Looking 4 answers- bloated, trouble deep breathing, chest pains, GERD- Hiatal Hernia? Please respond
Posted , 7 users are following.
Hi All-
I have IBS and GERD. Was having some abdominal pains and back pains a few months ago for which I had MRIs and they were normal. Had a CT scan a couple years ago which showed a sliding hiatal hernia (couldve been a barium swallow...cant remember). Started having trouble getting a deep breath in this last week (that I am constantly yawning to get one), fullness on left side of upper abdomen, and getting upper chest pains, belching, bloating. Had an EKG, chest xray, and cardiac ezymes- all normal. Almost feels like my diaphragm is irritated. Doctor prescribed an inhaler because I had described it as a feeling of resistance or constriction at the top of my breath. She thought it might be allergy related asthma. This is not feeling like asthma to me...or at least what I would think it would feel like. I have no wheezing either. Kinda feels like there's a cracking or popping feeling in my lungs on occasion at the top of my breath, but it could be my ribs. The inhaler has seemed to make all it worse. I can breathe better, but it causes more chest pains, makes my lungs sore, and makes my bloating and GERD worse. This last year has been a totally new experience with the IBS and GERD stuff. Ive had more gas, pains, and bloating then I've ever had. I've also experienced the difficulty getting in a deep breath...but this is a whole new level. It's slightly better in the morning after a BM and I can breathe a little better, but its still there. Anyone had this with a hiatal hernia? Trying to figure out what this could be. It came on very suddenly...and no...its not corona. Thanks in advance for the response!
0 likes, 22 replies
Sgt.lindalee charcey97
Edited
Hi Charcey, I can tell you from experience, I have had 2 hernia surgeries, still have sliding hernia, mine is on the left too but there are different degrees/levels for hiatal hernia that can make it different and each person has their own issues....IF YOU HAVE ANY OF THESE ISSUES, HERE'S SOME SOLUTIONS...ALWAYS ASK YOUR DR FIRST....I have done THESE and ....well, was gonna say many more but, I have tried all...are you taking any meds at all? Your Dr can try:
H2 blockers like famotidine etc(not ranitidine it has been recalled) for controlling stomach acid,
PPI(Proton Pump Inhibitor) pushing food out of the stomach a bit faster to prevent acid/gas in your upper belly, like pantoprazole & etc...
Simethicone/GasX that helps gas bubbles stick together to pass easier(life saver) for gas & bloating,
Tums and etc..can help with reflux, gas pain(they contain calcium, you don't want TOO MUCH of that)
Gaviscon foaming agent, seaweed extract and magnesium, to coat the burning and keep acid down for sleeping...
When your stomach slides up into your chest, is probably when it feels you cant breath, it can be a weird sensation, even scary and anxiety invoking....it makes you feel like you can't catch your breath or you may have palpitations, as long as your ekg is normal and lungs are clear, its probably the hernia, there are a few things(no judgement or anything like that) If you have a bit of weight in your belly area, it can make the sensations of not breathing and palpitations worse(myself I put on 10lbs and it got so much worse, shortness of breath, fluttering and etc..I starting having panic attacks...purely from having extra weight, when my hernia pushed up, it was a tight fit and was terrible, then it filled with gas and was stuck a while....the chest pain scared the hell out of me....so THAT was a huge issue for me(not saying it is for you but, I wanted you to know)....I sleep propped up, when its bad up to a foot high from my waist up, lying on my right side keeps pressure away from heart, lung on left, sleep with a body pillow or a few throw pillows, keep your arm level and bending your knee on pillow it opens things up a bit, sometimes it helps to look at your diet(I had to quit most dairy and watch oils & fats too but, I also had my gall bladder removed)really sugary foods/drinks(esp. carbonated & caffeine can stimulate stomach acid), dairy(milk sugar/fats and veggies/fruit can cause extra gas, it can help to try Beano etc or eat OTHER foods with them... to PREVENT gas, having many small meals a day, overeating is really painful & not worth it.....the other thing GROSS ALERT IF you are constipated a lot it makes things worse, pressure on your diaphragm and in the upper belly, gas can get trapped, plus it makes you feel terrible, water, fiber, laxatives w/ your DR help, to get it under control, I use PEG3350...only thing that works for me
Drinking water seems to help with a certain amount of gas and soothing reflux but, it takes medication for me!!
I hope this helps a bit, if there was a quick fix, I would send it to you but, you aren't alone & if you have any questions, chat me up, I am here a lot!!! BEST WISHES💒🐾🎶💞☮🌈♾🍀
sherry904 Sgt.lindalee
Posted
i have all those symptoms for over 5 weeks now. i have an endoscopy scheduled for June 15. my biggest problem is with very little exertion i cant breathe. it scares me to death and i take a xanax to calm down. does anyone have this experience?
jordan7792 charcey97
Edited
i have the exact same problem lately , i've had a hiatal hernia for 7 years now, but i've been having shortness of breath and a constant diaphragm pressure for the past few days... i have no idea what to do
charcey97 jordan7792
Posted
Jordan
I'm sorry. Thats miserable! Ive been trying homeopathic medicine the last couple weeks. It seems to help with the gas and bloating, but not much for the diaphragm irritation/trouble breathing. It is the worst with exercise! I felt short of breath yesterday when I went for a brisk walk because I couldnt get a deep breath in. So upsetting. Working on losing weight right now and hoping that works. Glad to hear I'm not alone in this.
jordan7792 charcey97
Edited
to ease the hernia pressure and breathlessness i usually stand on the tip of my toes and fall with force on my heels (10 repetitions) after each meal or glass of water.
