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Dear Dr. Stoll-
I had been diagnosed with Barrett's esophagus about 3 years ago. It was small segment with a small hiatal hernia. I was told to stay on prilosec for the rest of my life or have the surgery (fundo -?). Anyway, that was not satisfactory for me. The GERD was so bad at that time that the prilosec didn't touch it. My stomach hurt all the time, my back between the shoulder blades etc. I can really sympathize with people that are going through this.
I read everything I could get my hands on and spent alot of time researching your archives. I started meditating and changing my diet. I tried every kind of diet and got tested for everything you can imagine. The ginger only worked for a few hours for me and didn't seem to help that much. I weened myself off the meds and with the meditation and trial and error on the food I am proud to say that for the last 6 months or so, I am symptom free about 90% of the time. Stress and the wrong foods can set me back immediately. I went for a scope today because it has been three years(different doctor). He said my barrett's is about the same but told me I need to be on prilosec or nexium or one of those others indefinitely. He said that people with barrett's are not as sensitive to the acid as someone with a normal esophagus, and that it may be getting splashed and I just don't feel it. He told me not to fear the medications the way I do. I am 50 years old. Women in my family tend to live long (late 90's). What is 20, 30 or 40 years on these meds going to do? The doctor's don't know, because no one has been on them that long. What do you suggest, I really respect you opinion. I feel like this is a double edged sword. Besides this, I am healthy.
I appreciate and value your opinion.
Laura
In Reply to: GERD-Barrett's posted by Laura on April 07, 2003 at 18:37:54:
Laura,
I am not a doctor...but a long time patient with GERDS. I am 32 and about 30 lbs. overweight. I had a Nissen Fundo Plication January 1997.
I had it done by a Dr. at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. The procedure was done laproscopically. The procedure went great! I was off meds for years and only once in a blue moon took a tums! Then I had baby #2 and started having more symptoms. About 4 years later was put on Prevacid. Now I am on Nexium. Went to Gastrologist and had endoscopy, my Nissen Fundo wrap is 50% blown and have been informed I have to do it again. But, the gastrologist wanted me to be down from 200lbs to 150lbs before procedure is done again. He said my body is changing... and by being heavy my esophagus is beinbg pushed up and kinked. I also have a sliding hiatal hernia. That needs to be stitched up. I am a mess, only 32. I feel that the nissen fundo worked great, except that I got pregnant and put pressure on the wrap with the baby in the womb. I got fat and put pressure on the wrap. So, if I can lose this weight (which I am 20 lbs down and 30 more to go) and keep it off, then I will be that much better off. I am concerned about the acid reflux eroding my esophagus.. I want to be around for my 7 and 5 year old. I will go through with the Nissen Again and know that I have to keep the weight off in order to be here on earth for the long run.
My question for you is: This pain you speak of through your shoulder blades, does it then shoot pain to your chest... because that is what mine does, it has been explained to me that my esophagus is having a spasm. Was wondering if that is what your Dr. said????????
One thing is for sure... God made us all unique, each one of us has our own trails in life to deal with.. so we just have to DEAL with it and do what we have to do!
Take Care and God Bless!
Fondly,
Denise
In Reply to: Re: GERD-Barrett's posted by Denise on April 07, 2003 at 19:15:56:
Denise,
Sometimes it feels like a spasm, but I think the pain between the shoulder blades is more like referred pain. I have heard that some people think they are having a heart attack. Make sure your heart is okay. I do sympathize with you and know what you are going through. You are alot younger than me, but try not let it progress to barrett's.
God Bless you also, it is a trial and no one understands it unless they have been through it.
Laura
In Reply to: GERD-Barrett's posted by Laura on April 07, 2003 at 18:37:54:
Sherry Rogers, M.D., in her outstanding and very detailed book, "No More Heartburn -- Stop the Pain in 30 Days -- Naturally!" writes about Prevacid and Nexium: (Page 10)
"Prilosec (generic name, omeprazole) has led the pack in terms of advertising for prescription drugs...expounding Prilosec's acid-inhibiting nature, but not its side effects. Its side effects include diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, gas, constipation, acid reflux, and carcinoid tumors in the gut.
But it doesn't stop there. Prilosec can cause fatal liver rot (necrosis), fatal pancreatitis, headache, back pain, hair loss, toxic epidermal necrolysis (a condition where your skin becomes red and scaly, then finally painfully oozes and peels off), or it can stop the production of blood cells. There are other side effects, but I don't want to scare you. Like Tagamet, Prilosec can severely distort or compromise the detoxification of other drugs.
But Prilosec and similar drugs, whic include Prevacid (lansoprazole), reach even further into the workings of the cell to stop normal function than Tagamet does. As proton-pump inhibitors, Prilosec-type drugs stop the stomach cells from producing acid altogether. Prilosec-type drugs essentially curtail normal stomach function, highlighting again what seems now a golden rule in medicine: If something is malfunctioning, make it malfunction even more, at least enough to mast the original symptom.
Proton-pump inhibitors can also turn off other important stomach functions, especially those that require healthy parietal cells in the stomach lining, which are responsible for the secretion of intrinsic factor. Whis is this important? Because without it you can't absorb Vitamin B12. And when you slow down absorption of Vitamin B12, you set yourself up for all sorts of symptoms from accelerated arteriosclerosis, depression, or fatigue to undiagnosable numbness, tingling, and other nerve dysfunctions. Then, if you happen to be a person with chronic disease, like diabetes or arteriosclerosis, you accelerate the side effects of that disease. Early aging, cataracts, painful neuropathy, even early death from heart attack, and more are only some of the side effects you may encounter."
Well, she goes on from there, but you get the drift, and can understand why Dr. Rogers has titled this section of her book, "The Prilosec/Prevacid Scam." I am so glad I was told about this book. Having discovered my own severe gastric reflux was/is due to a wheat allergy, I am taking the first step to healing myself by eliminating wheat, and then can go on to deal in comfort with the other contributory causes that led to developing the food allergy in the first place. I have invited my skeptical M.D. (who wanted to put me on one of those pills) to go with me on this adventure in healing, but whether she chooses to do so or not, I have at my fingertips all I need to know from Dr. Rogers' book to heal myself, and I plan to get well with her or without her.
Good luck to you!
In Reply to: Re: GERD-Barrett's posted by MI, too! on April 09, 2003 at 22:46:24:
Thanks, MI.
Sherry is one of my heroes.
Walt
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