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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aunt | @aunt | Jul 8, 2022
In reply to @robertatheriveter "Thanks for your detailed reply. When my ENT doctor suggested I go on Prilosec (my symptom..." + (show)
@robertatheriveter

Thanks for your detailed reply. When my ENT doctor suggested I go on Prilosec (my symptom was hoarseness), I didn't because of fear of long term effects, most notably, dementia. If I had listened to him, perhaps my condition wouldn't have progressed to full blown Barrett's. Now I'm on 40 mg. pantaprazole daily. By taking Prilosec (omeprazole) 2X daily, you're taking the same 40 mg., which is available by prescription and should be covered by your health insurance. You might want to check into that.
I also ordered a full body wedge for my bed from Amazon. It's a foam wedge that goes under a mattress. One doctor told me it's really important to sleep with a wedge to help prevent reflux when you're sleeping. All the articles I've read say that pillows are not enough. I don't know how helpful it is, but my reflux when I sleep isn't very bad. In fact, I'm not very symptomatic at all, and since being on a low acid diet, my hoarseness has greatly lessened, and my most recent endoscopy, one year later, showed no sign of Barrett's Esophagus. I do try to finish eating 3 hours before bedtime, and my internist recommends intermittent fasting, which another expert called the latest fad!
My Bible for a GERD diet is Dr. Jonathan Aviv's book, "The Low Acid Diet." He's recently come out with a cookbook as well. Still, there's no caffeine, ergo no coffee, in his books!

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using a wedge is very helpful, I sleep with many pillows and yes, they tend to "sink" in during sleep unlike a foam wedge. I am almost 66 now and have a very bad back so I usually am a left side sleeper which is better for my back as well as my gerd. thanks for the head's up on the cookbook! I will definitely look into it. I will ask my gastroenterologist about the script for Prilosec I was not aware it came in higher dosages. as for the caffeine, I've not had any reactions to the "JET ALERT" brand but maybe because it contains so little caffeine and I only take it in the morning with food

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2 replies
robertatheriveter | @robertatheriveter | Jul 8, 2022
In reply to @aunt "using a wedge is very helpful, I sleep with many pillows and yes, they tend to..." + (show)
@aunt

using a wedge is very helpful, I sleep with many pillows and yes, they tend to "sink" in during sleep unlike a foam wedge. I am almost 66 now and have a very bad back so I usually am a left side sleeper which is better for my back as well as my gerd. thanks for the head's up on the cookbook! I will definitely look into it. I will ask my gastroenterologist about the script for Prilosec I was not aware it came in higher dosages. as for the caffeine, I've not had any reactions to the "JET ALERT" brand but maybe because it contains so little caffeine and I only take it in the morning with food

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Good luck. I just turned 78. Still can't believe it! I see my Gastroenterologist at the beginning of August, before I go on a cruise in Oct. I want to get dispensation to have a few things, like decaf capuccino. I also read that, while wine is too acidic, vodka & gin are okay, depending on what we add to it. It's a shame to have a drinks package on a cruise and be able to use it just for bottled water! Keep me posted, and I'll do the same.

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1 reply
aunt | @aunt | Jul 8, 2022
In reply to @robertatheriveter "Good luck. I just turned 78. Still can't believe it! I see my Gastroenterologist at the..." + (show)
@robertatheriveter

Good luck. I just turned 78. Still can't believe it! I see my Gastroenterologist at the beginning of August, before I go on a cruise in Oct. I want to get dispensation to have a few things, like decaf capuccino. I also read that, while wine is too acidic, vodka & gin are okay, depending on what we add to it. It's a shame to have a drinks package on a cruise and be able to use it just for bottled water! Keep me posted, and I'll do the same.

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I can't tolerate most wine, but I do sip Moscato with a flavored seltzer or tonic (about 1/2 & 1/2) I also can enjoy a good Gin & Tonic with lots of lime syrup and a bit of spearmint extract. After all the whole idea of being as healthy as possible is To Live Life! a tip I learned years ago also is to start every morning with a bowl of real oatmeal that has some grated ginger, cinnamon and a few raisins or walnuts. Keeping a "regular" digestion helps with reflux symptoms. Enjoy your cruise!

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2 replies
robertatheriveter | @robertatheriveter | Jul 8, 2022
In reply to @aunt "I can't tolerate most wine, but I do sip Moscato with a flavored seltzer or tonic..." + (show)
@aunt

I can't tolerate most wine, but I do sip Moscato with a flavored seltzer or tonic (about 1/2 & 1/2) I also can enjoy a good Gin & Tonic with lots of lime syrup and a bit of spearmint extract. After all the whole idea of being as healthy as possible is To Live Life! a tip I learned years ago also is to start every morning with a bowl of real oatmeal that has some grated ginger, cinnamon and a few raisins or walnuts. Keeping a "regular" digestion helps with reflux symptoms. Enjoy your cruise!

