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Possible Barrett's mentioned once but not in follow up test

Posted by baguette @baguette, Dec 9, 2025

In reviewing my endoscopy results, I noticed the first test stated Barrett's could not be ruled out.

The second test didn't mention Barrett's at all. The tests were done three months apart.

These tests were done in 2023 and the doctor won't discuss them unless I make another appointment. And yes I should have read them in more detail at the time, but here I am.

Does anyone have a similar experience who could tell me if the lack of mention of Barrett's the second time means that there was no evidence to even suggest the condition? I am trying to understand whether there was some good news in that report. I haven't had great communications with the sole GI practice in my area so I don't want to make assumptions. TIA!

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elizabeth2024 | @elizabeth2024 | Feb 21 11:38am
In reply to @animallover25 "If the 2nd test, didn't mention Barrett's, that sounds like good news to me! I was..." + (show)
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If the 2nd test, didn't mention Barrett's, that sounds like good news to me! I was diagnosed with Barrett's esophagus in Iowa. Now, 5 upper endoscpies later, I no longer have Barrett's esophagus. I changed my diet and the Barrett's went away. I was having bad acid reflux and now I have gastritis and a hiatal hernia. I was throwing up and having diarrhea and tummy aches a lot. Got tested and they said it was acid reflux and Barrett's Esophagus. I went to an alternative Dr. and he did food testing, extensive on me. He found that I had an intolerance to wheat, gluten, and dairy. He told me to go gluten free and dairy free. I started with gluten free first and I feel so much better now. Dairy free was actually the hardest, as I love cheese! I still have some issues even with gluten free and dairy free foods, overall I feel so much better.
My suggestion to you would be to get tested for any food allergies or intolerances. 2 types of food testing available:
Allergy Dr testing- traditional type prick testing on your back or arm.
Non-traditional testing- blood work/lab type testing- sent to a speciality lab.
Both are great to have, as both give you different results. The blood work kind is usually done by a Functional Medicine or alternative type Dr. It is pricey, but well worth the extra money to know what your body doesn't like or rejects.
Keep a food journal/symptoms too. Your Dr. would have told you if you have Barrett's. I had to request for my Dr. to do a 2nd upper endoscopy, and he said he would go further down in my esophagus. That is how he found the Barrett's with me. They told me it is pre-cancerous, and you have to be watched, every 5 years get another upper endoscopy. I am so thankful mine went away, I believe that is all from me cutting out what my body was rejecting-the wheat, gluten and the dairy. Food is huge and it has a huge effect on our body. Problem is our doctors aren't trained much in education of foods, so they can't educate us on food, when they only have 1 class on it in medical school. I see a Functional Medicine Dr. and she has a health coach that goes over your food log and will help educate you how to change your diet/the foods you eat.

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@animallover25 hi. I thought Barrett's doesn't go away. Do you think you even had Barrett's to begin with or was it irritation in the throat... from the foods you were eating???
I have a few allergies, done through blood work, and several food intolerance's and sensitivities, which are different then allergies.

Copy and pasted a comment that i left on another post .
Hi. Sorry to hear about your brother. What symptoms did he say he had that he did not follow up on? I did an upper in 22 and 2023 with same dr. he said Barretts. I did another upper in 2025, this doctor said nothing about Barrett's after upper. When i mentioned about the other dr, then this dr. said, oh yes, you have Barrett's. I think he was just saying it to cover his butt. I'm so confused not to mentioned a little wigged out. I do not know what to do. A lot of things i read say acid reflux is due to to little acid, and Barrett's is more Bile reflux than acid reflux and/or from a hiatal hernia/ something basically pushing things out of place????
i was told to take Nexium from Gastro doc. My MD says to take Pantoprazole. Again i'm scared and confused. What are your thoughts??

Not sure what my question is to you, lol.
Basically tired of being scared and confused.
My throat will sting at night and i don't care how dang high i sleep up. Something isn't right????

Thank you
Beth

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1 reply
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Zebra | @californiazebra | Feb 22 4:50pm
In reply to @elizabeth2024 "@californiazebra Hi. Sorry to hear about your brother. What symptoms did he say he had that..." + (show)
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@californiazebra
Hi. Sorry to hear about your brother. What symptoms did he say he had that he did not follow up on? I did an upper in 22 and 2023 with same dr. he said Barretts. I did another upper in 2025, this doctor said nothing about Barrett's after upper. When i mentioned about the other dr, then this dr. said, oh yes, you have Barrett's. I think he was just saying it to cover his butt. I'm so confused not to mentioned a little wigged out. I do not know what to do. A lot of things i read say acid reflux is due to to little acid, and Barrett's is more Bile reflux than acid reflux and/or from a hiatal hernia/ something basically pushing things out of place????
i was told to take Nexium from Gastro doc. My MD says to take Pantoprazole. Again i'm scared and confused. What are your thoughts??
Thank you
Beth

Jump to this post

@elizabeth2024
My brother had Barrett's and didn't know it. They called it silent reflux. He said he never had any reflux or heartburn he was aware of. Overall, he was a very healthy guy or so he thought. The reason his esophageal cancer was diagnosed is because he was put on blood thinners after he had a massive heart attack and heart surgery. After that, he kept passing out from internal bleeding and they discovered the bleeding was coming from a large tumor in his esophagus -- stage 3. Too bad he didn't have symptoms of the GERD or the 99% blocked artery he had. He was a slender and fit guy, avid golfer. Symptoms can be a good thing.

