My reflux has never burned much. (sign of Barrett's ???) - Acid Reflux / GERD Message Board

junior26 · 03-08-2008, 09:58 AM

I'm a 30 year old male and I'm so scared that I might have Barrett's esophagus. Here's why...

Almost 100% of my burps have been "wet" for many years. I never thought this was actually defined as reflux, since it doesn't hurt. I just thought it was normal to have wet burps. When I bend over, I know something's going up my esophagus, but I hardly feel it. The reason I think I have Barrett's is exactly for that reason. My reflux doesn't hurt, apparently a sign of Barrett's since the esophagus has developped new cells which are less sensitive. I mean, I feel a very slight burning in my chest and throat when I burp or bend over, but only just enough to know that something is there.

Do other people here have only a slight burning in your chest and throat with your reflux?

I've beed takig Nexium, which helps quite a bit! But I'm scared that it's too late. Please reassure me!

Vanessa74 · 03-08-2008, 10:35 AM

Hi Junior26,

You are young - I believe that it takes quite a long time of damage to develop Barett's -- also you are treating your GERD with Nexium, which even though you feel slight burning is undoubtedly stopping a lot of the acid and therefore the resulting damage.

Perhaps you could increase your dosage to help resolve the wet burps and slight burning.

Try not to worry - you are doing what you can to treat your reflux. Perhaps a visit to your doctor would reassure you?

Best of luck to you!!!

Vanessa

junior26 · 03-08-2008, 11:32 AM

Actually, I re-started taking my Nexium today after freaking myself out with all this. I was worried about the polyps that I've read about. I don't think I "regurgitate" without the Nexium.

I'm just afraid that I may have had reflux every day all these years without knowing making my esophagus much worse than I thought. I mean, every time I would burp, I would feel something come up. Even a tiny burp. I just thought this was normal. Even after drinking water, the water would come back up.

The funny thing is that the reflux seems to get better WITH food. I usually only have the burning feeling in the morning on an empty stomach. Every morning though, which can't be good. When I eat, I "regurgitate" when I burp, but no heartburn.

Plus, the Nexium seems to cause occasional dull aches in my esophagus. I don't know if anybody else has this side effect. I'm almost thinking that it's the Barrett's at work, or worse, cancer. Yes, I worry very much about my health. But only because I have so many problems (IBS, hypertension since childhood, chronic spacey feeling).

Thank you so much for your reassurance.

DKTemp · 03-08-2008, 02:49 PM

Your story is very similar to mine. I am 31, and have had reflux as long as I can remember. And I never had the "heartburn" symptoms that most people describe until about a year and a half ago. Before that, it was consistant wet and sometimes "chunky" burps. I never used to worry about it, but it has gradually gotten worse, and I developed the heartburn (which is still rare for me). For the last 6 months or so I get frequent neusea from it as well.

Anyway, to the reassurance: I recently had an endoscopy, and there was no signs of either Barrett's or cancer for me. Just a "rough texture", at least that's the way the doc put it. So, as long as I've had similar symptoms to you, and have recently had worsening symptoms, but still no Barrett's or cancer.

If you're concerned, see your doctor and get an endoscopy, to be 100% safe. It's not as bad as it sounds. Otherwise, I'd say stick with the Nexium, because you don't want it to get worse. I'm now on Nexium 2x/day, and still am having problems, off and on.

BTW, I also have IBS, hypertension and vertigo. Have you had any luck with treating these? My IBS has been somewhat better since I've started Metamucil gelcaps 2x/day. Anyway, I also worry about my health a lot, but I've learned the worry just makes it worse (but that's easier to say than to stop worrying).

junior26 · 03-09-2008, 09:15 AM

Thanks for the reassurance DKTemp. I had started to developed a little heartburn too a few years ago. Only in the morning when my stomach was empty.

I've never had nighttime reflux (except if I laugh a lot while in bed). The thing that worries me most is the constant regurgitation. It doesn't hurt or cause any heartburn at all. It's usually when I drink something. For example, if I drink a glass of cold water, I will feel it coming up and back down constantly for 1/2 hour after I drink. This mostly happens during a burp. So I'm not sure if it's actual water or a cold air bubble from my stomach. But since my problem is mostly with regurgitation without heartburn, would this mean the reflux doesn't stay long enough in the esophagus to cause any real damage? I mean, it must be the heartburn that causes the real damage, right?

As for the other stuff, I'm taking Avalide for my hypertension. It's mild, but only brings my pressure down to borderline 135/85 - 140/90. Bah, I consider myself "post"-hypertensive in that case. So I'm happy with it. IBS, I live with. I know which foods cause the symptoms, but I just keep eating them. I don't let it bother me. It feels good to purge your intestines. And for the vertigo (actually a spacey feeling for me), I have attributed this to anxiety. I am quite a worry wart.

Thanks for the reassurance! Anybody else have their stories of reassurance?