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Hiatal Hernia. What helps?
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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I totally agree with animallover25.....a Functional Medicine person can be a HUGE difference in your well being. I've been going to a Functional Medicine person for 8 years and they are WONDERFUL. I pay out of pocket, but they're so well worth it.
@animallover25 Some of us are not so financially fortunate, sadly
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1 ReactionThere is Care Credit credit card, some Functional Medicine Dr's and Dentist's offices take Care Credit. If you get approved, you can use it like a credit card, however it is for medical expenses, vet bills, dental bills. You could try that and see if that might help you.
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2 ReactionsI had the same, I am a healthy weight and have been suffering for many years. I was on Prevacid 2x per day plus famotidine in flare ups also took gaviscon and gas x as needed. It was progressively getting worse and would flare up often. Some weeks I would only eat rice and soda crackers to try to calm down the flare up. I could never pinpoint it to certain foods. On November 6, 2025 I had the hernia repair and nissen fundiplication. It has been 6 weeks and I am still recovering and only on puréed foods. My surgeon says it takes at least 3 months to fully recover. I will update once I fully heal and let you know if the surgery was worth it. I am 60 years old and retiring soon and hoping for improvement so I can do some travelling in I’m retirement years.
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1 Reaction@pichulita Some of us are not so lucky and live on disability only.