Hiatus hernia

[Diver6]

Hi, I hope I’m on the right forum for help

I’m wondering if anybody else has choking and coughing with phlegm that leaves you breathless and heaving after having a meal.

I’ve been to the doctor lots of times, and I’ve been told it’s symptoms of my Hiatus Hernia

The second last time I went to doctors he prescribed doubling up on Lansoprazole, 1 on a morning and 1 on a night, it didn’t help a lot still very bad coughing, last time I went (last week) a new doctor said it was the hiatus hernia and she subscribed Famotidine 1 on a night with my Lansoprazole, I also take peptac liquid 4 time s a day.

I’m so fed up with choking, does this sound right to you, does anybody else have this.

Thank you in advance.

[Vanilla88]

I have hiatus hernia, I have in the past suffered choking but only when asleep. The contents of my stomach would leak back into my throat whilst I slept until I inhaled it and woke up choking. I was advised this was made worse by eating to close to going to bed, leave a 4 hour gap and stop drinking alcohol. Since following this advice I no longer take medication to stop production of stomach acid and hardly ever have any issues related to the hernia.

[Diver6 in reply to Vanilla88]

Hi that is so good, something to look forward to, I used to be able to drink anything and eat anything.Now I’ve started eating only when I’m hungry just a smaller portion, stopped drinking wine or Gin, somebody recommended Pineapple juice so that’s nice on a night and cuts through any phlegm and don’t have anything to eat after 9pm

Hoping to be like you with no issues.

[Maisie2014]

I think you would be better asking for tests to prove or disprove this. I have had one for over 18 years and I control the symptoms well. However 15 years ago they were so bad it turned out I also had gallstones. I had my gallbladder removed and changed my medication (lanzoprazole made the symptoms worse for me). Further tests included scans and endoscopy.

[Diver6 in reply to Maisie2014]

Thank you Marie, I’m supposed to see her in 2 weeks to see if the Famotidine is working, I will go with quiet a few questions, she is a new doctor and she listened to me.

[Hidden]

With some personal experience of reflux disease (with medication) I recommend what others have said and leave at least 3 hours between your last meal and going to bed. Smaller more frequent meals will also help, as will cutting down on some foods like onions which create gas.

However what strikes me is that you have been to your GP 'lots of times' and meds may not be working. If you haven't had an endoscopy you should be asking for one. And if the medication isn't working your GP should be considering sending you to a gastro consultant for an assessment of whether surgery is required.

[Diver6 in reply to Hidden]

Hi thanks for your reply, I have had an Endoscopy that’s when they told me I had the hiatus hernia, I seem to have been on Lansoprazole for years think it was just for Reflux when I started it. Today I haven’t been so bad, I am taking the extra Lansoprazole and Famotidine and having peptac acid straight after a meal.Just been reading up on the side effects of Lansoprazole and I’m going to have a word with my doctor, one of the side effects is Osteoporosis and have just been diagnosed with this after breaking my elbow.

Anyway up to now, my coughing is under control today, small portions and peptac seems to be working today,

[Silvertail]

I have a hiatus hernia as well as GORD. I take Nexium half an hour before breakfast (I used to have pantoprazole 40mg twice a day but hospital doctor halved the dose as he said it was too much.) I still regurgitate some food or bile after food, at times, and feel bloated and uncomfortable if I eat a bigger meal than usual.

[Radars in reply to Silvertail]

I have had hiatus hernia for years it is hard to control after a while, the dr thought it was anjina and I was put on all the meds ,I had a echocardiogram recently and the technician said my heart is ok,so the dr took me off the meds realizing that its my hiatus hernia, I take 40mgs of rabeprazole in the morning and 20mg famatodine in the evening but I am still having to clear my throat a lot,I have asked to be referred for a endoscopy because of upper back pain and ache in chest especially after a meal when its bad i have to sit down to relieve it ,I am also thinking could it be osteoporosis, any thoughts please.

[Silvertail in reply to Radars]

I've had several endoscopies and as well as the hernia they find inflamed areas, but thankfully biopsies have been OK so far. I also have diverticulosis and heart problems so have all kinds of discomfort. I don't know if I'm having angina or indigestion as the pain for both is in the middle of my chest. I find ginger ale helps and also take mylanta or gaviscon. Trying not to be too graphic, but I don't have to clear my throat. Bile or a bit of food or drink comes into my mouth and I have to rinse my mouth. Also happens if I bend over to pick something up. My esomeprazole (Nexium) doesn't seem to be working all that well. (When I was remembering to take my Nexium half an hour before breakfast, all was well, but it has come back again. I'll have to visit my doctor again.

[HANDY1]

What you need is an upper scope to confirm if you have a hiatus hernia and if so how big. That is the only way to confirm if something needs to be done. My dad’s hernia was so bad, 3/4 of his stomach was above his diaphragm. I have one but only 2cm. If you have one and it’s bad enough they have to operate and pull your stomach back down.

[Diver6 in reply to HANDY1]

Hi there, I have had a colonoscopy that is how it was diagnosed, I don’t think it’s very big because of the way the I was told eg:- ‘can’t see anything abnormal except for a Hiatus Hernia, loads of people have them, I probably have one as well’ …this is how I was told.At the moment I am following some advice I got on here and I’ve had a good day, not much coughing, but I am going to have a word with the doctor again, I will give it another week to see if the extra Lansoprazole and Famotidine make any different, thank you for your input.

[Diver6 in reply to HANDY1]

Back to my previous message, I meant Endoscopy x

[Mountwood in reply to Diver6]

I was wondering how your hiatus hernia was discovered during a colonoscopy!