Hi. No, Barretts doesn't hurt at all. I would never have imagined I had it. The first endoscopy showed it, my second showed it again, and the 3rd didn't. It doesn't mean I don't have it; most likely the Dr. just didn't get a biopsy where the Barretts is. It was a relatively small area, according to the first 2 endoscopies, and that's most likely why it didn't show up the 3rd time.
Having my colon removed is a huge step....I know that. I've had severe constipation my entire life, and for over 30 years have relied on taking senna every 4 or 5 days to have a bm. I've been tested, and was diagnosed with colon inertia about 20 years ago. At that time, the Dr. told me that one day I would most likely have to have my colon removed, but as long as the senna worked, there was no need to do it. I thought he was absolutely crazy, and really didn't spend alot of time thinking about it, although taking the senna over the years has been very inconvenient. I normally take it at lunch time, and it will take between 4 and 8 hours to start working, and I spend several hours running back and forth to the bathroom. That's IF it works. If not, I feel terrible the next day, and I have to take it again that day. It's a horrible way to live, but I've managed. However, last Christmas I had a "spell" where nothing worked. I took senna, dulcolox, and even had THREE golytely (the prep for a colonoscopy) before I could go. It took 16 days and I was so miserable I vowed to get to a Dr. and start working on a plan. I have not had a bm without taking a laxative in 30 years, and that's not an exaggeration. Even as a child, I was miserable, and my mom would put a hot water bottle on my tummy to help, and even had to physically remove stool from me.
I've been going to a Colon and Rectal Center, and spent a couple months having tests. I have pelvic floor dysfunction, a rectocele, and severe colon inertia. The recommendation was to be conservative and start biofeedback treatments, then have the STARR procedure for the rectocele, and if there is no improvement, to have a colectomy. My large intestine will be attached to my rectum and I shouldn't have to have a bag. Based on the results of the sitz marker test (123 out of 124 markers were still in my colon) the Dr. doubts anything will help, but he said it certainly won't hurt anything to try everything else possible first.
I went to another Dr. a week ago, taking all of my test results, and he confirmed that this was the best plan. Living on laxatives is a horrible way to live, and it can't be good to have toxins in your body all the time. I just don't want to live like this anymore. I know the surgery is no picnic, but living like this isn't either. I'm leaving Tuesday for a 9 day vacation out west, and I've already planned which nights I have to "stay in" and try to poop. This is just ridiculous.
The reason I think my GERD is related to my colon issues (and the Drs. all say the same thing) is that food just sits in my stomach and backs up into my esophagus. I have extremely slow motility and there's no where for the food and the acid to go but back up. I don't know if this surgery will help with the acid problems for sure or not, but if it does, it will be just another benefit.
I don't plan to have the surgery until after the first of the year, and I'm just praying tht my senna will continue to work until then, and that I don't have another episode like I did at Christmas. It was terrible. After the first week I just stopped eating and lost 8 pounds. I lived on liquids because there was no room for anything else to go!!
I hope your mom does well nd that she doesn't have Barretts; although I've been told that once diagnosed, you most likely do have it; it's just that if it's small, it can be hard to find everytime you have an endoscopy.
Janie