Hi guddan,Welcome to the Healing Well GERD forum! Sorry to hear you're struggling with GERD. You're not alone, as I'm sure you know. There are many here who have received a similar diagnosis, and I'm sure others will be by soon to welcome you and share their experiences.
My guess is that you had silent GERD long before you began getting the symptoms that led you to getting medical care. It's common for people to have reflux issues without being aware of them. Silent reflux is the culprit. Often a person can feel only a fraction of the reflux he/she is having.
While a possible diagnosis of Barretts esophagus is certainly disconcerting, don't become too overly worried. (They always biopsy for Barretts when they see inflammation.) Of course, treat the GERD and follow up regularly with your doctor, but don't stress over it. Here's information that I found regarding the risk of cancer with Barretts:
What is the risk of esophageal cancer with Barrett's esophagus?
People with Barrett's esophagus have a low risk of developing a kind of cancer called esophageal adenocarcinoma. Less than 1 percent3 of people with Barrett's esophagus develop esophageal adenocarcinoma each year. Barrett's esophagus may be present for several years before cancer develops. Esophageal adenocarcinoma is frequently not detected until its later stages when treatments are not always effective.
(This came from an NIH site on the subject:
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/barretts/)
So you're already ahead of the game. Many never get a diagnosis or treatment for their reflux and continue to treat it themselves with antacids and OTC medications. That's the problem. You're on the right track, and your esophageal inflammation will be watched and treated.
Glad you've joined us! You're definitely in the right place.
Best wishes,
Denise