Rolling Hiatus Hernia and the Cough
Posted , 11 users are following.
I'm 75 and have had a hiatus hernia for a good many years, controlled to an extent by pantoprazole and ranitidine, and when needed, which is often, by gaviscon tabs. The enormous and frightening pain, which I thought must be similar to having a heart attack, I have practically eliminated by doing ten bridge exercises every morning.
However, the cough remains. When I haven't eaten, after I've eaten, if I've had something slightly oily. Or coffee or chocolate. When I walk up hill, or run, or jive, or perhaps worst of all, when I turn over in bed, since that wakes both me and my partner. It changes, sometimes violent, sometimes dry, but impossible to control without a gaviscon tablet. Or two, or more, sometimes, when it is really bad, or I'm trying to be quiet in the cinema!
I have met others with this condition, but in spite of my trying to open up a conversation about it, no-one wants to compare symptons, which leaves me feeling isolated. Does anyone out there have any answers, is it possible to control the cough in some way? It would change my life to be able to manage it somehow.
0 likes, 21 replies
joanna17875 sue20431
Posted
Hi Sue
Have you considered surgery?
regards
sue20431 joanna17875
Posted
Hi Joanna,
Thanks for your reply. Yes, I was recommended for surgery a good few years ago, but then found that the mortality/morbidity outcomes were not all that good, that you cannot swallow for a period post surgery, and that the repair does not last. Whether all this is still true I don't know, but it put me off at the time. I am so fit and strong at present, in spite of just having a new hip, that I'm reluctant to risk a less than positive outcome. But I do take your point, you are probably saying that if the cough is so awful, why not do something positive to get rid of it. I have thought about it a lot, I suppose that since I do function pretty well in spite of the annoyance, it's a gamble too far. But thanks for the suggestion.
RoyMaBoy sue20431
Posted
My dad had surgery for a hiatus hernia a couple of years ago.
His symptoms differed quite a bit.
He mainly had trouble swallowing chewed food and it often got stuck to the point his gag reflex kicked in.
He also had to (and I know its sounds repulsive but...) stick his fingers down his throat, which obviously wasn't good with any type of hernia I would imagine.
He never had a cough as I recall, just plenty of heartburn. Although not prescribed, the medication Maalox was used to treat his heartburn. I believe Maalox is primarily used for ulcers, but if I have heartburn I sometimes use it as its more watery than gaviscon, which to be honest, gaviscon is like school glue and (for me and my dad) difficult to swallow.
My dad was 64 when he had his opt and despite the odd twinge now and then, his surgery was a success.
Kind regards
Roy
sue20431 RoyMaBoy
Posted
Roy, thanks for your reply. Sounds as though this affects different people very differently. In fact, I have heartburn only rarely, but cough for almost no reason, just breathing or swallowing the wrong way can set it off. So glad to hear your father's surgery was a success, I think my condition would have to get unbearable before I could summon up the courage to go through with it. I don't have the liquid gaviscon, only the tablets, which I find easy to suck, I doubt I could get through a night without them.
simssem sue20431
Posted
Hi Sue,
I too have a hiatus hernia. I am a 43 year old female.
when my hernia activates I feel the pain in my left breast and arm. More recently I have been feeling the pain in the middle of my back, I get a cough and experience shortness of breath.
like you I tend to something think I am have a heartattack.
sue20431 simssem
Posted
Hi - thank you so much for replying, although I wouldn't wish it on anyone, it's good to feel less alone! My son and daughter both did some research re hiatus hernias and both came up with the Bridge exercise. I now do ten each morning in bed, each to the count of ten, and touch wood, I now no longer experience the horrible pain. If you are not familiar with the Bridge, you lay flat on your back and bring both heels towards you, with your knees facing the ceiling. Then raise your body up using your arms from wrist to elbow and the strength of your legs, making a sort of triangle. I've been doing it for around a year now, and have only had one pain episode since. I do hope it works for you, too.
simssem sue20431
Posted
Thank you so much! I will definitely try The Bridge Excercise!
maggie25776 sue20431
Posted
Hiya
Had my hernia 10 years now.
I have an annoying cough too., Mostly at night and after certain foods.
