how long till Gerd turns into Barrett's esophagus?

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chilipepper
New Member

Date Joined Aug 2005
Total Posts : 9

Posted 8/15/2005 11:08 AM (GMT -7)

Hello, I'm new to this board and had a question: I've had hearburn off and on for about 5 years now. An endoscopy revealed that I have a hiatal hernia, which is causing the problem. I have been taking Prilosec for about 1 year now but haven't changed my diet all that much. In the morning many times I still feel the acid/heartburn in my breastbone area. How long does it take to develop Barrett's Esophagus? I don't want to graduate to the next stage so I guess I'd better change my diet (it's hard in the summer though when you want to have a few vodka-teas once in awhile!)

Thanks very much.

chilipepper

Teri16
Veteran Member

Date Joined Dec 2003
Total Posts : 5230

Posted 8/15/2005 7:58 PM (GMT -7)

Hi chilipepper!

I don't know when my GERD started, however I was diagnosed (graduated? ) with Barrett's a couple of years ago - actually, it's a pretty silent progression and one that I really didn't want either. I've mentioned this somewhere? lol My memory isn't always the greatest...but I was also diagnosed with mild dysplasia, too. That is one of the next stages of Barrett's - mild dysplasia, then moderate, then cancer.

What I can tell you is that by changing my lifestyle, diet and taking the prescribed med.'s that after my last endoscopy, it showed that my dysplasia was gone!! WooHoo! :)

So start taking care of yourself now before you start 'graduating'!

Hugs, Teri

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chilipepper
New Member

Date Joined Aug 2005
Total Posts : 9

Posted 8/16/2005 7:53 AM (GMT -7)

Hi Teri. I guess I'd better cut out all coffee, alcohol, chocolate and everything else that I like , unfortunately !!!!! Are you still able to have things like that once in awhile or have you cut them out completely? I'm hoping that if I let my stomach "rest" for about a month, then I can gradually reintroduce some of those bad foods occasionally and still enjoy life a little bit. Have you ever considered the surgery?

Again, I'm just wondering why no one else has responded to this post (?).

Maybe it's my nickname, chilipepper, that keeps people away! I never thought of that when I signed up on this board, because that has always been my email name long before I had heartburn.

Thanks,

chilipepper

vanessa 418
Regular Member

Date Joined May 2005
Total Posts : 82

Posted 8/16/2005 8:44 AM (GMT -7)

Hi chilipepper. Sorry no-ones replied to you before Teri. Its probably because no-one had an answer to your question. Probably cos no-one really knows. I like your nickname by the way!! Vanessa

bdr1
Regular Member

Date Joined Aug 2005
Total Posts : 121

Posted 8/20/2005 1:59 PM (GMT -7)

Often times GERD does not lead to Barrett's Esophogus. Sometimes it does. I believe that there is some research into genetic predisposition to Barrett's.

skooby
Regular Member

Date Joined Nov 2005
Total Posts : 185

Posted 11/30/2005 3:59 PM (GMT -7)

Dr G

What do you mean by "Genetic Predisposition". Sorry I am not to familiar with medical terminology

Thanks

Marsha

Speedy50
Regular Member

Date Joined Nov 2005
Total Posts : 60

Posted 12/1/2005 11:01 AM (GMT -7)

First, there are a few people BORN with Barretts Esophagus. It's considered a Pre-cancerous condition, but does not always lead to cancer. In only a certain % of patients does it lead to cancer of the Esophagus. And it affects mostly men. It takes 3-4 years to develop, if your going to even get it. about 14,000 people die every year from cancer of the Esophagus and over 10, ooo were MEN. A very small percentage of women even get Barretts... and not all of those get Cancer. It might be a genetic predisposition, my father had gerd for 27 years and never had Barretts either. So not everyone gets it.

What is Barretts? Well, when the lining of the Esophagus changes and become more like the lining of your intestines from the acid then it's Barretts. There are those that have very bad heartburn symptoms but very little damage to the esophagus. There are no symptoms of Barretts, you have to have a biopsy to diagnose it. There are now treatments using light therapy to get rid of Barretts as well.

Jamie

skooby
Regular Member

Date Joined Nov 2005
Total Posts : 185

Posted 12/1/2005 11:07 AM (GMT -7)

Thanks Speedy50

Boy have you done your research.

Have you been checked for it at all yet. I was reading you have had GERD for 25 years. Does it concern you. I get a little nervous because I know some people who don't even feel heartburn get it.

Marsha

PS If you go on MSN.com right now Katie Couric swallowed a pill cam and they have a video of it

Speedy50
Regular Member

Date Joined Nov 2005
Total Posts : 60

Posted 12/2/2005 3:31 PM (GMT -7)

Hi Marsha,

I missed Katie Couric and the swallow cam. It's been around for awhile now, and is probably not a bad diagnostic tool. I can't swallow pills though without jello or apple sauce so I don't know if I can do that test.

My gerd was silent for 13 years and only became active again 4 years ago. Silent doesn't mean it's not there, just that it never bothered me. I was not smart and used ibuprofen and naproxen sodium for headaches and that's what brought it back on for me.

I do think about esophageal cancer, but you can't live every day worrying about it. My father worried all the time about cancer of the colon because his sister died from it, his brother had liver cancer from benzene exposure and his dad , my grandfather lost a lung to cancer from smoking. But my father never got cancer. Nothing, ever showed up in any of his many tests over the years. His oldest sister died not from cancer but from old age at 90.

My father died, but not from cancer. He ended up dying from toxic strep that went though his body. So you can worry about getting cancer all day long, but no one knows, not even the dr's if we will actually get cancer of any type. 90% of us have cancer in our bodies all the time, did you know that? Yep, free radicals just running around...but our immune systems keep them in check and eating right and exercising and trying to keep stress levels low help us fight those free radicals. So build up your immune systems and stay healthy!

Jamie:)

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