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
emma93903 jake62038
Posted
i have a hiatus hernia to i am so unwell with it i cant even bend over i feel like i cant breath which scares me so much and sets of anxiety i'm always pain and discomfort ive lost 4 stone in weight i cant eat much im tried all the time i wake up in the night with a squeezing feeling and a feeling like someone is poring tcp on a wound and it takes my breath away like im being suffocated i also get neck pain burning in tummy i tried eating small plain meals no gluten no diary its so stressful i just want to be able to move around pain free i look and feel drained from it i live on gaviscon as the doctor blames it on anxiety not the hernia but its good to know im not mad and this something we are all going tho ive been to a&e like most and everything comes back normal the breathing scares me the most it so depressing i hope we all find some relief
Cocojackson22 jake62038
Edited
hello everyone, i was diagnosed with a small hiatal hernia. i was wondering if anyone else gets a weird feeling in their back almost like a lump or gas or pain that is hard to explain. i get it on the right side upper mid back and its almost constant and feel like theres a dull weird ache? sometimes
kimberly92139 Cocojackson22
Edited
Yes. I get the same pain. Its more like the pain in my chest goes through to my back. Feels like Im having a heart attack!
jacqui50902 jake62038
Posted
I was diagnosed about 10 years ago. I have palptations a lot and also found out I have a very low vitamin b12. I had vitamin b injections and after 2 of the course of 6 the palpitaions improved. However 4 months on they're back. I have read that Gaviscon Advance can contribute to low vitamin B. However I am allergic to Ranitidine and PPIs made my hair fall out. I tried Peptac but that didn't really help as much. I also have really bad mid back pain and abdominal pain when I am sitting watching TV in the evenings. I think it's all connected to the hernia. Does this sound familiar? Can anyone recommend any other medication?
jacqui50902 jake62038
Posted
Has anyone used Mucogel? If so what's your thoughts?
kimberly92139 jake62038
Posted
Good Afternoon. I just found this forum and must say I'm completely surprised how many people are living with this issue! Before having a massive flare of esophagitis a month ago, I didn't know the condition existed!
My problem started when I started feeling a sharp chest pain under my left chest. I thought for sure I was having a heart attack! I went to the ER 3 times and each time they told me nothing was wrong. I kept telling them in addition to the pain I was nauseous daily and eventually was unable to hold any food or drink down. I started feeling like I had a lump in my throat and I could literally feel the food or drink pass the area that felt bad. The ER told me to not come back and go see my Gastro. My Gastro prescribed me antacid pills (so many Pills!) and nausea meds. But I couldn't swallow them. It would get stuck and I would end up throwing them up. Eventually I got a Endoscope and they saw that my esophagus was majorly inflamed and there was alot of acid in my stomach. They even found an undigested pill lodged in my esophagus! They also found a "Medium" sized Hiatal Hernia.
After the scope the continued with the pill regimen even though I kept telling them that I could not swallow them. Eventually, with all the vomiting and inability to drink I became very dehydrated and they finally admitted me to the hospital. After two days on IV meds they rescoped me and found that the swelling had gone down. But to this day two months later I am still having the nausea daily and the pain wakes me up at night and during the day it stops me in my tracks and makes me wince.. Ive called my Dr many times about the pain but they keep throwing antacids at me. Honestly I feel like they think Im looking for pain meds. But Id take Baby aspirin if it made the pain go away!
My question is this... While doing research on my symptoms I came across all of these articles warning that people with Hiatal Hernias a sharp pain, vomiting, and trouble swallowing is a Medical Emergency and I should seek Medical Attention Immediately. But my Doctor seems totally unimpressed with the symptoms and continues to focus on the GERD. At what point is the pain an indication that something is happening with the stomach moving into the Hernia? Is it safe to just write it off as GERD? How do I know its NOT the worst case senerio? Is there a different type of Doctor that I should be seeing or is it the Gastro that deals with this?
