{"id":290,"date":"2025-02-06T06:37:58","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T07:37:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.vpngarage.com\/?p=290"},"modified":"2025-06-19T12:51:15","modified_gmt":"2025-06-19T12:51:15","slug":"my-personal-experiences-with-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-plus-tips-to-help-cope-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.vpngarage.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/06\/my-personal-experiences-with-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-plus-tips-to-help-cope-2\/","title":{"rendered":"My Personal Experiences with Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum (Plus Tips to Help Cope)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/play.ht\/embed\/?article_url=https:\/\/play.ht\/drafts\/g07uNegPi2VkAHPUrgE8Bbcazjg1\/IfTfjwlpX&#038;voice=Anna\" scrolling=\"no\" height=\"90px\" width=\"100%\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>Two New Diagnoses &#8211; Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum &#038; Mitral Valve Stenosis<\/h2>\n<p>Whilst I haven\u2019t heard much good news in a long time, I did not expect 2025 to be a harbinger of such terrible news. It seems like I will need to get two major surgeries done, one for a severe mitral valve stenosis, and the other for an epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum. Well technically, epiphrenic esophageal diverticula, since there are two of them. Oh, and <a href=\"https:\/\/achronicvoice.substack.com\/p\/broken-tooth-christmas-eve\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">I also broke my molar tooth on Christmas Eve<\/a>, so that was a bonus.<\/p>\n<p><em>*Disclaimer: This article is meant for educational purposes, and is based on my personal experiences as a patient. Whilst I have done my utmost to be meticulous in research, <strong>I am not a doctor, and nothing in this article should be substituted for medical advice.<\/strong> Please consult your own doctor before changing or adding <strong>any<\/strong> new treatment protocols. This post may also contain affiliate links. It will cost you nothing to click on them. I will get a small referral fee from purchases you make, which helps with the maintenance of this blog. Read our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/privacy-policy\/\">Privacy Policy page<\/a> for more information. Thank you!<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"pinTxtCTA\">Pin to Your Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum &#038; Rare Disease Boards:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"pinBox\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-pin-description=\"My Personal Experiences with Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum (Plus Tips to Help Cope) - Learn more about this rare disease in the post, and how I am personally managing it. Symptoms often mimic common gastrointestinal disorders, and it can be dangerous if diagnosed late.\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"My Personal Experiences with Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum (Plus Tips to Help Cope)\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-44820 lazyload\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/personal-experiences-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-tips-help-cope-683x1024.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/personal-experiences-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-tips-help-cope-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/personal-experiences-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-tips-help-cope-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/personal-experiences-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-tips-help-cope-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/personal-experiences-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-tips-help-cope.jpg 1000w\">\n<\/div>\n<ul class=\"relatedList\">\n<u>Read Related Posts:<\/u><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2025\/01\/26\/rare-disease-esophageal-diverticulum\/\">Learn More About the Super Rare Disease \u2013 Esophageal Diverticulum<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2018\/04\/15\/death-broken-heart\/\">My Second Brush with Death: A Broken Heart (Literally)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2018\/10\/04\/heart-rhythm-disorder\/\">What\u2019s it Like to Live with a Heart Rhythm Disorder?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2024\/12\/05\/medisearch-review-medical-ai-search-engine\/\">MediSearch Review: A Medical AI Search Engine for Patients, Clinicians &#038; Medical Writers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2024\/06\/02\/latest-research-on-antiphospholipid-syndrome\/\">Latest Research on Antiphospholipid Syndrome (2024 Edition)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Classifications for Esophageal Diverticulum<\/h2>\n<p>To be honest, the diagnosis for epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum scares me more than the mitral valve stenosis, only because it\u2019s so rare. In practice, <a href=\"https:\/\/jtd.amegroups.org\/article\/view\/71937\/html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">esophageal diverticulum is divided into a few different types of classifications<\/a> from an anatomical and etiopathogenic point of view (Constantin et al., 2023). They are also subdivided based on their location. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/digestive-disorders\/esophageal-diverticulum\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WebMD summarises the different types of esophageal diverticula here<\/a>, although the classifications can get even more fine-grained than that (Whitten, 2024, February 20).<\/p>\n<p>However, from what I\u2019ve gathered after reading multiple medical journals, there is currently no agreed upon standard for treatment. Classifications for the disease itself are not even \u2018finalised\u2019, so to speak. Meaning there is no handbook or protocol for doctors or surgeons to refer to for this condition, and it\u2019s mainly \u2018play by ear\u2019. Both my surgeon and doctor at the hospital have only seen one case in their career.