Hiatus Hernia - Surgery?

Thanks and wish you the best too Richard

Hi Merryl,

After weeks of doctors telling me Iwas suffering from anxiety (I knew that was rubbish) Iwas diagnosed but Ihad to push for tests. Tried lansoprozole but it didn't help much. It was my husband that pushed my gp to arrange to see a surgeon, myappointmentis on 2nd Sept so will wait to see what the outcome is. I was suffering so much I had to give u work so I need some answers. Will keep you updated

I know this was over a year ago but did you have the surgery. I too am told that I have anxiety which I know is a crock of poop and I want to have the surgery. Any advice

Hi Merryl,

I too had palpitations and ended up in A&E twice. My GP was convinced I had anxiety and the pills prescribed made me feel so bad my husband almost called an ambulance one night! I am still having other tets but so far all are clear except the hiatus hernia. My GP doesn't seem to think a hiatus hernia can cause severe symptoms but who knows, only a specialist can confirmot deny that. Have you pushed your GP to see a specialist? 10 days in hospital is a long time, surely they should do something after that? My quality of life is suffering and really need to get back to work for financial reasons but don't really feel up to it yet. So hoping it eases up soon, have had this for 30 years on and off - fortunately mostly off but this time it wont go! Keep in touch & let me know how things go for you too

Hi Christine, I know 10 days is a long time in hospital. I had a heart monitor on for 8 days and was only taken off on the day I came home. I also had a 24 hr monitor and a 48 hr monitor in outpatients. Have'nt had the results of that yet. Also had quite a few blood tests. The Dr said I got Ectopic beats. I was put on bisoprolol but making me short of breath so stopped them. I am taking each day as it comes. I am going to see a private Dr down the Spire this coming Thursday to ask him some questions. I have had a hiatus hernia for over 20 years but the Dr said it is mild. I am also talking on here to a man with a large hernia who saw a surgeon last week and the surgeon offered him an operation in 2 months time. Perhaps they only operate on large hernias.

I think when it is affecting people's lives every day, something should be done. Do you have chest pain?    

Hi Merryl, Do they think this has all been caused by the hiatus hernia or that this you are also havingother issues? It isn't right to have to see a private doctor when we have the nhs but sometimes we seemto have no other option. Idid have some chest pain but it was brief and onand off. My main concern was the breathing difficulties like the feeling of being constantly winded. I know they don't feel hernias can cause all these problems, my GP certainly doesn't but having had an ecg, 24 hour tape  a heart scan, a chest x-ray & abdominal scan they can't find anything except the hernia! I contacted the hernia association in London but they want £6K to do the operation! Drop me a line after your visit on Thursday and let me know how you get on. Best of luck

Merryl, I managed to get a cancellation and saw the surgeon consultant today. In short he said my hiatus hernia was not big enough torequire surgery and doesn't think it can cause breathing problems! So back to the drawing board for me, I have an appointment later this month in respiratory clinic. Let me know your outcome

Hi Christine, sorry to hear they won't do the operation. I have breathing problems too. It feels as if I am being suffocated, it only lasts a few seconds but quite frightening. At the moment I don't know what's causing it. I had H pylori last year and put on 2 antibiotics but sometimes the antibiotics dont work. I am having a test for this soon to find out if this is back and giving me problems too.

I have typed out my symptoms to take with me down the Spire just incase I forget. I will let you know what he says. I supposed to have a lung function test at my local surgery but when I went 2 weeks ago the nurse would not do it because I had severe chest pains in the morning. She said it might start something off. The hospital I was in, wanted the test so I asked my own Dr if I could have it in the surgery and he said yes, so don't know when that will be now. I will see what the private Dr says about that. Take care.  

Hi Merryl,

I'm getting frustrated now! My breathing problems had eased but over the last few days has returned and is constant. If I go back to my GP he will try and treat me for anxiety again and those pills made me so ill I had to stop them. I don't get chest pains like you though just feels like I am being strangled accoss my lower chest/upper stomach area. My lung function test was fine sohope yours is too. It just seems if they do some tests and dont find anything you must be ok!!!!! Fingers crossed for you

Hi Christine,

I saw the consultant last night and he is putting me on Flecainide for the ectopic beats, so I have to wait to hear from my local surgery to start on them. He is also writing to the hospital I stayed in to find out more information. I am hoping that the tablets will calm my heart rate down and maybe the rest of my digestive system will feel better. I told him I don't know what is causing all these problems and he said, that is for him to find out.

I have a follow up appointment in 6 weeks time to see if the tablets are working. I am sorry to hear that your breathing problem has returned. What kind of breathing problem do you have?

I was told by my Dr to stop taking Lansoprazole for 2 weeks before I have the test for H-Pylori. I have been taking Gaviscon instead but not as good as Lansoprazole. I have more acid now. I got another 8 days to go before I go back on lansoprazole.

I agree with you, If they can't find anything wrong they put it down to anxiety. Hope you are feeling better now.

