Pain and Symptoms with small hiatus summary - Does anyone have these symptoms

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I was diagnosed with a HH (about 2cm) last year. I am early 50s. On hindsight, symptoms have been going on for years, so probably had a long time. Recently, new symptoms include:

  • Feeling of weakness about to pass out when exercising (walking or hiking). The first time was two hours after a big meal (which I normally don't have), second time, I had drunk lots of water so I wouldn't get dydrated) and third time my stomach felt very full.
  • Pain behind the top of the breast bone (they call it retrosternal pain) - more of a sharp pain
  • Sometimes short of breath - more like I can't inflate my longs.
  • A tight sensation under the left jaw, sometimes the left and right neck.
  • Sharp pain on front under my left clavicle and sometimes in my arm pit.
  • Palpatations at night (since about the time i think the accident started the HH), to the point I wake up and have to sit up because I don't feel like am breathing (this symptom has been going for 10 years)

The pain though is bad and that with not being able to catch my breath makes me think I am having a heart attack, even though I feel like it is the hernia. Even my GP says he doesn't think it is heart.

I have been to the ED once because I was worried about a heart attack, they could not find any heart issue and felt that it was not cardiac (had ECGs to compare from the ED visit to previous GP consults and they were all normal and no change over many years). Been to see my GP who takes it very seriously. We think it is the HH, but am going through cardiac work up just to make sure it is not the heart. No history to present as cardiac issue accept the feeling of weekness when exercising and not being able to get breadth. Interestingly, when I have these symptoms and burp I get immediate relief.

Anyone get flares up when walking or exercising? Does anyone get these similar symptoms? (I am otherwise very health, good weight (12.5 stone) and no other health problems. I am just worried that maybe it is cardiac (and again, undergoing exams - Echo and CT of the heart to check), but I am curious if others have these symptoms. The symptoms are very scary.

Thank you for reading. I appreciate it.

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