Anyone here have a hiatal hernia?

hi everyone... just wondering if anyone on this forum has or has had a hiatal hernia. If so... what is your experience with it? How are you managing? Have you been successful in controlling symptoms and how? If you've had surgery... was it successful?

I know, I know... lots of questions I have. :lol: But I have only found out in January that I have a hiatal hernia after a lot of medical tests and appointments. I'm now into my 5th year of chronic stomach symptoms which include pain in mid lower chest; diaphram, oesophagal, and throat spasms that can cause aching for days; nausea; loss of appetite; chronic burping sometimes 24/7; hiccups; distended stomach so bad it hurts and I feel I may explode; occasional upset bowel; low iron level; occasionally almost choking on my medications.

I have found that managing BGLs has been quite hard with this problem. I'm not sure what is next? I have an appointment coming up at end of this month with gastroenterology dept at the hospital. To be honest I've been getting the run around and no real answers that can help me. My endocrinologist wants to know what's going on too as he can see I'm generally unwell. I've been on about 10 different medications for my stomach... probably all the anti-acids and inhibitor drugs, anti-depressants to calm stomach nerves (which I had very bad reactions to). Not sure what other meds they can put me on? They keep talking about a banned drug that is known to cause heart problems... if they get approval from the govt they say I will need to have regular ECGs. I'm not keen on that idea.

I'm just interested to know if there is a possibility there could be an end to all my symptoms that are really beginning to drive me insane and it's totally inteferring in every area of my life. I'd like to know what works for others.

Thanks

Hi,
Reading through your post, cannot imagine how it must feel with this never ending cycle of trying to sort the problem.

I have a friend who suffers from gastroparesis and am wondering if you have been tested for this? The symptoms you describe are so similar to the complaint you have been diagnosed with and it does affect people with diabetes.

There is a link here,
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddisease ... roparesis/

If you have not been investigated for this, it is worth mentioning. If you have then my apologies.

thanks Catherine .... yes, my GP thinks I may have a bit of gastroparesis too. Although from what I've read on the net, a hiatal hernia also causes the same symptoms I have and they have found I have one... although I don't know its size exactly. I do know it's big enough to fit egg and toast in it though. I only know this as I had a gastric emptying study done about a year ago... that's where they get you to eat egg & toast with a bit of radiation stuff in it to track it with the scanning machine. They scan you periodically over 4 hours. My test showed problems in the first 2 hours of the test... although this wasn't reported on because they were only looking for the outcome after 4 hours and my test came out normal... 96% of my stomach had emptied. So that means they don't consider I have gastroparesis. After the first hour though the egg and toast was balled up in my chest. I had 4 technicians in the room and they asked me twice whether or not I had ever had gastric banding done. I answered 'no'.... goodness I should know that one right? But then they showed me why.... the screen showed the food balled up in my lower chest... exactly where I get the pain and nausea. Then at the 2 hour mark they found something else abnormal... my food was balled up in the top of my stomach... where I get pain. Even though this test was a year ago... unfortunately they weren't bright enough to pick up that they were actually looking at a hernia. My pain and symptoms haven't really changed. Now that I know I have one... it makes sense why they asked me if I had gastric banding done because what they were looking at was actually my stomach in my chest and the diaphram wall going over the top of it so it would've looked like a band to them.

I doubt this will be of any help at all, but I had one after catching whooping cough when I was a baby. I had a repair at 6 years old, that has stayed repaired even with 5 pregnancy`s. I hope they find a way to fix yours so well.

glad to hear Jeannemum that you had yours fixed at an early age. I have heard that coughing can cause one. :smile:
@mistee71 - wow... your whole family almost there with one. I'm currently on 2 meds for my stomach... esomeprazole (aka: Nexium), and domperidone (aka: Motilium). This medication has stopped the acid reflux part... but I still have all the other symptoms. And I can still burp my food and water back up too. So you're starting to burp too? I timed my burping was every 8 seconds when I'm really bad. I've pretty much been burping bad since end of 2009, before then it was pain and reflux. At times I burp so hard that it triggers hiccups and I have both at the same time... usually happens in the middle of the day when I'm at work too. I figure keeping my mouth shut will help elleviate the sound a bit, but it doesn't really.... people can still tell I'm burping and I often get the unwanted comment or two and stares. I have been off my pills before and the pain does get worse for me too... but I have the pain when I'm taking pills too... but more like cramps and spasms mainly. Also mistee... have to ask, do you find it impacts on your diabetes management also?

:lol: sounds really funny.... your poor mum. Has docs advised what to do to fix it? Can they do surgery or something? I get impression here that they aren't willing to do surgery for most cases. I get really embarrassed with this burping myself... no doubt I probably scare or annoy people around me. I have burped every day and night since end of 2009 and I actually think it could be causing the oesophagal and throat spasms I periodically get.... usually smack in the early hours of the morning and it's pretty scary. If I don't burp for a bit I get heart palpitations usually (and sometimes whilst talking)... probably the gas building up I suppose. I've also noticed that there is pressure near my voice box... hurts to talk sometimes, although more so if I've had a spasm. But with diabetes management I find that it can be hard to get BGLs predictable at all. I think my food doesn't even start to digest until 3 hours after I've eaten or so. Sometimes I get a hypo 1.5 hours after eating because I inject within 15 minute timeframe like endo told me too.

oh that's not fair for your mum... but from what I read they don't like to operate unless they have to. My understanding though is that if meds aren't working that is their only option. It's not very nice living with so many symptoms. I'm sure your mum would be feeling worn out and exhausted from it all. Does she get the spasms and all too? I've been told by my GP that those spasms make men go to ER thinking it's their heart. It's the same sensation... really aweful. I'm not even 40 yet and I don't particularly want to carry on like this for the rest of my life. Managing diabetes is enough.... don't like that either really.

yes I'm in Australia... but West.... getting a bit late and I should be heading off to noddy land now. :lol: We've currently got about 4 different time zones here.

@Mistee - Victoria are 3 hours ahead of me. Although, yes this silly thing often keeps me awake. I find if I move it wakes me. I woke up this morning with a big cramp under rib cage on my left. Burping as usual.
@bigfatpaulie - it's a relief for you that the drug does actually work.
@sheep - good to hear the drug works for you also. My doc says he reckons drugs are only helping a small percentage with me. I'm not sure what's next? I have symptoms all the time. It gets a bit much at times. :roll:

have a good rest Mistee Even though I've been up over an hour I'm way too tired and I'm thinking I need more sleep. Yes, I will need to just persevere until I get a resolve.... hopefully this year!