Horrible hiatal hernia symptoms
Posted , 68 users are following.
Hi everyone. My name is Jake, I'm a 27 year old male. I have chest pains daily. They last for seconds, minutes, hours, or throughout the day. Sometimes I get them as soon as I wake up and almost always after eating. They’re usually localized to one small area. They feel sharp and stabbing, sometimes dull, usually on the front left chest but sometimes it happens on the front right chest, middle of my chest, or on the sides under my arms. I have had 3 EKGs, two chest x-rays, an echo, a stress echo, all came back negative for heart disease. I also get palpitations like my heart is pounding when I lie down flat. It feels like my whole chest, back and abdomen are throbbing. It sometimes happens after eating too. Sometimes it feels like a lot of pressure in my upper chest and neck too when the palpitations happen. I was also having tachycardia when all of these symptoms started last summer. My heart rate was 100-120 at rest. My primary Dr. prescribed propranolol for chest pains, palpitations, and tachycardia. My HR is now 60-70 at rest. I’m still having chest pains and palpitations.
I’m also experiencing tightness, soreness, and pain in my throat and jaw like something is stuck in my throat. It’s worse when lying down or sitting up and putting pressure on my upper back, sides, or chest (pretty much my whole ribcage). It makes me cough and it feels like I can’t breathe fully, but I have no trouble breathing. It feels like something is in my chest, putting pressure on my throat and upper back between my shoulder blades and at the base of my neck. I have no relief with allergy medication or my rescue inhaler.
I have acid reflux and indigestion daily and regurgitation 2-3 times a week. It has gotten worse over the past 2 weeks. I had been taking Prilosec OTC for about a year before my GI doctor started prescribing it to me. She had me on Rx Prilosec for 3 months then she switched me to ranitidine for 3 months and Prilosec again for 3 months. I’m due to go back to her again soon and she said she wants to have me do one more 3 month round of ranitidine. I had an upper endoscopy done at the end of November last year and it revealed a hiatal hernia. I also had a barium swallow under fluoroscopy which also confirmed reflux, indigestion, regurge, and the hiatal hernia. After the last 3 months of ranitidine, my GI doctor said that’s when we’ll discuss surgery for the hernia repair if my symptoms don’t get better. The Prilosec isn’t working as well as it used to. I have eliminated all trigger foods from my diet, no citrus, chocolate, caffeine, tomato, pineapple, spicy foods, fried foods, garlic, bananas, alcohol, etc. I reduced sugar and carbs as well and I’m eating smaller meals throughout the day. I have nausea everyday. I almost always get nauseous after eating anything and stomach/abdominal cramps and pains.
I’m always fatigued despite a full night of sleep. I’m also getting headaches and upper back pains in between my shoulder blades and upper back. I’m just not feeling well overall, especially when all symptoms occur together. It’s difficult to function throughout the day some days. I’m just feeling miserable. I know all of these symptoms are caused by the hiatal hernia but they’re unbearable sometimes. My primary doctor said the hiatal hernia is most likely irritating my vagus nerve which controls heart rate, digestion, some muscles in the neck, throat, chest, and abdomen, which explains a lot. I just get panicked sometimes especially when I have chest pains and abdominal pains even though it's unlikely it's my heart or some other life-threatening condition.
Does anyone else have a hiatal hernia with symptoms as severe? Do you have anything you do for relief? What about the hernia repair surgery, has anyone had a nisson done or the linx? Any advice or anything would really help.
3 likes, 66 replies
nemanja65808 jake62038
Posted
hi Jake, I completely understand trough what you going. I have been diagnosed 2 days ago on the endoscopy with 7cm hiatal hernia. I dont feel any acid reflux, but my pain was constant for year and a half, on the upper right side of my stomach and back, moves down on the back, as well right from my belly button I feel sometimes like I have a balloon under my right rib. Today is my first diet of my hernia diet so I will see how it goes. My Xray, MRI, Ultrasound, Stool test, Blood Picture, Urine, everything came up clean. but that pain is killing me, probably because my hernia is quite big, its pressing some of the nerves. if someone knows what it could be as well because of that pain right of the belly button please let me know. I did separately test on my liver, everything is perfect. Ultrasound didn't show any enlarged organ, or stones. its just miserable. I hope you will recover soon. Best of luck
Cocojackson22 nemanja65808
Posted
Hi there i hope you are doing better. i was diagnosed with a small hiatal hernia and i experience a pain that comes and goes to the right of my belly button and in my general mid abdomen. it is sometimes sharp but mostly achy and dull. its almost like a radiating sore/burning/tender feeling. Have you figured out if this could be caused by the hernia? what does your right sided pain feel like? i noticed my abdomen also feels harder on that side when i have the pain.
