Hiatal Hernia Support Group

Hi Leeniefran,
I have a HH also. Mine is very small. I haven't experienced all of your symptoms but before I had my endoscopy my esophagus was so sore it continuously felt like an actual burn. I am on Nexium also and I have found it helps tremendously. When I had my endoscopy done they did a biopsy just as a general precaution and all was well. You will probably need to be on Nexium for longer to feel the full benefit. Once I had been on it for about 3 months I felt like a new person. I have never heard of a HH going away. You will probably have to make changes to your diet. However, one size doesn't fit all. On the list of foods they gave me oatmeal is supposed to be OK but it is an absolute no-no for me. On the other hand I can very comfortably eat spicy foods like curries and chili with absolutely no consequences at all. You will just have to experiment. I wish you luck with your biopsy and I will keep my fingers crossed that you are OK. Keep us posted!

I was diagnosed with a large hiatal hernia after having an endoscopy. It seems that everyone's symptoms seem to be a little different. Before I went to the Dr. I was throwing up a lot. The Dr. told me I could only eat mainly baked fish or chicken and a few other things on the list. I live alone and don't cook a lot and don't like baked chicken/fish without adding things to it that might get me sick. I could have a few sips of water at night, then lie down because I'm tired, and the water comes up acidic. Sometimes the food the Dr. said it would be OK to eat, also refuses to stay down otherwise I feel nauseous.

One thing that seems to soothe symptoms is "ice cream" and for awhile I've been eating 1/2 gallon every other day! I've never been tempted by ice cream before. It just makes me feel better unless I have too much at one time. So, as a result, over the past 6 months I've gained a lot of weight. I'm the heaviest I've ever been at size 12 and my stomach looks as if I'm pregnant. This alone has depressed me a lot. It has affected my exercising too. Sometimes when I try and exercise the way I used to, I feel like I want to throw up. I hate this problem. It's driving me crazy and ruining my life.

Hi. My name is Mary Biederstadt. I suffered for many years with constipation, hemorrhoids, and painful urination. I couldn't sleep well at night because of very bad leg cramps.

I began experiencing the nightmare of GERD, Hiatal Hernia, Acid Reflux, or whatever they call it. I was so scared! Then, I developed Plantar Fasciitis, and then Sciatica - pain in the butt and groin that radiates down your leg. My body was trying it's best to get my attention!

I've started a blog to inform people about their Psoas and Piriformis muscles, and how to stretch them.
These muscles and others in the area are what truly supports our internal organs and holds them up in the right places! I don't have acid reflux, or any of those other symptoms, anymore. I seldom have the leg cramps, and when I do it's very slight. I truly feel like a new person.
Please let me know if I can post a link to my blog. I read the rules of the road, but I'm not sure of the policy.

Hi Southernbrit,
Thank you so much for your encouraging words. I am happy to report that the biopsy came back benign. I was wondering if the Nexium causes gas and bloating. That's my newest symptom. I have been watching my diet and eating small meals and snacks. I find that about 3 hours after a meal, I get an empty/grumbling feeling. If I don't eat something at that point, I get nauseaus. I find that these more frequent, small meals help. Again...thanks for your encouragement.

Hi Trudilu, During the first couple of weeks with this condition, ice cream made me feel better too. I am now able to eat better. I only drink water now. No more coffee, tea, carbonated drinks. Nothing spicy and no tomato sauce. I am really hoping that after awhile, I will be able to have the tomato sauce though. I miss it already! No citrus products, or anything acidic. I have slowly been feeling better. So far, it has been easy because I am so afraid to feel the way I did before! It was so scary. I hope you find relief.

i also had same conditions, i havent been taking the medication like i should, i have so many stomach problems i dont know what to do at times! i didnt feel any better after taking medication for few weeks so i started to not take it. does anyone know if this is reversable or just maintainable??

Hi I have both as well
Have been treated with somac the last 18 months and have had hardly any trouble at all, untill the last month due to muscle problems i have watched what i eat and exercised daily and now i have found my symptoms are ten fold to what they were when i was diagnosed, alot of nausea pain in just under the sternum and pain with swallowing, a gurrgling sound in my throat comes after i have swallowed even just saliva, i havnt found any relief as yet Im also taking anti acids to try and get rid of the sick feeling but its not working, Looks like a trip to the Drs for me as Im unsure if i have a sliding or rolling , one is rarer but can cause huge problems, I do still smoke which i know wont help and i have cut down to about 4 cups of tea a day, and eating small meals etc I dont eat alot of fatty acid foods or soft drinks and i hardly ever drink, so even with my lifestyle change i feel worse than i did before .

HH's never go away, they can increase, and unless you reach the point of 24/7 pain and cannot eat, it will never be repaired.

Depending on how large the HH is, when you eat foods that expand inside your stomach you can get pain so incredible that you cannot stand upright until the stomach pops back out of the HH.

I was put on Nexium and a couple others for several months each and none worked for me. The next try DID work for 5 years but has recently begun to be somewhat ineffective except in larger and more frequest doses.

Don't be afraid to get your doc to prescribe something else if yours doesn't work well enough to make you feel "normal" in the gut 95% of the time. If not 95%, you should check for gluten sensitivity, Celiac, or other things that can cause gut problems - particularly with that weight loss!

I get some degree of nausea every time I eat and have for many years. Doesn't keep me from eating and gaining weight though (smile). I too have become gassy but only the last year or so and I've been dealing with all that for decades.

Coffee, smoking and citrus are the worse things for it. I've become extremely lactose intollerant last 3-4 years. And chocolate, unfortunately. Humbug!