I was diagnosed with Barrett's back in 2015 following an endoscopy. I used to get bad indigestion and burning in my chest. I had a two year check in December 17 and was told that the Barrett's was about the same but I also had a hiatus hernia. Biopsies were taken which showed no cancer. I also suffer from IBS.
In the last four weeks my symptoms have been getting worse and apart from constant indigestion (despite taking Pantoprazole 40mg a day and Gaviscon) I am now getting pains in my stomach and trapped wind which is really painful. I used to have a healthy appetite but this has reduced and I now get pains after meals but only eat small portions as feel full pretty quickly. I do sometimes feel sick but not enough to think I will vomit. I haven't so far lost weight but with my meal reductions this could follow and my bowel movements are not unusual.
I guess I will go back to my GP who will tell me that as the last endoscopy was clear, it is either my Barrett's playing up or my IBS and send me away. I haven't had pains like this before, obviously my mind thinks of stomach cancer as some of the symptoms match but as I have had an endoscopy would this be picked up with that ?
I just wondered if anyone on here who suffers with IBS had something similar. Thanks.
Brian
Get yourself back to your GP, be checked over
BOB
Anxiety plays with your mind with IBS! Don’t listen to what your mind is telling you. Since your endoscopy was clear, this is very good news. Your endoscopy would have shown if there was a serious problem! Concentrate on that. Barretts and IBS will hit off against each other. Stress will make both conditions worse. If your doctor was to tell you it is your Barretts or your IBS flaring up since your endoscopy was clear, you should believe, trust and accept that on the bssis of your results. Your doctor is the expert and knows what he was talking about. He would not tell you this if it was not the case. Always concentrate on thr positives and forget about the negatives. Only listen to your doctor, don’t believe anything you read on google because it will fuel your anxiety.
I have IBS and GERD and I don’t worry in the slightest about it. I simply take Gaviscon, Nurofen and Buscopan depending on what condition strikes first. My IBS diagnosis completely cured my health anxiety.
Thanks Pippa, I probably will go back to my GP because my stomach is so uncomfortable, more so than I have had since I had gallstones leading to my gallbladder removal. I was prescribed Codeine Phosphate for my IBS which I have taken over 40 years. Do you find Buscopan helps ?
Thanks Bob, I will have to go back to my GP. I don't think it's anything sinister but it is very uncomfortable..
Yes ,Buscopan works great for me.
Oh dear, so sorry that you're feeling like this. Gas and bloating are my worst enemies too. They are too painful, radiating pain in my upper ribs to the back. Are you already on a low fodmap diet? Have you had colonoscopy?
I had a colonoscopy about ten years ago which was clear. I (live in London) and have decided to go to a private clinic as the local NHS consultant and his team are so rushed, you get little time or opportunity to discuss the pains. It took getting on four years of hectoring to get referred and get Barratt's diagnosed by a endoscopy.
Thanks for your comments Tanilee. The Consultant at the private clinic is sending me for a ultrascan then a hydrogen breath test as he wants to rulke out bacteria in my gut causing my stomach pains. He said after this he recommends seeing a dietician to investigate a fodmap diet. It will cost me but I feel more confident that I will get an answer to the discomfort I am in. I realise there may not be a cure as such but I need to know how to manage the pain and what can be done by myself to limit the attacks (if anything).