Getting of ppis with a 4cm sliding hiatal hernia

Ninus

New Member

Joined : Jul 2014

Posts : 13

Posted 7/13/2014 8:22 PM (GMT 0)

Hi!

So basically I'm desperate for some sucess stories.

I have been on ppis for about 5 years, and they managed my hearthburn symptoms well. Unfortunately, since I got no hearthburn symptoms, I could keep up my really bad diet. I think the diet in combination with the long term ppi use messed up my stomach pretty bad. I started to experience stomach pain after meals, feeling really bloated all the time and constantly burping. I suspect SIBO, and I realized I'd have to try to quit the ppis and change my diet completely. That was five weeks ago and I'm keeping my strict diet, eating only vegetables and meat. I quit the ppis cold turkey and I was prepared for an awful time. To my relief, I have not been experiencing the constant rebound hearthburn that many here describe but I do get hearthburn episodes every day.

I have been diagnosed with a 4cm sliding hiatal hernia and some minor les problems I think (I'm trying to read the test results right)

I'm worried that I'm not going through the rebound phase any more, and if this is my normal state. I can't remember exactly, but I don't think I had so severe reflux problem before I got on the ppis when I was 17.

I'm constantly trying to figure out if its worth living a life where I can eat and drink almost nothing, and still have to get hearthburn several times every day.

Is there anyone out there with a similar situation to mine that actually managed to get of the ppis and live a decent life? It would make me so happy and optimistic to hear a sucess story

Alcie

Veteran Member

Joined : Oct 2009

Posts : 5200

Posted 7/13/2014 10:26 PM (GMT 0)

Oh, dear Ninus. Welcome to the forum.

I was on PPIs starting when they were invented and stayed on them for many years until I needed surgery because of an accident. So I don't worry about the meds.

I got rid of all my reflux events, the heaving and stomach and esophagus squeezing and such, by finding out they were triggered by specific food intolerances. My allergist had me keep a good "food journal" (see many posts - put keywords in the search box at the top of the page). I did not need to limit my diet to boring foods, just had to avoid my triggers.

Of course, having a weak LES, diagnosed on barium swallow, I had some reflux. But it was non-acid because of the PPIs and didn't bother me unless I ate in the late evening and had food left in my stomach when I went to bed.

The barium swallow also diagnosed a small sliding hernia, but that was not a problem. A lot of people have that and never know it. It's not a big deal unless it gets large or if it's a paraesophageal type.

I was perfectly happy on the PPIs and would happily have stayed on them.

There is at least one test for SIBO. Take lactulose and have breath tested for hydrogen gas. Ask your GI doc.

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