I also jump on my bed mattress for a couple of minutes in order to somehow "bring" my stomach down.
It does help a tiny bit.
christina41004 jordan7792
Posted
hi i have exact same problem ,did you find anything to help you ?
jordan7792 christina41004
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have you visited a gastroenterologist yet ?
christina41004 jordan7792
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i had a camera 2 years ago i have a 5cm sliding hiatus hernia ,my symptoms back then were nausea and i had it under control didnt need to take any tablets i just lived with the sickness feeling as it came and went ,then 5 weeks ago i was struggling breathing ,lump in my throat pain in my breast bone ,some days are worse than others i have woken in the night very anxious and feeling out of breath .I an now on 20mg x2 0maprozale and now trying to only eat alkaline food and smaller portions but as of yet havent seen a massive differance .I have lost 7lb and will keep loosing weight as i believe it will help i am over weight but not massively.Do you have any other tips please ?
jordan7792 christina41004
Posted
keep doing all these , although I don't recommend taking omeprazole for too long. It increases the chances of carcinogenesis of taken for too long. If all the above don't seem to improve your condition you might want to consult your doctor again, and maybe have another endoscopy done.
charcey97 jordan7792
Edited
Not with all this COVID craziness. He is booked out several months right now.
Interestingly enough, I was able to figure out this is definitely a gastro intestinal issue I’m having. I decided to have a week of fasting to see how my symptoms were. After water fasting for 5 days, followed by juice fasting for 2 days, all of my gastrointestinal symptoms disappeared (including the breathing issue I was having). Since being back on a "regular" healthy diet, the GERD cough and some reflux has come back a bit, but nowhere near what it was. For me personally, I have decided to do the 4/3 fasting lifestyle. I’m gonna see how this helps over the next several months. Not saying anyone should try this, just saying what worked for me.
charcey97 christina41004
Posted
Hi there! See my reply to Jordan above. That is what helped me. Of course, I dont know your health history or situation, so make sure you talk to your doctor before starting anything new. Do some research on the intermittent and alternate day fasting lifestyles.
jordan7792 charcey97
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unfortunately i can't follow such a fasting diet, due to my job. I would end up too low on energy. I wonder if my sliding hernia could be pulled back , even temporarily, by chiropractic methods.
charcey97 jordan7792
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What do you do for a living? My job isnt too intense so i was able to work. I will say though...you might try starting on a weekend...or a stretch of 2 days off. After the first couple days I actually got a burst of energy and felt pretty good. So far, after switching to the 4/3 intermittent fasting I havent had any issues...but we'll see if i get the same results.
I've heard great things about the chiropractic maneuvers for hernias! Its definitely worth a shot. I would just make sure its one who specializes in it. I have found that when I call around about it and ask, most of the chiropractors say, "Oh yeah, I know how to do that.". It makes me wonder if that’s the case. It’s probably something they cover in school, but whether they’re actually proficient at doing it is the question.
I’d love to hear what helps! Keep us updated.
jordan7792 charcey97
Posted
I'll surely keep you updated. I work as a VIP driver/bodyguard, so there's a lot of stress included. My worst fear are the cardiac extrasystoles i get from time to time, which are harmless but cause me a lot of anxiety...
these arrythmias are not frequent enough for the doctors to suggest ablation , but they do scare me a lot when they happen..
I know for a fact that the cause is the pressure that builds up inside my chest from the stomach/diaphragm area... sometimes i feel hopeless..
Sgt.lindalee jordan7792
Edited
Hiatal hernias are from a hole in the diaphragm, allowing it to slide up into the chest...you may get temporary relief from chiropractics but, unless the hole is closed, it will continue to slide up!! Good Luck, may be worth a try?! You would have to decide🍀☮
charcey97 jordan7792
Posted
Understandable. I have been getting some palpitations and increased chest pains from the pressure, as well. It totally causes me anxiety, so I understand where you're coming from. I'm convinced the majority of my issues will disappear once I lose about 50lbs. Working on it...
jordan7792 Sgt.lindalee
Posted
i am not confident in considering surgery because I've read that in at least 5% of operated patients, the symptoms come back and worse sometimes... so I don't know if it is worth taking the risk..
Sgt.lindalee jordan7792
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Hi Jordan, It is true that some 5% of patients still have symptoms but, 95% are successful, that's pretty high, there is no 100% but, over time due to multiple factors it can fail/slip and need to be repeated, after as soon as 5yrs and every surgery comes with risks and scarring, sometimes complications...its NOT for everybody & maybe you can manage it without, its totally your choice(never let ANYBODY pressure you) YOU are the one taking the benefits & the risks...you SHOULD try ALL the other options first, you might find one, or a combination of things actually help...its really all about managing your symptoms the least invasive way, I would say surgery should be your LAST resort, it was for me...you can anytime decide to try surgery but, once you do it, there's no going back!! If you ever do decide its your option, you should be confident about it & get EVERY question answered Good Luck, I hope you can get some relief, I know how it feels managing chronic health issues, it really takes a toll on you, mentally & physically...I hope you have a great support system of family & friends, its really helpful BEST WISHES💒🎶♾🍀☮🌈🐾
jordan7792 Sgt.lindalee
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thank you so much for your kind words, it means a lot to me !
Sgt.lindalee jordan7792
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Hi Jordan, ANYTIME!!😊🍀☮
sherry904 charcey97
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i get short of breath just making my bed. this is horrible.
sherry904 christina41004
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i find an ice pack right where the hernia is and when the panic starts to happen i take a xanax and it relaxed the esophagus and i can breathe.