Hi, My name is Drew. 41 year old male.  I was diagnosed with Achalasia last month after 3 really hard years. This last year has been the worst.  I have H.M. scheduled for May 24, 2013. 

In response to brookim.  Avoid fizzy or very cold drinks when trying to wash your food down.  Also avoid eating less that 3-4 hours before going to bed.  When going out, having your drinks served warm or without ice will also help.  I was diagnosed with achalasia in 1971 after the birth of my daughter.  By the time she was born I had lost about 75 lbs.  During my pregnancy I could only eat a small amount at one time before the food would become stuck.  I had my first heller myotomy in 1971.  The main symptom for years was severe acid reflux.  I dealt with those times by not eating things that always set off an attack. (Peanut butter was one of the worse.)  When I did have an attack I could usually stop it with saltine crackers or white bread and milk, if I caught it early enough.  In the late 1990s I began to have trouble swallowing and food would stick, sometimes preventing me from eating or drinking even water.  Around 2000 I had another heller myotomy with fundal plycation after stretching had been tried and failed.  The condition got better for a couple of years but then returned.  I have found that there are not any doctors in my area who know much about the problem.  I was told by a surgeon at Wake Forest University Hospital in Winston Salem, N.C., that the only thing left to treat my condition would be to remove the esophagus, but because of the partial stomach wrap that surgery would not be advisable.  The risk of my stomach tearing in the process is very high.  He advised me last year that I should try to get my medications in liquid form and possibly go to an all liquid diet.  I have not yet gone to the liquid diet, but I do have to be really careful about what I eat and drink.  I've found that cold drinks will not wash my food down.  Only milk will work, but it doesn't help with my weight problem.  Most GIs don't recognize achalasia because I have not lost any weight recently.  I'm sure that my extremely large esophagus and the milk prevent me from loosing weight since my esophagus is never empty.  I know this does not solve your problem, but with a little change in lifestyle and diet, you can live with the problem.  I am now 64 and have lived a very full life in spite of my achalasia. 

Hi my name is Linda, I've been newly diagnosed.. a little scared.

My name is Pat, I was diagnosed with Achalsia in August, 2011 after ten months.  Had the nomal tests but, why did it take so long?  I actually tried to sue my GI doctor!  Ten long months, lost thirty something pounds, and many panick attacks including four emergency room visits (these visits never helped me, but, each time I literally thought I would suffocate to death) Had the nissen fundaplication in September, 2011 and did a lot better until I lost my job in August, 2012 and now the acid reflux is back even at night.