1. < Esophageal Cancer

Barrett’s esophagus

Posted by jvanstratten @jvanstratten, Mar 22, 2018

Looking for info and help with Barret’s esophagus. I can’t figure out just how serious this is. I have read way too much online! I don’t really know how strict my diet really has to be. It is really stressful-. Does anyone here have it? And exactly how serious is it?

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riflemanz64 | @riflemanz64 | Jan 21, 2019
In reply to @pdilly "@riflemanz64 I’m sorry you’ve been diagnosed with Barrett’s. To answer your question, I think what you’re..." + (show)
@pdilly

@riflemanz64 I’m sorry you’ve been diagnosed with Barrett’s. To answer your question, I think what you’re doing now is your treatment from now on — eating differently and taking protonix. They may also Have you raise the head of your bed about 6 inches.

In the 20 years since diagnosed, I’ve always been told that it can’t be reversed. So when I had my EDGs every 1 1/2 to 2 years I hoped my Barrett’s had not worsened — that it was the same. And that’s what happened for 18 years.

But then I developed segments with low grade dysplasia — thus the radio frequency ablation procedures now that I have a hard time bouncing back from.

I hope your Barrett’s never worsens. Take your meds and stick with your new eating plan.

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Thanks pdilly, I did raise my bed up like you said. I also was told to lose 20#. I always was a huge coffee drinker and cut it down to 1 cup of health wise low acid coffee I found on Amazon. It has a ph of 6.18 and water is 7 so it's very low acid. I have to have one cup in the morning. I cut out red meat too. No Mexican or Italian food. Thanks for your reply. Steve

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pdilly | @pdilly | Jan 21, 2019

@riflemanz64 I hope you stick with your new eating plan. I stuck with mine for a while after I was diagnosed so long ago. But I gradually went back to where I was drinking cokes and eating chocolate and Mexican food — just smaller amounts than before!

The Prevacid I’ve taken for 20 years suppressed — and still suppresses — the production of acid. So those foods weren’t giving me heartburn anymore. And I now have low grade dysplasia! So did I cause this myself because of poor food choices? Probably.

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1 reply
Linda Robertson | @l3440r | Jan 21, 2019
In reply to @pdilly "@riflemanz64 I hope you stick with your new eating plan. I stuck with mine for a..." + (show)
@pdilly

@riflemanz64 I hope you stick with your new eating plan. I stuck with mine for a while after I was diagnosed so long ago. But I gradually went back to where I was drinking cokes and eating chocolate and Mexican food — just smaller amounts than before!

The Prevacid I’ve taken for 20 years suppressed — and still suppresses — the production of acid. So those foods weren’t giving me heartburn anymore. And I now have low grade dysplasia! So did I cause this myself because of poor food choices? Probably.

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Thanks for your reply. After reading your comments, I am going to be more careful.about taking my 40 mg pill of daily. It is easy to forget if having no symptoms Now I do still notice hoarseness, and being somewhat relieved, I am beginning to occasionally eat a bit of chocolate, fried foods, and fresh oranges and orange juice and hope it is not hurting my esophageus.
I have wondered if it makes any difference what PPI you are taking, I never thought previcid worked well for me and I did stop taking omerprazole and went on pantoprazole

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1 reply
pdilly | @pdilly | Jan 21, 2019

I wonder too about if it makes a difference which med you take. I went thru several kinds 20 years ago before we found that Prevacid worked best for me. It stopped the heartburn. The amount I take has gradually increased over the years. I now take a 30 mg capsule twice a day. And I guess I’ll be taking Prevacid forever because if I miss one pill the heartburn returns with a vengeance! Lol!

