Can GERD be chronic and not turn into cancer?

Although GERD is sometimes misrepresented as “gastroesophageal reflux disease” it is, in actuality, a disorder, not a sickness. (Hope this bit of info makes you feel a little better!)
I hope you are following your doctors orders on how to treat it, and not ignoring those orders. My doctor had me take 150mg of Zantac to help me control mine…
I raised the head of my bed 2”, and that helped. Quit drinking other acidic drinks and eating spicy/greasy heartburn producing foods. Milk/cheese may not help and may hinder progress. Smoking will aggravate it.
I don’t have GERD anymore since controlling it, and eating more sensibly

Yeah I know that 10mg isn’t very much so maybe I should increase it, my Dr just said take as needed, I sleep with pillows as i get it really bad at night time. I’m really petite so trying to put on weight and have been eating way more than usual as well so that might not be helping.
I just get that horrible pain into my back and I just want to feel normal. Plus i’m bleching after eating, so a part of myself tells myself that it’s due to gastric cancer. I guess I“ll find out in 2 weeks. How long have you had it for?
Can you not eat any trigger foods or you can but in small doses?

My dad has had GERD since his early 20’s and he’s 74, and gets scoped every so often for good measure, and he has never had cancer.

If eating different foods isn’t helping then I see no reason to avoid those foods. Only avoid what helps.

Yes, GERD can be chronic and not turn into cancer. My ex husband had it all his life. It wasn’t until we were married that he finally went to a doctor about it. They put him on Prilosec which was a prescription back then and did a scope every year. He finally could eat and gain weight. We also set our bed up a few inches at the head of the bed.
There was no cancer in his diagnosis.
I am curious @tan, does our answers help ease your fears or not?

I have had it for over 30 years and it’s mostly due to hiatal hernia which could possibly be faced with a surgical procedure I am not willing to undergo. Admittedly it has gotten worse with age and to the point where my diet is limited and Losec the partial life saver. You have to find a way to live your life around it so it doesn’t get the better of you. With the correct food, lifestyle choices and regular screening you should not have to worry. However I understand the frustration and discomfort it causes. Good luck.

I continue to feel it would help you deal with all the health issues you fear if you got some therapy. No doubt they are real, but you live in a constant state of worry about every health problem you have. Wouldn’t it be better if you weren’t always so fearful? Talk therapy cor another kind could be very beneficial.

yeah.. this does help and yes Jannbb I do have health anxiety and I’m trying to control it. I am in therapy and meditating and doing exercise, however, I’ve had health anxiety since I was 5 – literally since I was 5 – so I’m a bit of an extreme case and it will take some time… there is residual HA that comes out when I“m scared and having H pylori and then still stomach issues has significantly scared me… but happy to hear that others have had it for a long time.
I get the gastroscopy in 20 days and counting!! Fingers Crossed… no atrophy or metaplasia! ;)

Hugs!

@tan253 Good. Hope it all helps!

Look, if you’re going to worry about it becoming cancer, which is very unlikely, at least give yourself 10 years before you start to worry about it. The cellular changes would not happen so quickly. If you’re 30 today, then just put in your head that at 40 you need to start getting scoped regularly, or whatever your doctor suggests.

Think about it like labor. Rest inbetween the contractions, savor the break, or you’re going to get very tired.

My grandfather had colon cancer. I’ve been getting colonoscopies since my early 30’s. First time I had a polyp. 3 years later, second colonoscopy nothing. So I waited longer, 7 years, and the third time a little polyp. Fourth time I pushed it seven years again, and I had a little polyp. Now, I’m 50, and I’ll start doing what the doctor says and not go beyond 5 years, but inbetween I don’t worry. I know I’m going to do the test. I know the test will show polyps or signs of tissue changes before I’m full blown stage 4 cancer (unless I get an unusually agressive form of cancer) and that’s it.

You’ll get the test, the doctor will tell you no sign of cancer, and then test your mind about that for a few years, or whatever the doctor recommends for the next time frame for another scope. I hope you can.

I have lived with it for a long time. Its can be managed, but you might need a different medication. My doctor tried many, and still it was out of control. By the way, dairy is worse than anything to have until it is under control.
Finally I am taking something that works. I can eat stuff again. Gosh I missed general’s chicken!
It is a process, and the wait is painful, but if you hang in there, keep good communication with your doctor, eventually you should find what works for you.

I don’t know about cancer, but all that acid is harmful if left untreated. Stuff heals though, so the sooner you find what works, and get the problem managed, the better off you are.

Typo: rest your mind not test your mind.

Had it my whole life. When I get really stressed out, it seems worse for awhile. Then goes back to normal. Prevacid has helped me greatly.

Good luck.

Peace n love.

Thank guys, I’m 40 and had it for 10 years…. so I figure now is the time to get it sorted….. Gastro Dr has said he’s wanting to rule out atrophy gastritis and intestinal metaplasia… so that in itself kinda freaks me out!

That’s how medical science works. You rule out the big things first. It’s completely normal, and usually it’s not a big thing.

If you get an actual diagnosis, then you can give this your valuable time.

Thank you MrGrimm… I wish I could find my level thinking head and switch it on.

^Sounds like you already have…