I'm was recently diagnosed with Barretts. I was on Nexium & Carafate for a couple of weeks and now I'm on Previcid and Carafate. My acid reflux story is a long one that I won't bore you with now. I will just say I had a normal endoscopy and upper GI in May of 2001 and was having backpain therapy at the time. I started Fosamax in September 2001 and by Jan-Feb 2002 my back pain got worse. All of my back doctors were puzzled. July 2002 I had a case of heartburn that landed me in ER. I was put on Acifex and Vicodin. A few days later, my throat closed up and I saw a gastro. dr. who did the the endoscopy & biopsy and gave me the diagnosis of Barretts. He said I have it upper and lower which he thought was strange. He did say no unusual cells yet and to have another endoscopy in 2 years. My questions are 1)Does the pain ever go away if you already have Barretts? 2) What should I be eating? I've been sticking with very bland foods. No coffee, tea, chocolate, alcohol. Any suggestions or words of encouragement will be greatly appreciated.

Hi, Halley. I was diagnosed with Barrett's in 1999 after years of GERD/reflux. My pain never went away - some days were better than others, and I eventually got used to the feeling of pain/tenderness at the lower end of the esophagus, sore throat, bad taste in my mouth, etc., etc., from all the symptoms of reflux. I'm surprised your doc is waiting 2 years until the next endo. Although esophageal cancer is slow growing, Barrett's is a real red flag that needs to be monitored. My doc did yearly endos after I was diagnosed; in 2001, I underwent fundoplication to correct the GERD, since my LES was not functioning normally and never would even with medication. Did your doc mention surgery to correct the reflux? If you continue to feel bad from the reflux, get a 2nd opinion, and ask about surgery and whether it would be a good idea for you.

Keep us posted,
Katie G

Hi Katie, Thank you so much for your reply. Sorry to hear you have this painful condition too. I am going to check into having annual Endoscopy. I figure if I went from normal to Barretts in a year or so, annual Endoscopy would be a very good idea. Did your doctor do any other tests to find out your LES wasn't functioning or was it only after the standard medications didn't work. When did you have your surgery? It sounds like your pain went away after solving the reflux with LES surgery. Is that correct. The doctor I was seeing about my back gave me Vicodin for pain and it does help the esophagus pain as well if pain is still a problem for you. I know it is not a good drug to be on, but I still have some and take on bad days. Thanks again for sharing your exeprience. Halley

Hi, Halley. After Barrett's was diagnosed in 1999, the doc wanted to do surgery right then, but I was the one who wanted to wait and research it more. I just had my gall bladder out in '97, was not ready for another abdominal surgery 2 years later. After my endo in '99, the doc also had me undergo 24 hr. pH monitor test to measure the amount of reflux that occurs in a 24 hr. period, and an esophageal manometry to measure the strength/function of the LES. That's where the doc found my LES was hypotonic and not staying closed well. However, he didn't tell me that until I decided I would have surgery; my pH test was not that abnormal and therefore, he thought I could defer surgery. After much internet research, I went to him in 2001, and asked about the LES function since I had discovered that some people with Barrett's may not seriously reflux, but are super sensitive to the reflux when they do and that's what causes the damage. That's when he told me that although my esophageal contractions were normal (indicating I was a good candidate for fundo surgery), the tone of the LES was low. No amount of medication (I was currently taking 40mg of Prilosec) was going to help that. That's when I finally made up my mind to have surgery, which was done in June 2001. I just want you to know that both of these pre-op tests are VERY uncomfortable and I hated every minute of them. I'm no longer taking anti-reflux meds, and the recovery from the surgery was not bad at all. However, I can no longer burp well when I need to, so gas pains can build up and cause severe chest pain. I will never be able to vomit again, so hopefully, I never get a severe stomach flu, or I wiil end up with dry heaves only.

For further info on the fundo surgery and recovery process, read my response to GreenSushi's post ("To Katie G") further down on this board. I went into great detail for him, because he may be facing fundo surgery in the future.

