Does anyone here have or heard of nutcracker esophagus?

Posted by blackoutthesun @blackoutthesun, Dec 5, 2017

I was diagnosed in 2011 with Nutcracker esophagus, apparently it's very very rare no one seems to know how to treat it. It's causing major motility problems in my upper body/ arms hands, it's very painful and it is debilitating please help

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Digestive Health Support Group.

Has anyone heard of a nutcracker?

REPLY

Recently (February 2022) diagnosed with Hypercontractile Esophagus (Jackhammer/Nutcracker Esophagus) - anyone else have it?

REPLY

@blackoutthesun - I have never been diagnosed with this officially, but I am pretty sure I have experienced it because GERD has very similar symptoms and I do have GERD caused by a hiatal hernia. The pain comes n so suddenly and feels like a heart attack. I have discovered that sipping some water eases the pain within mere minutes, so I always have a bottle or glass of water near me at all times. Not eating (not even a small snack)) or drinking anything (except for the sips of water durin an attack or when taking medication) after 7:00 p.m. and having the top of my bed raised in risers really helps too.

I had no idea what Jackhammer or Nutcracker Esophagus Syndrome was until I read your post and googled it!

https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-jackhammer-esophagus-1191896
REPLY
@rashida

@blackoutthesun - I have never been diagnosed with this officially, but I am pretty sure I have experienced it because GERD has very similar symptoms and I do have GERD caused by a hiatal hernia. The pain comes n so suddenly and feels like a heart attack. I have discovered that sipping some water eases the pain within mere minutes, so I always have a bottle or glass of water near me at all times. Not eating (not even a small snack)) or drinking anything (except for the sips of water durin an attack or when taking medication) after 7:00 p.m. and having the top of my bed raised in risers really helps too.

I had no idea what Jackhammer or Nutcracker Esophagus Syndrome was until I read your post and googled it!

https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-jackhammer-esophagus-1191896

Jump to this post

Hello @rashida

I noticed you are interested in learning more about nutcracker esophagus. It sounds as if you have found some helpful things to do when you have an episode such as the sips of water and raising the head of your bed. Do you take any meds as well?

Have these symptoms been going on for a long time and have you talked with a doctor about it?

REPLY
@hopeful33250

Hello @rashida

I noticed you are interested in learning more about nutcracker esophagus. It sounds as if you have found some helpful things to do when you have an episode such as the sips of water and raising the head of your bed. Do you take any meds as well?

Have these symptoms been going on for a long time and have you talked with a doctor about it?

Jump to this post

@hopeful33250 - yes, I take 1 Lanzoprazole (generic Prevacid) at bedtime. I used to take it in the morning but I found it helped more at bedtime so I switched from morning to bedtime.

I have had this problem for several years, and yes, I am under doctor’s supervision. The sips of water and raising the head of the bed is just something I experimented with, it worked, so I continue to do that. I have an endoscopy every five years or so (along with a colonoscopy) to check for Barrett’s esophagus. So far, so good! 🙂

REPLY

I was diagnosed with jackhammer esophagus a year ago. Was misdiagnosed as gets for many years. I couldn’t eat without throwing up and always felt like I was having a heart attack. There are a few treatment options available for this one is a Botox injection in the esophagus which relaxes the muscle. I had this and it worked temporarily. Unfortunately it doesn’t last and have to have injections every couple months and eventually it won’t work. 6 weeks ago I had a surgery called a P.O.E.M procedure. They actually go in with a scope and cut the muscle. I can now eat food without it coming back up or getting stuck. The procedure has a really high success rate but finding a dr that will do the procedure is a little challenging as this is a fairly new procedure. Hope this helps

REPLY
@miller82602

I was diagnosed with jackhammer esophagus a year ago. Was misdiagnosed as gets for many years. I couldn’t eat without throwing up and always felt like I was having a heart attack. There are a few treatment options available for this one is a Botox injection in the esophagus which relaxes the muscle. I had this and it worked temporarily. Unfortunately it doesn’t last and have to have injections every couple months and eventually it won’t work. 6 weeks ago I had a surgery called a P.O.E.M procedure. They actually go in with a scope and cut the muscle. I can now eat food without it coming back up or getting stuck. The procedure has a really high success rate but finding a dr that will do the procedure is a little challenging as this is a fairly new procedure. Hope this helps

Jump to this post

Hello @miller82602

I appreciate your discussing your experience with the POEM surgery as it relates to jackhammer esophagus. It sounds as if you were really helped by this procedure.

You mentioned that it was difficult to find a doctor to perform POEM. Would you share how you went about finding a specialist for this procedure?

REPLY
@miller82602

I was diagnosed with jackhammer esophagus a year ago. Was misdiagnosed as gets for many years. I couldn’t eat without throwing up and always felt like I was having a heart attack. There are a few treatment options available for this one is a Botox injection in the esophagus which relaxes the muscle. I had this and it worked temporarily. Unfortunately it doesn’t last and have to have injections every couple months and eventually it won’t work. 6 weeks ago I had a surgery called a P.O.E.M procedure. They actually go in with a scope and cut the muscle. I can now eat food without it coming back up or getting stuck. The procedure has a really high success rate but finding a dr that will do the procedure is a little challenging as this is a fairly new procedure. Hope this helps

Jump to this post

How did you come to a diagnosis and what are the symptoms? I do at times have a bit of difficulty swallowing and pressure in my throat. It feels as if there is a lump occasionally after taking meds or eating. This can continue to indigestion and discomfort in my chest. Does that sound familiar?

REPLY
@carolinesearch

How did you come to a diagnosis and what are the symptoms? I do at times have a bit of difficulty swallowing and pressure in my throat. It feels as if there is a lump occasionally after taking meds or eating. This can continue to indigestion and discomfort in my chest. Does that sound familiar?

Jump to this post

The symptoms you are having are exactly what I was dealing with lump in the throat chest pain that felt like a heart attack 24/7. Food getting stuck. The test they did was a Manometry. Horrible test but it measures your esophagus muscles when you swallow water. Had it done twice with the same results.

REPLY

Thank you for your response. It's good to know someone can relate, although not good that we are experiencing this situation. Hope you soon have good health and all that goes with it.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.