Hi. I'm also suffering on a daily basis.
How big is your hernia? Did someone advise you to have it repaired?

Not sure how big and the Dr fid not advise surgery. I was given a bunch of different prescription all of wich i choose not to take anymore. I foundall that stuff made me feel worse. I watch what i eat and drink but not alot helps. Good days and really bad days.

I also was diagnosed with a hiatal hernia, doctors really do not know what to do I am keeping a food diary as to my good days and bad days - I do know that I cannot eat any bread whatsoever now, I cannot eat ice cream but I can eat cheese, its so crazy -I only eat fresh vegetables raw or steamed and very little fruit - only berries and grapes. If I eat apples I go into severe pain. I suffer every day. Finally I was prescribed Carafate and its a miracle - but you must take it before you eat and before bed. Hope this helps

Hello Molly

What is the Carafate for and what does it do.

Carafate is used to coat everything

Carafate is really good for the stomach. It is used to heal gastritis most of the time. Molly sounds like she has gastritis symptoms as well. You cant eat cheese with reflux or berries but you can get away with it with gastritis.

What are the symptoms you have? Are they reflux and heartburn related? bad heartburn? A small HH isnt normally painful but the reflux/silent reflux and heartburn can make you feel lousy. if you have gastritis too, you will feel even worse and have weird symptoms. Try sleeping on a pillow wedge at night.

I sleep sitting up most nights. I wish i could narrow down what hurts and what helps but its not as easy as i thought it would be. I get migrains and i dread it because only ibuprofen works and then i feel like im dying. The pain and discomfort is undescribeable. Last night was a rough one. I had two beer to celebrate somthing from work and i paid for it all night. I am starting to get depressef and feel like the active man i once was is fading away. I teach kickboxing and i dont feel weell enough to even do that most days. No sleep pays a big part. Nice to know im not alone in this struggle.

Do the food journal. You cant treat yourself until the esophagus has healed and it has to be healed for months before you can treat yourself. If you have a small HH you can live well and feel good most of the time. It takes a lot of discipline and hard work to get to a good place but it can be done. Then there will be foods and drinks that you never may be able to have or just have a small amount as a treat. it took me a year and a half to get really good at this and I never took meds for it. If you have gastritis it is even more work to get to a good place. Stress and mental health have a huge impact on reflux and gastritis as well. Having to take a NSAID is really bad for the stomach and causes reflux too sometimes. I wonder if you can try something else for the migraines? You also sound like you are dealing with gastritis. gastritis is hard to heal and takes even longer but it can be done. Go to the gastritis/GERD sites and read posts on how to heal. Gastritis requires even more discipline. I am an exercise addict and when I had mild gastritis it bothered me running so I walked fast. Get out and walk. It is good mentally. This issue takes a ton of hard work to get to a good place. I have been where you are and I have a ton of determination. That is what gets you there but expect it to take at least a year. Do the hard work now and you will get way better! Going to a chiro was also a turning point for me. It changed my HH for sure and the reflux kept getting better. I rarely have had gastritis but it has to be nipped in the bud quickly or it goes on for a very long time. Dont allow gastritis to continue. Do your absolute best to get rid of that. Shihonage has good help on his link for gastritis. Check him out.

What is the best diet to be on if you have HH?

I cannot take carafate. They gave it to me in the ER and it made my stomach hurt too bad. My doctor changed it to platonic (sp?). I've one small flare up and just last night I had one bad one.

How's your HH at the moment? Did it ever settle down?
Mine has just got worse over the last couple of months. Really gets in the way of a normal life.

hi i am new to the group was just wondering if there are more people with hiatal hernia like me. i got diagnosed 5 months ago with an upper GI. I hate it with a passion. I am not my self at all and never have the energy anymore to be the best in all i do. I never give up being a single mother of 2 boys. i have my days but when its bad it hits me like a tune of bricks.