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riflemanz64 | @riflemanz64 | Jan 21, 2019
In reply to @l3440r "Thanks for your reply. After reading your comments, I am going to be more careful.about taking..." + (show)
@l3440r

Thanks for your reply. After reading your comments, I am going to be more careful.about taking my 40 mg pill of daily. It is easy to forget if having no symptoms Now I do still notice hoarseness, and being somewhat relieved, I am beginning to occasionally eat a bit of chocolate, fried foods, and fresh oranges and orange juice and hope it is not hurting my esophageus.
I have wondered if it makes any difference what PPI you are taking, I never thought previcid worked well for me and I did stop taking omerprazole and went on pantoprazole

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Hi Linda, I was told no orange juice or oranges in my diet. I was told chocolate allows the valve to open in the esophagus and allow acid backup. I lost 12# since December 20 on my new diet. I also walk about 3-5 miles per day. Hope your Barrett's gets better.

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1 reply
riflemanz64 | @riflemanz64 | Jan 22, 2019
In reply to @riflemanz64 "Hi Linda, I was told no orange juice or oranges in my diet. I was told..." + (show)
@riflemanz64

Hi Linda, I was told no orange juice or oranges in my diet. I was told chocolate allows the valve to open in the esophagus and allow acid backup. I lost 12# since December 20 on my new diet. I also walk about 3-5 miles per day. Hope your Barrett's gets better.

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I'm going to ask my Dr. why they don't RF oblate the lining when there is no low or high grade dysplaisa. You would think that would cure it while it's early.

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pdilly | @pdilly | Jan 22, 2019

I think the reason they don’t do radio frequency ablation if there is no dysplasia present is because of the risks associated with the RFA procedure itself. Here’s an excerpt from the printed material I brought home after last RFA 12/28/18:
“Risks of pancreatitis, infection, perforation, hemorrhage, adverse drug reaction and aspiration were discussed.”

So I don’t think anyone would want to take those risks unless the risk of developing cancer was increasing. And the good news there is that the percentage of Barrett’s cases that develop dysplasia and then cancer is very small.

And of course there’s always the cost factor! I doubt if insurance will pay if there is no dysplasia.

Let us know what your doc says about the RFA procedure for Barrett’s without any dysplasia.

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grayfox | @grayfox | Jan 23, 2019

Barrett's esophagus is caused by acid reflex in the esophageal lining. It is classified as low or high grade
Barrett's, with or without dysplasia. It is precancer of the esophagus, but the risk is low, like any where
from 1% to 10%. they only due a endscopy every three years to watch it. If it goes into dysplasia they
probalby will burn it off the esophagus lining, which I have been told works well. The best theing to do
is avoid any food or drink that is acidic. I have Barrett's and I cut out allmost all algohal and diet drinks,
and watch what I eat especially not eating before bedtime.

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1 reply
riflemanz64 | @riflemanz64 | Jan 23, 2019

Thanks for the info. I'll report what the Dr. says after my appointment. I never realized how acidic the American diet really is until getting Barrett's.

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Kanaaz Pereira, Connect Moderator | @kanaazpereira | Jan 25, 2019
In reply to @grayfox "Barrett's esophagus is caused by acid reflex in the esophageal lining. It is classified as low..." + (show)
@grayfox

Barrett's esophagus is caused by acid reflex in the esophageal lining. It is classified as low or high grade
Barrett's, with or without dysplasia. It is precancer of the esophagus, but the risk is low, like any where
from 1% to 10%. they only due a endscopy every three years to watch it. If it goes into dysplasia they
probalby will burn it off the esophagus lining, which I have been told works well. The best theing to do
is avoid any food or drink that is acidic. I have Barrett's and I cut out allmost all algohal and diet drinks,
and watch what I eat especially not eating before bedtime.

Jump to this post

Welcome to Connect, @grayfox. You might also be interested in viewing the Gastroenterology & GI Surgery Page on Connect, https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/gastroenterology-and-gi-surgery/
For instance, in this video Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist Dr. Kenneth Wang talks about "Breath Test for Esophagogastric Cancer” https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/gastroenterology-and-gi-surgery/newsfeed/breath-test-for-esophagogastric-cancer-is-it-accurate-1/

@grayfox, when were you diagnosed with Barrett’s esophagus? I look forward to getting to know you better.

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