Hiatus Hernia, gastritis and reflux! When will this hell end?

I am so sorry for what you are going through. I have extreme fears where my health is concerned. We had a coworker die at work and another diagnosed with a horrible illness and then I found out I have a hiatal hernia. That was all it took to get my anxiety level through the roof. It is s horrible, debilitating feeling. Nothing feels the same. I go on the Internet, BIG MISTAKE! I feel alone in this struggle but we are not. I do feel embarrassed going to my doctor all the time but she is a compassionate, wonderful person. She understands! You do what you have to do to feel better. Counseling helps. Please message me whenever you want. I understand and talking helps. God bless! D

I just had an endoscopy yesterday, with similar results (hiatal hernia, gastritis). Before I had that procedure, when my symptoms were getting worse, I followed a very limited diet for awhile, which helped a lot. I researched the diet for patients with GERD, and it incorporates some of what was discussed here. I haven't stayed faithful to it (my bad) but when I have, I felt much better. Avoiding fatty foods, spicy and hot foods, red meat, carbonated beverages, and caffeine reduces my discomfort. I know I should avoid chocolate, but I cannot do that completely. Yet.

I also checked out diets that reduce the amount of acid in the body, and have discovered that some bloggers say that food that may not seem obviously acidic, actually raise the level of acid in the body. I am not at all sure about who is right in the acid discussion, (I need to do more research) but I do avoid any fruits that are acidic.

I know that red meat is suggested by some diets, but I discovered that I felt like it stayed in my stomach well beyond its welcome.

I hope that any of this helps. 

I am so sorry I was sick for 3 months straight lost weight what are you eating all I ate was graham crackers maybe 1 water is all I drink your eating habits need to change if your eating what ever I couldnt do anything I lost 15 to 20 lbs I had to figure this out by my self as my doctor wasnt any help at all

I have found that slippery elm two capsules daily helps WONDERDULLY. I haven't changed my diet except for trying not to eat to much spicy foods. If you haven't tried it, it's worth a shot. It's helped me and one of my cousins.

Hi,

I was diagnosed with h.pylori with mild gastritis last November 15. Symptoms were vomiting diahorea and extreme pain in stomache radiating to my back. After it was diagnosed had a course of 2 antibiotics and PPI. Since recovering I've found Im extremely sensitive to certain foods which will trigger the pain in stomache. Do not eat at least 3 - 4 hours before bed. Keep away from your food triggers. I no longer can eat combined diary products e.g quiche, scrambled egg anything fatty pork, sausages and anything fried, and steak and certain cheeses. No pastries or cakes. I don't drink caffeine e.g coffee and tea. I drink mint tea. I can only eat white light toast. Veg is OK boiled or steamed and white rice. I suspect I have developed food intolerances and the Dr has referred me to a dietician to get a balanced diet sorted out. Probably worth asking for an allergy test or dietician as gastritis might be triggered for certain foods. So 4/ 5 months after I've had to do a experiment which entails eating food and see how my stomache reacts. I write it down. Then the foods I can eat, I eat regularly. E.g white fish baked chicken baked fillet only. Lots of salad not acid producing. I also keep away from oranges and tomatoes. I now take extra daily vitamin supplements e g vit c d iron etc multivitamins. I don't eat anything smoked I.e chicken or salmon. it is tough. Better than having severe pains. Do go back to your doc and ask for a dietician or allergy test.

Hope this helps. Good luck. I understand your frustration and pain.

I have a Hiatal Hernia also been dealing with ever sense mid Summer of last year.I have shortness of breath along with heard burn and trouble eating.It sucks so much.I also have precancer cells and barrets esophagus.

I know this was over a year ago, but I've been dealing with this for years. I had the acid reflux surgery and hiatal hernia repair a few years ago. I've got the acid reflux and throwing g up, I wind up in the hospital at least 3 times a year, just was a week ago. They set me up with my gi doctor again, after I seen him last month. I might have to go through another hiatal hernia surgery, it came back out. They said it's maybe that or my acid reflux surgery.im supposed to get another scope next year. I can't do anything fun or plan something. I was supposed to go to a concert in New Orleans about 3 years ago and wound up in the New Orleans hospital and missed the concert. It's destroying my life.. I'm in bad shape. Hope you got yours cured....

Change your Doctor! So many doctors are quick to 'refer' and not very sympathetic which is what you seem to need right now. I have Gastritis, and Colitis, been taking Omaprazole for about 6 years and now just had an endoscopy in France unde general anaesthetic and he found I have a Hiatus Hernia! I have no real pain from this, I even feel quite well compared to your story. Come and live in France is the best answer the medical service/care is the best ever.