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll talk about the stenosis in a separate post, as I would like to focus on my diagnosis and symptoms for epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum in this one. This post is part of a two-part series. I will share my personal experiences in this one; you can <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2025\/01\/26\/rare-disease-esophageal-diverticulum\/\">find more research and facts on esophageal diverticulum in this post<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2>How I Learned About My Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum<\/h2>\n<p>I reluctantly admitted myself to the A&#038;E\/ER one evening, as my forearm was bloated and swollen. It felt like my skin was going to burst. The only reason I had gone to the A&#038;E was because the GP had assumed it was an abscess.<\/p>\n<p>The rheumatology team saw me the next day, whilst I was snoozing along the corridor of a random ward. They were collectively certain that it was a blood clot, considering <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/antiphospholipid-syndrome-diagnosis-a-to-z-guide\/\">I have Antiphospholipid Syndrome<\/a><\/strong>, a blood clotting disorder. A few scans and tests later, they were all surprised that it wasn\u2019t a blood clot, neither was it a fracture.<\/p>\n<p>They did however, find some liquid near my lung, and the outpouching characteristic of esophageal diverticulum. According to Constantin et al. (2023), \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC9992562\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">somewhere between 0.06 &#8211; 4% [of epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum] are discovered incidentally<\/a>, radiologically\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The swollen arm and liquid in the lung subsequently resolved on their own. In fact, when they wheeled me in to do a pleural biopsy, they wheeled me back out as the surgeon said that \u2018there was nothing to biopsy\u2019. This is why I rarely rush to the A&#038;E for every pain, even if extreme. Living with chronic illness means constant pain, and the occasional weird symptom.<\/p>\n<p>My own rheumatologist said that the esophageal diverticula probably have been there for some time. He also said it was probably unrelated to my other autoimmune diseases, though I really beg to differ. I personally think it doesn\u2019t make sense that none of my long list of medical conditions are related.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"relatedList\">\n<u>Read Related Posts:<\/u><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2019\/08\/08\/refused-treatment-hospital\/\">What it Feels Like to be Refused Treatment by a Hospital\u2019s A&#038;E \/ ER<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2024\/09\/30\/tell-me-youre-chronically-ill-without-telling-me-youre-chronically-ill-chronic-illness-memes\/\">Tell Me You\u2019re Chronically Ill Without Telling Me You\u2019re Chronically Ill (51 Chronic Illness Memes)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2019\/04\/07\/dengue-fever-lupus\/\">\u201cBut That\u2019s Normal for Me\u201d (Why I Mistook Dengue Fever for a Lupus Flare)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2021\/07\/14\/body-gone-rogue-invisible-illness\/\">12 Visible Evidence of a Body Gone Rogue (Is Invisible Illness Truly Invisible?)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2016\/07\/20\/different-doctors\/\">Why I Need to See 10 Different Doctors on a Regular Basis<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>My Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum Symptoms<\/h2>\n<p>According to Sato et al. (2023), the <a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s12328-023-01765-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">main symptoms of esophageal diverticulum<\/a> are \u201cdysphagia, regurgitation, weight loss, heartburn, respiratory complaints, and retrosternal pain when swallowing food\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>My own biggest problem was and is regurgitation, especially whilst asleep in the middle of the night. I wake to violent fits of coughing, as my esophagus tries to purge the food trapped within the pouches. Sometimes my throat is so irritated that I vomit. In fact, it happened twice again last night.<\/p>\n<p>At first, I had simply assumed that it was GERD\/acid reflux, as I am on long-term steroid therapy for Lupus and Sj\u00f6gren\u2019s disease. Plus I drink way too much coffee, and my eating habits are not the best (yes, sue me). When I received the diagnosis for epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum, everything made so much more sense.<\/p>\n<p>Other symptoms I\u2019ve had to date are: minor incidents of dysphagia (trouble swallowing food), and being really gassy. My digestive system makes a lot of weird noises, and I feel bloated and uncomfortable. These are sporadic with no fixed pattern. My doctor has said before that I probably have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) too, so I\u2019m not sure what\u2019s triggering what. Chronic illness comorbidities are fun like that.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, my throat often feels scratchy, as if there are tiny specks of food trapped within it, plastered to the \u2018walls\u2019. There are \u2018better\u2019 and worse days as well. On the \u2018better\u2019 days, the symptoms are mostly quiescent with some minor coughing. On bad days, that \u2018stuck\u2019 feeling is there for almost 24 hours, and I am unable to eat without vomiting.<\/p>\n<h3>My Increase in Symptoms<\/h3>\n<p>The symptoms rapidly became worse over time. I am now being involuntarily woken almost every night by violent coughing, regurgitation and vomiting. On a \u2018better\u2019 night, I wake once or twice. On a \u2018bad\u2019 night, that would be at least every 2 hours.<\/p>\n<p>Combine that with horrendous chronic urticaria that antihistamines barely alleviate, it means that I hardly get a good night\u2019s sleep. In fact, that happened again last night, as I was up until 6am scratching and coughing.<\/p>\n<p>Unsurprisingly, this isn\u2019t great for my physical or mental health, as I feel extremely frayed at the edges, and completely worn out. What sort of life is this, if I am in pain and discomfort both day and night? What makes it even more depressing is that there is no medication to even relieve some of the symptoms either.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"pinTxtCTA\">Pin to Your Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum &#038; Motility Disorder Boards:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"pinBox\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-pin-description=\"Learn more about my own symptoms for epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum, which mostly manifests as regurgitation and vomiting at night. Read about what I\u2019ve tried and what I want to try for pain management and pain relief.