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sarahsweets · Sep 06, 2019 at 10:15 AM

Oh man @progressnotperfectn I feel like I will burst if I do not share my journey. I was minorly bulemic in HS. ( I say minor because I was not consistent and did not have the binge part/ just trying to avoid gaining weight) It only lasted a year because the Bipolar took over. I also was always a little overweight-it crept up but when I had my first kid I gained 60 lbs and never stopped until I was 300lbs. I had all sorts of reflux and heartburn. I had gastric bypass in 2019 and lost 147lbs(kept all but 15 off I am proud to share!). The sketchy GI doc I went told me to come off the acid reflux meds because after losing the weight I had no more symptoms. He said that happens with weight loss.

So I went about my business until about 5 years later I had issues again. Found a new GI doc who was floored that I was told to go off that med. GERD doesn't just go away. He got me in for an endoscopy with a biopsy and delivered news I did not expect: In addition to the GERD I have Barretts esophagus. Here is some info:

Quote:

In Barrett's esophagus, tissue in the tube connecting your mouth and stomach (esophagus) is replaced by tissue similar to the intestinal lining.

Barrett's esophagus is often diagnosed in people who have long-term gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) — a chronic regurgitation of acid from the stomach into the lower esophagus. Only a small percentage of people with GERD will develop Barrett's esophagus.

Barrett's esophagus is associated with an increased risk of developing esophageal cancer. Although the risk is small, it's important to have regular checkups for precancerous cells (dysplasia). If precancerous cells are discovered, they can be treated to prevent esophageal cancer.

Had I been symptom free still I would never know. I went through a period of alcoholism as well which can ruin your esophagus.[/quote]
And this:

Quote:

Symptoms
The tissue changes that characterize Barrett's esophagus cause no symptoms. The signs and symptoms that you experience are generally due to GERD and may include:

Frequent heartburn
Difficulty swallowing food
Less commonly, chest pain
Many people with Barrett's esophagus have no signs or symptoms.

Quote:

Causes
The exact cause of Barrett's esophagus isn't known. Most people with Barrett's esophagus have long-standing GERD.

In GERD, stomach contents wash back into the esophagus, damaging esophagus tissue. As the esophagus tries to heal itself, the cells can change to the type of cells found in Barrett's esophagus.

However, some people diagnosed with Barrett's esophagus have never experienced heartburn or acid reflux. It's not clear what causes Barrett's esophagus in these people.

Quote:

Risk factors
Factors that increase your risk of Barrett's esophagus include:

Chronic heartburn and acid reflux. Having GERD that doesn't get better when taking medications known as proton pump inhibitors or having GERD that requires regular medication can increase the risk of Barrett's esophagus.
Age. Barrett's esophagus can occur at any age but is more common in older adults.
Being a man. Men are far more likely to develop Barrett's esophagus.
Being white. White people have a greater risk of the disease than do people of other races.
Being overweight. Body fat around your abdomen further increases your risk.
Current or past smoking.

It is important to get a specialist to do the endoscopy. They are trained to look for these sneaky cells. Life long monitoring and heartburn medicine is a must.

Quote:

Diagnosis
Endoscopy is generally used to determine if you have Barrett's esophagus.

A lighted tube with a camera at the end (endoscope) is passed down your throat to check for signs of changing esophagus tissue. Normal esophagus tissue appears pale and glossy. In Barrett's esophagus, the tissue appears red and velvety.

Your doctor will remove tissue (biopsy) from your esophagus. The biopsied tissue can be examined to determine the degree of change.

Determining the degree of tissue change
A doctor who specializes in examining tissue in a laboratory (pathologist) determines the degree of dysplasia in your esophagus cells. Because it can be difficult to diagnose dysplasia in the esophagus, it's best to have two pathologists — with at least one who specializes in gastroenterology pathology — agree on your diagnosis. Your tissue may be classified as:

No dysplasia, if Barrett's esophagus is present but no precancerous changes are found in the cells.
Low-grade dysplasia, if cells show small signs of precancerous changes.
High-grade dysplasia, if cells show many changes. High-grade dysplasia is thought to be the final step before cells change into esophageal cancer.

Please follow up soon if you can. It could be nothing but it could be something unexpected.