I went through a very similar thing although I didn't get all the testing that you had. My GP recommended a similar series of tests but because I knew I couldn't afford them, I didn't get them. Thankfully he worked with me and treated me medically which actually helped. I had epigastric pain that felt like a knot that bored into my back and it was worse with eating. We initially tried prilosec 40mg daily and I didn't really get relief after the first month. But we figured it was probably an ulcer that caused my pain so my GP also started me on sucralfate for 3 months and the ulcer healed as a result. My reflux is still really bad, it actually gets really bad when laying down, but I noticed that laying on my left side makes it feel better. There's nights where it breaks through the PPI but also nights that are also ok where I can sleep all the way through. Lately I've been having issue with epigastric fullness too and my GP thinks with the break through reflux on a moderate dose of PPI plus my other symptoms that probably I have a hiatal hernia also. Can't say that I have issues with stooling, most of my symptoms are upper GI. I'm in the same boat too with eating. I used to love food but now I have little interest because it makes me feel bad physically to eat. I'm able to maintain my weight and found that I also do better with my reflux when I skip dinner completely. The one thing I do love is coffee, which flares up my reflux but I'll drink it first thing in the morning when I can be upright all day and by night time, the flare up is gone. I had all those symptoms too that you had. The tightness in the chest (which my doctor felt was because of constant irritation from acid exposure), difficulty swallowing, extreme fullness in the upper stomach, and nausea after meals, not being to eat very much and feeling full. My GP says sometimes hiatal hernias can become bad enough where food gets trapped above the diaphragm, which could explain all those symptoms. And I think he was right. There was an incident a few weeks ago where I ate a burger and it really hurt in my upper stomach afterwards, like it got stuck in my lower esophagus. I fasted for a day doing only liquids and there was this strange feeling one night where I woke up and felt this big wave of stomach contraction like there was something really massive that passed into my stomach, like I just swallowed an entire apple and the next morning I felt better. So now I pay attention to what I eat, careful to eat foods that I know will digest well and not leave residual that could possibly get stuck (things like simple carbs or softer foods). Still I get the symptoms from time to time but not nearly as severe. I think I feel pretty good day to day now. It hasn't gone away completly but I'm coping better with it and learning to live with it better. Anyway, hope this helps, and don't give up! 

Hello,

Hope you are doing well.

You should search for good homeopathic practioner.

Homeopathy has helped me get over my chest pain and gastric irritation caused by peptic ulcers and liver complaints. Nothing else worked for me.

Homeopathy takes a little while to make you feel better. If it doesn't give you good results in 6 months, immediately switch to a new homeopathic doctor. Good doctor is important to have.

All the Best!!

Hi there just read your post .. and was wondering how you were .. i have been feeling like you for past 10 yrs if not more am 45 and feel like 80 .. 10 inch hatial hernia been on pantoloc and zantac for years and gavisgon.. dosent help..

Hi Poos

Am new to the forum. Was wondering if you have found any relief/cures? I was diagnosed with GERD and mild reactive gastritis on late November 2017 and have been suffering since. Nausea, early satiety, stomach tenderness and pain (like being punched in the breastbone area) has and acid reflux. It’s been hell. Have tried bland diet, enzymes with meals, low acid diet....now on a ppi (Tecta) for two weeks and no real improvement. I’m 52, and this came on rather suddenly after a bout of high stress, probably too much drinking and eating spicy food. I blame myself but I’m trying everything to get better. Does anyone have any advice/suggestions/words of encouragement. I’m starving over here😥 Thank you and hope some of you have healed!

You most likely have LPR, larygopharangeal refux. I have the same symptoms. Was in ER with choking throat closure sensations 3 times. My ENT diagnosed me. Put my on omerprazole 2x daily before a meal. This has been going on for a month, trying to heal my esophagus. I had an endoscope done my a gastroenterologist. Results are yet to come. I did research and found Dr. Jamie Kaufman , who is an expert in this field. She has several books out, which is the only way I found a way to eat. My doctors did not give me any info on what to eat. Just what not to eat. I have lost 40 pounds in 4 weeks! It's great but way too fast. Check out Dr. Kaufmans videos on Utube. They really helped me. But Im still in the healing phase. You really have to be strict with your food choices. Nothing under 5 ph! Absolutel yno cheating! You suffer consequences.