My mom was told she has this.I will be taking her to the doc tomorrow to find out just how bad it is and what they can do for her!!! I was wondering if anyone here has this and if you could tell me what your experience has been?? Thanks

That is a pre-cancerous condition and can only be diagnosed by a procedure called an endoscopy. Has she had one done?

hi jojo
yes she had the test done...i took her to the doc where he put her on a new med for her indigestion...she still has barretts and it wont ever go away but for now..i am very thankfull i have her with me still...they didnt find any tumors either ..

Hi there - your mom's condition will need to be monitored very closely. Every 6 months to 1 year, she should have endoscopies to take biopsies and check for progression of the Barrett's. Not all Barrett's diagnoses will turn into cancer, but studies show that 95% of those with esophageal cancer started out as Barrett's.

Yes, it's a precancerous condition meaning that the GERD is severe and chronic, and the esophageal lining is attempting to protect itself via cell changes that resemble stomach lining cells. However, it is a red flag that a person's GERD needs to be monitored very closely.

My Barrett's was caught early, and eventually I had surgery called Nissan fundoplication to tighten the lower esophageal sphincter to protect the esophagus from reflux. I no longer take PPIs and my Barrett's is gone. Not everybody is a candidate for surgery however.

You can read my whole Nissan story posted on the Digestive Disorders site several times to other posters.

Good luck to your mom,
Katie G

Hi whatamess

My late father developed cancer (a very long time ago) and on reflection his symptoms were very similar to those described in association with barrets esophagous.

I have recently been prompted to do some research on the subject as a very close friend has GERD symptoms and of course I am frightened for him as I remember my father's illness and how the health professionals at that time failed to offer him any help.

Anyhow, after doing some surfing I came across some great info on GERD/Barretts and the like and have snagged a summary which kind of echoes remarks by previous posters in that your mum needs regular checks on this. Try not to be alarmed by the phrase "precancerous" but do take it seriously and take heart from Katie G's story.

Regards
ktee_uk

Summary as follows:
Barrett's esophagus is a condition that may develop as a result of chronic GERD. Barrett's tissue growing in the esophagus appears to be the body's defense against continued stomach acid irritation. Yet, this tissue does not belong in the esophagus, and for some patients, it increases the risk of developing cancer. While treatment does not reverse Barrett's, the likelihood of developing cancer and complications can probably be reduced with a combination of diet, lifestyle changes, medication, and/or surgery. A regular program of endoscopic examination and biopsy is essential to monitor the Barrett's tissue. By working closely with a physician, patients can expect good control of both GERD and Barrett's, and an excellent long-term outcome.

My son that is ony 15 was just told he has BArretts. Scarey! but new medicine is working great. Guess he just has toknow how important it is to have the tests very two years and tot ake care of himself. Just glad we finally fingured out why he was so sick, took two years. Many doctors just thought he was skipping school and faking being so sick. Finally one took it serious and had him test. To al take care. gail

:angel: My son that is ony 15 was just told he has BArretts. Scarey! but new medicine is working great. Guess he just has toknow how important it is to have the tests very two years and tot ake care of himself. Just glad we finally fingured out why he was so sick, took two years. Many doctors just thought he was skipping school and faking being so sick. Finally one took it serious and had him test. To al ltake care. gail

10 percent of people with long time reflux will develop Barretts. It is most common in males over 60. Many people with Barretts have no symptoms. For the diagnoses of Barretts-- Endoscopically, there must be columnar epithelium within the esophagus. Histologically, the epithelium must be metaplastic, as defined by the presence of goblet cells

There have been many people who have been diagnosed with Barrett's with pathology confirmation only to find out on second opinion, at one of the major hospitals, that they don't in fact have Barrett's at all. Many people mail their biopsy specimens off now, Johns Hopkins reviews biopsy specimens and has an excellent program.


There are many errors in the diagnosis of Barretts. Either the biopsies were taken too far down, in which case, the same cell changes that represent Barrett's in the esophagus are a normal finding below the Z line. Or, there is a lack of "goblet cells" which almost all specialist agree have to be present for an accurate Barrett's diagnosis. A lot of diagnoses are being reversed . The key word seems to be goblet cells I would reccomend everyone diagnosed with Barretts to get a second opinion.

