Anyone With Barretts Esophagus? Help!

[JanetPRN 496]

I had moderate to severe Barrett's pre-op that was discovered during WLS work up. I am nurse and I researched and spoke to many experts. I was going to change mind from sleeve to band, my personal physician and surgeon both agreed that the sleeve was still a better fit for me. (I started at 234 lbs) .

in addition to my vsg, my surgeon did a "fundoplication" which is a surgical procedure to correct my reflux. I was completely unaware of how bad my reflux prior to this surgery. Pre-op, I snored so badly, which I assumed was because of my obesity. It wasn't . I have not snored since I awoke from my surgery.

19 months later , still no snoring but the acid taste is starting to return a bit. I will be on ppi meds for the rest of my life, and required annual endoscopes. This would be true even if I didn't go ahead with my WLS.

Every body is different , not all roses , not all doom and gloom. Educate yourself before you make your decision . Good luck

[Cleo's Mom 257]

@@JanetPRN

My husband also had fundoplication surgery about 33 years ago to control his chronic heartburn. He had no muscle at the base of his esophagus. Back then it was a large incision (not laproscopic). The surgery was unsuccessful. He continued to have heartburn, started on PPI's and then developed Barrett's and then esophageal cancer from which he died.

@@craigcu

Having Barrett's was definitely a precursor to my husband developing esophageal cancer. No, he did not have WLS but did have the fundoplication surgery. The "wait and see" approach with the yearly endoscopies was clearly a failure. Because he had no dysplasia one year to esophageal cancer the next. They removed his esophagus, pulled up his stomach, he had no lymph node involvement, so the prognosis was good. Eleven months later it was in his liver and terminal. They have made progress in treating Barrett's now and if I had it I would undergo any treatment to remove it, including surgery to remove the Barrett's portion of my esophagus. Good luck to you.

[Gemini216 0]

I've had barretts for years, been treated for it with acid blockers. Now planning for the sleeve and my doctors are cautious (one doc wont do it, another will). I know how to keep up with the barretts and watch for progression and take steps (had an ablatement already).

Does a sleeve increase GERD risk/acid production? Or is it same level of aci production, just smaller pouch to contain the acid?

Good question on the acid production. Do you use a modified diet to control the reflux?

[craigcu 96]

Diet and omeprezole 20 mg once per day

[tebowfan 70]

I was like you totally against the Rny and set in the sleeve. My doctor discovered i had barretts and would not do the sleeve and suggested the Rny. He said its the shape of the stomach that is the problem with the sleeve. I was told the majority of people who have rny no longer have acid reflux. I totally trusted my doctor and went with the Rny. So pleased i did! Best decision ever and i have no acid reflux. I an one year out.

Ps i also had hernia repaired in surgery and my recovery was nothing.

Edited May 16, 2015 by tebowfan

[dandelion247 42]

Hi all, I know this topic has been quiet for a few years, but I just got results from my pre-op endoscopy today and the biopsy shows Barrett's. I figured I'd come over here and see what people know about this complication.

The doc himself doesn't think I have it based on my symptoms (very mild GERD at worst) and what he saw visually during the endoscopy. He's recommending I take omeprazole 40mg every day and come back for another biopsy in 6-8 weeks.

Unfortunately, I got these results at the end of the day on Friday, so I have to stew on it all weekend before I can call his office and ask him for more details.

What I'm wondering is: if this really IS Barrett's esophagus, then will 6-8 weeks of prescription-strength Prilosec really fix it? I also have to call the surgeon to find out if this is a hard no for getting the sleeve. From what I read above, some will do it anyway, some won't. I was told that if you have GERD pre-sleeve, the sleeve actually reduces GERD after the fact, and vice versa. Not sure how that works!

This has been a hard week for a variety of reasons, and this hasn't made it easier. I have my heart set on the sleeve and I have no interest in the rny bypass due to watching multiple friends get it and slowly put all the weight back on over the years since... all while dealing with malabsorption issues.

If anyone has any further insight on this topic, I'd be interested to read it.

[dandelion247 42]

In case it's useful data for someone else, I'll relate the update on my Barrett's situation. I spoke with both the gastroenterologist who performed the endoscopy and the surgeon. The GE thinks my Barrett's is so tiny that with strong doses of omeprazole (40mg a day) it should relieve the inflammation enough that he can go in during another endoscopy in about 6 weeks to remove the small area noted to be Barrett's. He discussed with my surgeon and if this is successful, he's still willing to do the sleeve for me.

I prefer the sleeve and asked the surgeon if he thinks it will exacerbate my mild GERD. He rightly pointed out that my GERD started when I gained tons of weight, and that losing the weight will be the biggest help to reducing the GERD in me. There's a mild hiatal hernia in there too, and he will fix that during surgery as well. So, I'm back to happily working toward the sleeve.

[YeaMe 246]

I am in my 50s and was diagnosed with Barrett's about 5 years ago. You are really young. You need to find a specialist in Barrett's - that is very important so you can go over a treatment plan. Also it makes a big difference if you have low or high grade dysplasia. You just can't do nothing. I chose to get the ablation done, which we did 3 times. It is totally painless. My last two scopes were clean of any abnormal cells. My surgeon made the recommendation not to have the VSG, only because if I develop esophageal cancer, the best operation is to remove that portion of the esophagus and pull the stomach up which will become part of the esophagus. If you have had a VSG, there is no stomach to spare. My gastrologist discussed the surgery with my surgeon, and gave me the go ahead. You have to get the Barretts treated first and then make a decision on a weight loss procedure. I wish you the best of luck and if you have any questions, I will be more than happy to answer them, from my knowledge and research.

[dandelion247 42]

3 hours ago, YeaMe said:

I am in my 50s and was diagnosed with Barrett's about 5 years ago. You are really young. You need to find a specialist in Barrett's - that is very important so you can go over a treatment plan. Also it makes a big difference if you have low or high grade dysplasia. You just can't do nothing. I chose to get the ablation done, which we did 3 times. It is totally painless. My last two scopes were clean of any abnormal cells. My surgeon made the recommendation not to have the VSG, only because if I develop esophageal cancer, the best operation is to remove that portion of the esophagus and pull the stomach up which will become part of the esophagus. If you have had a VSG, there is no stomach to spare. My gastrologist discussed the surgery with my surgeon, and gave me the go ahead. You have to get the Barretts treated first and then make a decision on a weight loss procedure. I wish you the best of luck and if you have any questions, I will be more than happy to answer them, from my knowledge and research.

Hi, I'm not sure if you're responding to me or someone further up in this post... if it was me, I am getting treated and the gastroenterologist is going to excise the area that has dyspasia (which is low-grade). He said the area was so small that he can do it as part of the biopsy during the next upper endoscopy. My fingers are crossed. I'm not *that* young... 47.

[dandelion247 42]

OK, final update on my situation (I figure if someone else ends up in my boat and they do a search on this topic, maybe my information will be useful to them). I took the prescribed omeprezole 40 mg for 7 weeks after the initial endoscopy found Barrett's cells. I went back in at the end of June and had another endoscopy, and the doc took biopsies again. The pathology report found no evidence of Barrett's. I was cleared to have gastric sleeve surgery, which is scheduled for August. Very relieved. I'm still on the omeprezole for now.