ptsd Barretts Esophagus

[Brother Gate]

Hello Everyone, I went for an EGD test today. The conclusion is that I have been told I have Barretts Esophagus Disease caused by GERD. They took a biopsy and will inform me of the results. Has anyone filed a claim for that? Also, how can I connect GERD to Vietnam; AO or PTSD?

Appreciate your input.

P.S. "this too shall pass"

Bro' Gate

[Pete53]

More important than connecting is treatment as it can take you down and all you need a the purple pill or something like it.

Several here have connected it to VA Medicine that they take

[Brother Gate]

Thanks Pete for the reply. Just got the diagnosis today. Can't do anything yet until I get results from the biopsy. Believe me, treatment is optimum and I will pursue immediate treatment once I know the facts. Until then, question remains the same regarding claim. The only truth I know as of now is that it was caused by GERD which I have had since Vietnam. I think at the moment connecting is important to establishing effective date. I have had claims in the past that I slept on not recognizing the importance of immediacy dealing with the VA. Learning as I go.

peace

[stillhere]

Should not be a problem getting it SC. I have looked at a few BVA decisions and have seen it granted for DM2/PTSD. I actually suffer from it also as acid reflux and it is in my records but I have not put in a claim since I am 100P/T and housebound.

I take medication for it now and have for the past 5 years and had it doubled in 08 I think. I have to watch what I eat and not eat late at night or it will keep me up all night and miserable.

I do plan on getting the test for esophagus soon though.

Good luck to you and let us know how you do!

[Brother Gate]

Thanks for the reply! I also have DM2. I have been taking omeprazole 20mg capsules for my stomach for years. Also for the past 3 years I have been taking potassium chloride powder supplements because my body keeps wasting potassium. Did not know until I did some research yesterday and found that the power supplements also was eating up my stomach/esophagus with the acid. It seems as though medicine cures one problem but creates or exacerbates another. I am hoping to get my biopsy soon so that I can begin some type of treatment. I currently have 4 claims before the VA to be ruled upon. I think it is best I wait until all is decided before opening up a new can of worms. I have not yet filed for GERD but have been treated for about 7 years. When I do file I will add Barratts as secondary to GERD if I am able to connect GERD as SC or connect GERD as secondard to Anxiety/PTSD.

[Doc904]

Barretts Esophagus is nothing to ignore if you have it file a claim with the VA, it can be secondary to PTSD, depression, weight gain, type II diabetes, stress, sleep apnea etc. If you have a Dx of Barretts Esophagus you need and endoscopic exam every year. Barretts is in between GERD and Esophagial cancer which you have to watch out for can only be Dx'd by the exam. I'm on nexium 40mg twice a day and that seams to keep it at bay. If I have a bad case of reflux I eat Bananna Popsicles one after the other until the reflux cools down, nothing else works, except if I'm on the road, a cold Coke Cola will keep the reflux down and cool off the Esophagus until I get to a store to get the Bannana Popsicles, no other flavor works I've tried them all and the Coke Cola will only hold back the burning until you get the popsicle. No over the counter meds work. It was not until I was given Nexium twice a day did my reflux go away. I still don't eat anything that's hot with spice that's a big now. I also consider even one reflux episode one step closer to cancer, if you get Esophagal cancer and it's not cought at the get to you have less then 5 years to live, so think hard before you ignore this problem. Another sign that you might have Barretts Esophagus is a dry cough like a "cough cough" is all you get now and then, that's your body reacting to a reflux you can't feel and is a warning sign that you might have Barretts Esophague, don't let your doctor tell you it's a side effect of the blood pressure med your on, that's what mine said and two years after that I told the doctor I wanted the exam done to rule out Barretts Esophagus, which I've had now for 23 years, still taking the Nexium twice a day, Bannanna Popsicles on standby and endoscopic exam every year. Warning eating antacids is what caused my Barretts Esophagus and stress in the military. I had a doctor I worked with warm me that antacids could cause me to get cancer and he was right. Now I'm filing a VA Service connected claim . If I have one case of reflux a year that's one to many, for the past ten or more years I've either had one reflux a year mostly when I eat out and don't know what's put in the food now I always say "NO HOT PEPPERS OR SPICE"...Hopefully this will help one of my Vets out there.

Doc904