Told I have Barret's oesophegus

LegacyUser

Please,please dont judge me when you read this.Ive been bullimic for years (for loads of reasons) but have kept an eye on my health and had an endoscopy earlier this year.The results came back that I have Barrets oesophegus. I got referred without the consultant being told my background and I had wanted to tell him the reasons for all the acid damage but he had a colleague in with him on training and I was just too embarrassed to say with someone else there. I regret this now as since going back to my doctor, she said its a warning sign that I have to stop what Im doing. She didnt say it was pre cancer but even I know if I keep throwing,Im going to probably bring this about myself

I know I have to cop myself on but I am completely addicted to bingeing and throwing up. I have tried and tried over the years and have used every resource available. The only reason my health is ok (apart from the barrets thing) is because when I can eat normally, I eat well.

I feel so low after the diagnosis which is of course a trigger to binge. I know Ive brought this completely on myself. I just want to know if anyone out there has any more information that might help me. I am thinking of going back to the consultant and talking openly to him.

I know its a choice between stopping and hopefully keep myself free from cancer or continuing and ending up dead. The problem is that while on the surface, my life seems ok (job, husband,interests,friends) inside me, I am a raging addict and I think I wont ever be able to stop. I have to eat my drug of choice three times a day and thats what sets me off. I dont drink, I dont smoke or do drugs but food is killing me.

The_Conductor

Hi-

Sorry you haven't gotten a response thus far.
You are right- Barretts Oesaphagus can be a precursor to oesaphageal cancer- and it is entirely possible that your diagnosis is as a result of your actions- but its also equally possible that it randomly occurred. Don't beat yourself up over it. You have a diagnosis, what you have to do is accept the diagnosis, and ask the sort of questions you need to ask about management, and how to live with your condition.

Obviously- your bullimia is something that you are going to have to address- admitting that its a problem is a good start- and your GP is aware of your condition. This is insufficient at the moment- you need to seek treatment for the longterm management of the bullimia- and your consultant needs to be made aware of the possible background to his diagnosis.

You do need to tell the consultant everything- he/she will probably be deciding on a course of action for you- but in the absence of all the information- their treatment may not be sufficient or appropriate for you.

You need to be fully open and honest with your consultant- and you also need to accept that you are going to have to make serious changes to how you have been dealing with things.

Best of good luck to you,

Shane

fend

Hi OP,

Obviously disclosing all the information to your doctors and consultants will benefit you greatly, no matter how difficult it is for you either reveal your history or no matter how difficult it is for you to stop it. Barrett's Oesophagus happens to about 1/100 people so it is not a rare occourence. A lot of people will have it and not even know they have it.

This website has a lot of useful information about it, and has a section half way down regarding how harmful if can be or turn out to be.
http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Barrett%27s-Oesophagus.htm

I'm sure you know yourself that the only way to prevent this getting any worse over time, is to take control of it yourself.
There is no use in worrying if maybe perhaps somehow sometime it will get worse, because you carry your own fate in your own hands.

I would suggest getting treatment or help for your bulimia, rather that your Barretts Oesophagus, as this seems to be the root of your problem. Only you can help yourself to recovery.

CathyMoran

fend wrote: »

Hi OP,

Obviously disclosing all the information to your doctors and consultants will benefit you greatly, no matter how difficult it is for you either reveal your history or no matter how difficult it is for you to stop it. Barrett's Oesophagus happens to about 1/100 people so it is not a rare occourence. A lot of people will have it and not even know they have it.

This website has a lot of useful information about it, and has a section half way down regarding how harmful if can be or turn out to be.
http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Barrett%27s-Oesophagus.htm

I'm sure you know yourself that the only way to prevent this getting any worse over time, is to take control of it yourself.
There is no use in worrying if maybe perhaps somehow sometime it will get worse, because you carry your own fate in your own hands.

I would suggest getting treatment or help for your bulimia, rather that your Barretts Oesophagus, as this seems to be the root of your problem. Only you can help yourself to recovery.

The OP needs to get treatment for both her conditions, saying that she can ignore the Barretts Oesaphagus when it is a potentially a very dangerous condition, is wrong.