Hi Merryl,

Sounds like your consultant is trying to sort you out, that's good. My breathing problems feellike I have someone sitting on my upper abdominal area or I'm wearing a tight corset restricting my breathing. I have an appointment with cardiology/respiritory in a couple of weeks so just have to wait and see if they find anything. Fingers crossed for us both. Best wishes

Hi Christine,

I get a tight feeling in my upper abdomen as well. It feels as if i got a tight band across there and if something is squeezing hard inside, that makes me short of breath..Just hope the Consultant comes up with something. I don't like taking tablets because of the side effects but wil have to give them a go to see if they work. 

Hope you have some luck with the Cardiologist. Did you have to wait long to see the cardiologist?  

Hi Merryl,

Yes I can relate to your description, similar to mine possibly, it's difficult to describe the exact feeling. I had to wait quite a few weeks for my appointment for the cardiologist. I am not expecting them to find a problem with my heart, I haven't had palpitations for a while now & I have had some tests done with no pproblems found. It is all frustrating don't you think? I want to get back to working again and having a normal life. I did have a couple of weeks where I thought I was getting better, my symptoms were not as bad but arrrgh not feeling good again. I hate taking pills too and the ones my GP gave me for anxiety made me so ill my husband almost called an ambulance. Trying to think positive but not easy when you feel awful is it? When do you have your next appointment?

Hi Christine,

Hope you are feeling better now. My next appointment is 6 weeks time with the private Dr. He wants to see how I am getting on with the tablets, although I have not started on them yet. I have to wait until I hear from my local Dr who will start me on them. I read online that only a consultant at the hospital can start patients on these tablets, and gives my local Dr permission.  When I was in hospital the scans showed my heart is sound. I still think my H-Hernia got something to do with it. I got another 3 days to go before I start back on lansoprazole. Don't know how I managed without them for 2 weeks, I had a lot of acid coming up. I will be able to have the test for H-PYLORI next week. I had h-pylori last year but the antibiotics don't always cure it. At least I will know one way or the other if it is still there or not. Be glad when I am back to normal if possible. I have a few things going on.    

      

Hi Merryl,

I had a test for H-Pylori (I think they did it when I had the gastroscopy) and they noted it as negative but fromwhat you are saying can drugs hide this? Earlier today I spoke to the British Lung Foundation, she suggested 2 more tests one I can have at the surgery a broncho dilator reversability test to rule out asthma, then a CT scan. Interestingly when I mentioned the hiatus hernia and acid reflux she said acid raising up the windpipe drops into the chest causing the airways to swell so, dispite being told  by my GP that the HH/acid reflux won't cause my symptoms it appears it can, this could be my problem. I am off to the GP next week to discuss, I'mtaking my husband with me as he is a little more forceful than I am. My breathless symptoms are not easing, are you feeling any better?

Hi Christine,

They found the h-pylori when I had the endoscopy and was started on the antibiotics straight away, but they don't always work the first time. I remember having the tightness in my upper abdomen before they found the h-pylori last year, so that's why I asked the Dr if I could have the test to see if the hp is still there. I got the tightness in my upper abdomen again but don't know if it is connected to the hp. 

I still got chest pain with shortness of breath, some days are worse than others. If it was my heart I dont think I would be here now with all the pain I have been having. It is very painful at times. Still waiting to hear from my GP to start on the tablets what the private Dr prescribed for me. I will ring them tomorrow to find out. Good luck with the results.   

Hi Merryl

It has been a while since we were in contact. I was wondering how things are with you? I am still struggling for answers

Hi Christine, nice to hear from you. I was diagnosed with AFIB about 6 weeks ago after been in hospital 4 times since my last stay there back in June last year. My heart was racing each time and now on blood thinners. I have an appointment at the arrythmia clinic a week next Wednesday. I am hoping that they offer me an operation called an ablation and that should put an end to the palpitations/chest pain. I have suffered with palps for over 30 years but only recently had the correct diagnosis. 

Are you still having smptoms?    

Hi again. Yes still suffering and today just awful. I have had tests on my heart and they did find an anomaly but they r still doing

Tests. I am so fed up my next specialist appt is not till mid Feb. I am going to speak to my gp on Thursday to c what they suggest. I did change doctors as my last one kept saying I had anxiety!

So now they have you on blood thinners has this helped you? Or do you need the operation for that to happen?

Hi, sorry to hear you are still suffering. The blood thinners are to prevent clots, I am on the new type so don't have to keep on having blood tests. The operation is the only thing that can stop the AFIB, if that does'nt work I will be on tablets for life, but don't fancy that.

I still get horrendous chest pain but don't know if it is caused by the hiatus hernia, dismotility of the oesophagus or my heart. One Dr said it is the oesophagus and another said it could be my heart but been told my heart is sound after having tests. When I go to the hospital next week, I will ask the Dr to see what he thinks. I am also on the waiting list to see a gastro Dr for the dismotility problem. Hope you get some answers from your GP.        

Hi Christine

Have you checked out the LINX, it is a ring that is used and can also fix the small hh, I have been doing research and my hh is too llarde for the link surgery.

When seeing surgeons, they must have much experience in doing any of these hh surgeries. I think I would see another doctor, some doctors don't want to do them because they haven't done enough of them, maybe none.