Hietal Hernia - ever have one?

Yall

So I've been having terrible chest pains from sternum to throat. My esophagus feels swollen and abdomen is tender. I've had bad heartburn before and this is nothing like it. EKG today said my ticker is fine, and I'm thinking given the symptoms this may be a hietal Hernia. I'm having a barrium swallow tomorrow to rule that theory in or out.

My question is, anyone ever have this? Did it feel like intense pressure in your chest like your esophagus was being squeezed?

bowen

Yall wrote: »

So I've been having terrible chest pains from sternum to throat. My esophagus feels swollen and abdomen is tender. I've had bad heartburn before and this is nothing like it. EKG today said my ticker is fine, and I'm thinking given the symptoms this may be a hietal Hernia. I'm having a barrium swallow tomorrow to rule that theory in or out.

My question is, anyone ever have this? Did it feel like intense pressure in your chest like your esophagus was being squeezed?

Ex had it, that's exactly it. She described it as intense heartburn all the time, and it worsened with stress.

Hopefully your doctors rule it out and it's just something like GERD instead.

Yall

It's not quite like heartburn though. Heartburn, well, burns. This is more like a strongman squeezing the shit out of my throat and chest.

I'm almost hoping it isn't GERD though. I mean is that treatable outside of Prilosec (which has successfully controlled my heartburn for 10 years)?

bowen

Yeah the treatment for Hiatal and GERD is usually omeprazole (prilosec).

You might need to be on a different medication, a higher dosage, and/or require surgery.

Edit: Protonix is one of the good ones I've heard.

Yall

Well, hopefully will know more at the of the week.

Enc

I'm on Pantoprazole, one of the variants for GERD, after dealing with it for a while without. It doesn't have to feel like actual heartburn to be reflux. Most times, I'd just wake up with a scratchy throat or have occasional stabbing pains in my sternum that I also suspected was cardiac (and greatly feared). In reality it was tiny spasms causing a tiny but of acid to wash against growing ulcers in my esophagus just above my stomach.

With the medicine, I operate pretty much as normal so long as I don't overindulge in things I shouldn't eat. If I have a lot of tomatoes (or any Pizza) I usually overpower the prontix's ability to neutralize the acid within an hour, so I try to avoid that. Similarly with more than a small amount of alcohol or coffee.

If it is GERD, you do have to adjust your diet and the prontix isn't intended to be a permanent fix, usually. Over time it can have some pretty nasty side effects, so if thats the angle you have to go diet is the best prevention.

bowen

Yeah pantoprazole/protonix is like fucking black magic for hernias and ulcers from what I can understand. A lot of insurances won't cover it and make you go to omeprazole because it's cheaper.

Let us know what they find out Yall.

Yall

So got my barrium swallow results (and as an aside that's some cool-ass shit to watch liquid pass through your esophagus in real time). Small hietal hernia and some reflux. Pretty much as expected. No surgery required. Take it easy, nix the smoking (I'm at a pack a week or less), lose a few pounds, and probably ease up on the spicy foods and alcohol.

Frankly I'm not surprised but at the same time I've been living a not so clean life for a while and never experienced any symptoms remotely similar to this. So while I'll heed the advice (I mean, every bit of it is common sense) I'm not 100% convinced this was the entirety of the issue (although the hernia bit may account for the new symptoms).

Regardless, appreciate the thoughts and input from you guys.

tinwhiskers

Yall wrote: »

Frankly I'm not surprised but at the same time I've been living a not so clean life for a while and never experienced any symptoms remotely similar to this. So while I'll heed the advice (I mean, every bit of it is common sense) I'm not 100% convinced this was the entirety of the issue (although the hernia bit may account for the new symptoms).

Well, there's also the whole getting older thing, but not much you can do about that.

Yall

Yeah I'm fighting that tooth and nail, but losing every time.