GERD, Barrett's Esophagus AND Esophageal Spasms

[PaceMyself]

I suffer from GERD (for years - diagnosed in 2008 - take Kapidex and Prilosec), Barrett's Esophagus (diagnosed 3 months ago) and Esophageal Spasms (diagnosed 3 weeks ago - take liquid Carafate) -  

GERD seems to be under control with medication, Barrett's is being watched by my GI doctor, my problem is the Esophageal Spasms -   So far the liquid Carafate (10ml 4x daily) is NOT helping with the spasms at all.  The come when they want to, they go when they are over -  there seems to be no rhyme or reason why the come on or why they leave.

The pain is severe (on a scale of 1-10, I rank it between 8.5 and 10 during every spasm). If you took a magic marker and drew a line straight across my body under my breasts, drew another straight line from the bottom of both of my ears -  everything between those two lines are encompassed in the pain. Both shoulders, upper arms, neck, back, chest (of course) - the pain is so intense that I cough, gag and beg for relief, rock back and forth, feeling that any second now I'm just going to go out of my mind from the pain.    When the spasm first begins - I feel a tight, burning, intense pain at the base of my neck that spreads outward to both clavicles and then just radiates throughout my entire upper body until it's so intense I'm in tears.

If the Carafate is not going to keep the spasms at bay, or stop the spasms once they come -  what medications SHOULD I be talking to my doctor about.   These spasms leave me so exhausted. I cannot eat (primarily because I'm becoming afraid to eat, I've dropped 19 lbs in a month and I'm scared to death that the combinations of all these things (coupled with the stress and worry) are going to send me straight into adenocarcinoma. I'm really very scared.

[tg942]

I have had the spasms for years.Once when I went to the hospital they gave me a cup of bismuth...The pink stuff.Like Pepto bismal but I buy generic.It stops a spasm within seconds.Because esophageal spasms have the same symtoms as a heart attack they want you to go to emerge every time.This is unrealistic so I figure if I have a big swig of the pink stuff and the spasm stops then it's not the heart.I carry it with me at all times.I have had the spasms at the store,doing dishes sleeping....it dosen't seem to matter.And yes I went to a heart specialist and got checked...heart is fine.Doctors don't seem to know what causes this but think it is related to GERDS but the spasms started long before the reflux.Hope this helps I know how horrible it fells.   Good luck

[essdipity]

Hi, Pace. Welcome to the MS forum.

The main question I have for you is whether you have MS. Your systems sound awful, but they can be caused by a lot of things, most of which we are not familiar with here.

There are various meds for muscle spasms, and I urge you to ask you doctor for one of them.

Best wishes,
ess