\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"My Symptoms For Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum - Read The Post\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-44821 lazyload\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/my-symptoms-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-683x1024.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/my-symptoms-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/my-symptoms-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/my-symptoms-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/my-symptoms-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum.jpg 1000w\">\n<\/div>\n<ul class=\"relatedList\">\n<u>Read Related Posts:<\/u><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2021\/08\/02\/dysphagia-oral-vitamin-sprays\/\">Dysphagia &#038; Swallowing Problems (and How Oral Vitamin Sprays Can be of Help to You)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2023\/01\/10\/depression-after-knee-surgery-how-to-cope-part-1-5\/\">Depression After Knee Surgery &#038; How to Cope<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2019\/09\/22\/painkillers-quality-life\/\">Why Painkillers are One of My Biggest Allies for a Decent Quality of Life<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2017\/07\/26\/suicide-chronic-illness\/\">Why it Feels Like Suicide is an Option When You Live with Chronic Illness or Disability<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2020\/04\/28\/wasting-time-sleep\/\">How Much Time Are You Wasting On Sleep?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>More Information About Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum<\/h2>\n<p>This section covers more about epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum specifically. You can <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2025\/01\/26\/rare-disease-esophageal-diverticulum\/\">read the research post for more information about esophageal diverticulum in general<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>My two diverticula are mainly epiphrenic in nature (towards the tail end of the esophagus), although one is slightly higher up. Out of the various types of esophageal diverticulum, <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC4235103\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum<\/a> comprises less than 10% of all cases, with an estimated incidence of 1:500,000 per year (i.e. 1 out of <em>half a million<\/em> people) (Abdollahimohammad et al., 2014). The most common is Zenker\u2019s diverticulum, which occurs at the top end of the esophagus.<\/p>\n<p>According to Alicuben et al. (2023), <a href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com.sg\/books?hl=en&#038;lr=&#038;id=xmGvEAAAQBAJ&#038;oi=fnd&#038;pg=PP23&#038;dq=epiphrenic+esophageal+diverticulum&#038;ots=0o4vbaWSoF&#038;sig=hs-aOtti78ZTa5oPhaaZbuFSsW4&#038;redir_esc=y#v=onepage&#038;q=epiphrenic%20esophageal%20diverticulum&#038;f=false\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">patients with epiphrenic esophageal diverticula are symptomatic only about 10% to 20% of the time<\/a>. Symptoms tend to begin when the <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC4235103\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">diverticulum becomes bigger than 5cm<\/a> (Abdollahimohammad et al., 2014).<\/p>\n<p>Having said that, both my epiphrenic esophageal diverticula are a little smaller than 5cm, and I have been progressively symptomatic. I\u2019m unsure if that\u2019s good or bad luck. Good because I guess, well, treating something earlier is usually better than later. Bad because the symptoms are obviously not fun.<\/p>\n<h3>The Complications of Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum<\/h3>\n<p>Many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.degruyter.com\/document\/doi\/10.7556\/jaoa.2009.109.10.543\/html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">symptoms of epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum<\/a> are similar to other gastrointestinal and common medical conditions, such as acid reflux or side effects of NSAIDs. As a result, many patients with epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum are diagnosed late, which can lead to further complications, such as \u201cgastrointestinal bleeding, aspiration pneumonia or cancer\u201d (Conklin et al., 2009).<\/p>\n<p>The incidence of cancer in patients with epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum is around 0.3% to 3%, and it is often at an advanced stage when discovered (Conklin et al., 2009; also see: <a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/bjs\/article-abstract\/102\/1\/119\/6136641\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"broken_link\" rel=\"noopener\">Hjern et al., 2015<\/a>). According to Constantin et al. (2023), there is also the <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC9992562\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">risk of developing esophageal cancer<\/a>, around 10 years after symptomatic esophageal diverticulum.<\/p>\n<h3>Some Other Characteristics of Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC9992562\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">According to Constantin et al. (2023)<\/a> there is \u201cno correlation between size and retentive character\u201d for epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum in particular. That means that food and liquid can get stuck regardless of the size of the epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum, to give rise to symptoms.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, \u201cone of the early signs of food stasis in a pharyngeal-ED [esophageal diverticulum] is the appearance of hydro aerial noises when ingesting fluids\u201d. As a result of food stasis, sialorrhea (hypersalivation) occurs (Constantin et al., 2023).<\/p>\n<p>After reading that, I wondered if my drooling at night is a consequence of the epiphrenic esophageal diverticula. But as I need to wear a mouthguard for bruxism and TMJ disorder issues as well, I suppose it could be multifactorial.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"pinTxtCTA\">Pin to Your Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum &#038; Rare Disease Boards:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"pinBox\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" Rdata-pin-description=\"Read the post for more information about epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum, a rare disease that can cause a wide range of symptoms that mimic other common gastrointestinal disorders, such as acid reflux\/GERD, stomach ulcers and motility disorders.