I have had GERD issues forever. They put me on a PPI (pantroprazole) 9 years ago after an EGD (upper endoscopy) showed my esophagus was red and irritated. I've had 3 EGD's since then and each time my esophagus has looked pink and healthy. I've been told to stay on it forever. It has caused stomach polyps, but that's it. I was told that OTC meds like Nexium treat the symptoms, but do not heal, whereas PPIs like pantoprazole actually heal the esophagus, hence the reason mine looks healthy now. I never had Barrett's. Naturally, I still try to avoid any foods that cause heartburn.

Barrett's is concerning, but I just re-read the stats on that and only 1% of people with Barrett's go on to get cancer, if they are taking proper care with diet and meds. I hope that brings some comfort. Any esophageal cancer in your family? I ask just in case there is a genetic component they don't know about. I take my brother's cancer seriously since there is so much cancer in my family and I have other kinds.

If you're not comfortable with your current GI, don't stick with him. There are lots of good ones out there. Why did you stop going to the first one?
Best wishes, Zebra

REPLY
Profile picture for animallover25
animallover25 | @animallover25 | Feb 22 6:08pm
In reply to @elizabeth2024 "@animallover25 hi. I thought Barrett's doesn't go away. Do you think you even had Barrett's to..." + (show)
Profile picture for elizabeth2024 @elizabeth2024

@animallover25 hi. I thought Barrett's doesn't go away. Do you think you even had Barrett's to begin with or was it irritation in the throat... from the foods you were eating???
I have a few allergies, done through blood work, and several food intolerance's and sensitivities, which are different then allergies.

Copy and pasted a comment that i left on another post .
Hi. Sorry to hear about your brother. What symptoms did he say he had that he did not follow up on? I did an upper in 22 and 2023 with same dr. he said Barretts. I did another upper in 2025, this doctor said nothing about Barrett's after upper. When i mentioned about the other dr, then this dr. said, oh yes, you have Barrett's. I think he was just saying it to cover his butt. I'm so confused not to mentioned a little wigged out. I do not know what to do. A lot of things i read say acid reflux is due to to little acid, and Barrett's is more Bile reflux than acid reflux and/or from a hiatal hernia/ something basically pushing things out of place????
i was told to take Nexium from Gastro doc. My MD says to take Pantoprazole. Again i'm scared and confused. What are your thoughts??

Not sure what my question is to you, lol.
Basically tired of being scared and confused.
My throat will sting at night and i don't care how dang high i sleep up. Something isn't right????

Thank you
Beth

Jump to this post

@elizabeth2024

My 2nd upper endoscopy in Iowa, the Doctor went down further and diagnosed me with Barrett's Esophagus. I was monitored every 3 years after that. That was when I was eating gluten, when he diagnosed me with Barrett's Esophagus. I saw an alternative Dr. got food testing done, the extensive kind. I changed my eating- went gluten free and dairy free- as I was gluten/wheat and whey intolerant. I slowly changed my diet and things improved for my acid reflux, coughing, digestion, less trips to the bathroom and throwing up and clearing my throat. I still had an occasional cough. It took time, however all the rest of my upper endoscopies, they never see the Barrett's esophagus anymore. I have a hiatal hernia and gastritis now. I doubt that first Dr. was wrong, the food was the issue and it caused the Barrett's Esophagus. Why else would it just go away and the other Dr's not seeing it? My case reversed, not sure if it will go away for everyone. I had clearing of the throat and coughing, however that was due to acid reflux and me eating wheat and dairy, when my body was telling me "No". I take Pantoprazole. How are you doing with your eating? I used aloe vera leaf juice and that helped me a lot too, in juice in the morning. It is a natural type of treatment and it made a difference. As long as you are being watched for your Barrett's Esophagus thru Upper Endoscopies, every 3-5 years and taking care of yourself, you are doing good. I was scared at first too when I got diagnosed with Barrett's Esophagus. Read up on it. I was so relieved when the Dr. said he didn't see it anymore! I hope it improves for you too. My throat stings at night too. I have difficulty swallowing as well. I am going to an endocrinologist this week, as my labs for my thyroid are off. I suspect I have an autoimmune thyroid issue or a type of thyroid disease. Get your throat checked out, go to an ENT. Sorry to hear your scare and confused.

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