Help needed feeling depressed

I do not have answer for this, but in reading your post and having my own illness and drug side affects to deal with...I just want to encourage you to keep asking questions, keep researching...but as I'm having to tell myself...please try not to get depressed...seems that stress just makes us worse or impedes healing.

my new mantra...this too shall pass...

Let our sadness give us stregnth to get help...which you are doing, good for you.  Best wishes for you, may your young body heal fast! And answers come your way. 

Hallo Harshal

First of all do not worry about an operation.The fact you were told at first to stop your medication is good as doctor thought you better.If you still have problems then you must need meds.Lots of people have hernias and never need an operation.Although omeprazole and similar drugs can have side effects it is more important to take them for you symptons now,In future you may be able to take lower dose.To help manage your symptoms follow a diet to reduce acid and eat slowly and small meals Little and often is good There is lots of advice on line re foods.As regards your other worries it should not effect any unless you become a weightlifter(good not to lift heavy things or presumably careful on workouts,sure gym can advise.No link to cancer or other diseases.Do hope this helps and dont worry. Ive had hiatus hernia 3 years and having 2nd op but I am 65!

 

Hi Harshal,

There is no lower age limit for being afflicted with Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disorder (GORD or GERD). It's more common in middle aged white males but that doesn't stop younger people (including black and/or female) being affected.

Your treatment is standard. Those presenting to their doctors with acid reflux problems are normally put on acid suppressants for a few weeks. If that doesn't work, a scope is called for and acid suppressants prescibed for longer. (Some people have to take them for life.)

Your hiatus hernia will exacerbate reflux. It's the acid refluxing and attacking the wall of the oesophagus that causes the heartburn pain. Omeprazole (a PPI) is a more efficient acid suppressant than ranitidine. You are probably on 20mg a day which is the low maintenance dose which shouldn't cause any problems.

If you were on a high dose for some years, induced hypochlorhydria (insufficient stomach acid) can cause some problems in some people but omeprazole is considered to be one of the safest drugs in the world used by millions worlwide for nearly 30 years.

Omeprazole reduces acid but doesn't stop the reflux. The problem is, continued reflux of acid and bile can cause permanent damage to th oesophagus called "Barrett's Oesophagus" which in some people can mutate to cancer.

The alternative to omeprazole is an operation called a fundoplication.

After being on 80 mg omeprazole for years and suffering from the "side effects", I had the fundoplication operation which was the best thing I did.

This link: https://sites.google.com/site/downwithacid/home/appendices#TOC-NICE-Option-Grid-for-the-treatment-of-long-term-heartburn. will take you to an Option Grid produced by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in UK setting out the pros and cons of PPIs vs surgery.

While you're on that site, you may find some other topics that will be helpful, too.

Hiatus hernia is very common and it is said one in three people have a degree of it, so it has to be very severe if it merits an operation.  The correct diet is, I believe, essential to reduce the pressure in the abdomen and acid reflux.  So ask to be referred to a dietician as well as doing your own research.  You will quickly become an expert in managing it; you will be the boss of it and not the other way round.  Good luck!

If your hiatal hernia is the small sliding type , you should be able to manage it with medication . The risk of serious damage to your esophagus by constant acid reflux , is far greater than any possible side effects of medication .

Surgery should be the last option - after medication has failed or if the hernia is the progressive paraesophageal types . Younger men can be affected by this type of hernia , heavy weightlifting or an occupation that involves constant heavy lifting are common causes , just like in "regular" hernias . Any deadlifting , squats or bench presses , anything that puts pressure on the abdominal muscles , will increase the size of the hernia and make the condition worse . But you shouldn't have a problem with most exercises though . Do you have breathing or swallowing problems , chest pressure , early satiety or fatigue ? If you don't , then just continue with your medication and try not to worry about your condition .

Dear harsha, By and large, HH is not age dependant, here in India we have even children of 15 years age getting this condition, but as you said the old age group are more prone to it. I am also from India and affected by this condition in 2013 but now it is completely gone. from your post I fail to undersatand whether u are a sportsman or not. It is good to hear from you that you don't smoke and drink. follow all the guidelines given by the doctor on your diet, rest and stress. if you want to know more about it, you can talk to me on 9969079666 ( I don't know whether I can share my info on this forum), even though I am not a qualified doctor, I am a seroius patient. I may throw some light on the regime that may benifit you. Don't worry about the operation, consult a good gastroenterologist for positive course of treatment. about 50% of the cases are treatable and don't need any operation.  wish you good luck.