1. < Digestive Health

Hiatal Hernia. What helps?

Posted by betterb4 @betterb4, Feb 13, 2017

I was just diagnosed with a small hiatal hernia but I'm feeling pretty miserable. I was a perfectly healthy person and this all started a couple months ago. It started with a feeling of a "lump" at the bottom of my esophagus (or top of my stomach). Sometimes I had a burning feeling in my esophagus. I mentioned it with my gastroenterologist before a routine colonoscopy; she pretty much dismissed it but immediately put me on Prilosec in the morning and Zantac.It really doesn't help very much. before bed. I had and EGD and she diagnosed and irritated esophagus and stomach and a small hiatal hernia.
I have now given up coffee, wine, chocolate, beef, tomatoes and eating after dinner (everyday the list grows.) We have propped our bed at an angle. I am afraid to eat. She insists that the hernia is not causing this, but it must be. I'm in my 50's, perfect weight and have never even had heartburn. If this doesn't improve soon, I am thinking of going to Mayo for a full evaluation. I can't live this way and I DO NOT want to be on medicine the rest of my life.

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Amanda Burnett | @amandaa | Sep 14, 2021
In reply to @tempiej "Is it possible to survive this when no one will do a second surgery. Can it..." + (show)
@tempiej

Is it possible to survive this when no one will do a second surgery. Can it be cured when surgery isn’t an option?

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Hi @tempiej and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I wanted you to be able to connect with others who have had a hiatal hernia so I moved your post to a discussion talking about What helps a hiatal hernia.

Did they say why they could not do a second surgery?

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1 reply
tempiej | @tempiej | Sep 14, 2021
In reply to @amandaa "Hi @tempiej and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I wanted you to be able to connect..." + (show)
@amandaa

Hi @tempiej and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I wanted you to be able to connect with others who have had a hiatal hernia so I moved your post to a discussion talking about What helps a hiatal hernia.

Did they say why they could not do a second surgery?

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Thank you! I appreciate all your help! They just said a second surgery is too dangerous to do on anyone. I’m not overweight and do everything I can find to treat myself at home but the pain and lack of ability to eat is growing. A friend referred me here.

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1 reply
ZeeGee | @fourof5zs | Sep 15, 2021
In reply to @tempiej "Thank you! I appreciate all your help! They just said a second surgery is too dangerous..." + (show)
@tempiej

Thank you! I appreciate all your help! They just said a second surgery is too dangerous to do on anyone. I’m not overweight and do everything I can find to treat myself at home but the pain and lack of ability to eat is growing. A friend referred me here.

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@tempiej

What surgery did you have?

Do you have other health problems such as heart disease or COPD… or anything else?

ZeeGee

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ken82 | @ken82 | Sep 15, 2021
In reply to @woogie "I, too, had a Nissen Fundoplication performed on me several years ago. I now have gerd,..." + (show)
@woogie

I, too, had a Nissen Fundoplication performed on me several years ago. I now have gerd, a hiatal hernia, the operation has come undone. When I eat a lot, I can feel my hernia protruding and feeling hard and causing a lot of pain. I also have trouble with constipation. I have had bowel problems since I was very young. I was told not to eat four hours before going to bed. When I do, I suffer from horrible burning coming up into my throat. I just asked my doctor to change my pills from Amitiza to Lizness. Today is my first day of Lizness. Has anyone had any experience with either of these ?

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@woogie @betterb4 I had a hietal hernia before my GERD progressed.. then I was one Nexium for a decade.. my local Central Iowa GI doc said that a Nissen would help.. the Nissen was a disastet.. I lost 50# from my otherwise slender body.. I went to Mayo for the diagnosis of post operative gastropanesis..a daily challenge in eating..Mayo GI said the Nissen could not be fixed as the stomach hairnet like nerves have been damaged..so I have gained back 30 some pounds.. it fluctuates..5 or 6 pounds.. but eat small meals often..chew very well.. elevate bed head.. Mayo put me on Mirtazapine to make me want to eat.. on the generic Nexium too. Ken

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Feb 20, 2022

@elleheart, I would like to introduce you to @ken82 @fourof5zs @woogie and others who have had hiatal hernia and surgery. If you have questions, please ask.

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collenp | @collenp | May 5, 2023
In reply to @kdubois "Having been through this, I would get a second opinion from a different GI doctor. Mayo..." + (show)
@kdubois

Having been through this, I would get a second opinion from a different GI doctor. Mayo told me to sleep upright, stop eating for the day at least three hours before bedtime, and to avoid certain foods: greasy foods, spicy foods, peppermint, and more.

