Barrett’s esophagus-friendly diet

I know it is sometimes hard to find a doctor that listens. My doctor is pretty good at listening to my concerns. She pushes me to get tests because I sometimes like to avoid because they scare me. I did ask for the endoscope though. But had it not been for her pushing I probably would have put off my colonoscopy and that would have been bad since I did have precancerous polyps. I just never thought I had acid reflux since I rarely had pain and I ate tons of spicy foods and lots of chocolate. I wish I would have known so that I could have taken antacids prior to the BE. I could go right to bed too after eating a bunch with no problem. Funny my partner always had to stay up for a while or else he got heartburn and I felt lucky not to. Wish I would have known then.

@maxsproudmom I am pretty sure it was around 2012 because I know which doctor I was going to then, and I did not go to her for long. She was terrible so I switched. I complained about hoarseness a number of times before she set up an endoscopy for me.

Of course I may have had a problem before that, that had not presented itself.
JK

I am sorry to hear about all you have gone through. I too have mucus sometimes. Usually with my throat clearing but not tons. I seem to have to clear my throat right after eating no matter what I eat. Right now it is a different color which leads me to think it is allergies. My dr. thought allergies years ago when she noticed I was going in every August. Probably the last 30 years. I can't tell if it is coming up or going down.

My gastro prescribed 2 20 mg per day. I am 53. I may have had for years who knows. What makes you think it was 2012? Did you develop symptoms back then? I keep wondering if I damaged my esophogus in my teens when I had an eating disorder. Bulimia.

@maxsproudmom I’ve had BE since around 2012 I think.
My husband cut some boards and put them under the legs to raise the headboard of the bed, plus I usually use a wedge pillow under my regular pillow. I’m used to it now. I recently purchased a part down pillow that has made it much more comfortable. We stayed at a Hilton Garden Inn while visiting my daughter and I loved the pillow so much that I went to their online site and bought one. The price wasn’t as bad as many pillows that have down, I think it was around $55, and it has helped my sleep a lot, so very worth it.
Your history sounds a lot like my own but I was older than you when this all came to light - I was in my 60s. I’m surprised that you are taking two 20mg tabs a day, I only take one. That prescription is from a gastro? Mine started me on two a day for two months, always planning to reduce it to 20mg a day which he did.

@fourof5zs Good info. A food diary is probably good advice for anyone who has sporadic episodes of hoarseness or other symptoms. My hoarseness only occurs occasionally now but I generally have a record of what I have eaten because I track my food on MyFitnessPal.
I’m sorry to hear of all you have gone through with your “achalasia and esophageal spasms.. and diverticulosis”. I can’t imagine having a feeding tube for so long and that eating is still difficult. I hope over time that will improve.
JK

I have Berrett's E, achalasia and esophageal spasms.. and diverticulosis. I had to have a gastric bypass to fix a stubborn paresophageal (sliding) hiatal hernia. I had to have another surgery after a few months to fix the damage of the 1% chance of my esophagus shortening during surgery, The damage was a lot... gastric feeding tube for over a year. Eating food again was difficult. It still is

Most of the time the acid now comes up as mucus for me. My doctor said it is stomach mucosa. Still not good for the esophagus.

I still suggest a food diary.. even though you do not have much symptoms. If you notice mucus when you do not normally have allergies and “is the mucus coming up or down?” That one is a hard one for me to tell. I have year round allergies. Keeping them under control is important. The mucus from it can irritate the esophagus as you can tell with your hoarseness. Notate these things in a diary.. hoarseness (and if allergy or no allergy at time of it), swallowing difficulty, mucus, nausea, and vomiting and also any pains in esophagus or stomach.

I get it that you can't advise. Have you been dealing with this for a while? It just seems like I think about this stuff so much because your diet completely changes and I miss lying flat on my bed. Sliding down my mattress stinks. My kids worry because I have always been thin and now I don't know what to eat. I guess red meat digests slower or something. My first dr. had that as a no. I do take 20 mg of omeprazole twice per day. I know I loved pop but had not had it for a couple months before I treated myself when we went to Fl. over Christmas. Got a stomach ache so I guess my gut was not used to it anymore since I used to drink lots of pop and coffee too. Tons of spicy food and never knew. I would have never guessed I would have this. I only used antacids maybe once or twice a year. I try to ground myself sometimes when I get scared because I could have this and be undiagnosed. I Still confusing to have different opinions. My first dr. sent the letter for yearly endoscope but I may just continue with the university. I know oatmeal is supposed to be really good but I was kind of a sugar addict without diabetes. I know this as I had so many tests. Numerous CT scans and thankfully a colonoscopy as I did have precancerous polyps too.

@maxsproudmom I got worried early in the summer because I was very hoarse but I’m sure it was seasonal allergies because it did go away.
What you are feeling is totally normal. I think most fruit is ok, other than citrus, but I am no expert so I could be wrong. “Pop” is definitely acidic, and simply not good for you. Of course occasionally it won’t hurt. I have a Diet Pepsi a couple of times a year. No one told me that I shouldn’t eat red meat. We generally have it once a week. I believe oatmeal should be fine, and ice cream too, if you don’t have other issues like diabetes. A teaspoon of sugar sprinkled on your oatmeal should not be of ant harm I think, I don’t think sugar is acidic. Again, I could be wrong.
Have you seen a dietitian? Your doctor should refer you to one for at least one visit. They are generally very helpful and should know the answers to all of your questions. Get your doctor to refer you to one and make a list of questions that you need answered. As I said, I really cannot advise, I am just going on my own limited knowledge.
If there is some dispute about whether or not you have BE, it must be very mild at this point. Has a PPI, like omeprazole, been prescribed?
I admire your diligence in trying to do the right thing.
JK

I was worried because I had lost some weight so I was doing a bunch of testing. I brought up having an endoscope because I was having quite a bit of nausea but I was also eating like 3500 calories a day to try to gain weight. Not good for acid reflux which I did not know I have. I have had throat clearing issues for years and I still do have throat clearing issues but no more nausea except I had to throw up after watermelon for some reason. I know I have short segment BE and there is no dysplasia but I have read so many different things regarding BE that I get confused. I got a second opinion last year at our university and he says he could not see BE but in my city the first endo took biopsies and confirmed it. Slides were sent to the University and he did confirm with the university pathologist that there was BE but he still questions if I do or don't have it. He said it should be viewable as well by the endo and he did not see it. I don't know if he thinks the biopsy was taken from the wrong area or what

I just started getting hoarse too but I do every August. Hoping just allergies since this happens every year at the same time. I get really nervous about food causing more damage. When you don't get heartburn it is hard to tell. The nurse where I was seen seemed frustrated when I asked questions regarding foods to eat. I was actually trying to gain weight before I was diagnosed now I don't know of foods that are safe to eat but also have calories. I worry because I was told to eat fruits and vegetables but all fruit except for melons and bananas seem to be acidic. Strangely, the only thing that made me feel like throwing up was watermelon. But fruits and vegis are supposed to help prevent cancer so I feel like I should be eating them but on the other hand I am worried about the acid. I sometimes cheat a little but sometimes I am so hungry I give up. I have not had pop except once at Christmas and no red meat Anyone know of some foods that have a higher calorie count. I do get vanilla cones from McDonald's a lot but I don't know what to eat except chicken,99 ff ground turkey and vegis and oatmeal. I use sugar on my oatmeal and grape nuts... is that bad? Occasionally, I have cappuccino. I know that is bad. Sorry, but I am so worried about this stuff. I am so afraid of this turning to the big C or even LGD that sometimes I have trouble thinking straight.