: Doug Lake
: Esophagus Attack! The 3-Step Method to Enjoy Eating Again
: Lioncrest Publishing
: 9781544516967
: 1
: CHF 7.30
:
: Ernährung
: English
: 264
: kein Kopierschutz
: PC/MAC/eReader/Tablet
: ePUB
It's normal for a big Thanksgiving dinner to come with a side of physical discomfort, but when Dr. Doug Lake experienced ripping chest pain after only one bite of turkey, he knew something was wrong. Thankfully, it wasn't a heart attack, but it was his first 'Esophagus Attack.' And it was an extraordinary personal window into the issue so many of his patients experience. If you've felt something similar after swallowing, or if you feel like food gets stuck, you know this panic and pain. You're not alone: more than 250,000 Americans struggle with the condition that causes this. Nevertheless, it is not well understood, and patients often feel embarrassed, ashamed, overwhelmed, and afraid. In this comprehensive guide, Dr. Lake walks you through every facet of esophagus attacks, from causes to solutions. You'll hear from successful patients and discover how to get the medical-and emotional-support you need. Most importantly, you'll learn a simple three-step eating process that will help you release your fears, look forward to gathering with loved ones for meals, and enjoy eating again.

CHAPTER 1


1.ESOPHAGUS ATTACK? WHY DO I CARE?


Waves of severe chest pain.

Squeezing pain in the middle of my chest lasting three to six seconds.

Is this a heart attack? Should I call 911? Am I going to die?

But no pain radiating into my left arm, or my jaw, though I feel it in my lower neck, for sure.

Tension fills my shoulders, and I wipe my clammy hands on the napkin in my lap. I’ve never had pain like this before. Is there aspirin around?

Another wave of tearing pain hits my chest. I hunch forward slightly in my chair, and my legs push me back from the table. Deep exhale.

No, really, am I dying?

Stop. I ran a 5K in nineteen minutes this morning, and I’m atwenty-six-year-oldmedical student. This can’t be a heart attack.

Then what the hell causes waves of chest pain? Why do I feel like someone grabbed a lemon squeezer from the kitchen and squeezed the middle of my chest?

Aortic dissection? Is my aorta rupturing in my chest?

Stop. It happened right after I ate that piece of the turkey thigh. It must be that. I hope it is that. Could food stuck in my esophagus feel like a vise gripping my chest?

Is this reflux?

No way. I’ve only eaten a protein bar and Gatorade, and that was after the 5K, almost six hours ago. I’m starving—I could eat a horse. There’s nothing in my stomach. It’s not reflux.

What is this?

Oh, no—does cancer do this?

What if this is cancer?

I had my first esophagus attack eighteen years ago when I was athird-year medical student. Even with my medical training, I was unable to identify, much less solve the problem of having food stuck in my esophagus. Since then, I have studied this problem extensively, from both a personal and a professional perspective. I have diagnosed and supported thousands of patients with this dilemma.

Experiencing esophagus attacks—the way I think of them when they happen to me, if not when I’m in my doctor role—are not only physically painful but also come with a significant emotional load as well. You must eat to live. If you can’t eat food, you slowly die. Doctors can put tubes into parts of your body to help. Some need this, but the natural process of chewing and swallowing food is best. Eating represents a critical social gathering point around the world. Learning my steps to eating more comfortably and confidently solves the problem for most people. (Though if food does get stuck, you must see a medical professional).

This book will help you understand this problem and overcome it. You will learn about the esophagus. You will know you need to tell someone in the medical field about this problem. I will teach