nemanja65808 Cocojackson22
Posted
hi Cocojacks, sorry i just saw your message now. im still dealing with the same thing, pains are terrible, even sometimes in the right testicle, they did extra colonoscopy, MRCP, abdomen CT scan with contrast, and of course everything was clean. Its seems like they dont give a damn about hernia, but i know that is hernia what causing the problem. i mean there is anything else, because they did all the possible tests plus extra on top of that. I basically feel my diaphragm under right rib, like its stretched or something like that, sometimes feels like a really sore muscle which is understandable because diaphragm is a kind of a muscle. Now my GP sent me to a physio, who asked me straight away what they planning to do with hernia. i said nothing so far, and he just looked kind of "wtf" to me, but he didn't say nothing. Exercises that he gave me for breathing kind of aggravated hernia more. i hope you found some answers man. best of luck
nemanja65808 Cocojackson22
Posted
Hi cocojacks, sorry again me, i just wanted to update you on my condition and try to help you if you have similar thing. I have been diagnosed today with Fibromyalgia unfortunately, anyway im happy with diagnosis and i already got medicine to fight with it. At least now i know what is the problem. I need also to tell you that i started swimming month ago, and its unbelievable how its helping on my body. Speak with your doctor if you are not diagnosed yet with your pain, maybe this is the solution. P.S in the mid time i had full blood count test, testicular ultrasound, prostate checkup, swab on the bacteria. Everything came up clean. I really hope you will find your answer for the pains. Good luck!
lois91528 jake62038
Posted
omg this is everything i'm
suffering with! im yet to have the camera but the back shoulder neck its all what ive been having
NJ777 jake62038
Edited
4 trips to A&E over the last 3 months. 4cm sliding hernia. Chest pain that can radiate into arm & back. Makes me feel like I have a lump in my throat, sore to touch at the join of the clavicles and can give me a numbness/pain in my jaw bone. Feel exhausted both with pain and with worry. On rabeprazole 20mg but looking to double up. Mine was triggered last night by a piece of toast and hasn't really subsided since. Burping like mad too. Complicated as I also have some back and neck issues after an 'over the handlebars' bike accident many years ago so am seeing an ostepath for that. I've been put on some cardiac drugs in case I am getting vasospasms (felopidene and rosuvastatin) but cardiologist happy it isn't cardio. Fact it can get flared up with exercise they think is due to reflux and pressure not cardiac origin. Helpfully told me that if it were cardio I'd be dead! Every time I try to get a docs appt they wont see me if it's chest pain so send me to A&E. A&E sigh and say "but we've seen you before and it's not cardio. Your cardiologist thinks it's not cardio". It feels like I am going mad!
sjfussy NJ777
Edited
Wow! Can't believe what you just said. I've got a 2cm Haitus Hernia and recently numbness in my jawbone. Never realised it could be connected. How? Its the weird symptoms like that which worry me cause i keep thinking ive got separate issues. Doctor fed up with me reporting different issues.
NJ777 sjfussy
Posted
Just got off the phone with Doctors. Now have cocodamol, doubled up on rabeprazole too. Had no sleep last night due to chest pain, jaw pain (in the joint specifically) and feeling dazed with no sleep. She confirmed that hiatal symptoms will be transient and it could be caused by it moving, beyond my control and may not realise it's happened til I get the pain. Seeing an osteopath tonight so hope he might be able to do something. I think it's my vagus nerve getting irritated (I know I am for sure) and this controls so much, blood pressure, heart rate, digestion, pain so if that goes wobbly it can cause so many symptoms. As my doc says single biggest cause of chest pain in A&E is hiatus hernias. When you look up what they are you can see why! I've just go fingers crossed that the pain killers may help or something will as right now I'm feeling pretty low about the whole episode.
sjfussy jake62038
Edited
I had a 2cm hiatus hernia diagnosed with a scoping in May 2019, also a small area of Baratt's in my throat. I've tried various medications and currently on 2 x 30mg Esmoprozal which is working better. Most of the time things are manageable but every do often i get flare ups. The worrying thing is the weird symptoms - i can never be sure if its the hernia or something more serious. I've had the trips to A&E with suspected heart issues - all negative. i get a private health check once a year and all bloods, scans etc always normal but the weird symptoms continue. Pressure under right rib, pains going round to back, hard swollen stomach, feeling sick, crackling ears, nose runs wildly when i eat, headache, light headed, waling up in the night with my heart pounding...the list goes on. Are these all caused by the hernia? Who knows! Welcome comments.