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Thanks for your tips. I'll probably have a few drinks but will have it with peach or cherry juice, staying away from seltzer, lime and mint, which are all no no's. I also usually start my day with steel cut oatmeal with cinnamon, raisins, walnuts or almonds, bananas and/or berries, especially blueberries. I learned from the acid watcher book that almond milk cuts the acid in berries; so that's what I have with it. Sometimes I add a tiny bit of agave nectar for sweetness, and it's one of my favorite breakfasts.

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aunt | @aunt | Jul 8, 2022

I forgot to say, at home I open the can of anything carbonated and pour it into a carafe to go "flat" or close to it before I use it in a spritzer. I didn't know that about almond milk, I'll have to try it!

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cantab | @cantab | Jul 9, 2022

Why is there so little discussion about omeprazole? I have Barret’s , had it for years. Diagnosed by a gastroenterologist who prescribed it. Been taking it for years. No change in the Barrett’s. It’s the generic form of Prilosec. My insurance covers it.

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2 replies
peck1944 | @peck1944 | Jul 9, 2022
In reply to @ccben70 "I had Nissen Fundoplication 4 yrs ago and it really eliminated my GERD and esophagus erosion...." + (show)
@ccben70

I had Nissen Fundoplication 4 yrs ago and it really eliminated my GERD and esophagus erosion. Now, seems like GERD is coming back a little. Have read that over time, the wrapping of upper stomach near flap may loosen and some reflux may reoccur. Have you encountered that at all? Thanks

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I had Nissen Fundoplication 7 years ago and it eliminated my GERD for about 5 years. The wrap is coming apart and now I have another hiatal hernia and Barrett’s esophagus. I also have gastroparesis due to damage to my vagus nerve during the Nissen surgery. I take pantoprazole in the morning and famotidine at bedtime. I am very careful about avoiding acidic foods and my diet is already quite limited due to the gastroparesis. I am able to sleep through the night since I started taking famotidine at bedtime.

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ccben70 | @ccben70 | Jul 9, 2022

Sorry to hear that you encountered some diminishment of the Fundoplication effectiveness. Having Gerd return with related issues is no fun, after having the hiatus from it. I've been fortunate, that my Gerd has come back so much as just more like intermittent short-term episodes. Seems to mostly happen if I overeat and food backs up. Have no idea if my hiatal hernia/Barrett's esophagus has returned. Hope things are manageable for you going forward.

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ZeeGee | @fourof5zs | Jul 9, 2022
In reply to @aunt "using a wedge is very helpful, I sleep with many pillows and yes, they tend to..." + (show)
@aunt

using a wedge is very helpful, I sleep with many pillows and yes, they tend to "sink" in during sleep unlike a foam wedge. I am almost 66 now and have a very bad back so I usually am a left side sleeper which is better for my back as well as my gerd. thanks for the head's up on the cookbook! I will definitely look into it. I will ask my gastroenterologist about the script for Prilosec I was not aware it came in higher dosages. as for the caffeine, I've not had any reactions to the "JET ALERT" brand but maybe because it contains so little caffeine and I only take it in the morning with food

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I did better with a dark roast coffee beans that I ground myself. Then I had thumb pain and thumb surgery to help relieve the pain. . I still have pain in my thumb but not unbearable like before surgery. The pain and not being able to grasp as I used to .. arthritis is getting worse throughout my hands … makes it difficult to operate some kitchen gadgets. I could probably find a better coffee grinder. I cannot get my husband to buy me the already ground coffee that is not so acidic. Some decaf coffees have more caffeine and acid than a caffeine dark roast coffee. I compared them one time..l need to do it again and insist more fervently for my husband to buy the coffee I want. .. he does the shopping.

A little article on coffee: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/coffee-giving-you-tummy-trouble-try-these-low-acid-options/

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candidough47 | @candidough47 | Jul 10, 2022
In reply to @cantab "Why is there so little discussion about omeprazole? I have Barret’s , had it for years...." + (show)
@cantab

Why is there so little discussion about omeprazole? I have Barret’s , had it for years. Diagnosed by a gastroenterologist who prescribed it. Been taking it for years. No change in the Barrett’s. It’s the generic form of Prilosec. My insurance covers it.

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I was given prescription for it but side effects were bad so didn’t take.

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