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Hernia and heart palpitations

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sydnejo
sydnejo

I have had heart palpitations on and off for a few years now ..then recently it got worse so I had to get taken to the hospital and be cardio converted they diagnosed me with afib and a small sliding hiatal hernia. I don't know how small is small with a hernia I see people saying they have a 4cm hernia or whatever and the associtated problems with it. Mine is small I am not sure if a hernia can get larger daily? with what you eat or if you lift something heavy? there is so much I don't know about it, but I do know I have suffered so bad now for years with severe acid relflux and burning pain as well as unable to breathe, and heart palpitaions. I have had many tests echo, blood tests, stress tests etc, and other than the palpitations I have had recorded on an ecg, and now afib a couple of times I have no heart abnormalities. I am overweight and am currently trying hard to lose it. I am getting so discouraged living like this and now it feels terrible to feel this way I feel like I am going to have a heart attack or something, its rather un-nerving feel like this.. I would do anything to get rid of this problem as now I feel like it has either caused heart issues or maybe I have a heart problem now I am not sure .. anyone else have this issue? Would love some insight into it.. thanks so much! cry

0 likes, 18 replies

18 Replies

  • avy1971
    avy1971 sydnejo

    Posted

    Sydney,

    Your not alone my friend, all the symptoms you have described, I have although perhaps not to the same extent you have suffered. i feel for you and its a horrible illness isn't it.

    I reckon mine is progressive and getting worst with age so much so that its affecting my organs, sight, hearing and possibly brain capacity - never had much to start with so no major concern there! The concern here is I want to get thos sorted while I'm relatively young and not when i'm old and decripid. This is the time to enjoy life and not havng to worry about this stupid mess I've gotten myself into.

    I know this may seem like a completley random question but do you think you are hyperventilating ? If so when the symptoms occur, have you ever tried the breathing into a paper bag. I've recently tried this and have to say I have had a small amount of relief. Just a thought really.

    Avy

     

     

  • sydnejo
    sydnejo

    Posted

    HI Avy:  I am not sure about hyperventilating, I do know when my heart goes crazy I do get upset and hyperventilate at times, but I will try your suggestion for sure.  I would like to add to this that I have been to an internist now and today a cardiologist both said a hernia can definately cause afib and or heart palpitations. He said that the vagus nerve has everything to do with it and acid reflux which can be and usually is a symptom of a hiatal hernia can stir up the vagus nerve and cause heart problems, so its confirmed, by two doctors, I have heard many patients here say their doctor said there is no connection, I didn't really need a doctor to tell me as I was pretty convinced by how my symptoms feel.. I eat a within a short time I get palpitations, my stomach feels so weird , almost "pinched' and burning.. then my heart starts as soon as I have either gas or some belching it goes away. I get palpitations at times other than meals but this certainly brings it on espcially if i am wearing something too tight on my waist.  If you are laying down and acid comes up and burns it can happen in bed too..  Anyway thanks for the reply and best to everyone.. smile
    • Power1on
      Power1on sydnejo

      Posted

      hi how are things going for you ? I to get heart palpations after eating and I have a hiatal Hernai sometime it just keeps beating so hard it almost feels like it's rocking your body and is very scary I too have cleared my heart through Drs but is little consolation when it happens 

      good luck 

    • sydnejo
      sydnejo Power1on

      Posted

      Hi poweronman: well a lot has happened to me since I was here last, I kind of forgort about logging in here and seeing how everyone is, too sick I guess.  I have had continuing afib to a point of it being almost daily. So I was fastforwarded to a Dr for ablation. Long story short I had it a month or so later amid a lot of problems, so much afib and heart palps I couldn't live very comfortably. So I had the ablation ... and now and after much healing, lots of heart palps still afterwards,  don't get too discouraged it seems to be the norm and it eventually goes away, it gets much easier to live with. However I must say 8 months later I still get heart palps every now and then, I am still quite exhausted, but am also still on a beta blocker so going off that may fix that. I think my biggest issue is being woken up early a.m with a feeling like my hernia is choking me  I cant breathe all that well and acid reflux just drives me nuts, alsoa a pounding heart in my hears!!..feels like me hernia is touching my heart causing irritation and sometimes heart palps, the heart specialist in Victoria, Canada told me can irritate vagus nerve and thus the heart in some people. So I am trying as hard as I can to lose weight and heal.  I will say ablation took afib away for me eventually anyway. Is wonderful so far. But this has certainy been a ride quite exchausting really wondering when its going to come back what will happen when it does and your life really can be in limbo over it.  I feel for both of you and you too art2020... I can sure understand how a hernia can affect your life.. best you all and will keep updating on here more often.. smile 
  • art2020
    art2020 sydnejo

    Posted

    Hope you feeling better by now sydnejo. I was diagnosed with hiatal hernia in 2010 after about 3 years of discomfort and acide reflux. However, I did not have the heart palpitation until I put on more weight sometime in 2012. My problems got much worst then and I have since been on a rollercoaster of weight loss and gain. I feel much better whenever I do manage to lose weight. I have been on medication for the acid reflux since the beginning of 2011.
    • sydnejo
      sydnejo art2020