Not found much to help it. I have GAVISCON before bed. Sleep with a raised mattress at my head. You are not alone. Will try the bridge exercise x
sue20431 maggie25776
Posted
Good to hear from you, Maggie. Yes, it is worse at night, I too have a wedge to keep my top half raised, it would be much worse without. Good luck with the exercise! I think there are others, but only have so much time!
garry12333 sue20431
Posted
Hi sue new to this discussion I have had acid reflux for 5 years I take lansoprazole 30mg the last 6 weeks I have had a lot of pain in and around the top of tummy & chest made worse by bending down it’s like a nagging pain then goes up to a real aching pain almost-makes me feel sick it’s just below the breastbone and then to the left & also to the right have had some back pain as well like burning stinging I am over weight so when bending down and everything gets squashed that’s when it will kick in been to the docs he says I need a scope but frightened to death to be honest but I know I got to get it done have u or anyone else on here had anything like this thanks for any reply’s
maggie25776 garry12333
Posted
HIYA
I have had scope 3 times. First time they found my hernia, It is scary but its better to know what is going on, as there maybe able to make things better or better control things.
When my hernia bad, I get pains in all sorts of weirds places, shoulder, back, breast, side.
I honestly have thought, I having a heart attack, or that I have some horrible disease. I had no idea a hernia and GERD could cause so many symptoms.
Good luck with it
NC10 maggie25776
Posted
If you don't mind me asking, Maggie, why were you scoped 3 times? Were they returning to check on the hernia size? Was it Barretts? What was the size of your hernia? And yes, like you and many others here, when my hernia is acting up, I get rib pain, back pain, and my upper esophagus/throat feel "squished" or "crunched" if that makes any sense.
Cheers!
maggie25776 NC10
Posted
First time rushed to A and E in bad pain. They found HIATUS HERNIA.
Second time short of breath. trouble swallowing and pain. Hernia had got slightly bigger.
Last time pains in rib, chest and stomach.
Each time they did biopsy but all clear
Tried several drugs, currently on lansoprazole.
They say its not large enough to operate on, but for something so small it cause a lot of pain and discomfort.
garry12333 maggie25776
Posted
Hi thanks for the reply I also get pains all over the place it’s like totally weird can I ask do u or did u get bloating after eating I Also get like indigestion and aching up the centre of the chest going up to the throat
NC10 maggie25776
Posted
I was told the same thing .... that my 2cm hernia was hardly large enough to operate on and that is "shouldn't" be causing so many symptoms. But wow, does it ever. And it is not even like I get symptoms only when eating wayyyy tooo much food, like 6 slices of pizza and a liter of soda (which I don't do, it is just an example). I can get symptoms from drinking water, eating oatmeal, eating a few chips .... or eating a big meal. Or not. Their seems very little rhyme or reason to it.
My GI has me on 40mg of Omeprazole a day to keep my refluxing non-acidic or weakly acidic. But this does nothing to actually curtail the refluxing itself. His assertion was simply that so long as it was non-acidic, I had no really danger of damaging my esophagus.
Thanks for the answers Maggie and hang in there!
garry12333 NC10
Posted
hi nc10 can i ask if u get more pain when working or exercising as in lifting anything
maggie25776 NC10
Posted
HI NC10
It certainly makes me think at times, I am going mad. The GP does make me feel at times that I am exaggerating and the symptoms I have cannot be the hernia.
That just stresses me out and then of course makes the symptoms worse. When I have been at hospital though, they were much more clued up and sympathetic.
Mine is 4cm. I feel so sorry for people whose ones are even bigger, I feel bad enough. They must feel 100 times worse. I think they are brave.
Hope everyone knows you not alone, it does hurt and it makes your life a misery at times. I really hope you all find relief at some point.
NC10 garry12333
Posted
Hey Garry 😃
So my Gi doctor advised me against doing any exercises that cause abdominal pressue, as this can irritate and even worsen the hernia. So exercises such as sit-ups, crunches, heavy squats, flat bench chest presses are inadvisable. The reason is because in these exercises, the abdominal muscles, or "the core," tighten up and can force the stomach further up.
That being said, there are times when lifting heavy boxes at work that I do feel discomfort in the form of dull pain or even sharp pain at the base of the sternum. So yes, lifting heavy or doing exercises that put upwards pressure on your abdomen can cause pain. I have had to find workarounds to be able to weight lift safely. You can still hit every muscle group effectively.
That being said ... I still feel the effects even with something like a bent-over rear dealt fly with 10-15lb. As I perform the exercise, I can begin to feel pressure building up in my throat and can even feel water come up if I recently drank water. In other words, the hernia has caused my LES to be loose and thus it leaks stomach contents out. But in addition to that, the whole fact that the stomach is higher than it should be has a cascading effect on the esophagus and throat. It is all connected.
Anywayyyy, I am thankful that it is not worse. Cheeers!
garry12333 NC10
Posted
Yes thanks that’s really interesting to know I don’t go to the gym myself but being overweight and having quite weak tummy muscles I think makes it worse I’m a gardener and have to stretch out with quite heavy tools over hedges and stuff and it seams to put pressure on my tummy & chest also when crouching down everything gets pushed up and this has the same affect thanks for your reply