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SLIDING HIATUS HERNIA SYMPTOMS AND QUESTIONS

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eddie10
eddie10

Hi I'm new to this site, just recently been diagnosed with a 4cm sliding hiatus hernia after suffering for 2 years with horrendous chest, neck, shoulder and back pain! been to A&E a least 5 times this year thinking I was having heart problems! had an endoscopy 4 weeks ago and was diagnosed! so now what? I was sent home with no advise whatsoever. been on all the PPI's for the last 15 years as I suffer with GERD and IBS! I feel bloated all the time, I burp, fart, feel sick and light headed and now I get a pulsating throb from my tummy through my chest into my throat cry If I eat the wrong thing it feels like I got a tennis ball stuck behind my sternum, really fed up with this now. I won't go the operation route, it's not got a good success rate! so it's maintenance, put the head of my bed on two blocks 8inches high, given up gluten and dairy and all spicy foods eat 3 hours before I got to bed and have a swig of gaviscon as a night cap! I take a multi vitamin and magnesium supplements. the next step is stop smoking and drinking red wine rolleyes what else can I do? the omeprazole makes me feel crap, so I've gone back to ranitidine. any advise would seriously be welcomed.........

19 likes, 317 replies

317 Replies

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  • john28297
    john28297

    Posted

    Hi guys, well i thought i was special, how wrong was i. Sitting here again cant sleep because of chest and back pains and thought I'd try and find some help because im at my wits end,its starting to effect my whole life, i will try some of the things suggested and see if that helps. If anyone else has any other suggestions that would be great.

  • Daden
    Daden

    Posted

    Hi, I been with this condition for more than 20 years when I got duodenal ulcer that lasted me about 6 years, I got better from the d ulcer but the hiatus hernia staid until now, with ups and downs, and I'm sure the intestines are very involve in this sickness, when they are more inflamed they push up the stomach and starts or worsens the pain and all symptoms like allergies, etc.
  • katrina56090
    katrina56090

    Posted

    Hi, just found this site in an effort to get off Omeprazole after hearing Radio 4 Health programme 21/1/13 at 9pm. Diagnosed with sliding hiatus hernia about 4 years ago after chronic and extreme sore throat and ears. I am on Omeprazole, Domperidone and bedtime swigs of Gaviscon but find that I also need to sleep propped up on 3 pillows. Also can't take much alcohol and certainly not spirits. For 3 years have had bad, stabbing shoulder pain for which I have had physio but it is still there. I thought it was the pillows but if I lie flat my throat and ears get worse. Now I'm wondering if the shoulder pain is because of the hernia. Would love to find an answer to these problems as don't really want a lifetime of antacids and am becoming concerned re long term side effects! Great to have found this forum.
  • katrina56090
    katrina56090

    Posted

    Sorry, the programme was on this week - 21/1/14 - always slow keeping up with time!
  • susan92997
    susan92997

    Posted

    So glad I found this forum! I've had a hiatus hernia for about 10-12 years, found when I kept complaining about terrible gas and discomfort in my left chest area. For several weeks now, I've had left shoulder-blade burning pain, as well as a bit of left underarm pain. Last night, as I was about to take another aspirin, I wondered if taking one at bedtime could be causing the shoulder-blade pain - maybe it's irritating the hernia? I've been taking a bedtime aspirin since having knee-replacement surgery in September.

    Most of the time - previous to this - my hernia hasn't bothered me too much (have adjusted my diet, etc.). But this shoulder thing is quite painful. Does anyone know of a connection between bedtime aspirin and worsening hiatus hernia symptoms?

    • thijs79499
      thijs79499 susan92997

      Posted

      Hi Susan,

      Aspirin is a a so-called NSAID, which does affect the lining of the stomach. Especially long-term use could be contributing to your hiatal hernia systems. If you need the painkiller in order to sleep, you could try using paracetamol instead, which is not as tough on the stomach. 

      T.

    • paula84839
      paula84839 susan92997

      Posted

      HI Susan, I had the same shoulder blade aches. I was prescribed Paracetamol with a mild muscle relaxant, which is much easier on the stomach than aspirin. Plus I used a heat cream called Capsicin. And a physio showed me how to release the tension in the muscles. This all helped a lot and made life livable, but all the aches went away when I took Omeprazole 20mg once a day for 12 weeks.  This treats the hiatus hernia, stops the stomach from producing too much acid, and the inflammation in your oesaphagus can reduce.  This stops the irritation of the Vagus Nerve which runs along the oesaphagus and through the hiatus in the diaphragm, and that seems to stop the irritation to the shoulder blade muscles.  At least it did for me.  Ask your doctor if it might help you.

      Try ice packs on your knee, and wear a knee brace in bed.  Much better than Aspirins.

