wow, I'm feeling SOOO much better. What a difference a day makes. I decided I had to tackle this as head on as possible and that it's NOT okay to end up in the hospital dehydrated or with kidney stones.

Here's where I decided my problem was:

Pre-sleeve, I would WOLF down food and drink, with no thought of what I ate in the moment. Being PRESENT with what I'm consuming is a huge part of why I wanted to do this surgery to begin with. (I ate really GOOD food - clean - but no presence in the moment of consuming it.)

For the past five years or so, I would have these same episodes of my esophagus spasming (especially if I was excited or it was something I liked ALOT and it was dense like rice or bread). There have been several times I thought I was going to die alone with a ham sandwich stuck in my throat like Mama Cass. (Younger peeps, look it up!) :laugh0: In fact, this is one of the reasons I really wanted the surgery because I KNEW it would force me to slow down and that it could possibly save my life for that reason alone.

I was worried about now having this same sensation while trying to consume my Clear Liquids and Proteins - even accounting for post-surgery swelling, etc.

So today I talked to my mom and found out that she and my two brothers both have the same throat-closing sensation when they would eat certain things. Since one of the brothers isn't overweight, I have to assume it's some genetic thing and that it's just something I need to learn to deal with.

Here's what I did: I decided to consciously relax, explaining to my body that I needed to RELAX and allow this nutrition in. Every time my post-drink spasm would start, I would relax my body and BREATHE.

So I've decided to practice and relax - and it's WORKING. I drank my entire protein water shake - about 10 ozs this morning, using my new "get over it and relax technique". (I have to say I was SO inspired by the fellow poster with 8 kids who was like "I don't have a choice but just make this work." Thank goodness for these boards :lol0:

I've also put a whiteboard up in my living room and I'm tracking every amount I'm taking in. It's not enough to half-a** it and just think "oh, i'm getting close and was the doctor REALLY serious when he said I needed 64 ozs of liquid and 60 grams of protein?" So - I've tracked it all today and I'm almost done with my protein and liquids! It's SUCH A RELIEF and I feel physically so so much better. I can think clearly and my synapses are firing again!

[Norma 10]

Congrats on your learning to cope and to be present while eating. I actually have had to have my esopagus stretched before as I could not swallow pills. They found that it was too narrow during an upper GI and stretched it during the procedure. You might want to see about that.

[Ruthi 60]

What a great concept to deal with mind over body situations. I like the attitude, keep it up, you are an inspiration.

[Malaika 50]

I may try that for my situation, although Dr. Aceves says it is due to scar tissue. At this point, I'll give anything a try.

[*susan* 1,709]

That is great that you have found a way to cope with the problem, congratulations.

[Finally! 0]

I may try that for my situation, although Dr. Aceves says it is due to scar tissue. At this point, I'll give anything a try.

The scar tissue issue is definitely a real one. After Norma wrote about esophagus "stretching", I looked it up and I'm thinking it may be what I have, too.

I'm just trying to consciously relax it so that it's not as bad. I think it's a physical issue but can be made better by using my mind to do a physical, mechanical thing - relax the area, rather than what is natural - tighten. (Did you know it takes 50 muscles to swallow? wow.)

[Finally! 0]

Congrats on your learning to cope and to be present while eating. I actually have had to have my esopagus stretched before as I could not swallow pills. They found that it was too narrow during an upper GI and stretched it during the procedure. You might want to see about that.

THANK YOU for writing about this, Norma. I looked into it and think it may be what I've had my whole life!

I'm going to go to the doctor to have a test done to see - and then dilation if needed. Did you have a long recovery post-stretching? Did it hurt?

I wonder how long post-surgery I should wait? Maybe I'll ask Dr. Aceves.