Intestinal Metaplasia: What do you do to lower the risk of cancer?

Posted by evapa @evapa, Apr 22, 2021

Has anyone been diagnosed with intestinal metaplasia? What does your doctor recommend? I was just diagnosed and am very anxious about it because of the risk of cancer. Would like to hear your experience with it. Thank you.

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loveachother | @loveachother | 1 day ago

In reply to @kpreskorn "I was diagnosed with this as well. Went in due to stomach pain, burning in my..." + (show)

@kpreskorn
I also have nearly constant nausea and absolutely no appetite. I was diagnosed with IM 6 months after onset of symptoms. Also no H. Pylori. Luckily, i have very little burning in my stomach. Not on a bland diet but a very strict one. very limited. The doctors say that the IM is not causing my symptoms and I have been given nothing that relieves the symptoms. It has now been 14 months. The nausea has gone away for a month in January and another part of March and April but I have had to force feed myself every day since March of 2025 and been nauseous for 12 of the 14 months and can barely maintain a decent weight. I don't know what is causing my symptoms but it is definitely no way to live. At this point, all of my doctors want to put me on antidepressants because they can't explain the symptoms with all of the testing and believe the symptoms are being caused by anxiety and depression, when in fact it is just the opposite. I am now depressed after this year of torture of nausea and no appetite. The symptoms and constant poor news about my health have made me very anxious and depressed indeed.. I have also found out I am pre-diabetic, have positive autoimmune risk and antibodies for Scleroderma, and a host of health issues that do not explain my symptoms.
And on top of all of that they have offered me an experimental procedure to do an ablation of the IM, that would reduce cancer risk but not help symptoms. It would, however, create an ulcer, carry risk of complications, and likely exacerbate the mysterious life destroying symptoms. I don't know what to say or do at this point. I've done all sorts of holistic therapies as well, which have helped a few things but not the nausea or loss of appetite.
I wish I had sage advice or something even positive to say... but bless you and let's share anything that might help.
Out of curiosity, are you being informed that the IM is likely causing your symptoms?

kpreskorn | @kpreskorn | Apr 16 5:09pm

I was diagnosed with this as well. Went in due to stomach pain, burning in my stomach, can’t eat and feeling nauseated. H-pylori is negative. Colonoscopy was normal and now Mayo tells me nothing!! What am I supposed to do just live with this pain, not being able to eat, nauseated all the time? I take pantoprazole 40mg twice a day plus Prilosec 40mg daily, I am eating tums like they are candy and my stomach is on fire. I typically eat a yogurt a 4oz cottage cheese and a protein shake and try for a small meal if I am able..that doesn’t always work out as I am nauseated most of the time. Am I just supposed to hope this gets better and they put me on Reglan 10mg four times a day thinking I had gastroparesis but no one calls me back. All the research says they can remove the areas from your stomach lining, remove a section of your stomach to relieve the symptoms but here I am reading it’s nothing to worry about??? I can’t imagine continuing with these symptoms forever. My diet has been pretty bland for the last three weeks since the symptoms have been the worst and nothing is helping!!! Thoughts???

teresacorrea | @teresacorrea | Jan 29 7:24pm

In reply to @texgrand6 "Patrickquillin.com" + (show)

@texgrand6 Thank You!!

texgrand6 | @texgrand6 | Jan 28 1:50pm

Patrickquillin.com

texgrand6 | @texgrand6 | Jan 28 1:48pm

Patrick Quillin.com and just search for Patrick Quillin on Facebook. You can signup for emails as well.

teresacorrea | @teresacorrea | Jan 28 11:35am

In reply to @texgrand6 "@teresacorrea I applaud your desire to be proactive for cancer. I have no experience with your..." + (show)

What is his website address and also his Facebook? Thank you!

texgrand6 | @texgrand6 | Jan 26 10:16am

In reply to @teresacorrea "I met and talked to them both the internist and gastroenterologist. It was the same answer...." + (show)

@teresacorrea
I applaud your desire to be proactive for cancer. I have no experience with your diagnosis, but I have had breast cancer twice. My advice to any and all dealing with cancer and all who do not want cancer is to get and use Patrick Quillin’s book, BEATING CANCER WITH NUTRITION. His book saved my life 22 years ago along with my good Oncologist. Dr. Quillin is the clinical dietitian the developed and directed the nutrition arm of Cancer Treatment Centers of America. They have a very successful program for all cancers. He used his time developing some amazing research that lead to these great models of using certain foods to increase treatment modalities. Using this same information to prevent cancer is very achievable. He is on Facebook. He also has a website. Check out this intelligent, compassionate man and all he knows. Wishing you the very best in your endeavor. 🩷

riflemanz64 | @riflemanz64 | Jan 22 12:41pm

No I haven’t tried it. I just bought some low acid %50 less caffeine coffee.

natelew | @natelew | Jan 22 11:20am

In reply to @riflemanz64 "I was sent to an Oncologist who told me I have a better chance of getting..." + (show)

@riflemanz64 Hello, I was just told I have Intestinal Metaplasia from an Endoscopy, my 6 month with my PCP was already scheduled so I talked with her. She said this Intestinal Metaplasia is not worrisome. My stomach has inflammation, and while my Gastroenterologist tried to take me off Omeprazole, my PCP says to take it daily it help the inflammation. My question to the group is has anyone tried the Ryze Mushroom coffee and if so how was it?

natelew | @natelew | Jan 20 7:39am

In reply to @lisalucier "Hi, @teresacorrea - that is for sure is hard. Anytime doctors use the "C" word, it..." + (show)

@lisalucier

Hi, @teresacorrea - that is for sure is hard. Anytime doctors use the "C" word, it makes patients shudder, even if it's called "precancer," "low-risk cancer," "slow-growing cancer," or the like.

I personally was told when I learned the laboratory had found a neuroendocrine tumor (the doctor had removed like it was a polyp, I believe thinking it was a polyp) in 2023 that it was a "low-risk and slow-growing" type of neuroendocrine tumor. Despite the adjectives downplaying the risk, my fear was pretty high because my father-in-law was at that time dying from a neuroendocrine tumor (originating somewhere else than the rectum, where mine was found), and I could not hear even "encouraging" words attached to the "C" word.

That was scary news. The upshot is that after three to four months of testing, the doctors finally determined I had 0% of cancer left in my body, thankfully. But along the way, during all this testing, I had moments of tears streaming down my face during scans out of sheer terror and random crying just sitting on my couch at home, again, just because I was scared sometimes.

It would be completely legitimate to go back to the gastroenterologist who told you he'd see you in a year and that he was doubtful the precancer would turn into cancer to see if he'd meet with you again and explain it in further detail. If he's willing - even for a video chat - it might also be a good idea to have a friend or a spouse with you who can also hear what he says and be available to go over it again with you at any moments of doubt. It is a big deal that you understand why it is or is not worrisome, as you have to live with this information floating around your head for the next year.

If by any chance this gastroenterologist is not available, you might ask your primary care doctor to meet with you or call you to talk it through.

What do you think about having a further discussion to completely understand the "precancer" and then the "Don't worry about it"?

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@lisalucier Hello, I too was just told I have Intestinal Metaplasia on yesterday. I have not had the follow up with my GI Dr., but I do at least have an already scheduled appointment with my PCP who can give me some insight. The Dr. who preformed the endoscopy did mention in the letter to me it’s low risk and not an urgent concern. So I will take that as what it is until otherwise told something else. Thank God for my GI Dr. who was actually looking for something else and this IM was an incidental find.