Barrett's Esophagus
As kids the five Sitarski brothers were your typical pack of boys...they played baseball, cowboys and indians, they were best friends…but, today the brothers are battling a potentially fatal condition known as Barrett’s Esophagus. “In 2004 my brother had some problems with his throat, he was totally healthy, never had any problems, physical every year, when to the doctor, was diagnosed stage four cancer, he died nine months later and it was caused from Barrett’s,” says John Sitarski.
Since his brother’s death, John and his younger brother have also been diagnosed with Barrett’s Esophagus, a pre-cancerous condition caused by chronic GERD, or reflux disease. “Due to chronic acid exposure from reflux, the cells that normally line the esophagus gradually transform into a type of lining which is more protective against acid irritation, so the lining instead of being a normal esophageal lining, it is like a stomach lining, the body is trying to protect itself against acid,” says Dr. Greg Haber of Lenox Hill Hospital.
Since the cells lining the stomach are protected from contact with acid, their growth into the esophagus actually functions as a defense mechanism. It protects the normal tissue in the esophagus against further damage by GERD, but these tissue changes may be a forerunner of cancer.
Read more about Barrett's Esophagus
Barrett's Esophagus video
Related Links:
ULCERATIVE COLITIS TREATMENT
ULCERS AND ASPIRINS
Cinco De Mayo and Heartburn
New GERD Procedure
For Julie Bayley there’s nothing better than cooking up an exotic home cooked meal and pairing it with the perfect bottle of wine. But, Julie says that for years her epicurean indulgences left her paying the price…unrelenting vicious heartburn. “It is like a river of lava coming up into your throat and just burning relentlessly and at the same time that is happening there is this pressure on your chest, it is just unbelievable pain,” says Julie.
Julie suffers from GERD…gastroesophageal reflux disease. This chronic reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus is often due to a weakening of tissues that make up the valve-like barrier between the esophagus and stomach. Most GERD patients have abnormal functioning of this valve allowing stomach contents to flow freely into the esophagus causing severe heartburn.
Read more about New GERD Procedure
New GERD Procedure video
Related Links:
OBESITY SURGERY SURGE
Obesity and Weight Loss Surgery
ULCERATIVE COLITIS TREATMENT
Cinco De Mayo and Heartburn
Ole!
Manana is Cinco de Mayo!
Lots of folks will be heading to bars and restaurants around town to enjoy this Mexican holiday. But will a healthy dose of fun come with a hefty dose of heartburn?
A one time episode of heartburn on Cinco de Mayo may not be much to worry about. And there are plenty of Mexican foods you can enjoy and not worry about worsening your symptoms.
But if you get heartburn frequently, that is a cause for concern.
Christy Searl chooses to enjoy a glass of wine at a Mexican restaurant rather than margaritas. “These margaritas at this place are lethal,” she exclaims.
Read more about Cinco De Mayo and Heartburn
Cinco De Mayo and Heartburn video
Related Links:
ULCERATIVE COLITIS TREATMENT
ULCERS AND ASPIRINS
Weekly Health Wrap
ACID REFLUX AND RIGHT SIDE
If you suffer from acid reflux, there’s new evidence you can avoid the damage this can cause by changing the way you sleep.
Acid reflux disease is a common cause of heartburn. And many times the acid can travel back up into the food pipe at night.
Now there’s an easy way to prevent that, by changing your sleeping position.
Read more about ACID REFLUX AND RIGHT SIDE
ACID REFLUX AND RIGHT SIDE video
Related Links:
ULCERATIVE COLITIS TREATMENT
ULCERS AND ASPIRINS
Appendectomy
ULCERS AND ASPIRINS
If you’re one of the 50 million Americans taking an aspirin a day to prevent heart attack and stroke, you might be at risk for developing stomach ulcer bleeding. The current recommendations are that doctors give patients at risk for a bleeding ulcer the drug Plavix instead of aspirin. Alternatively doctors are going ahead and giving patients aspirin but also prescribing an acid reducing medicine to prevent the formation of stomach ulcers.
Read more about ULCERS AND ASPIRINS
ULCERS AND ASPIRINS video
Related Links:
ULCERATIVE COLITIS TREATMENT
GERD
ACID REFLUX AND RIGHT SIDE
ULCERATIVE COLITIS TREATMENT
There is new hope for patients suffering from the gastrointestinal condition known as ulcerative colitis.
The disease can be severe, and often, treatment does not completely relieve the symptoms. Sometimes surgery is the only recourse for patients who suffer from ulcerative colitis.
Read more about ULCERATIVE COLITIS TREATMENT
ULCERATIVE COLITIS TREATMENT video
Related Links:
OBESITY AND GI CANCER RISK
Colon Cancer March Madness
African American Women and Colon Cancer