\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"More info about epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-44822 lazyload\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/more-info-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-683x1024.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/more-info-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/more-info-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/more-info-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/more-info-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum.jpg 1000w\">\n<\/div>\n<ul class=\"relatedList\">\n<u>Read Related Posts:<\/u><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2024\/07\/02\/how-does-antiphospholipid-syndrome-affect-the-body-blood-major-organs\/\">How Does Antiphospholipid Syndrome Affect The Body? (Beyond the Blood to Major Organs)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2021\/03\/18\/oral-spray-vitamins\/\">Oral Spray Vitamins: A Quick &#038; Easy Way to Get Your Nutrients with Chronic Illness<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2019\/09\/07\/pain-chronic-illness\/\">Sometimes, Physical Pain Isn\u2019t the Worst Part About Chronic Illness<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2020\/12\/06\/survive-the-holidays-chronic-illness-disability-pain\/\">How to Survive the Holidays When Chronic Illness &#038; Disability Cause Pain<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2019\/01\/13\/pain-management-tips-pain-flare\/\">40 People with Chronic Illness Share Their Best Pain Management Tips (What to Do if an Unforeseen Pain Flare Hits)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Confirmation of My Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum Diagnosis &#8211; a Barium Swallow Test<\/h2>\n<p>After the incidental finding of the epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum, I was scheduled for a barium swallow test. This is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S1043067920302720\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">one of the more definitive tests for esophageal diverticulum<\/a>, and also certain motility disorders such as achalasia (Sudarshan et al., 2021).<\/p>\n<p>I was made to drink a chalky liquid at intervals, as the medical team watched and timed the flow under <a href=\"https:\/\/medlineplus.gov\/lab-tests\/fluoroscopy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fluoroscopy<\/a> (a type of x-ray that shows the movement of organs in real-time) (MedlinePlus, 2024, August 27). The mixture tasted quite nice to me, a bit like yoghurt, but don\u2019t take my word for it as the technician said that no one else likes it. The doctors\u2019 biggest concern was achalasia, which the team decided that I did not have based on the test. They were also able to measure the size of the diverticula and gather other information from the barium swallow test.<\/p>\n<h2>Other Essential Preoperative Tests for Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum<\/h2>\n<p>I will need to get surgery done in my surgeon\u2019s opinion. Whilst it\u2019s a fairly high-risk surgery, I am going to agree with him, as the symptoms are becoming unbearable and interferes with my life every day. Some preoperative tests will need to be done, namely an upper endoscopy and manometry.<\/p>\n<p>Whilst the surgeon has said that the manometry might not be necessary since we\u2019ll need to do a fundoplication (an anti-reflux procedure) during the Heller\u2019s myotomy (surgery) regardless, I insist upon it. This is because epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum mostly stems from a motility disorder, so it is best to treat the underlying cause if so. Whilst the fundoplication might treat any existing motility disorder, I think it\u2019s best to actually know what the disorder is, if there is indeed one.<\/p>\n<p>According to Alicuben et al. (2023), \u201cfailure to identify and treat the underlying motility disorder during diverticulum resection has been associated with <a href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com.sg\/books?hl=en&#038;lr=&#038;id=xmGvEAAAQBAJ&#038;oi=fnd&#038;pg=PP23&#038;dq=epiphrenic+esophageal+diverticulum&#038;ots=0o4vbaWSoF&#038;sig=hs-aOtti78ZTa5oPhaaZbuFSsW4&#038;redir_esc=y#v=onepage&#038;q=epiphrenic%20esophageal%20diverticulum&#038;f=false\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">high rates of recurrence and leak along the staple line<\/a> in the range of 10% to 20%.\u201d They also state that, \u201cspecifically, failure to perform an adequate myotomy in such patients has yielded leak rates exceeding 25% when diverticulectomy alone is performed\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>You can <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2025\/01\/26\/rare-disease-esophageal-diverticulum\/\">learn more about these diagnostic tests, surgeries and why they\u2019re important in the post here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"relatedList\">\n<u>Read Related Posts:<\/u><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2022\/03\/06\/suddenly-disabled\/\">What It Feels Like to be Suddenly Disabled<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2022\/08\/14\/knee-surgery-spontaneous-bilateral-patellar-tedon-rupture-weeks-1-6\/\">Knee Surgery for Spontaneous Bilateral Patellar Tendon Rupture: Weeks 1 \u2013 6<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2022\/12\/13\/wound-care-what-to-wear-after-knee-surgery\/\">Wound Care &#038; What to Wear After Knee Surgery<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2018\/05\/27\/living-with-antiphospholipid-syndrome-personal-experiences\/\">The Annoying Thing About Living with Antiphospholipid Syndrome (My Personal Experiences)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2016\/04\/08\/pulmonary-embolism-dvts-antiphospholipid-syndrome\/\">An Experience from Hell: Pulmonary Embolism, DVTs &#038; Antiphospholipid Syndrome<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>General Symptom Management for Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum<\/h2>\n<p>As mentioned, there is no medication to help with symptom relief, and the doctors don\u2019t have much clue about it either. The advice I was given by the gastroenterologist was rather generic, and there aren\u2019t many tips online either. The closest I have found for managing epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum are general esophageal soft food diet tips.