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Diagnosed with Barrett's immediatly after endoscopy

Posted , 4 users are following.

kristine27679
kristine27679

I had my colonoscopy and endsoscopy done on January 27. I had no complaints of heartburn, I am 30 years old female, occasional smoker and slightly underweight which does not make me typical Barrett's patient. My doctor suspected that I might have IBS due to mucous discharge in stool and stool narrowing. Upon awakening 2h later, I was told that I have Barrett's esophagus.

Firstly, is it possible to diagnose it so fast? Does the biopsy gets done within couple hours? How he could be so sure that those are goblet cells not inflammation of the esophagus?

Secondly, is it possible that Barrett caused simmilar symptoms to IBS? He said that there is nothing in my colon, everything looks perfect.

Thanks.

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Barretts
    Barretts kristine27679

    Posted

    Many people get diagnosed with Barrett's who had no idea they were refluxing acid and bile - which is what causes it.

    Whereas it usually requires a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis, a good endoscopist will usually recognise the characteristic salmon pink of Barrett's oesophagus reasonably accurately. If he were looking at oesophagitis, it would be more scarlet red. It is also possile he was using a stain, special lighting or a micro imaging scope.

    It is a good thing your Barrett's has been found as now you can receive treatment and surveillance to ensure it is unlikely to progress to cancer.

    Barrett's is asymptomatic. It will not cause IBS symptoms. However, whatever caused excess acid to reflux might.

    Stomach acid should remain in your stomach. There are two sets of muscles that act to hold the base of the oesophagus closed. Known as the Lower Oesophageal Sphincter, the muscles comprise the crural and diaphragmatic muscles that meet like the two blades of a pair of picers. Many people have a hiatus hernia whereby part of the stomach has been pushed up through the hole (hiatus) in the diaphragm that accommodates the oesophagus, into the chest. This displaces the musculature so the two groups of muscles fail to synchronise and the pathway is open for stomach contents to reflux. If any sort of excess pressure exists in or on the stomach, the contents can be pushed up this channel.

    IBS symptoms are often produced by food not being processed properly in the stomach. This can be through overfilling the stomach, food not emptying properly from the stomach, food fermenting in the stomach etc - all of which can cause reflux. For some reason, 40% of people refluxing acid do not experience the typical heartburn associated with it.

  • weeclaire21
    weeclaire21 kristine27679

    Posted

    I am also 30 and was diagnosed in October. . The barrats in visible when they do ur scope, they then send away biopsies to examine what stage it is at etc.. I too have no apparent risk factors but have suffered heartburn etc for years and years.. mines luckily was examined and wasn't too worrying so a change in medication to keep the acid at bay and a scope again in a year.. also have ibs so trying to adjust my diet to see wot helps.. barrats actually doesn't seem as scary now that iv spoke again with consultant it's hopefully just something they will keep an eye on smile
  • larraine24877
    larraine24877 kristine27679

    Posted

    Barretts can be diagnosed immediately from the colonoscopy, as mine was, and similar to you not typical of a Barretts condition at the time, with no obvious signs of acid or heartburn etc....

    Originally it was indicated that my problem may have been IBS until correctly diagnosed, so I can see how your situation arose.

    Cold comfort but typical.

    REgards

     

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