Barrett Esophagus Support Group

Hi all, did a search and pleased to see a forum is available for people like me

So, little bit of history. I've always had stomach issues, but never been that bad. I lived in the UK until 4 years ago when i moved to the US. My stomach had always been 'noisy', gurgly, whatever you want to call it. Not really bad heartburn or anything like that. I figured it was just the way I was.

Then I came to the US and things got worse. i started having really bad heartburn, particularly towards the end of the day and it was painful. I went to a specialist who did an upper GI and said I had Barretts. It was quite a shock, but in some weird way a relief that it was actually called something and there was help available. The biopsy was negative thankfully.

This was nearly two years ago. The doc put me on prilosec (once a day, 1 hour before any food). The improvements were fairly dramatic and the heartburn and pain virtually disappeared.

So that's the good news. However, I find it hard to know how / what to adjust from a diet perspective and IF that would mean I don't have to take the tablets. I'd rather not take the tablets at all if it can be helped.

This slightly long story is looking for advice. I'm not going to come off the tablets without consulting my doctor, but the possible lists of foods that I need to avoid / reduce is really long.

Have others gone through this and then reduced or changed their diet?

I've lost weight and exercise a lot, and my diet overall is good. However i do eat and drink many of the so called trigger foods I've seen on the GERD lists.

Day to day, I feel OK but still have some 'noisy' stomach issues, but its hard to point them to eating or drinking. I'm considering going GERD for a month (while taking tablets) and see if it actually makes a difference.

I have an annual upper GI, last one was thankfully no change.

Thanks in advance

Robert

Post edited by: emailrob, at: 02/27/2012 04:34 PM

Hi Robert,

It is good to know if you have Barrett's. You can be scoped regularly to check it hasn't changed. (Every 2 years is considered sufficient in UK where NHS pays, though US recommendation is every year.) Although fewer than 1% per year go on to develop the cancer, you don't want to be one of them.

Lists of food to avoid are guidelines. Not everyone reacts in the same way to different foods. You'll need to work out what your particular trigger foods are. Try keeping a food diary for a few weeks.

Metaplastic Barrett's cells are not as sensitive to acid attack as the squamous cells they replace so, although you may still experience acid reflux, you don't experience the pain of it. It is thought, however, that the acid can still be instrumental in further cellular changes to dysplasia and ultimately adenocarcinoma which is why the advice is normally to remain on the omeprazole.

All the best

Chris

Everyons triggers seem to be different. I love hot spicy food. Thai hot peppers, hot salsa, rich tangy spegetti sauce. Tacos, burritos, enchiladas. I have been keeping a close eye on my reaction to food all of my life. Lots of black pepper. Either eating them or not seems to make no difference.

My triggers are a complete intolerance to milk. I used to drink a lot of it, but after a Nissen Fundoplication, I extremely sick every time. This also extemds to soy milk, and soy product meat extender.

Even though I seem to do well on hot spicy food, capsisicum, the active ingredient in peppers that give them their hot seems to be an aid to digestion, bell peppers are also a trigger. They give me both more gas and heartburn.

I also have a real problem with sucrose, or simply sugar. I am constantly having problems with my blood sugars. At an elevated level, 265 on a Glucose Tolerance Test [GTT] I get naseauted then irritable, then sugar levels in my blood drop to 45, and I pass out. I also have problems with fructose, the natural sugers in fruit. These just run right thru me, and seem to cause much of my diarea. These are classic symptoms of the Dumping syndrome, which few people on the site ever mention.

I have also never liked broccli, spinach, bell peppers, cole slaw, cabbage, cauliflower,squash, asperagus, Like all of the foods that are good for you. I have come to believe that this because I just don't tolerate them well. These seem to be be the hardest ones for me to digest.

A year ago I had to give up coffee. Strong black coffee has always been my choice of drink. But it was just tearing up my stomach. Just too much acid.

For me soda in all forms is just out of the question. Also french fries, and all fried foods. But I still like a good cheeseburger, and some fried chicken, but I am seriously cutting back on these also. A good cold ham and cheese sandwich, with mild horseradish sauce , and some spicy hot mustard, with raw mild onions, and fresh lettuce fills in just fine. I do very well with dill pickles, and often use potato chips to calm my stomach.

I have also cut back on salt for most of my life, and I complain to my wife every time she uses any of it in cooking my food. This may have nothing to do with my digestion, but I don't need super high pressure on top of all the rest. And I have found the food also tastes better.