<\/p>\n<p>A list of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cedars-sinai.org\/blog\/esophageal-soft-diet-guidelines.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">esophageal soft food diet tips can be found on the Cedars Sinai (2018, May 30) website<\/a>, and includes: eating slowly in small amounts, chewing thoroughly, drinking fluids whilst eating to flush the food down, sitting upright whilst eating and up to 60 minutes after, avoiding food 3 hours before sleeping, avoiding caffeinated beverages, avoiding tough meats, abrasive foods and breads with chewy textures, and to stop eating when you start to feel satiated. This is pretty much what the gastroenterologist has advised me to do for symptom management of my epiphrenic esophageal diverticula.<\/p>\n<p>You may or may not have trouble digesting food in and of itself with epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum. However, many of the symptoms mimic those of esophageal cancer or a motility disorder. Thus, many of the symptom management tips closely resemble these diseases. It also largely depends on your personal symptoms, how and when it affects you. For instance, regurgitation whilst sleeping is my biggest symptom, so my management plan might look different from yours, if you mostly get dysphagia instead.<\/p>\n<p>Dietary changes and eating times are primary ones, however. According to Yam et al. (2023, April 24), \u201cif patients are not surgical candidates, then <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK532858\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">management with diet changes<\/a> such as eating bland food and drinking water after every bite to help flush any food out of the diverticulum is recommended\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"pinTxtCTA\">Pin to Your Chronic Pain &#038; Pain Management Boards:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"pinBox\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-pin-description=\"Read more about general epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum symptom management, and also how I\u2019m trying to manage it personally. My symptoms manifest mainly as regurgitation, coughing and vomiting whilst sleeping. Other common general symptoms include dysphagia, bad breath and painful swallowing.\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum symptom management\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-44823 lazyload\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-symptom-management-683x1024.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-symptom-management-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-symptom-management-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-symptom-management-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-symptom-management.jpg 1000w\">\n<\/div>\n<h2>How I\u2019m Personally Managing My Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum Symptoms<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s been a lot of trial and error for me, personally. I have a rough idea of which types of food cause the most damage, having learned the painful way. By sharing these personal experiences, I hope that it saves you some pain.<\/p>\n<p>There are also a few things I want to try but have yet to do them regularly, so I\u2019ll update the post after I\u2019ve experimented with them a bit more. One thing I\u2019d like to try is stretching to aid with digestion, and make it a nightly routine. It seems safe and simple enough to try and implement.<\/p>\n<h3>Dietary &#038; Lifestyle Changes<\/h3>\n<p>I rarely eat at regular timings, so I\u2019m trying to work on that. I think it\u2019s helped a little, mainly because there is less acid reflux, which can also contribute to irritation along the digestive tract &#8211; which includes the esophagus.<\/p>\n<p>The most painful episode for me so far was eating a bag of risotto chips at night, because I thought that rice crackers would be less abrasive and easier to digest than potato or corn chips. I was proved so terribly wrong, as I was up all night coughing and vomiting every 2 hours, and even the entire day after as well. I now have a phobia of anything crunchy, and avoid them especially at night.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Food Textures Matter a Great Deal<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>I\u2019ve found that foods that are either crunchy or flaky to be the worst, and also anything with lots of \u2018specks\u2019 in it, such as black peppercorns.<\/p>\n<p>I probably don\u2019t have to explain \u2018crunchy\u2019 to you &#8211; stuff like crisps, deep-fried chicken and certain cereals. \u2018Flaky\u2019 includes bread, sugary candies like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B00CH4CPVE?&#038;linkCode=ll1&#038;tag=achronicvoice-20&#038;linkId=561ca9489ba72005e8e9bb74e3b2af07&#038;language=en_US&#038;ref_=as_li_ss_tl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">soan papdi<\/a> (which I love), ginger slices, and basically anything that can be broken down into strips, if that makes sense.<\/p>\n<p>Bread, especially sliced bread with lots of \u2018air pockets\u2019 tends to be the worst. This is because they get chewed up into tiny specks that ultimately become trapped in the pouches of the esophageal diverticula. I can feel them tickle at my throat, begging to be spat out. And when they refuse to budge, my body reacts and expels them via vomiting.<\/p>\n<p>The suggestion to \u2018eat bland food\u2019 does not appeal to me in the least bit, because I have also developed a phobia after only eating bland food for months on end whenever hospitalised. I call it \u2018sick people food\u2019, and the thought makes me depressed. However, the pain and discomfort from the esophageal diverticula means that sometimes, that\u2019s worth the sacrifice.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Avoid Supper at All Costs, if Possible<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>My sleeping hours are very irregular, as one night of painsomnia can trigger a domino effect for days. So I tend to eat supper, especially if I hadn\u2019t had much to eat earlier on in the day. Whilst the gastroenterologist did say not to eat 2 hours before sleeping, I find that I need to avoid eating right after dinner. It was difficult at first, because my body had been primed to want to eat at night. It\u2019s much better now though. That little change does make a rather big difference.