Fundo for Barrett's??

[Rcone]

Hi Everyone!

I was diagnosed with Barrett's Esophagus at the end of June. Never really had many heartburn symptoms. I had a nagging pain in my stomach and after 6 months the scoped me out at both ends. Found Barrett's.

I just completed manometry and pH tests last week. The results show there is some reflux when I belch or lean over. The LES pressure is very low according to the doctor at 9 mmHg.

He had already mentioned possible Nissen fundo and now I am sure when we meet face-to-face he will mention it stronger again. I am 40 years old and not looking forward to surgery or the life style changes I have already done to prevent what I don't really feel.

I know several of you have had roguh expierences with your fundos. Anyone out there have it done with Barrett's? How long? How successful? Any progression?

I have three wonderful kids and a fantastic wife that I would like to hang around and enjoy life with for the next 30 or 40 years. Been kind of down and out, and up and down. Stressed and stressing them out.

Any input or feedback would be appreciated.

Ray

[Mcx]

Hi

I an 45 and have Barretts, diagnoised in 2001 after years of hearburn problems.

I had a Fundo and Hernia repair back in February. I had my enoscopy a month before (on 2 year schedule), and the Barrett's had not changed after 3 and half years on PPi's. I was offered the surgery due to sympton break through on increasing meds and as an alternative to a lifetime of taking drugs. I also passed all the tests and was fit enough for the procedure.

I am not due another endoscopy until 2006, so I don't know if the Barretts is any different.

It can make you anxious when first diagnoised with Barretts. However it is not a given that Lap Nissen will help decrease the Barretts area, or the surgery will be right for you. It is also true that you can have Barretts without heartburn symptoms. The drugs and the surgery are ways of reducing the acid irration of the oespahgus, but do not remove the changed cells.

Also it doesn't mean that things will progress to more severe problems onmce you have Barretts, only a very small percentage of Barretts diagnoised patients go on to become cancerous. The good news is that they have found it and can keep a watch on it.

There is some excellent information on this site and some very knowledgable people, and I am sure you will get lots of support here, as I did when I was asking questions about the Fundo.

If the Fundo is an option for you remember that there are thousands of these ops done and only a small percentage have probs, so it is easy to get the impression that you are likely to have problems by looking at this site as people with no problems will tend not to post. I haven't posted for ages as I have had no real problems for the last few months.

The key to success if offered the op is to research to find the best person to do it, and get as fir as poss before the op.

As for the Barretts, and also a long time suffer of anxiety and depression myself I understand the worry. The best thing to do Is to get some reliable info and then get on and enjoy life as I said before the chances of things progressing are low if you adapt lifestyle and it is moitored and if things do progress there are other prodedures that can help.

The fundo was right for me, and I am glad I have had it now while young enough to recover quickly, and can now get on with my life. I enjoyed a beef steak for my wedding anniversary last week, and though it is a bit early in recovery for eating beef, I had no heartburn, which is something I have had since an early teenager. :-) I don't stress about the Barretts any more as I am been monitored.

So Ray, make sure the surgery is right for you, research to find out the best person to do it if you go ahead....

Best Wishes

Mcx

[Helen]

Hi there Ray
I would just like to endorse all that Mcx has said.
I was diagnosed with Barretts at 47 after years of heartburn and delayed having the recommended fundo for a couple of years. I was a little worried about the Barretts to begin with but after finding more about it realised that having it only increased my risk of cancer a small amount and I felt lucky that I knew it was there and was being "watched"
When the PPIs stopped working I took the plunge and had the fundo done and consider it to have been a success, no more heartburn although I do have to be careful not to overeat and remember to chew things well.
I had an endo done recently - 1 year post fundo and was very pleased and surprised to find a significant reduction in its size , so If it is right for you and you find a good surgeon then go foward with confidence.

Helen

[Rcone]

Thanks for the responses.

I guess my concerns is that I have no symptoms to realize relief from if I do the surgery even though I apparently have a very low resting LES pressure of 9 mmHg.

Anyone else have the low pressure and just stayed on medications and life style changes? Or did you do the fundo becasue of low LES pressure.

My doctor must not really concerned because my official follow-up on the results is not until September 22nd. Which again gives me doubts about the "need" for surgery.

Ray

[LSAT]

Ray...You have no symptoms...why not try the meds for a year and then go back for another EGD? If there is no change continue with the meds...if there is some progression you can opt for the surgery or some other proceedure. I wouldn't get all hung up on the LES pressure...you have no dysplasia so the barretts is very low risk...have you considered a second opinion on the biopsy slide reading?????? Perhapps you don't really have barretts???

[Rcone]

Hi Lsat,

I was hoping for a higher/normal LES pressure. I believe everything else is normal or at least good. I do not meet with the doctor until Sept 22nd.

I have discovered that many people with GERD and even with Barrett's do not have the manometry test for a long time or ever. I wanted to go with just meds and see how things looked after a year. I may end up doing that anyways.

I have made all the lifestyle changes and lost over 20+ pounds. All good but my favorite unhealthy foods are off the list. I can deal with that but at times it sure is hard when you are cooking over the pizza for the wife and kids, or everyone else is getting out those late night movie snacks. Me, water.

I need to talk with my doctor about the various options for Barrett's and the GERD. I have been given two other doctors to contact for some new ablation procedures for Barrett's and for second opinions.

I am hoping to get a grip on life and move forward with a plan like you are talking about.

Any others out there just doing meds and waiting to see what develops? Do you have Barrett's? The Barrett's is the critical piece for me since I have no symptoms -- well I guess I have this new annoying abdominal pressure but I can live with that.

Ray

[tricia]

Ray :) I agree with the other posters, you should first have your diagnosis confirmed . There are many misdiagnoses of Barrett's .

Secondly you shouldn't be hung up on LES pressure. There are people without GERD who have low LES pressure. A ph test, not the manometry can tell you for certain if GERD is present. LES pressure fluctuates. There are several on the board who had a manometry which showed low LES pressure , ( one had a pressure of 8) only to have a subsequent manometry a couple of months later which showed totally normal pressure of 16. As i said pressure fluctuates, even in normal subjects.

[Rcone]

Thanks for the suggestions. I am starting to feel better about the LES pressure. It was just another jab in the gut (definitely a pun) after being shocked with having Barrett's.

I am fairly sure I have Barrett's because the doctor has a specialty background with Barrett's, but you never know. Also, miracles do happen!

I have definitely improved mentally and now I just need to figure out what to do. I meet with the doctor on Sept 22nd and I will get copies of all my reports. His voice sounded surprised by the pH results. So perhaps that will be good news. I am looking at options. Meds, follow-up, possible removal of Barrett's and then do something about the LES issue.

Ray