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Hiatus Hernia, Need help urgently it's ruining my life :(

Posted , 16 users are following.

isabel354912
isabel354912

Hi everyone,

New to this and urgently need some help/advice on my situation. I am 19 and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety about 8 months ago which I have recently started coping with. But recently things have taken a turn for the worst in the stomach area. After two months of the doctors telling me that my stomach problems were to do with my anxiety I was finally diagnosed with a hiatus hernia last weeksad I also was told I had acid reflux quite a while ago which I thought had gone but obviously not.

I have been belching and burping constantly for about 2 months and it has only stopped after I started taking Ranitidine a few days ago. I have been feeling horrible and sinceit first started two months ago I have lost over a stone unintentionally as I can't seem to digest food properly and feel like I'm going to be sick after eating a proper meal. I used to have bowel movements one a day now sometimes I can't go for a few days. I have horrible back and chest pain sometimes and the worst problem I'm facing at the moment is the shortness of breath!! Even walking up the stairs in my house causes me to feel absolutely terrible. I haven't left my house in at least a week because I feel so unfit. Before this I was up and about all the time, living normally getting on with life, driving etc. Now I'm in constant discomfort and cannot do anything I am basically bed ridden.

I hate complaining and moaning about my situation because I don't want people to feel sorry for me but this stomach problem is making me feel so down. I have also recently noticed I have a raise on my left side below my breast and it is quite painful to touch and I have no clue what it is? I am currently taking Ranitidine 150mg two times a day and occasionally a Lansoprazole 30mg tablet. Before this I was taking Omeprazole and Gaviscon, i don't seem to get Much acid anymore but I have cut down on dairy, spicy foods and don't eat anything remotely fatty. My life is becoming an absolute shambles at the age of 19 and I don't know what to do. The doctors in my area are absolutely terrible and I don't know what to do. This past week especially after starting the Ranitidine I have been feeling unbelievably weak and kind of faint, Please help sad

2 likes, 29 replies

29 Replies

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  • phynyxrysyng
    phynyxrysyng isabel354912

    Posted

    Hello. I hope you're feeling better... I've had six (6) Hernia Repairs/Resectionings, and ALL were necessary... If you have to go the surgical route, please research your chosen physician(s)... This is a lifelong condition, and if you can live with it without a procedure, think of that because I'm in Chronic Pain and there's nothing to be done except take medication... Yes, Depression, Anxiety, and the lack of Motivation are my constant companions-but there are also days when a little sunshine makes a difference... Those who view you are looking at the outside only-they can't feel your pain so it's as though the complaints aren't valid... I still experience that with many people- but the ONLY ones who are meaningful are the physicians... Get me?... Take care of yourself...

    .

    • isabel354912
      isabel354912 phynyxrysyng

      Posted

      Thank you very much, hope you're okay aswell, it's a horrible condition to have to live with. I've found that changing my diet has helped immensely I have cut out dairy and eat basically no junk food anymore (very sad about that). But I've found that drinking hot herbal teas has really helped me, the only real problems I have at the moment are minor breathing difficulties and a lot of stomach cramps and bowel trouble. I feel like my stomach has gotten used to a healthy diet so now when I eat greasy/stodgy foods it just rejects them. I'm hoping you are coping as trust me I know how much pain you must be in. I have been to a chiropractor who was actually very helpful, much more than the doctors, I'm praying that the hernia just reduces and I don't have to think about surgery but all I can do is hope.

    • Tammyshernia
      Tammyshernia isabel354912

      Posted

      I'm going on my 5th week I'm nauseous everyday I had a great surgeon but I don't think he gets the body of a woman not a lot of heavy pain but my blood pressure is of the chain last night it was 191/121 my husband wanted me to go to the er but I'm on my way to the beach with a girlfriend from ny I have the best husband I no my potassium is low but I couldn't take it without throwing up and I have to take meds for that I'm praying I'll get over his but it's a tough one my surgeon said he had to reconstruct my diaphragm I just what to be able to eat a little I have lost 15 lbs in 5 wks I feel like crap I'm hoping this vacation does my good

  • dnessa90862
    dnessa90862 isabel354912

    Posted

    I hope this finds you well. I also was recently diagnosed with the hiatal hernia but only after losing 70 pounds in 8 months. I have gotten to be feeling weak as well from the lack of nutrition from the nonexistent desire to eat. Please let me know if you have found any solutions for relief. 
    • isabel354912
      isabel354912 dnessa90862

      Posted

      Hello, sorry for the late reply I rarely look on this now but saw your message and had to reply because I have slowly gotten better! So what I will say is, for me cutting out dairy & down on meat really helped. Drinking hot herbal teas to calm my stomach, I now carry a hot water bottle around a lot because it helps me a lot. Also I found some exercises that help, such as putting books on my stomach and breathing deeply in and out making sure to breathe deeply into my stomach so the books lift (make sure they are quite thick & heavy) this exercise I feel strengthened the area. I also was told by a chiropractor to put a rolled up towel on the floor and slowly lay back onto it so the towel comes just at the shoulder blades and it should crack your bones around your rib cage giving some relief. I take omeprazole 20mg twice a day max but usually now I can go 3 days without, gaviscon to ease pain at night time. I try and do light exercise and when I feel like I’m having an episode where I get pain I will have hot tea, usually camomile/peppermint and I try and eat bland foods. I hope your situation betters, I know how horrible it is suffering with such an unpredictable condition. If there’s anything else you want information on please don’t hesitate to comment back!! 

