I've lost 3 jobs directly related to the nausea and vomiting - employers need someone that can work without having their head in a trash can all day.  I have been ill for several years now...having a 'good' day or two every other week or so. 

I applied for Social Security Disability last August and was just turn-down a few weeks ago. (I am relying on my senior citizen parents to pay my bills, for my insurance, and medication.  I'm not sure what I'm going to do.  The SS wouldn't have been much but would have been something. 

Doctors have recently added an antidepressant to help with the pain & depression.  I continue to take nexium every day and moraphine every 8 hours with over the counter pain meds as needed.  I am usually able to eat something in the evenings.  There is nothing new with regards to treatment. 

Unfortanantly I am aware of your problems because of have had

to deal with them myself over more than 20 years. So I have had many been around the block and to many hospitals and doctors over the years.

I am now 42, and on 11 meds. Several for pain, anxiety, heartburn, insomnia due to pain excetra. I go thru periods of vomiting you have described. And have been known to carry a container like they give you in the hospital in a backpack for emergency vomiting, and the excessive saliva produced when symtoms are severe. It really sucks when your own saliva makes you vomit

and swalowing it makes your nausea worse till you just want to hang your head

and drool or spit into an emeses basin. And then seeing it in the container turns your stomach more. Then you have problems talking because the nausea and urge to vomit gets worse when you speak. All you want to do because of pain

and nausea is be in a quiet, dark room close your eyes and survive a little longer.

 And lift your head when you have to vomit.

 I find my self not eating or drinking for several hours before I have to go somewhere to help with those symptoms. Cause I know how nausea and vomiting can be when you have to drive or be anywhere for a period of time.  But I am glad to say it is better since the last surgury. Its still there but a lessor symtom. My main problem is pain. I was rejected on SSD 2 times. I then hired an attorney that takes a cut if you win. In my state you often see advertisements for them on tv.

After 3 years and several appeals I was able to get SSD with substantial backpay that accrued from when I first applied till I won my case. Depending

on the amount you get per month and how long it takes to be approved

 this can amount to tens of thousands of dollars. The interesting part is that my main reason for being approved was not for the pain and nausea/ vomiting. But for Depression and anxiety. I had started seeing a psychologist after almost 2 years of applying for SSD. I  live in NM and had applied to the department of Vocational Rehabilitation and they were trying to send me to school for retraining they had sent me to him for evaluation for jobs and education I may be able to do.  I tried to go to college. And missed so many classes because of my symtoms that they finally told me it was not worth retraining and they could not recommend job placement because of my inability to work a regular schedule. And was finally told by him I had Depression, Anxiety excetra related to Achalasia and its symtoms. I won SSD on those grounds with the achalasia and its main symptoms being secondary. This is puzzling to me as my overall symtoms of pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea all related to Achalasia had not won it for me even though they were so sever. But in the end I was able to get on SSD and Medicare. Because I also have a Long Term Disability policy that pays above SSD I do not qualify for other aid. You stated if you win SSD if will not be much. But you might be able to qualify for other assistance. Such as low income housing, food stamps, medicaid to supplement medicare and other aid depending on the state you live in.

You may be able to qualify for some aid now and more if and when you are ever able to get SSD.

I feel for you and will be happy to correspond with you further to answer anything I can. It can be frustrating as first of all Achalasia is very rare, so many doctors have not seen a case of it. And then when you have extra symtoms like you and I do then it even makes it harder to find treatment and relief. It also makes it harder to get paperwork you need to document your illness. But it can be done if you pursue it long enough.

Just one other thing I wanted to say, im sitting here and just wrote

 to you above because I have pain tonight. Its 3 am I cant sleep because chest pain woke me up, so im waiting for extra pain meds and ambien to kick in so maybe I can sleep. O the joys of Acalasia. I feel for you and know what you are going through.

Thank you so much to illuminating the probelms associated with achalasia. I've had it for 33 years, and had chronic pain that was exacerbated by all the treatments. Also was successful in obtaining SSD.

For pain, I had almost all the antidepressants, antiepileptic and some analgesic options. MSIR in liquid form was well-suited to slowly drain through the massively dilated, twisted esophagus and hypertensive LES. People don't respond the same to opioid analgesics; therefore another analgesic may have to another trial and titration.

<Good luck finding pain management>

For  me a long-acting analgesic plus a short-acting one worked best for the different aspects of the pain. Fhey helped me to be much healthier and functional than I am without pain management.

Now without any, I can barely eat, have lost a lot of weight and haven't slept for months.

I completely understand everything you're writing about.