      Posted

      Hi poweronman: well a lot has happened to me since I was here last, I kind of forgort about logging in here and seeing how everyone is, too sick I guess.  I have had continuing afib to a point of it being almost daily. So I was fastforwarded to a Dr for ablation. Long story short I had it a month or so later amid a lot of problems, so much afib and heart palps I couldn't live very comfortably. So I had the ablation ... and now and after much healing, lots of heart palps still afterwards,  don't get too discouraged it seems to be the norm and it eventually goes away, it gets much easier to live with. However I must say 8 months later I still get heart palps every now and then, I am still quite exhausted, but am also still on a beta blocker so going off that may fix that. I think my biggest issue is being woken up early a.m with a feeling like my hernia is choking me  I cant breathe all that well and acid reflux just drives me nuts, alsoa a pounding heart in my hears!!..feels like me hernia is touching my heart causing irritation and sometimes heart palps, the heart specialist in Victoria, Canada told me can irritate vagus nerve and thus the heart in some people. So I am trying as hard as I can to lose weight and heal.  I will say ablation took afib away for me eventually anyway. Is wonderful so far. But this has certainy been a ride quite exchausting really wondering when its going to come back what will happen when it does and your life really can be in limbo over it.  I feel for both of you and you too art2020... I can sure understand how a hernia can affect your life.. best you all and will keep updating on here more often.. smile 
  • Tilania
    Tilania sydnejo

    Posted

    I have had that for years and thought it was down to medication but recently got diagnosed with a hiatus hernia. I throw up blood and have been told to stop immediately all meds, have you experienced blood at all?
    • sydnejo
      sydnejo Tilania

      Posted

      Hi Tilania: I haven't been in here for a while .. I have never thrown up blood.. have you been back to your doctor for that? Hope so. I am still living with this I can't believe a hiatal hernia can cause so much ill health . Really important to keep the weight down, is one very important thing and not eat before bed. I did learn from somebody to drink some warm water and sort of jump a little bit and it will pull the hernia down, but be careful because you can injure your knees if you use too much force which is what I have done.. oh well I am determined to get better! Will post anything helpful I can find ! Sydney

  • lisa111179
    lisa111179 sydnejo

    Posted

    Hello I started having a burning sensation in my abdomen in 2008 and was just diagnosed with a hiatal hernia which now I know did cause afib. The burning in the upper abdomen gets so severe st times it elevates my heart rate which put me in the hospital 3 times in January 2017. I finally had a EGD (scope down my throat) and the doctor for the hiatal hernia. I have been on protonix ( prescription for gerd) for years. In 2014 a doctor asked me to try prilosec (over the counter) this one pill cause tachycardia and caused me to go in to afib and being admitted to the hospital and had a cardioverison done in 2014. I am overweight with high blood pressure and diabetes and this is something I did not expect since I have been complaining 9 years about the burning. And it took 6 years before a Doctor finally diagnosed me with afib. The quality of health care in this country has really went down. I've complained for years about this and have suffered for years. I hope this helps anyone experiencing these symptoms. Demand and EGD scope. No body knows your-body better then you.

  • nansi68888
    nansi68888 sydnejo

    Posted

    I know this is late. But I suffer from the same a hiatus hernia and pulpatations. Been sent to cardiologist everything fine. But I get black hairy tongue when it gets bad because of gastric juices.  Finally talk to surgeon about everything I read about other people same situation and tired of doctors just sending you to other doctors.  Asked him if he fixes hernia will it go away.  He is actually going to look into this. I see him again on April 24 2017. Will keep ppl posted
    • nansi68888
      nansi68888 rabiya27671

      Posted

      Doing ok too many complications can happen if I get operation. Not a guaranteed surgery. Taking pills for it but still get pulpatations. Next back to cardiologist
    • rabiya27671
      rabiya27671 nansi68888

      Posted

      why it is not a guranteed surgery?it has a high success rate and my surgeon was saying after surgery it doesn't come back

    • nansi68888
      nansi68888 rabiya27671

      Posted

      My surgeon said that ppl who have this surgery can still have problems and complain they cannot burp and complications.  U can rip the area or bleed.  He was giving me the pros and cons.  Yes I will be on pills. Rather pills then any chance of something going wrong
    • rabiya27671
      rabiya27671 nansi68888

      Posted

      i m sorry i knw u r not a doc and i m asking you this but i wish for a baby and i need to leave these medication as it is not safe for use in pregnancy..what should i do?and what is the size of your hernia by the way..
    • nansi68888
      nansi68888 rabiya27671

      Posted

      The size of my hernia is the size of a fist. If your only getting heartburn then u can just use over the counter I.e pepto gaviscon. Just so u know I have had two children. I think actually being pregnant gave me this hernia and the weight associate with pregnancy.  If your not having any major problems there should be no problem with pregnancy.  But I still would discuss this with your doctor.  Sometimes surgery is not the best solution
    • nansi68888
      nansi68888

      Posted

      also I live in Canada so treatments may differ
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