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Hernia,Barrets and reflux

Posted , 5 users are following.

shellj
shellj

hi... I have been on this site a few times but wondered if anyone has the same doubts, problems etc as me. I am 60 and have a hiatus hernia, silent reflux and as far as I know ( last endoscopy 2015 .... Another due 2018)  small area of  barretts. I have been offered fundoplacation op versus daily lansoprazole ( 30mg to 45mg daily depending on how I feel) thus far have opted for Lanzoprazole with calcium carbonate and Vit. C tabs to offset any side effects on calcium uptake from regular lansoprazole . But every couple of months I have a distressing feeling like something is moving around in my chest and for a few weeks after, a slight back ache while things settle down again. I presume it is my hernia changing positions in my chest . I usually up my lansoprazole during this period thinking the back ache ( which feels like a knife in my back) is caused by a re occurance of a oesophageal ulcer I had,  revealed after endoscopy, with the same symtoms. I am thinking whether to accept the offer of the fundo op. Whether to wait till my next endoscopy in 2018 and accept current symptoms..... My doctors do not seem bothered how much lansoprazole I take... I don't think they have a clue about this really and I only get answers from the consultants who just give me options and do not say what is best. I think they prefer the drugs option rather than surgery and actually if I thought the drugs work, I prefer that too.... Who wants an operation. My problem is I am obsessed with the idea that my barretts is getting worse, so I up my dose( unsupervised )'as soon as I feel the slightest change in my body. Really... My back ache could be caused by lifting my grand daughter up in a different way... But I am getting obsessed. Anyone else like this. 

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • Guest
    Guest shellj

    Posted

    Depends on how you feel. If the meds help then don't go for nissen. If you still feel the reflux after taking 45 mg of lansoprazole then surgery would be an option. You don't have to worry about Barrett's. If it get's worse it will still be a little change in 3 years. There is a reason why gastroenterologist schedule patients with Barrett's every 2-3 years, some even 5 years. If it had the nature to spread quickly then they would schedule endoscopies every 6 months but since you don't have displasya you should be just fine.

    Barrett's doesnt hurt. It's the silent reflux probably which is making you to worry...

    • shellj
      shellj Guest

      Posted

      You are right...it is the silent reflux that bothers me.... I very rarely get the horrid stuff in the mouth now I am on tablets. I feel I should decide on the fundo after my next endoscopy , depending on the result and know that I am trying to do all the right things like raised bed, not eating trigger foods near bed time. I drink a little wine but even the doctor said I am being quite hard on myself! Of course I worry that the barretts may change, but hope that as you say it is a slow/maybe never development. Your comment is very reassuring.... I do think I am worrying too much as I am being watched. But is that weird feeling in my chest on occasion which feels like a fist moving around causing me to have shortness of breath, my hernia shifting position? First time it happened I thought I was having a heart attack? Anyone else with a hernia have that feeling?

       

  • robert51418
    robert51418 shellj

    Posted

    Hi shellj,

    I recognize a lot of the the things you mention. The pain in the back, shortness of breath, muscle contractions and often a hammer in my chest. I've been diagnosed with barrett five years ago and I am taking 40mg omeprazole on a daily basis. Also in my case the barrett area is small but the felt sensations are pretty intense.

    The complaints cause tensions, that intensify the complaints. It is a vicious circle. My physician said from his experience that reflux problems are in most cases related to stress. So besides the medical side of it, I'm also looking more and more at the 'lifestyle' side. Am I doing work or other things that cause me a lot of stress? I'm actually changing my career to get away from work-induced stress (IT sector). My health is more important. Also I'm really trying to face the anxiety and fear of the situation. Often it seems that the anxiety feels worse than the physical problems themself.

  • Barretts
    Barretts shellj

    Posted

    If your problems are mainly reflux, PPIs won't help. They only make it less erosive.

    I was on very high dose 80mg omeprazole daily for years before I opted for fundo. best thing I ever did.

    • shellj
      shellj Barretts

      Posted

      Hi yep I get that.... So hopefully the ppis are preventing my stomach making acid, which means my reflux is less caustic so my barretts is not aggravated. I suspect I will wait for the 2018 endoscopy and see how I have coped with the amended lifestyle and hope my barretts hasn't changed or the area become larger ... And act after that. I think I am afraid of the risks of the op. And I do know it's a day case thing but no one wants surgery really do they? I just wanted to hear from people who had those same weird symptoms in my chest every now and then which I put down to my hernia shifting. Bothe my ex husband and son have had fundo... What a coward am I as my son had it at age 17... Poor boy has not inherited a healthy upper gut from his parents.. And grandparents for that matter!

    • Guest
      Guest shellj

      Posted

      Yeap, genetics does play a role in everything and so it affects the stomach. I often like to say that you are not what you eat but are what your parents give you. 

      I hate when people say that my GERD is here because of my diet. I've got a hiatal hernia and no matter how good I eat I'll still get the reflux.

      Don't blame yourself. People pass diabetis, cancer, and other disease to their children. I mean what can we do. No one is perfect. Probably this dieseases would be dormant if there ain't so many triggers in this dinamic life, but, what can you do... life goes on.. Good luck.

  • larraine24877
    larraine24877 shellj

    Posted

    Hi Shellj

    I think you might just be getting a little too anxious and paranoid, I am similar to you and diagnosed 3.5 years ago, and in the early days paranoid about every slight change and discomfort.

    I now manage the situation well, taking my daily lanzoprazile and managing my diet very carefully.  If I stray from this, I can tell and feel a difference immediately.  My doctor and consultant advocate continuing in this way rather than operation.

    It may well be lifting grandaughter is telling on your back,  I havent had back problems with it only throat and stomach if I eat or drink the wrong things

    Perhaps not much comfort, but hopefully you can take a little from the fact of the similarities.

    Best wishes

    • Guest
      Guest larraine24877

      Posted

      How long have you been on lansoprazole daily? Do oyu have any side effects, what dosage are you on larraine?
    • shellj
      shellj larraine24877

      Posted

      Hi and thanks for that... I am a little paranoid and I think you may be right about recent back pain but previously the pain I got was (sort of) confirmed when an endoscopy revealed an ulcer sitting on the barretts. I had another endoscopy 6 weeks later and the ulcer had gone after a few weeks of 60mg lansoprazole daily. I think I became more scared of the effects of ulcers at that time. Anyway the consultant sort of said what would I prefer to do as treatment and indicated he would do the fundo if I wanted. I am not sure whether I would prefer an expert to say get it done rather than leave a novice like me to make the choice! I think I am managing well with 30 to 45 mg daily and watching the diet and unless things change will decide when I have the routine endoscopy in 2018. Thank you for you advice... Being stressed is also not good is it.
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