Hi to All, 

I have Cancer of the Oesophagus. It started about 2010 when I was in pain on swallowing, disphagia. I was diagnosed with high grade displasia and squamous cells and was told I had Cancer. I had various treatments, Halo 360, OGDs and (O)EMRs. Unfortunately I started having to have General Anaesthetic because with sedation, I was coming round and panicking. It was difficult for the surgeons to get the biopsies and I couldn't keep having GA. It was decided that I would just have endoscopies to check on the progress and then decide what to do. In 2019 I was told that my results were Cancer this time. I was given the option of a oesophagectomy but after an Advanced Lung Function test it was decided I was not well enough to cope with the recovery after sugery. I have also had a condition called TAM (Tubular Aggregate Myopathy) which means my skeletal muscles have no stamina. The operation would require one of my lungs to be deflated, this would likely bring about pneumonia post surgery. Earlier this year I had Chemo Radiotherapy. 5 Chemo sessions and 5 weeks of Radiotherapy. The C+R went ok but I was having Oromorph for pain. This bunged me up so I started taking Dulcosate to combat this. I didn't realise I was having a reaction to the Dulco. It was burning my throat and stomach so I took more Oromorph, which led to more Dulco......... I stopped the Oromorph and my throat and stomach recovered. The main pain I had was with my OS (Oesophageal Sphincter, yes there is more than one ;-). I believe it was suffering from all the endoscapies and treatments my disphagia got worse and as of now I have frequent Achalasia (not being able to swallow, being sick) . I have had two days where my OS would not dilate, even water came straight back up. I have managed to start eating again but I was warned during C+R that I must eat, even with the pain or I may not survive the treatment. I also found out after the first week of C+R, that it was depleting my Magnesium. I had to start Magnesium infusions once a week. A week after my C+R ended I had to rush to H to have another infusion. I am taking Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc and Vitamin D but I still feel that my Mg is low. I now have chest pains which I believe is linked to the OS being worn out. The prognosis on the 'Net doesn' t look great. If things get worse I will have to contact one of my consultants. Near term I have a CT scan appointment to attent to see how the Cancer is. Sorry this was so long but I needed to put it down somewhere. I live alone and have moved away from my home  town to be where  I live now. I have had offers of help but until Covid I did not take advantage of help offered. I have no choice now being 8 weeks into my 12 weeks self isolation I have food and medicine delivered. Forgot this bit. I'm late fifties in case anyone was wondering. 

Good luck to everyone. We are all different so we may have different responses to treatment. Never give up. 

Match.