Re: OT: Barrett's Esophagus

[Guest guest]

No, it isn't aspie related, but related either/ both to anatomy and eatting habits.

The esophagus is made of nice, soft lining cells, and there is an "invisible muscle" between the esophagus and the stomach. The stomach is lined with really tough cells that can stand the acid that is needed to digest food (pH 2). When either the stomach gets too full and sloshes acid up into the esphagus, or when the muscle is "weak" and allows the stomach acid to wash up into the esophagus, the tender lining cells of the esphagus get injured. When it gets to a certain level of injury, the cells change, and those damaged cells can go on to develop abnormalities. If you just have the Barretts, they may do some random biopsies in that area and monitor you either every 6 months or 12 months, by doing the upper endoscopies, and maybe or maybe not biopsies. The biopsies are looking for any of the cells that are going to go on to be abnormal cells, and yes, that "abnormal" can, but doesn't always mean cancer. The

greatest majority of the time, nothing further happens bad with these cells, as people do something to improve the "backwash" of acid, and we think that at a certain level, the cells can "get well". The doctor will probably have you on some type of a PPI (proton pump inhibitor) or/and advise some diet restrictions on things that make the "muscle" weak----caffeine, wine, chocolate...you can find the list on the net, I am sure. They will have you not eat close to bedtime, and maybe even raise the head of your bed. Don't panic, it is a pretty common issue, and the treatment is not bad, just something you need to be good about watching.

To: WomenWithAspergers <womenwithaspergers >; AspiresRelationships <aspires-relationships >; GRASP Global <GRASP_Global >Sent: Fri, December 3, 2010 8:30:16 AMSubject: OT: Barrett's Esophagus

I have just been diagnosed with Barrett's Esophagus. What can any of you tell me about this condition? Does it seem to be one of those things Aspies tend to get? Can anyone offer any advice?~"Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal."--Albert Camus Sent from my VZW BlackBerry