  • kaelyn59639
    kaelyn59639 isabel354912

    Posted

    Hi Isabel, I was recently diagnosed with a sliding hiatal hernia after I was having trouble swallowing for about 6 months and I'm 20 years old. It has made me feel so down and basically depressed. I don't hang out with friends or like doing my normal daily activities because I have constant discomfort. Previously, I have had acid reflux problems for 5-6 years, and I recently developed IBS too. My doctor keeps ordering tests to see if anything has changed as my symptoms have gotten worse and worse since my diagnosis of a hiatal hernia. I am currently on pantoprazole (40 mg), Pepcid (40 mg), miralax 3 times a day, and hyoscyamine (0.15 mg). None of which seem to be helping. I have also been on a very strict GERD diet, elevated the head of my bed 6 inches, not bend over after eating, don't eat 2 hours before sleeping and all other recommendations. But none of them help. I can't eat or drink without getting tight chest pains, and heartburn and stomach cramping. I feel nauseous and tightness all day and can rarely sleep. I get shortness of breather when walking up stairs and talking while walking and I am in good shape.

    But I wonder if your taking any antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications? I have really bad anxiety and high stress. I have OCD and it has gotten worse in the past two years since I started college. I know that anxiety and stress can make even a sliding hiatal hernia symptoms worse. Sliding hiatal hernias typically have a low amount of symptoms that don't cause this much discomfort. My next step is surgery, because I have tried everything. However, I am going to get a second opinion and try to start some antidepressants and see if that helps my anxiety and symptoms. I want to avoid surgery at all cost. But I cannot keep living like this, especially at our age. I hope you find a doctor to help and maybe if you aren't already, try taking some antidepressants.  

    • isabel354912
      isabel354912 kaelyn59639

      Posted

      Hi kaelyn, I hope this information helps you, I started recovering about May time last year after suffering with it for about 5 months severely. I still have bad days now but I can tolerate it and go about my daily life. 

      I will start off by saying that I did take antidepressants for 4 days and had a horrible reaction to them because personally I am allergic but they could work amazingly for you so you could definitely give them a try. I know many people that suffer with anxiety/depression that took them and after adjusting to the meds were feeling fine again.

      I will say what you’re doing concerning lifestyle & diet sounds very similar to what I did to get better, sleeping elevated, not laying down and sitting straight for at least an hour after eating etc. I did cut out dairy & meat for a while but I can now digest it better but I do have a mild intolerance to dairy products. I drink herbal teas which have worked wonders in giving me relief I mainly drunk camomile as it would ease the pain. 

      Concerning medication, this may sound silly but sometimes i feel like the more medication you ingest the worse the symptoms may become as your body becomes dependent on them. I would take various meds for GERD and they would not really do much for me. I ended up finding 20mg omeprazole one tablet a day worked miracles for keeping my acidly at bay. I also would take gaviscon at night if I felt burning in my chest and throat. For IBS I take a buscopan tablet whenever my stomach feels bloated/painful and it relieves the pain so much (highly recommend if you don’t already take them).

      Also definitely avoid surgery as you said, I really wanted it to this time last year I was so depressed I honestly just didn’t see my situation getting any better. Just keep on doing what you’re doing. I would say also many contact your doctor to do some allergy tests to see if you have any intolerances that cause the hernia to flare up? It seems your situation is so similar to mine and I hope it gets better for you, if you read some of my replies on comments above I left some other tips about light exercises to do to help. Just to add aswell (Very important) I went to a chiropractor and he did some tests on me and from then on that is when I started really seeing a significant change in my condition, I would advise if you can see one please do because there are some people who believe that you can fix hernias through massage and more natural ways than surgery. I honestly believe seeing that chiropractor was a massive turning point for my situation. 

      I hope you get better & please reply if you have more to ask. Take care xx

    • philippe73664
      philippe73664 kaelyn59639

      Posted

      Hi Kaelyn keep posed about your situation if you can, My condition is very similar and I'm thinking about surgery. thank you take care

  • Tammyshernia
    Tammyshernia isabel354912

    Posted

    You need to find a specialist for gastrointestinal they only do Stomach’s they are the best for that type of surgery there are surgeon that do all types of surgery’s you don’t want that you need a gastroenterologist they will help you ...I had my surgery in feb 2017 I couldn’t be happier with the outcome they will do all sorts of test before they even do the surgery ipmy intire stomach slipped into my chest the whole stomach no just a bulge it was call a paraesophageal hernia the worst to get and the chiropractor did it on on purpose but when he pushed on my back to adjust it is when it happened I couldn’t eat breath sleep stand and I had no heartburn at all ...thank god I had insurance know one should live with that ...and know one knows what it feels like until they go through it go the the specialist DO NOT LET JUST ANY SURGEON DO THE SURGERY IT HAS TO BE A GASTROENTEROLOGIST 
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