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Just found out i have small Hiatial Hernia.

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GERD & Acid Reflux
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Posted 1/20/2006 9:23 AM (GMT 0)
Hi all,

I have been looking for more information abt hiatal Hernia and stumbled onto this wonderful site.

I used to get nauses and a bit light headed after a hearty meal 6 out of 10 times.I was at a stage where i felt depressed not knowing what my problem is.
Sometimes i feel like going on a long walk just to get away from everything.

Last saturday, my wife took me to the hospital because i thought i was having chest pains. I did have pains which was situated under the left side and below my ribcage. The doctor told me it is part of the stomach and have nothing to do with the heart so he made me stay in hospital and performed some test which included a endoscopy.

They then told me that i have a small ployps in my esophasus (sp?) which was removed and a small hiatial hernia. Furthur test done on the ployps shows that it is just muscle tissue. So it was a big relief! I do not have acid reflux.

I'm 44 years old and weigh 220lbs. After discovering this bit of news, i was at a point of not eating much on a daily basis and have lost 12 lbs to date.

After coming back from the hospital, i feel a pain directly under my sternum which is causing me some discomfort.
I could not sit in front of the pc or tv for long and have to get up and walk around. I have woken up at least 4 times at nights due to this.

I went back to the doctor and he says my hiatal hernia will not cause this pain as i do not have reflux. Now he suggested i do a CT scan on my upper abdomen.

Can anyone out there with similar problem to mine clarify:

If this constant pain just below the sternum is caused by HH even if there is no acid reflux? Currently on Indirol, Busopan, Milzine and Acetamol ( hope i got all the spellings right).

Thanks all and i'm so glad to have found this site. Now that i know what is wrong with me and to know that there are other out there with the same problem, it's been a big relief!!
Posted 1/23/2006 3:44 AM (GMT 0)
Hi,
I,too have a Hiatus Hernia,but no reflux. Gastroenterologist gave me Motilium. I take it twice a day. I think it helps. I also take Somac, at present. I,too get the pain right below the sternum. I drink heaps of soda water. Bicabonate in the soda eases it. I am on a waiting list for Hiatus Hernia Operation. Don't know if you've heard of these medications, I'm in Australia. I am not overweight, so that's not my problem Only weigh 55kgs. and 160cm tall. Mt doctor ays Buscopan is only for Stomach spasms. I can't sit for any length of time, either. It's very uncomfortable. and also wear loose clothing.
Posted 1/24/2006 1:46 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks ebonyrae for your reply.
The pain seems to have subsided alot after the Indirol, Busopan, Milzine and Acetamol fix. I have stopped taking them after a day.

Yesterday, i got the pain again and i think it is due to drinking coffee in the morning. It started after a few hours from coffee intake. I used to be a very heavy coffee drinker so i'm kind of surprised.

I'm trying to avoid coffee for a bit to see if that is the cause.

The upper abdomen CT scan is done and am waiting for the results.

I will keep your medications in mind.

My doc tells me that if there is no reflux, the Hiatus Hernia Operation is not nessarery. Please have that checked up. If you can control / stop the ab pain, then it should be ok i'm told.

Do you drink coffee? Could that be causing the pain too?
Posted 1/25/2006 1:29 PM (GMT 0)
I don't mean to interupt but I need a little advice. I have a hiatal hernia. I have had it for years. I can even pin point whenit happened. Food poisonig from Taco Bell. I felt it rip. I have had the endoscopy and it is definatley there. Anyway... My current situation is this. I was in a bad wreck and I am basically totally disabled right now. The main position that I stay in is with my back propped up on a couple of pillows on the couch with pillows under my hip and leg. Since the wreck my hernia bothers me a whole lot more. If I can sit up straighter it eases up, but this often is not an option because of my injuries. In the past Zantac and Tagamet have been of great help, but don't seem to work very well now. Because of being out of work so long I don't have any insurance to pay for anything except what is from the wreck. Can anyone give me any suggestions to get some relief when it acts up? When it hits, I have chest pain right in the middle below my throat. The urge to burp is there, but it just doesn't happen. This will go on for hours at a time.

Thanks for the help!
Posted 1/27/2006 8:18 AM (GMT 0)
stillrecovering> sorry to hear of your plight. My prayers are with you.
I can't offer any advice maybe someone will drop by with some suggestions.