Your inclination to avoid meds long-term is spot-on! I had a 4 cm hiatal hernia and GERD issues for years, and the sphincter between my stomach and esophagus was failing. My home doctors treated me with Nexium and it's generic equivalents for years. Twelve years later, and getting sicker and sicker, in September 2015 I took myself to Mayo and they figured out that I genetically don't properly metabolize these medications, which is the reason why I was getting sicker and sicker. Thing is, even if you do properly-metabolize these meds, these meds themselves inhibit the enzyme system that metabolizes these medications, which means that people on these meds long-term will slowly develop symptoms to the medication inhibition. (Both Prilosec and Zantac are also inhibitors.) Unfortunately, the majority of doctors don't know about it.

So solve this problem for me, last October Mayo performed a Nissen Fundoplication surgery on me to fix the hernia and GERD issue. No more meds for me!

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I am so relieved to hear you had a good outcome from your surgery at MAYO. Can you tell me your surgeon who performed the hernia surgery at MAYO.
I really would appreciate it. Thank you. So happy to hear you no longer take the acid reducing meds. Take care.

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phillygirl67 | @phillygirl67 | Sep 3, 2023

<p>Diagnosed with paraesophageal hernia</p><p>This is first post. I was diagnosed with 5 cm Hill grade 4- esophagus wide open with an endoscopy a few months ago. I live in eastern CT and was told by my primary care physician to go to a thoracic surgeon. I have hadGERD for yrs and have been on every prescription PPI there is since 2010 , but my blood work came back with a hemoglobin of 5. 2 blood transfusions later it is 12. I haven't even started any other tests. I did not like the GI department that I started with (small local hospital). 2weeks ago I started vomitting every time I ate small bites of food and drank normal amount of water. I have dropped so much weight that nothing fits (6 dress sizes). The biggest problem is finding a surgeon. The first 6 calls offered nothing until Dec. or Jan. I finally contacted chief of thoracic surgery. They didn't give me a date but connected me with Dr's PA. last week. She promised an appointment in 7-14 days so my fingers are crossed. Any information from a PEH patient or a relative of one would help. Thanks for reading. Have a safe holiday.</p>

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3 replies
phillygirl67 | @phillygirl67 | Sep 3, 2023
In reply to @phillygirl67 "Diagnosed with paraesophageal herniaThis is first post. I was diagnosed with 5 cm Hill grade 4-..." + (show)
@phillygirl67

<p>Diagnosed with paraesophageal hernia</p><p>This is first post. I was diagnosed with 5 cm Hill grade 4- esophagus wide open with an endoscopy a few months ago. I live in eastern CT and was told by my primary care physician to go to a thoracic surgeon. I have hadGERD for yrs and have been on every prescription PPI there is since 2010 , but my blood work came back with a hemoglobin of 5. 2 blood transfusions later it is 12. I haven't even started any other tests. I did not like the GI department that I started with (small local hospital). 2weeks ago I started vomitting every time I ate small bites of food and drank normal amount of water. I have dropped so much weight that nothing fits (6 dress sizes). The biggest problem is finding a surgeon. The first 6 calls offered nothing until Dec. or Jan. I finally contacted chief of thoracic surgery. They didn't give me a date but connected me with Dr's PA. last week. She promised an appointment in 7-14 days so my fingers are crossed. Any information from a PEH patient or a relative of one would help. Thanks for reading. Have a safe holiday.</p>

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Thank you! I know a PEH is only approx. 5% of American population so I do not expect huge replies. I will take a hug any day!

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1 reply
grace29 | @grace29 | Sep 4, 2023
In reply to @phillygirl67 "Thank you! I know a PEH is only approx. 5% of American population so I do..." + (show)
@phillygirl67

Thank you! I know a PEH is only approx. 5% of American population so I do not expect huge replies. I will take a hug any day!

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I know how you feel! I don’t have your problem. Mine is undiagnosed. God bless! E

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phillygirl67 | @phillygirl67 | Sep 4, 2023
In reply to @phillygirl67 "Diagnosed with paraesophageal herniaThis is first post. I was diagnosed with 5 cm Hill grade 4-..." + (show)
@phillygirl67

<p>Diagnosed with paraesophageal hernia</p><p>This is first post. I was diagnosed with 5 cm Hill grade 4- esophagus wide open with an endoscopy a few months ago. I live in eastern CT and was told by my primary care physician to go to a thoracic surgeon. I have hadGERD for yrs and have been on every prescription PPI there is since 2010 , but my blood work came back with a hemoglobin of 5. 2 blood transfusions later it is 12. I haven't even started any other tests. I did not like the GI department that I started with (small local hospital). 2weeks ago I started vomitting every time I ate small bites of food and drank normal amount of water. I have dropped so much weight that nothing fits (6 dress sizes). The biggest problem is finding a surgeon. The first 6 calls offered nothing until Dec. or Jan. I finally contacted chief of thoracic surgery. They didn't give me a date but connected me with Dr's PA. last week. She promised an appointment in 7-14 days so my fingers are crossed. Any information from a PEH patient or a relative of one would help. Thanks for reading. Have a safe holiday.</p>

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Thankk you! Hope they get your problem figured out! Feel better!

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