<\/p>\n<p>I did try drinking fruit juice at night as I thought it was categorised as a \u2018liquid diet\u2019, but that didn\u2019t work out too well for me at all. The fibre from the fruits tend to be like \u2018strings\u2019, so those get trapped in the esophageal diverticula pouches, too. According to Marcin (2024, March 25), such fruits are hard to digest because <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/easy-to-digest-foods\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fibre \u201cisn\u2019t digested by your body\u201d<\/a>. Whilst the esophagus is technically before the digestive juices start their action, I guess this rule applies too, but in a different way. I\u2019m learning as I go along.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"pinTxtCTA\">Pin to Your Chronic Illness &#038; Pain Management Boards:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"pinBox\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-pin-description=\"Learning to live with epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum involves a lot of trial and error, as it is an extremely rare disease. Read about the dietary and lifestyle changes that have helped manage my symptoms the most in the post.\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Learning to live with the rare disease - epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-44824 lazyload\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/learning-live-rare-disease-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-683x1024.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/learning-live-rare-disease-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/learning-live-rare-disease-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/learning-live-rare-disease-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/learning-live-rare-disease-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum.jpg 1000w\">\n<\/div>\n<h3>Foods That are Fine for My Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum<\/h3>\n<p>For more substantial meals, soups and stews (including stewed meat and vegetables), work best for me so far. As stews are boiled for a long period of time, this helps to break the food product down partially. In a gross metaphorical sense, they\u2019ve been \u2018pre-chewed\u2019 a little to make things easier for you.<\/p>\n<p>I eat less white rice than the average Asian, as it makes me feel quite bloated if I have too much of it. It is still a staple, and apart from bloating, doesn\u2019t cause too much distress. I suppose that\u2019s because they\u2019ve been dehusked and are cooked, making them soft and less fibrous. Noodles and pasta are also okay in general, as once again, I guess it\u2019s because they\u2019ve been cooked at high temperatures.<\/p>\n<p>Other foods I can tolerate with the epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum are: mashed potatoes, eggs, fish, spreads (like jams and compotes), any cooked meat or vegetable, and yoghurt. Things that are okay on the \u2018naughty\u2019 food list for me include: ice cream, marshmallow, bingsu (Korean shaved ice dessert), sorbet, jelly and custard.<\/p>\n<h3>Foods That Cause Pain for My Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum<\/h3>\n<p>Foods that cause me the most pain, in hierarchical order, include: crisps\/chips, sliced bread, cookies and biscuits, and high-fibre fruits. Whilst some of these foods can be quite plain, remember that it isn\u2019t so much that your stomach has trouble digesting them. Rather, the pouches from the esophageal diverticula trap some food products more so than others. The time of consumption matters as well. So if I want to try my luck eating one of these food items, it\u2019s safer to try it as early on in the day as possible.<\/p>\n<p>Northwest Minimally Invasive Surgery (2021, April 20) has an information page for patients who have had esophageal or stomach surgery, but the advice is pretty relevant for epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum, too. They state that \u201cit is important that foods consumed be smooth in texture to facilitate the movement of food through the swollen areas of the esophagus or stomach. Bread products that can expand with fluid are avoided entirely\u201d. They also have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.northwestmis.com\/procedure\/esophageal-and-stomach\/esophageal-soft-food-diet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">list of foods allowed and foods to avoid<\/a> that makes total sense to me. The list is similar on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cedars-sinai.org\/blog\/esophageal-soft-diet-guidelines.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cedars Sinai (2018, May 30) blog about esophageal dietary guidelines<\/a> as well.<\/p>\n<h3>Experimenting with Supplements &#038; Medications for Symptom Relief<\/h3>\n<p>I was suffering from two days of bloatedness and regurgitation a while back, and just randomly thought I\u2019d try some magnesium. The justification being that <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC5926493\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">magnesium is an essential mineral<\/a> for the proper functioning of over 300 enzymes in the body, which includes muscle relaxation and digestion (Al Alawi et al., 2018).<\/p>\n<p>I took a magnesium carbonate effervescent tablet, and was amazed to find that it helped to relieve the epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum symptoms a fair bit. I\u2019m not sure how the esophagus is associated, but hey, it helped with some relief from two days of discomfort. Placebo or not, I\u2019ll take it as a win, and something to add to my pain management toolkit. (I personally like the range of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B09RP5FVZV?&#038;linkCode=ll1&#038;tag=achronicvoice-20&#038;linkId=a4066a24deef7e52bf8aa203eaf41cc9&#038;language=en_US&#038;ref_=as_li_ss_tl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">effervescent tablets from Voost<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p>However, do note that this \u2018trick\u2019 isn\u2019t fail-proof. Half the time it doesn\u2019t work and I still wake up coughing and regurgitating. So I guess the magnesium simply aids with digestion and relaxation in general, which probably has an indirect effect on my body overall.<\/p>\n<p>Interestingly, I did a search about it the next day, and found that magnesium supposedly helps some people who have achalasia. I couldn\u2019t find any papers for it though, as esophageal diverticulum is a rare disease. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/nutrition\/magnesium-types\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Healthline has a list of the different types of magnesium supplements<\/a>, which is interesting general knowledge (Hill, 2023, May 11).<\/p>\n<p>Cough syrup also surprisingly seems to help with the non-stop coughing, even though it\u2019s irritation from the esophagus, instead of the trachea\/windpipe. I suppose it suppresses the urge to cough regardless? Having said that, both my parents are having an extremely bad cold and cough at the moment, so perhaps I\u2019ve caught the bug, too. I\u2019ll wait for a couple more weeks before concluding on the cough syrup relief.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"pinTxtCTA\">Pin to Your Soft Food Diet &#038; Chronic Pain Boards:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"pinBox\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-pin-description=\"In this post, I share which foods have been fine, or have triggered pain for me with epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum. Also learn more about this rare disease - its symptoms and how to manage the pain and discomfort.\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum - foods that are okay or not okay for me\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-44825 lazyload\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-foods-okay-not-okay-683x1024.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-foods-okay-not-okay-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-foods-okay-not-okay-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-foods-okay-not-okay-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-foods-okay-not-okay.jpg 1000w\">\n<\/div>\n<ul class=\"relatedList\">\n<u>Read Related Posts:<\/u><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2021\/06\/18\/vitamin-d-vitamin-k2\/\">Vitamin D &#038; Vitamin K2: How They Boost Each Other in the Body<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2021\/05\/02\/malabsorption-nutrients\/\">The Causes &#038; Dangers of Malabsorption &#038; An Easy Way to Get Your Nutrients<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2024\/06\/23\/medications-and-antiphospholipid-syndrome-warfarin-enoxaparin-doacs-nsaids\/\">The Lowdown on Medications and Antiphospholipid Syndrome (Warfarin, Enoxaparin, DOACs, NSAIDs &#038; More)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2022\/12\/13\/physiotherapy-after-knee-operation\/\">Physiotherapy After Knee Operation<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2021\/02\/02\/accessible-yoga-chronic-illness\/\">Is Yoga Accessible for People with Chronic Illness?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Conclusion on My Personal Experiences with Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum<\/h2>\n<p>In sum, epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum is an extremely rare disease with limited research comparatively, so symptom and pain management are mostly through trial and error. Whilst it is not deadly in and of itself unless something rare happens (such as a rupture that will not stop bleeding), it tends to worsen over time. There is also a very small risk of esophageal cancer further down the road. It has definitely ruined my quality of life, especially with the regurgitation whilst sleeping at night. The dietary and lifestyle changes are annoying, because managing my other chronic illnesses is demanding enough.<\/p>\n<p>Whilst I am certainly not looking forward to yet another high-risk surgery in a relatively short span of time, I really hope that I feel better after I recover from it. I\u2019ve read a few Reddit threads on other patients\u2019 experiences with Heller myotomy and fundoplication surgeries, and some of the aftereffects sound really painful and scary. But I guess I don\u2019t really have much of a choice, do I?<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019ve never had surgery or been chronically ill &#8211; the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2016\/06\/29\/road-recovery-longest\/\"><strong>healing process is actually the worst<\/strong><\/a>, only because it\u2019s the most boring, painful and helpless period. All you can do is wait for the pain to subside and the wounds to close, which can take months and sometimes, years. But I guess, hope for symptom relief is what keeps me, and others like me, going.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"pinkBtn\" href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2025\/01\/26\/rare-disease-esophageal-diverticulum\/\">Learn More About the Super Rare Disease \u2013 Esophageal Diverticulum<\/a><\/p>\n<ul class=\"relatedList\">\n<u>Read Related Posts:<\/u><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/chronic-illness-quotes\/\">Chronic Illness Quotes to Inspire, Motivate, Grieve, Hope &#038; Laugh About<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2017\/12\/03\/blood-sarah-frison-gastroparesis\/\">\u201cIt\u2019s in My Blood\u201d: Sarah Frison \u2013 A Pastry Chef with a Stomach Disorder<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2017\/11\/18\/blood-roy-george-short-bowel\/\">\u201cIt\u2019s in My Blood\u201d: Roy George \u2013 A Dramatic Life with a Short Bowel<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2024\/02\/12\/fun-things-to-do-while-recovering-from-surgery-hobbies-crafts-games-part-3-5\/\">Fun Things To Do While Recovering From Surgery: Hobbies, Crafts &#038; Games<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/2022\/07\/26\/recovery-time-simultaneous-bilateral-patellar-tendon-rupture-lupus-steroids\/\">My Recovery Time for Simultaneous Bilateral Patellar Tendon Rupture (With Lupus &#038; Steroid Treatment)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>If you liked this article, <a href=\"https:\/\/eepurl.com\/bVyAbn\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"contentLink\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">sign up for our mailing list<\/a> so you don\u2019t miss out on our latest posts! You will also receive an e-book full of uplifting messages, quotes and illustrations, as a token of appreciation!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"pinTxtCTA\">Pin to Your Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum &#038; Rare Disease Boards:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"pinBox\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-pin-description=\"Read about my personal experiences with Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum, and get my best tips on how to cope with this rare disease. It has taken a lot of trial and error due to the paucity of research and knowledge about the condition, and I am still learning as I go along.