rene28562 sjfussy
Posted
hello
i have a 2cm HH too and i have the same symptoms as you. it drives me crazy. i am going to have the Nissen Surgery done. i hope it stops everything
Bluetitan jake62038
Posted
Hi thought I would throw my hat into the ring. I know how you feel Jake. I’ve been suffering with an hiatus hernia since 2009 been on most meds in that time I’ve been told I have a 3cm hernia but over the years it’s gotten slowly worse, guess my increasing years hasn’t helped. I had the last pipe down my neck last year and was told it’s still small I’m now suffering palpitations, chest pain all across my chest been to A&E twice this year although I try to avoid in these Corvid times. Both times all bloods, and other tests have been negative I was fitted with a chest monitor for a week this also was clear. Tonight I’m suffering bad acid my doc has taken me off Esomeprazole 20mg twice a day and moved me onto 30gms twice a day of Lansoprazole? Doubt this will help only been on it three days and no better but we will see. I’m also on Metoclopramide 10mg three times a day. Was told it tightens the inlet to stop acid rising? I wish Dr would take HH more seriously feel I’m banging my head against brick wall. What makes this even worse is I have meniers disease which one of the symptoms is hearing loss I wear double hearing aids without them I’m stone deaf so you can imagine the fun I have if I go to hospital without my wife due to corvid at the moment trying to answer the doctors questions can take ages and I miss their answers more often than not. But I will get through this I should say I’m 61 and fitter than most. Don’t drink or smoke and played a high level of football up until I was 51.
lisa23335 jake62038
Posted
Hi Jake! You're so young to be having all of these miserable symptoms and I can fully empathise. I'm 63 much older and am going through virtually the same issues. my hiatal was diagnosed three years ago and they said it was "small." well now it feels huge sliding up and down the throat (sliding hiatal hernias nost common). i have an egd scheduled next week. been putting it off because of the covid but i now just want it Fixed! The only thing i have recently tried is simethicone to help break up the gas because that is a big issue now.
Health professionals appear to think hernias are benign but their incredibly painful. that's all. best wishes to you!
Power1on jake62038
Posted
ive had a sliding HH for 9 years 3 cm also have barretts esophogus due to years of acid reflux i still have on and off issues like you mention countless trips to the emergency room also heart dr due to palpatations you name ive bet ive had it and i just live with it what esle can i do sorry for all of here dr do not take this seriously
elle78779 jake62038
Posted
I'm suffering like you. My hernia makes me not eat as much, I'm getting weak and tired and constant fatigue. I get sweaty when I get up I'm in a flare right now. the pain is in my upper abdomen and chest and it shoots down my arm. I am scared half the time bit I'm tired of going to the ER I've been hospitalized I know what this is. I can feel my hernia, its like a dull ache where my stomach meets my chest and I have constant gas bubbles that rise from it. I'm constantly burping, but that's better than when it gets stuck and feels like a heart attack. I hate the arm pain the most, its the part I can't handle. I would be strong enough to handle the nausea and reflux even learn to deal with the chest and abdomen but the arm pain triggers anxiety attacks. This is the worst thing.
sharon73387 jake62038
Posted
Two years ago I went to hospital by ambulance for extreme pain under my right breast that radiated to my back. On a scale of 1-10, it was a 12 and even Fentanyl didn't touch it. After testing my blood and urine they gave me Oxycodone HCL 5mg and that lowered the pain some. They did endoscopy, colonoscopy, CAT scan, Ultrasound and a Hida Scan with cck and all results were normal but I had a Hiatal Hernia and GERD. This happened again on January 13, 2021 and they did all these tests again and still could not come up with a specific diagnosis or reason for this much pain. I was given a prescription for Hyoscyamine ER 0..375 mg for spasms and acid and also Omeprazole DR 40 mg to take twice a day for acid reflux. Instead of this pain lasting hours - it lasts for 4-5 days. I do not eat chocolate, onions, gluten, alcohol and only have 1/2 cup of coffee with cream in the mornings and I cut back on portions and still it plagues me even when I haven't eaten for days. At least I know I am not alone. After reading this forum, I am convinced my pain is my Haital Hernai. I am meeting with a Gastroenterologist on March 11th do discuss it further.