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Barratts segment increasing in size

Posted , 4 users are following.

andyr0
andyr0

2 years ago segment was only 0.5cm. Had another endoscopy today and it has increased to 3cm. I know I now have to wait for the biopsy results and bigger segment doesn't neccesarily mean bigger risk. So can the segment continue to grow, stabilise or shrink and is any growth purely down to acid still leaking up in to the oesophagus? I am on Omeprazole 20 mg twice daily and I thought this drug stopped 90% of the acid? How important is diet control? I do try to avoid trigger foods. Confused with so many questions.

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • Barretts
    Barretts andyr0

    Posted

    Hi Andy,

    Sorry to hear your plight.

    For the metaplastic changes to occur that see squamous cells replaced by columnar ones (ie Barrett's), they need te action of acid and bile so it seems as if your acid suppressant has not been sufficiently effective. 20mg omeprazole is the low maintenance dose; it may be necessary for your daily dose to be increased to 40mg.

    Your diet is important; don't expect your medication to do all your work for you. You need to attempt to identify and reduce your own particular triggers. (They vary from person to person so there's no definitive diet list.) Of course, until the biopsy results are back, you cannot say definitely your Barrett's has increased, only that visually it looks that way. Hopefully it will reain as it is. My own 3cm non-dysplastic Barrett's has remained unchanged for at least 22 years (but following a fundoplication to reduce my reflux 8 years ago, I no longer require or use acid suppressants).

  • dix08091
    dix08091 andyr0

    Posted

    Would nexum work better than Omeprazole? Will your Dr. switch?

    I avoid trigger foods also. But Dr. wanted me to stay off foods that don't bother me. Don't understand it myself.

    I don't know anything about segments, wasn't mentioned w/me.

    • Barretts
      Barretts dix08091

      Posted

      There are many different PPIs and research has shown they are all as effective as each other when taken in equivalent dose.

      Astra Zeneca may like to try and persuade us their esomeprazole (Nexium) is better than their original omeprazole (Losec/Prilosec) but, apart from their own commissioned research where they compared double dse of esomeprazole against single dose of omeprazole, this hasn't been demonstrated. I believe it was a marketting ploy when omeprazole was going out of patent and AZ thought they'd lose revenue. But some patients tolerate one drug more than another.

      You can see the comparison chart (attached as a graphic here) on the Treatment / drugs page of the www BarrettsWessex org uk website where you'll also find links to the research.

    • andyr0
      andyr0 Barretts

      Posted

      Lansaprozole stopped working for me. My GP has added 300mg Zantac one tab in the evening and this has improved things quite a lot.
  • linda50173
    linda50173 andyr0

    Posted

    Your PPI clearly isnt working you should be on 60 mg a day Im on Lanzoprazole..
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