\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"My Personal Experiences and Tips To Cope With Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-44826 lazyload\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/personal-experiences-tips-cope-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-683x1024.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/personal-experiences-tips-cope-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/personal-experiences-tips-cope-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/personal-experiences-tips-cope-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.achronicvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/personal-experiences-tips-cope-epiphrenic-esophageal-diverticulum.jpg 1000w\">\n<\/div>\n<ol class=\"insightList references mb10\">\n<h3>References:<\/h3>\n<li>Abdollahimohammad, A., Masinaeinezhad, N., &#038; Firouzkouhi, M. (2014). Epiphrenic esophageal diverticula. <em>Journal of Research in Medical Sciences\u202f: The Official Journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 19<\/em>(8), 795\u2013797. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4235103\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4235103\/<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Al Alawi, A. M., Majoni, S. W., &#038; Falhammar, H. (2018). Magnesium and Human Health: Perspectives and Research Directions. <em>International Journal of Endocrinology, 2018<\/em>, 9041694. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1155\/2018\/9041694\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"broken_link\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1155\/2018\/9041694<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Alicuben, E. T., Luketich, J. D., &#038; Levy, R. M. (2023). Epiphrenic Diverticulum. In Pryor, A. D. &#038; Hawn, M. T. (Eds), <em>Operative Techniques in Foregut Surgery (2nd ed.), 1<\/em>. Wolters Kluwer Health. Retrieved from <a href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com.sg\/books?id=xmGvEAAAQBAJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/books.google.com.sg\/books?id=xmGvEAAAQBAJ<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Cedars-Sinai. (2018, May 30). <em>Esophageal Soft Food Diet Guidelines<\/em>. Cedars-Sinai. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cedars-sinai.org\/blog\/esophageal-soft-diet-guidelines.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.cedars-sinai.org\/blog\/esophageal-soft-diet-guidelines.html<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Conklin, J. H., Singh, D., &#038; Katlic, M. R. (2009). Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticula: Spectrum of Symptoms and Consequences. <em>Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 109<\/em>(10), 543\u2013545. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7556\/jaoa.2009.109.10.543\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"broken_link\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7556\/jaoa.2009.109.10.543<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Constantin, A., Constantinoiu, S., Achim, F., Socea, B., Costea, D. O., &#038; Predescu, D. (2023). 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Optimal surgical approaches for esophageal epiphrenic diverticulum: Literature review and our experience. <em>Clinical Journal of Gastroenterology, 16<\/em>(3), 317\u2013324. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s12328-023-01765-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s12328-023-01765-2<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Sudarshan, M., Fort, M. W., Barlow, J. M., Allen, M. S., Ravi, K., Nichols, F., Cassivi, S. D., Wigle, D. A., Shen, R. K., &#038; Blackmon, S. H. (2021). Management of Epiphrenic Diverticula and Short-term Outcomes. <em>Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 33<\/em>(1), 242\u2013246. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1053\/j.semtcvs.2020.08.017\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1053\/j.semtcvs.2020.08.017<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Whitten, C. (2024, February 20). <em>What to Know About Esophageal Diverticulum<\/em>. WebMD. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/digestive-disorders\/esophageal-diverticulum\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/digestive-disorders\/esophageal-diverticulum<\/a><\/li>\n<li> Yam, J., Baldwin, D. L., &#038; Ahmad, S. A. (2023, April 24). Esophageal Diverticula. In <em>StatPearls [Internet]<\/em>. StatPearls Publishing. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK532858\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK532858\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Two New Diagnoses &#8211; Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulum &#038; Mitral Valve Stenosis Whilst I haven\u2019t heard much good news in a long time, I did not expect 2025 to be a harbinger of such terrible news. It seems like I will need to get two major surgeries done, one for a severe mitral valve stenosis, and&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":292,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vpngarage.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/290"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vpngarage.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vpngarage.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vpngarage.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vpngarage.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=290"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.vpngarage.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/290\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":291,"href":"http:\/\/www.vpngarage.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/290\/revisions\/291"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vpngarage.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/292"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vpngarage.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=290"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vpngarage.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=290"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vpngarage.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=290"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}