Thank you for reading! Id love any kind of feedback.
cheryl63574 kimberly92139
Posted
You need to get referred to a Gastro surgeon. In my case, I've been dealing with heart attack symptoms for 6 years. We finally discovered the hernia when I was getting a CT scan of my heart. My regular doctor was also not very helpful. I was referred to the gastro surgeon and she went through the paces lickety split. I had my endoscopy the beginning of March and my surgery 5 weeks ago. She took my symptoms seriously and I don't have any of the hernia symptoms after the surgery. its a long recovery but well worth it.
rene28562 cheryl63574
Posted
what type of surgery did you have?
Jools6641 jake62038
Posted
hi Jake
I stumbled across your comments looking for an answer to my ongoing symptoms. it was as if I had written this as ive been having the same symptoms I was diagnosed with a hiatus hernia several years ago but it has not really caused any problems until now. I had covid mildly at Christmas but since then have gad bad chest/back pains exactly the same as you describe. I managed to see my dr who put it down to anxiety after losing my mum in October dye to dementia. I was convinced it was a heart attack. I had an appointment at the rapid access chest pain clinic where an ecg showed inverted t waves on leads 1 &2 so was put on beta blockers and aspirin due to it could be angina. they referred moment for a ct heart scan and echocardiogram which I had last week. awaiting results for those but I'm still getting such alot of pain, worse in the evenings but now have developed an upset tummy as well for several days, not sure if its my ibs flaring up as I am getting so anxious wondering whether its a result of covid, my heart, hiatus hernia...the list goes on. I really understand how you are feeling.
jools
I'm 53 year old female
diane73605 jake62038
Posted
hi jake i can so relate to ur post i've got a sliding hernia also which causes me so much middle chest pain & enclosed throat contractions which my throat closes up & makes it difficult to swallow i lost my throat sensation couldnt feel myself swallowing this happened a few wks back & now getting less saliva dry mouth doesnt help unknown the size of my hernia but it feels trapped some days & causes pain while sleeping all frustrating isnt it my anxiety went thru the roof too because its always on my mind & the pain is always there & when ur suffering not beable swallow proper thats when panic sets in
...if anyone can give me a bit more info on the subject as i get told basically nothing by my dr or hospital & they keep me waiting on what they want to do with me wish they would hurry up as my chest pain getting out of hand
LS1maroZ282021 jake62038
Posted
Whats crazy is for years I have suffered all this same crap. It's terrible and it messes up lives. My wife asks me why I'm not happy and all I can tell her is that I am happy but when you are in all this pain it's hard to be happy in the outside. These last few days have been so terrible. So I hope I will be ok!!!
Mark8899 jake62038
Posted
Ive had a hiatal hernia for 5 years. Im 21 years old and feel like im 50. I am extremely careful with my managing the acid burning my throat but it is unsustainable. It has severely affected my relationships. I was misdiagnosed and only found out it was a hernia a year ago. I think the doctors ive seen are some of the most incompetent and terrible human beings i have ever met. None of the treatments make any sense and they think they are a level above the patient by going to medical school. I gave up on those doctors a year ago and have moved on to chiropractic treatment. I have seen two and am about to see a third one. Has helped 10x more than doctors ever did. However, there is still work to be done. My hernia is still there and it was a bit annoying when my chiropractor said that it "wasnt there" anymore. Im going to see a new one but it still feels like rolling the dice. I am currently trying belly breathing throughout the day. Extremely difficult and I have found that you must relax your abs while doing it. Nearly gives me a panic attack after eating but I am still giving it a shot.
cheryl63574 jake62038
Posted
Hey there!! I just had mine repaired 5 weeks ago. Even though the surgery is not fun and the rebound is slow, I can already see a difference. My symptoms were severe but the size of the hernia showing in the CT scan didn't warrant the surgery. We talked more about the severity of my symptoms and my surgeon went ahead and started the process of tests. She did the endoscopy as well as the PH BRAVO test which is an implant in the esophagus to measure acid. Mine was high. My symptoms were extreme deep pain between my shoulder blades that wrapped around my chest lasting up to an hour at times. Acid, pain in my chest, throw up at night causing choking. it was awful. The Prilosec wasn't doing the trick. I would suggest pursuing surgery. This Hiatal Hernia crap is an awful way to live.
rene28562 cheryl63574
Posted
did you have any other weird symptoms? ear pain? like crackling or ringing?
rene28562
Posted
what type of surgery did you have? and size of hernia