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[TGinKY]

Sorry! This post could get long, but please bear with me and I'll try to get to the point as quickly as possible.  I don't know how many of you remember my situation.  Briefly, I had 3 cysts, two were complex.  They all resolved themselves, which is somewhat unusual for complex cysts.  At the time I mentioned on the forum that my husband had been giving me some supplements.

I also mentioned that I have Barrett's esophagus.  This is a pre-cancerous condition where the cells have changed from normal cells to a type of cell that doesn't normally exist in the human body.  I was diagnosed 16 months ago.  At this time I also had a large polyp removed from my colon.  I just had my follow-up scope & colonoscopy on Monday, and my follow-up DR visit yesterday.  All this time, I have continued the supplements.

My DR told me that the biopsies on my esophagus came back negative for Barretts.  In other words, it's gone!  Barretts DOES NOT reverse!! You can look it up yourselves.  The current literature available says that "There is currently no medication available to reverse Barretts", and "There is no known treatment to reverse Barretts".   I also had no more polyps!  I was on annual follow-up scopes & colonoscopies for both problems, but the DR told me I don't have to have any more follow-ups AT ALL for the Barretts, and can wait 5 years for a follow-up colonoscopy!  Great news!

I mentioned to my Dr the supplements that I had been taking, asked him if he thought it was unusual for complex cysts to resolve on their own, and if he had ever heard of Barretts reversing.  He had not, and agreed about the cysts, as well.  He told me that "We don't get any training on alternative medicine." and asked if I would drop by some information, specifically on one supplement that I feel is the one causing all this good news: N-acetyl cysteine.  I told him I would.  It is my opinion that this supplement not only caused my cysts to go away, but actually REVERSED the abnormal pre-cancerous cells back to normal cells - as well as keeping any new polyps from forming in my colon.

When I looked up N-acetyl cysteine on the internet, one thing that popped out at me was that it was suggested to improve the effects of chemo on cancer patients, and I thought of you gals immediately!  I'm not saying this is a miracle cure, but at the VERY least, I really think it might help make your chemo more bearable.  (Deep down, I think it could do even more than that.)  NAC has been used since the 60's by the medical profession as an intravenous antidote to acetiminophen (Tylenol) overdose because of its ability to clean the body of toxins, so this is no new, unproven drug.  

I am personally VERY excited about this!  I intend to take it the rest of my life.  I would strongly recommend it to anyone!  My husband is an "all-or-nothing" kind of guy, and he has researched this thoroughly for years, so he really knows what he's doing. This supplement needs to be taken in certain dosages, and is best taken with certain other supplements to be most effective, so if anybody wants more info, just send me a message and I'll be thrilled to pass more info along to you.  You can check it out online, also.  (It has been proven to be effective for liver and kidney disease as well, and is even indicated for cancer.)  Just make sure you're looking up "N-acetyl cysteine", not just "acetyl-cysteine".  There is a difference.

I would be so thrilled if some of you ladies could get at least some relief and possibly even more from this! There are no known side effects, so it couldn't hurt to give it a try!  God bless!   Teresa

[Nursemommy34]

I just..just saw something on tv about a new treatment for Barretts.  It's cryo.  The patient is anesthetized, a camera is put into the esophagus and the doctor freezes the Barrett's coating instantly.  It is almost painless.  It requires a couple treatments.  I am not certain, because it was one of those little new info programs, and went pretty quick, but resolution is acheived with in a few months.
The Barrett's tissue is replaced by fresh, normal esophageal cells.
Just incase anyone happens apon this thread while searching for Barrett's.
Good luck all!

[Kimchi]

I also took NAC during chemo, found lots of info on it and yes there is a huge difference between  "N-acetyl cysteine" and  "acetyl-cysteine".  But there was something I read that somewhere that made me stop taking it..sorry can't remember what or where it is now...will do some research and get to you on it.  Unbelievable that your don't have signs of Barrett's, that's one less thing you have to worry about..congrats.

[vegas2cr]

I do know that there are many supplements that can help.  BUT please read this:

People with diabetes mellitus and allergies to eggs, milk, or wheat should not take supplementary cysteine. People taking the drug may experience severe headaches when taking NAC. Cysteine supplements must be taken with vitamin C to prevent cysteine being converted to cystine, which may form kidney or bladder stones. People with kidney or liver disease should consult their doctor before taking supplementary cysteine.

It is always important for people to investigate what they are taking... I always appreciate any and all advice and for example drink cranberry juice daily.  Please though check with your doctor before you take anything...And Teresa there are plenty of side effects from this particular supplement... Please don't take this personally as it is not meant in any way to be rude...Trust me with stage IV I wish there were more things I could take...Ronni