Barrett's Esophagus

REWB · June 12, 2010

About 6 years ago I was diagnosed with Barrett's Esophagus with mild dysplasia and was told to take 20 mg Prilosec twice a day for the rest of my life. The reflux stopped immediately and at the next check up in 6 months the dysplasia was gone. I was checked again about 9 months ago and I had several polyps in the stomach. The doctor believes they are being caused by the omeprozole and suggested I limit my Prilosec to once per day. Since Barrett's can become cancerous it concerns me that the sleeve can cause reflux and/or make it worse and I might have to take even greater doses of Prilosec. Yikes! Has this problem come up before with anyone?

LAN2k · June 12, 2010

I am still trying to figure out if having the sleeve causes acid reflux. I just went to a gastro specialist and have an upper endo scheduled in July. After seeing an ENT recently who did a quick scope and diagnosed me with LPR or "silent" acid reflux, the gastroenterologist told me he doesn't think it's acid reflux since I've been taking a PPI for several months already, I had the sleeve surgery in Sept, 2009. My throat is usually mildly sore and has a kind of mucus that lingers. He gave me the name of another ENT. He also said that usually after this WLS, acid reflux is not a problem...(he has treated many gastric bypass patients). Can you tell me what kind of doctor diagnosed you initially with Barrett's Esophagus with mild dysplasia? Was it a gastroenterologist or ENT? Also what tests were given? Thanks.

Edited June 12, 2010 by LAN2k

REWB · June 12, 2010

I had an endoscopy performed by a gastroenterologist and a six month follow-up by the same doc. One stomach polyp was discovered and removed during the first procedure. Since then I have had two more endoscopies done by two different gastroenterologists in Thailand. Only the most recent showed multiple polyps. I am wondering if the medicine I have been taking is causing the polyps as the doctor suggests. Prylosec was not available in Thailand so I began taking another drug whose active ingredient is omeprozole, same as Prylosec. It seems that Nexium is prescribed after sleeve surgery. Perhaps that will not be a problem, but I would like to know before going any further.

How has the surgery worked out for you? It seems to be the only thing that will keep the ghrelin at bay. That is my main reason for wanting it.

NotSoLittleMermaid · November 15, 2010

I had an endoscopy performed by a gastroenterologist and a six month follow-up by the same doc. One stomach polyp was discovered and removed during the first procedure. Since then I have had two more endoscopies done by two different gastroenterologists in Thailand. Only the most recent showed multiple polyps. I am wondering if the medicine I have been taking is causing the polyps as the doctor suggests. Prylosec was not available in Thailand so I began taking another drug whose active ingredient is omeprozole, same as Prylosec. It seems that Nexium is prescribed after sleeve surgery. Perhaps that will not be a problem, but I would like to know before going any further.

How has the surgery worked out for you? It seems to be the only thing that will keep the ghrelin at bay. That is my main reason for wanting it.

Hi it would seem that you and I are one of the few people with stomach polyps. I have tried doing a ton of research but didn't get far. Mine were discovered when I was in the OR for my gastric sleeve plication surgery and it was aborted due to my unexpected polyps. I was only on PPI acid reducers for a month in my entire life and some polyps were as big as 2 cm. I can't really believe I would get them that quick from the PPI meds. At any rate, they came back non-cancerous as fundic and I have no polyps in my colon. I have been tested for gastric, liver & pancreatic levels, gastic emptying, gall bladder tests/ultrasounds and there is nothing wrong. I feel like I am starving hungry, even after I eat like an hour later. When I was on PPI acid reducers this pain lessened so I think it is acid. But I also have a small pain sometimes on the right, even when I don't eat or drink. Do you still have your polyps in the stomach? Did you ever find out what caused them? Are you still on PPIs? Any info would be helpful. Thanks!

REWB · November 16, 2010

Hi it would seem that you and I are one of the few people with stomach polyps. I have tried doing a ton of research but didn't get far. Mine were discovered when I was in the OR for my gastric sleeve plication surgery and it was aborted due to my unexpected polyps. I was only on PPI acid reducers for a month in my entire life and some polyps were as big as 2 cm. I can't really believe I would get them that quick from the PPI meds. At any rate, they came back non-cancerous as fundic and I have no polyps in my colon. I have been tested for gastric, liver & pancreatic levels, gastic emptying, gall bladder tests/ultrasounds and there is nothing wrong. I feel like I am starving hungry, even after I eat like an hour later. When I was on PPI acid reducers this pain lessened so I think it is acid. But I also have a small pain sometimes on the right, even when I don't eat or drink. Do you still have your polyps in the stomach? Did you ever find out what caused them? Are you still on PPIs? Any info would be helpful. Thanks!

I went to another gastroenterologist and he told me he had never heard of polyps being caused by PPIs, so I stopped worrying and keep on taking two a day. Dr Aceves counseled against getting the vertical sleeve because of the Barrett's. He thought I should go for the bypass. I decided against that for the time being. I did not know that polyps would stop the surgery. I wonder if they would abort all types WLS ?