Intestinal metaplasia and Barrett esophagus

Hi Nancy and welcome to Connect.
Here are a few things to help you with your research.
- Mayo Clinic video about Barretts Esophagus, Intestinal Metaplasia of the Cardia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTbeFAOVN8Q
- About Barrett's esophagus http://mayocl.in/1z76f8i
- Connect discussion about Barrett's esophagus, gastroesophageal reflux disease and acute gastritis http://mayocl.in/2aSjxzJ
- Connect discussion about ulcerative colitis http://mayocl.in/2bp1PWx

I'd also like to introduce you to a few members. Please meet @dandl48 @yyyy (who has Barrett's with dysplasia) @jafd @phyllisbator @saucy @travelgirl who have experience with GERD and Barrett's esophagus, and @gts @mknorris1310 who posted about intestinal metaplasia a while back.

Nancy, did you care team suggest foods to avoid or diets to follow? What about seeing a dietitian?

@nancyj1221 Hello Nancy, I have Gerd among a number of other things. Were you diagnosed with acid reflex and Gerd prior to be diagnosed with Barretts Esophagus? I know I have to watch what I eat with GERD. I try not taking the acid reflex medicine and then BAM the stabbing chest pains come right back. I can feel the acid rise back up my throat when I lie down. It is brutal. I was reading a Readers Digest article about the silent symptoms of GERD. I have just about all of them... SIGHING....You need to follow the GERD diet which is eating small frequent meals .. and avoiding things with ACID or anything that is fatty or greasy.... Wish you best ...

What r the silent symptoms

I was on PPI's for GERD for 20 years, finally I had The LYNX surgery. Even after that I had to take 2 Zantac a day and still had the burning. I read Fast Tract Digestion for heartburn by Norman Robillard and it changed my life. I haven't had a pill since and it even lowered my high A1C to the normal range. Got rid of horrible foot cramps extreme bloating and gas, it's been amazing. Turns out I had carbohydrate malabsorption, I was on a low carb diet to begin with but ate high fiber protein bars and fruit. Once I cut these things out my life changed. High acid foods like coffee, wine, ect has nothing to do with it. I eat protein and low starch vegetables, drink coffee and wine and no meds!!

Glad you were able to stop your pills, @saucy. Years of studying digestive matters tell me that most folks over the age of 40 have too LITTLE stomach acid, not too much. With too little HCL. foods just lie in the stomach undigested, ferment and rise back up causing the sensation of GERD. IMO, it is irresponsible for a practitioner to prescribe PPIs without knowing the acid level. (I have used my Rx for PPIs as book marks (LOL)). A simple test suggested by Dr. Simon Yu of St. Louis in his book, "Accidental Cure," (highly recommend) is to put 1/4 tsp of baking soda in 8 oz of water as soon as you awake. Time how long it takes you to belch and the size of the belch. The sooner you burp and the bigger the belch indicates more stomach acid. You should burp within 2-3 minutes and definitely in under five minutes. A longer time indicates possible deficiency of stomach acid. PPIs have a number of undesirable consequences. We need quite a bit of acid to fight viruses and achieve digestion and reducing it if you have too little is contrary to the Creator's design. There are more sophisticated tests for acid if you can find a doc who will prescribe it and don't mind paying for it (if the insurance company refuses).

Wow! I have been given ppi's everyone I have tried made me keep having mucous 24 7, I was told I had barretts with dysplasia, this was all told to me by a GI dr. I went to a surgeon thoracic , I had every test there is no barretts, he said well the gi dr uses a different lab than me. Finally started taking alternative meds, they work, the primary said well they are probably asorbing the acid. I am75 and you just gave me the best answer yet, I will try your recipe, maybe less acid is why the ppi's caused me so much trouble.thank you

I had all my testing from MAYO before my MAYO doctor recommended surgery. I had the Bravo test which determined I had severe acid reflux. I had fructose and lactose breath test and motility testing. I had esophagitis as determined from the scope. I have never been able to burp but constantly refluxed. Since I had battled high blood sugars for 40 years also it was interesting to me that when I cut out fruit and high fiber carbs my A1C went down to 5.7 after only 6 weeks! Lost 5 pounds of water weight that I always had. I have a very low BMI so never fit the proflie for either disease. Wish I had known this before my surgery as Blue Cross did not cover the LYNX and it was very expensive and don't think I need it anymore!

I had all those tests from the surgeon,he wanted it done before he would do surgery, no he would not do I lost 24 lbs which I only weigh 134, but I cut out all acid foods, and sweets, pop, but I take hcl licorice,d limonene, and manuka honey, 1 tsp before bed,I am glad that my primary sent me to him,glad about your post.

Hi, I'm 28. Was just Dx with Intestinal Metaplasia on Friday. Shocking to me as I'm not overweight, don't smoke or drink but of course I have a family history/genetic fsctorso -- my grandma died from H. pylori. Funny enough I'm negative for it. Also had a polyp removed that they said would have turned to cancer had it not been removed. My GI dr said I'm "high risk" but I'm fine. He told me to tale Zantac 2x day. Still lots of burning in my stomach going on. Researched and no articles say Zantac reverses or helps IM. Looking for advice, diet help, anything? Feeling a bit nervous and confused.

I juice fresh celery every morning and drink 16 ounces before anything. I think it’s helpful.