A fundoplication does not cure Barretts , a very small peice may be cut out from surgery, but most often the Barretts is still there hidden under the wrap. And there is no scientific evidence that surgery can or cannot halt the progression of it. People all still reflux despite surgery--- the amount of time the reflux stays in the esophagus is shorter however.

Sorry i havent been back here n a while~
Thanks for all the great info~
My mom still has the indegestion..I am sending her all the info i can get off here about whats going on with her..
She has been told that she has sludge in her gallbladder~
They think this is why she burps ALL THE TIME~
I know she is 67 and thats not easy on older people to have surgery..
but she just refuses to have it done right now~
She also has an umbilical hernai and her bowel has been decended for the past 8 years~She had it lifted before along with her bladder and for some reason her bowel fell again..She says she wont have any more surgeries..I am worried to death about her~
Thnaks again for all your helpfull info here~

Hi there new here.....just had a few questions....how worried should my husband and I be with a DX of Barret's?? That C word has me frightened......any advice for diets etc things he can do to help?? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.....Thanks so much :confused:

:wave: Welcome to the boards! Don't panic too much about a diagnosis of Barrett's. Yes, it's scary because it does mean that pre-cancerous cells were found. However, not every person diagnosed with Barrett's will develop cancer (only about 5-10% of Barrett's patients actually turn into cancer; but, in cases of full blown esophageal cancer 90% start out as Barrett's).

So, it's important and necessary to follow your GI doctor's orders exactly - take the meds prescribed. Your doctor should want to conduct endoscopes on your husband yearly or even twice yearly to monitor for further cell changes. Esophageal cancer develops slowly, but left untreated or unmonitored, it is almost always fatal.

Do lots of internet research about it or read book info - there should be a lot out there. I ended up having surgery called Nissan fundoplication to correct my weak lower esophageal sphincter which was allowing my reflux to occur. I was diagnosed with Barrett's in '99 and had the surgery in 2001 because I knew (after 2 years of research) that nothing was going to stop my reflux without the surgery. PPIs will reduce stomach acid, but not eliminate it, and your husband can still reflux other digestive fluids (like bile from the liver) which can damage the esophagus too.

Barrett's is an indication that GERD is chronic and/or severe and needs to be closely monitored. However, Barrett's is not automatically cancer, but your hubby needs to be diligent about keeping track of it. Foods to avoid would be any that are "triggers" for his GERD. Common triggers include acidic, spicy, fatty foods, caffeine, alcohol and carbonation.

Good luck to you both,
Katie G

[FONT=Microsoft Sans Serif][SIZE=2][COLOR=Blue]Hiya Katie thanks so much for replying to me...can I ask you...with the surgery are your problems over now??
I guess right now kinda in shock...knew he has had trouble for awhile and misdiagnosed.....I just want to help him all I can....dont want to lose him ya know....
Anyway thanks again so much....I am gonna try and find some links to find foods he can have etc.

Was so nice to meet you and see you again I hope...
HUGS
Chowmomma

Hey there - I was working at my computer when your post came in, so thought I'd answer quick. I'd rather talk on the boards than do what I really should be doing - work!

Anyway, yes my reflux is gone because of surgery; I no longer take any PPIs. There are some negative long-term consequences (which I've posted several times on this site - probably archived, so you might want to review other posts related to Barrett's too), but I would do it all over again if it means saving my life.

Not every GERD patient is a candidate for surgery, so I'm not saying your husband will definitely have to have it - only your doctor can decide that for sure. However, in my case my reflux is gone, and the Barrett's cells have been gone during my last 2 endos/biopsies. I will not need any more follow-up endos for 3 years! My case was caught very early, just a few cell changes and stage 0 dysplasia. I just didn't want to take any chances, but did spend 2 years researching GERD, Barrett's, surgery, other options, etc. and over that time, my Barrett's did not worsen.

Feel free to ask any questions on this site - wer're all here to help each other.

Katie G

HELP.....i can't seem to find any specific diet lists for barrets....things to avoid etc...

There really is no specific diet for Barrett's. Once you have it, you have it. You should probably follow a GERD diet to reduce reflux/irritation. If you can't find anything on line, I would think a GI doc would have good suggestions for you. Or check with a certified dietician for advice.

Katie G

ok Thanks again......