When Were You Diagnosed with Barrett's Esophagus?
2 yrs ago (2010)
What Tests Were Used to Diagnose You?
endoscopy (camera down throat)
What Symptoms Prompted You to Go to Your Doctor?
I constantly had diarrhea,a really bad cough and pains just below my right breast, where it got so bad it was waking me up in the night. I had my gall bladder removed in 2004, so thought maybe that had something to do with it. I didnt really have heart burn just these pains under my breast!
Living with Barrett's Esophagus
was finally diagnosed 2010 and put on tablets,30mg Omeprazole once a day but then got a sore throat that I couldn't shift, so went back to doctor and he told me to take Omeprazole twice a day which did clear my throat. I have never been told what food I can or cannot eat , nor to give up smoking, All I have been told is that I have a 10% chance of getting throat cancer.In september 2011 I didnt have any energy and was out off puff and was diagnosed with sever amenic, and put on iron tablets, which I am still on!
I now have another appointment on friday (camera down throat) so for a week before I cant take my tablets (to be honest I didnt think they did anything) but today I have mega heartburn and getting a cough, I also woke up last night with that awful pain under my breast. It was so bad, but I find a bit of dry bread and a glass of water eases the pain!! I now realise that the tablets in fact have been helping me but pray my barretts esophagus hasen't got any worse. I still have diarehea but manage it, as you just do!!
Advice
- Go to the doctors if you have a cough longer than 3 weeks, and cant shift it.
- diarrhea
- heartburn / pains in top half of body
- no energy
- NEVER LEAVE IT and insist on a camera/investigation, because at the end of the day ..YOU know your body well enough to know THIS ISNT RIGHT!!