    • patsy7
      patsy7 susan92997

      Posted

      They also had me on an aspirin regimen. What I learned is after the fact, because no one told me! Please make sure that you are eating first, before taking aspirins, or any other drugs...
  • lisa86316
    lisa86316

    Posted

    I was diagnosed with a sliding Hiatal Herbia last year after suffering unbearable pain in stomach that moved into my chest into my throat. Severe pain would last for hours. I though I was having heart attack as well. If anyone has see the first Alien movie where the alien jumped out of his chest, I was waiting for something like that to happen to me the pain was so bad. After i found out no cardiac problems, went to Gastro doc did an endoscopy and he 125 mg of Hyoscyamine(Levsin). This has been my wonder drug. When I feel first sing of pain, I pop two under my toungue and within the hour, pain is gone.
  • stephy102010
    stephy102010

    Posted

    Finally is great to read that i am not going totally insane, was starting to feel like a hypochondriac sad . Suffered for over a year now with pains in chest,radiating to shoulder blade arm and sometimes into hand. Seen several Drs had over 30 ecg,s and wore 24 tape all came back clear. Chest xrays clear, blood tests to check for heart attacks again clear. Was diagnosed with IBD in 2006 and since then i formed have reflux and collitus. Now due to go back in Fri for another endoscopy and colonscopy as they checking for hiatus hernia. Taken off all meds as none working and have to be drug free for tests. Was on randitine,molvilate and lamprazole. After reading this am guessing hh is possible. Just want to feel like me again. Am 42 not overweight don't smoke or drink and eat very healthy. Just scared still that is relating to my heart. Any help be greatly appreciated.
    • paula84839
      paula84839 stephy102010

      Posted

      Hi Stephy.  If it does turn out to be hiatus hernia, you can manage it.

      I have managed my sliding hh for two years quite successfully, no drugs, not even ant-acids. I eat an alkaline, non-inflamatory diet (google it) - basically 80% fruits and veg, only 20% protein and carbs. I avoid greasy fried foods, never drink red wine, limited good white wine only, no spirits, very little cafeine drinks and no fizzy.  Eat small meals only, and nothing late at night.  I have found various stretching exercises help to release my pains (chest and back), and a 20 minute brisk walk, at least once a day, is important for me.  There is a chiropractic techniqe to push the hernia back into place (I have not tried it), and another to drink lots of water and jump up then down to touch the ground, which may smoothe the hernia out, but only if you are relatively agile (this does work for me sometimes). When back pains bother me, my physiotherapist showed me a way to manipulate the muscle knots out before they get too bad, or she uses a TENS (electrical nerve stimulation) machine to change the nerve messages to the brain, and this works well for me.  Good luck.

      Does anyone think flu, and/or pollen allergy triggers hh?

       

    • lynne90477
      lynne90477 stephy102010

      Posted

      Hi Stephy

      Just read your post and wonder how you are getting on. I have been unwell over a year now - had numerous tests including 2 endoscopies, CT scan, barium swallow Ph manometry and bloodtests. Eventually diagnosed with a small hiatus hernia and some inflamation. I take Esomaprazole Domperidone and Mertazapine and still have terrible chest & back pain everyday. Waiting to see yet another gastroenterologist but appointment is not until January.

      Like you I just want to feel like me again!

      Best wishes ,

      Lynne

  • eddie10
    eddie10

    Posted

    Hi Stephy sounds very much like HH to me. I get the same symptoms on a daily basis, vile taste in my

    mouth 24/7 never lets up! chest pain which radiates through my shoulder blades and into my neck. I also

    have many other symptoms, unfortunately stephy you'll never be the same person again, I'm a shadow of my former self! my medication don't work and I've put up with GERD for 15 years and now my Hiatus hernia

    for 6months, Bloody nightmare! my gastro doctor does not recommend surgery, life style changes and

    elimination of trigger foods.

    God bless you and good luck.

    Eddie

  • eddie10
    eddie10

    Posted

    Hi Stephy sounds very much like HH to me. I get the same symptoms on a daily basis, vile taste in my mouth 24/7 never lets up! chest pain which radiates through my shoulder blades and into my neck. I also have many other symptoms, unfortunately stephy you'll never be the same person again, I'm a shadow of my former self! my medication don't work and I've put up with GERD for 15 years and now my Hiatus hernia for 6months, Bloody nightmare! my gastro doctor does not recommend surgery, life style changes and

    elimination of trigger foods.

    God bless you and good luck.

    Eddie

  • Daden
    Daden

    Posted

    Stephy Same symptoms pretty much I had. I did stop all medication time ago, did't work, was just toxic to me and takes time to detoxify all those meds.I learned that all those extra diseases comes by having dirty and sick

    over time the colon and o large and small intestines.

    Really, try DIGESTA CURE cost about 150 bucks, little expensive but is worth ed, and do all what the joint book recommends, I'm doing it and is giving a difference week by week, is formulated with a special aloe vera mix and the way to take it, and it does wonders. It helps and protects so much all the digestive system to go back to their normal state day by day, without irritating the gastro like meds do and don't work!

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