I have news I never thought I’d be able to share.

According to my latest endoscopy, my Barrett’s esophagus is gone.

Or, maybe it was never there in the first place? I’m not one to question doctors very often (we believe in science and medicine in this house), but I do question my initial pathology that diagnosed me with the disease. It seemed very sudden and while yes, I’ve had acid reflux a long time and was having very bad symptoms when I first scheduled my appointment, even my first gastroenterologist was shocked at the diagnosis. I had always eaten a fairly balanced diet, stayed active and didn’t smoke or drink. I was probably the last candidate to develop something like that, but I took it seriously anyway, taking my medicine religiously and subscribing to the elimination diet no matter how much it hurt emotionally.

My last doctor was also adamant that Barrett’s cannot be reversed (though Reddit said otherwise). So, did I actually reverse it through hard work? Or was it never there to begin with? We may never know, but I like to think I did.

But to get the official news that my Barrett’s is no more was overwhelming. While I’m used to avoiding foods because of my allergies, eliminating so much from my diet, never mind the few treats I could enjoy, was a rollercoaster. I have so much freedom back, both physically and mentally. I’ve even already gone down in dosage for my PPI medicine.

All this to say, I’ll still talk about my experience with Barrett’s because it was a defining moment in my life, and more young people are starting to get it, along with other GI issues. But this is your sign to get a second opinion…and take your medicine.