I no longer have pain from reflux, but I will still get chest pain from built up gas/pressure, which can be just as bad as the reflux pain until it passes. I would still consider doing the surgery today, since my last endo (June 2002) revealed no Barrett's and much less inflamation. Don't let your symptoms go - Barrett's is a red flag that can't be ignored.

Keep me posted,
Katie G

Thank you Katie for taking the time to explain. I've read your response to GreenSushi and will discuss with my doctor at my next visit. It was encouraging to hear that after surgery you didn't have the barrett's pain anymore. I was surprised to hear that your followup endoscopy was negative for Barretts. I thought that the changes in the esophagus could only be fixed by surgery. Hope you are enjoying your vacation. Halley

I had a very bad experience with GERD in 1995-96. I was convinced I was dying because of the severe pain and swollen glands in my neck. I had almost constant pain and finally when I began spitting up blood, my GP sent me to a surgeon for an endoscopy. The surgeon showed me the pictures and said, Heck, we can fix this with five tiny holes poked in you...in and out in a day. Well, he was right. He poked five holes in me and did the funduplocation (I still can't spell it). It was amazing. The pressure I'd always had in my chest was gone...my neck didn't hurt...I wasn't spitting up blood. I only missed a week of work, and while there was some pain and discomfort, I have gone six years and haven't regretted it at all.

I can't throw-up, but I've only had the flu once since then. I did feel like I was going to die, but I went to the emergency room and they fixed me right up.

I'd recommend that you check with another doctor. Something like that can lead to more problems. I did well on Prilosec, but this is better than taking that pill forever. Let me know if you have any questions about the surgery. It sure made my life better.

Good luck.
Lynn

Lynn, Thank you so much for the encouraging words that I don't have to live like this forever. I'm still not having good results with the Prevacid and Carafate. I want to call the doctor tomorrow to see if he will give me 2 weeks of Prilosec. I'm going to visit and help my 85 year old Aunt next week and it sure would be easier if I didn't have this pain. I wonder if your doctor might have the name of surgeon in Minneapolis, MN area that would do a good job like yours did. So glad you are doing better. Halley

Halley,

My doctor was one of the first to do the surgery laproscopically. He's in Sauk Prairie, Wisconsin, and he's done many of these surgeries in the last 10 years or so. He is a wonderful man and a remarkable surgeon. They say if you do decide to have it done laproscopically, make sure your surgeon has done it at least 25 times. It's a lot like playing a video game in there...or so the article said.

Don't give up hope; it can be fixed relatively easily. And I also think you're wise to ask for Prilosec. I had great luck with it before my surgery. I don't know about the newer pills, but newer doesn't always mean better.

Good luck with it all. It's a miserable condition, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Take care,
Lynn

Thanks again for the information and encouragement. Hurting tonight and really need to know that. I have another questions. Did it hurt for you to lay or lean on your back before your surgery? That is one of my symptoms. Pain in the back and left side. Just wondering if that is part of barrets or if it might be something else. Halley

Hi, Halley. It didn't hurt for me to lay on my back or side, but you could still hurt there due to GERD. It was extremely painful for me to lay on my stomach or press right above the diaphragm with my fingers. My husband always like to "spoon" me when we're sleeping, but his arm would always end up right over my tender spots, which hurt bad. Since surgery, that area no longer hurts.

I hope you can find the relief you need soon.

Good luck,
Katie G

Halley,

It hurt in my back and in those "tender spots" around my diaphragm because of the spasms in my esophogus, according to my surgeon. The acid that is coming up makes your whole system spasm, and those spasms make you feel like someone hit you hard in the middle back and right near the bottom of your rib cage. It took a couple of months after surgery for all that to settle down, but it did.

I'm sorry you had a bad night. They can be horrible in that condition.

I'll keep thinking good thoughts.
Lynn