Missed hiatal hernia or something else?

Hi,

I am new to this site and I really need some advice I can't seem to find anywhere else and my doctors are not really helping me.

6 years ago I thought I had the stomach flu, started vomiting everything and couldn't keep food down, experienced stomach pain and upper back pain as well as chest pains. I went for endoscopy and was diagnosed a hiatal hernia. Was told to take meds and should be fine. Well fast forward to now, and it seems like my symptoms have gotten worse. I get upper stomach and back pain every other day, all day. I was taking Prilosec and now on Pantoprazole but doesn't not help with any pain that I feel. Twice already I've experienced what seemed like heart attack symptoms. I would get sharp, intense pain in my upper stomach that radiated to my back, chest, left arm, I felt nauseous, very warm and shaky, and was told to take pain meds. I would wake up throughout the night from pain in my upper stomach when I would be on my left side. I move around a lot when I sleep but could only sleep on my back or right side that night.. the 1st endoscopy I had was too long ago, I've moved and haven't been able to find paperwork and just got health insurance so I'm basically starting over with this. I've had another endoscopy, ct scan and x rays and all came back normal which is shocking because I was told I had a HH and now I don't? Doctors think it's nonulcer dyspepsia but I am certain it's HH because I constantly get upper stomach and back pains, it's so uncomfortable! I feel full after a few bites, it takes me forever to finish a meal because I'm always stopping to wait out the uncomfortable feeling and then try eating again. I do this because if I don't listen to my body, I throw it up and be in pain all day. I have an elevated pillow and massager to help my back. I rub my upper stomach and it soothes it but this isn't going away... My doctors are making me feel like it's all in my head but I just know it's not. I CLEARLY felt PAIN in my upper stomach and I was just watching tv on my elevated pillow when this sharp pain occurred.. The first time this happened I was driving to work. I had to pull over and call the e.r.

I just want to know if there's anyone else out there where your HH could have been missed? Should I take the Barium Swallow test or just wait this out? I'm just so lost. I'm afraid of experiencing those pain again... Please any advice or comments you have will help!

TMolina, I've had very similar symptoms myself. I've had a endoscopy and a barium swallow and both were negative for a HH. I've also learned that a sliding HH can be missed and I'm concerned that I do indeed have one and just hasn't been seen. Pain in my chest and and in the past pain radiating down my seen as you've described. I too, had three trips to the ER before finding out about hernias and their ability to mimic heart chest pain. My doctors haven't been much help so I've been doing the research and self advocating that I can to find a resolution to my ailment. I take Gaviscon Advance to help with what seems to be LPR (silent reflux) but isn't a fix all. The barium swallow I performed was extremely harmless. No pain no discomfort and didn't have any intestinal issues afterwards. I drank plenty of liquids for the three days after. This has been an elusive condition for me because it's created a few other annoying symptoms for me since September of last year. Feel free to email me. I'm also a member of the Facebook Group The Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR) and GERD Support Group. There I've found a ton of information from others who are and have been suffering from many of the same things we've faced. They've been very kind and helpful.

Post Edited (Nate76) : 4/5/2016 1:33:52 PM (GMT-6)

Even the barium swallow can miss a sliding hernia if it stays down. Some technicians, not always a doctor present, rush through the test, and it can get missed.

Do ask for that test because it's just about the only hope you have of finding a HH. Endoscopy can miss HH because it has to be reacting to show up.

Barium swallow is non-invasive, doesn't hurt, easy test. Make sure to drink lots afterward to flush it through your system.

Nate:

Unfortunately removal doesn't get rid of the symptoms for everyone. I've read that there are some people who still experience the same discomfort and symptoms that they did before the surgery. Two years before my gallbladder surgery, I also had to have my appendix removed, they just need to take a garbage bag and remove everything - LOL!