When you say "Since the wreck my hernia bothers me a whole lot more". Is it due to reflux or you are experiencing pain in the upper abdomen as what i have been experiencing?.

-----------------------------------------

My CT scan results came back negative for any abnormabilites. Upper abdomen pain is still a bother. Sometime not so bad as other times.
Doctor suggested cutting out coffee and tea and drinking green tea. 2 days on green tea but the dull ab pain is still there.
The feeling is like if you have not had anything to eat the whole day kind of feeling.
I really can't tell if the pain is subsiding slowly everyday since before i was admitted to the hospital it was really bad.
Now i can sit in front of the pc or tv for long perods of time .
Posted 1/28/2006 2:32 AM (GMT 0)
Hi aeis2000
No, I don't drink coffee. Dietitican told me it's very bad for Hiatus Hernia. Beem to Gastroenterologist. He said I still need the operation even though I have no reflux. Chocolate also upsets me. I wish they'd fix the health system in Queensland. Who knows how long it will be before I have my operation.
Posted 1/28/2006 12:09 PM (GMT 0)
ebonyrae> Keep us informed here of your progress.

Today the ab pain seems to be bearable even though i had 2 english tea throuthout the day.
Seems the pain is decreasing although marginally....or it could be my imagination.
I'm eating alot less now.
Will update on the progress.
Posted 1/29/2006 1:24 AM (GMT 0)
aeis2000,

Glad to hear you're feeling a little better. FYI, even if you're not feeling classic acid reflux you may be having silent acid reflux. I was diagnosed as having a hiatial hernia and silent acid reflux around 1999. It was discovered because I had choked on something. My esophogus had narrowed dramatically and the doctor couldn't even get a pediatric dilator down it. Since then every several years I have an endoscopy done to check to see if my esophagus has narrowed again. Typically it does require another dilation, albeit not as serious as the first time.

I mention this just so you're aware that there could be irritation to you esophagus without you knowing it. I'm not suggesting surgery, but do what you can to modify your actions to limit possible acid reflux. This is very hard without the biofeedback from the pain. You may want to check in with a doctor every so often just to be sure. Did the doctor suggest another endoscopy in a few years to see if the polyps redeveloped?

For me, I finally started feeling severe acid reflux this year. By then my esophagus was really irritated. I've since taken several of the steps suggested in various threads on this website, which have helped. I can't help but wonder if my problems would have been a lot less severe if I had changed my diet years ago.

about the coffee: I never drank coffee but drank a lot of diet cola. This was a double wammy -- caffeine and carbonation. When I started feeling bad I realized the soda was irritating my esophagus despite the fact I drank the stuff for many years. I haven't had any soda in three months and it has helped. I diddn't think I would last that long without the soda, either.

I've felt a little pain in the abdomen, but I don't think I would have noticed it without the other problems. I also had a CT scan and they discovered I had gallstones. I don't have any other symptoms so the surgeon is hesitant to take it out. I'm just trying to control it with diet.

Good luck

mlp
Posted 1/29/2006 3:31 AM (GMT 0)
Hi mlp> Thanks for your feedback. This is a first i heard of silent acid reflux. I will keep that in mind.
The doctor did suggest going for a second endoscopy after abt 6 months but i felt 6 months is abit too early.
I plan to do one in maybe a year later.

I don't drink any carbonated drinks only sticking to coffee or tea. Since the ab pain, i have given up coffee completely drinking only the occasional tea. Still it feels like a constant pressure around my upper abdomen at times and other times it's better.
I can burp and still not feel any reflux.

My sister-in-law had severe heart burn a few months ago and had to go to the ER. She was given medication for a month and seems the symptoms completly disappeared. Now i watched her eat all the food which is strictly "out of bounds" for someone with heartburn.
Simply Amazing.
Posted 1/31/2006 11:02 PM (GMT 0)
Updates: Major pain seems to have subsided but 2 to 3 hours after a meal, i get a slight uncomfortable pain in the dead centre right below the sternum. This pain stays on till i go to bed. I'm getting interrupted sleep these few days. Everytime i turn in bed, the pain seems to wake me up.

If i sit on a bus which is a bit bumpy, i get a feeling of throwing up. This lasts for a few seconds.

It's like a bruised feeling below the sternum. Am i a candidate for surgery? Puzzles me cuz all the readings i did on Hiatal Hernia talks abt acid reflux which i have no symptoms of.
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