Drats

starfire · Post by **starfire** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 5:31 pm

Well, I have fiddled around with "gerd" now for too long and now have Barrett's Esophagus. I had an endoscopy just before Thanksgiving. They called about the biopsy results yesterday. I'm back on Nexium.........apparently for life. I looked it up on the "net" and I don't believe this is a really serious disease, but I don't want some of the things that it can cause/develop into so I'm going to take the Nexium as long as I have insurance to help with it. Comes a time when I don't...........I'll look for a cheaper alternative.

Love, Shirley

barbaranoela · Post by **barbaranoela** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 6:21 pm

Shirley----sorry about the gerd----but the Nexium will help---

I take Nex. every day also---been since my GI told me too--I dont have the problems of up-chucking and that burning feeling but after I was on it---my GP said to continue---
And now even more so cus these meds have caused me some issues---and Lou had a problem--not termed Barretts--but the esophogus wasnt looking too good so he takes Nex. every day too--and all is OK---but his GI says stay on it too????

If it isnt one thing tis another---hope the Nex. gives U relief--

Take care--
luve Barbara

starfire · Post by **starfire** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 7:18 am

Thanks Barbara. I guess I should have stayed on it before. Now I have to have endoscopies every 1-3 years according to the "net" and the dr's office has already said he wants me to have another one next year. I think I'll postpone that one until 09 so I can get that and the colonoscopy at the same time. HaHa

Love, Shirley

Post by **tex** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 8:27 am

Shirley,

Sorry to hear of another health issue. What's surprising is how little seems to be known about the disease and it's treatment. I can't help but wonder if it might be a lot more common than the "experts" realize, (since it normally presents no symptoms).

I hope it behaves itself, and the odds are that it will. As you pointed out, the odds are pretty high that nothing will ever come of it.

Love,
Tex

annie oakley · Post by **annie oakley** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 11:08 am

Sorry to hear the Gerd is acting up....I also take stuff for that, I hope you get some relief from the nexium. It can be expensive with out insurance. Feel better soon. Love Oma :bigbighug:

barbaranoela · Post by **barbaranoela** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 2:13 pm

PS. Shirley---just asked Lou what his complaints were--for Nexium to be prescribed----it was that he always felt a LUMP --when swolling --
He wasnt given a *name* but as I said up above---the Nex. mended the issue and he will be on it for life also--

We are fortunate to have a good medical plan---

Take care--
luve Barbara

starfire · Post by **starfire** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 6:24 pm

Yeah, I'll bet it is more common than is realized.

Barbara, what prompted me to see a doctor finally was pain in swallowing, and really bad heartburn and general uncomfortable feeling. It got really bad for a couple of weeks and thats when I gave in. HaHa

I really do hate talking to doctors. I wish there was some kind of diagnostic thingy like "Bones" used on Star Trek. remember that T.V. show? Just wave a wand over somebody and read the diagnosis. HaHa

Love, Shirley

JJ · Post by JJ » Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:20 am

Ratz Shirley...if it's not one thing, it's another....hope things improve kiddo...JJ

Mars · Post by **Mars** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 7:20 pm

Hi Shirley!

Sorry about the diagnosis - I know what GERD is and the awful feeling you get with it. I've had that for a long, long time. My doc watches that I don't develop something else besides since I've had it so long and so bad.

I found that Nexium works the best but I have also found that my loose stools or D is greatly diminished lately and it started about a week after I changed meds. I really wonder if that had anything to do with it. hmmmm?

Hope the meds help your problem and it doesn't get any worse.

Love,
Mars

starfire · Post by **starfire** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 3:54 pm

Mars,
I remember that you have had it bad also. I took the pills (prilosec/nexium) for years but finally became convinced they weren't all that good for you so got off them about 2 1/2 years ago. I did pretty good at first but it sure caught up with me in the last several months. Now I wish I had either stayed on them or gone back to the doc sooner.

Has your doc ever taken a biopsy? I don't believe he did the first endoscopy I had. Of course, the esophagus probably looked normal then (2004).

Love, Shirley

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 6:42 pm

Hi Shirley,

Sorry to hear about this problem. It is another reminder that it is not unusual for MCers to have inflammation all the way down the GI tract - not just the colon, but the esophagus, stomach, small intestine - sometimes even the pancreas and gall bladder, too it seems. No fun at all. I hope the meds will give you relief ASAP and that the problem resolves once and for all.

Love,

Polly

starfire · Post by **starfire** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 8:08 am

Thanks Polly. I feel OK now but he said I'd be on the med for the rest of my life or the heartburn, etc. would come right back.

Hope your sinus infection is doing better (or better yet, gone).

Love, Shirley

harvest_table · Post by **harvest_table** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 12:16 pm

Shirley,

Sorry to hear about this problem your having and hope you find relief soon with the medication.

You too Mars and anyone else suffering.

Over the last few years following message boards like this I've see many posts about Gerd & acid reflex and here are a couple related articles by the Food Doc that you might be interested in reading if you have not seem them yet. He suggests that sometimes an allergic component can be involved with this problem.

Allergic or Eosinophilic Esophagitis and GERD differentiated by biopsies though some people have both

http://thefooddoc.blogspot.com/2007/03/ ... gitis.html

Lymphocytes, eosinophils and mast cells: What your "normal" appearing gut lining may be hiding under the microscope can be missed.

http://thefooddoc.blogspot.com/search?q ... +be+missed.

MC is just all over the map isn't it? Feel better soon!

Love,
Joanna

harvest_table · Post by **harvest_table** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 10:34 pm

Shirley,

My father told me today (while I was shopping in Target with Alanna) that he had an appointment with his doctor to check up on his Barretts Syndrome! SHOCK!

He was DX a year ago and has been taking medication since then. He never told me. Don't know what he is taking but he said his DOC does not need to see him again for 3 years.

I will inquire more.

Love,
Joanna

starfire · Post by **starfire** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 10:54 pm

Hi Joanna and thank you for the links.

I have to have another endoscopy in 1 year and if there is no change then I can go 3 years also. They are looking for
pre-cancerous/cancerous cells. None were found with my first endoscopy and if none are found next year then the 3 year checkups start. I imagine that's what happened with your FIL.

According to what I have read there is a slightly higher risk of cancer and that's why they want to keep checking. Is your FIL on Nexium or one of the others?

I wouldn't get too shook up about it.

Love, Shirley