to ask whether you have a hiatus hernia?

[AraGrand]

If so, what are your symptoms.
I have one apparently, and I literally feel like my stomach is full after a mouthful of food. Then I feel nauseous and have to throw up.
Is this the hernia or something else?
Also have severe acid indigestion.

My brother was diagnosed with a hiatus hernia and Crohn's disease at the same time so it's hard to know which symptoms were due to which condition. But he had excruciating pain in his abdomen after eating, he lost a LOT of weight, he does have to eat quite small portions but doesn't feel nauseas after just a mouthful. I'm sure there's probably a lot more he could tell you too but that's all I know.

Same as you Ara

Only got diagnosed when I was 43 and also lost a lot of weight and was being sick.

Got given omazorople and told to avoid alcohol, fizzy drink, spicy food. I stoped smoking as apparently that is really bad (obvs!)

I really can't take fruit juice, wine or acidic fruits atm. Comes and goes.

Before the menopause (at 43) not a single symptom ever. Didn't know I had one.

Yes, mines a sliding hiatus hernia.

Sometimes I feel full after very little, sometimes not, sometimes horrific acid or wind gets trapped. Mostly I have issues swallowing anything bulky or dry, for example a dry sandwich would be a problem.

The acid reflux is horrible! I am worried it effects my teeth. How old are you Ana?

YES! Bloody thing and acid reflux / heartburn that it brings!

I used to drink chamomile and also peppermint teas, thinking they might help - my doctor told me that they (and blackberries!) were the worst thing I could do as they relax the hernia and allow the reflux. I stopped and things greatly improved.

I'm 42. It's a royal pain in the bottom. Life is just a constant merry go round of trying to eat and then vomiting and constantly feeling hungry. Plus the acid indigestion is driving me bonkers. It's better when I lie down, but obviously you can't be doing that all day long... I just wish there was some cure for it.

I have one! Was diagnosed a few years ago. I find that as long as I keep up with my meditation i have no symptoms at all.

I have one with no symptoms - found out after an endoscopy for acid reflux which I have really badly - also on Omeprazole. I really wish it would cause me to lose weight.

It’s incredibly common, I think the stats suggest 1 in 4 people have one! When you say you ‘apparently’ have one - was it diagnosed by gastroscopy?

I have one, it was picked up as an anomaly on a CT scan and found when I had a gastroscopy. I take Omeprazole daily which helps to manage the symptoms.

Yy to the wine. I drank a bottle of red wine a few days ago and I honestly felt like I had been poisoned. I was in bed the whole day after. Horrible.

When you say you ‘apparently’ have one - was it diagnosed by gastroscopy?

Yes an endoscopy - but the doctors didn't tell me I had one. I found out when I was copied on the letter to the GP from the consultant. So yes, apparently I have one lol.

@AraGrand that's how I found out about mine. I feel full after a little food, and get pain if I eat too much. For now, that's it, but as I'm not yet the same age as the symptoms seem to worsen I'm worried as to what the future holds.

I have one. Diagnosed by endoscopy a few years ago and I take Omeprazole daily.

Main symptoms are heartburn/reflux, trapped wind, and feeling hungry even when I've eaten. The medication helps and I double up the dose if I need to.

Are you on anything for the acid like omeprazole or ranitidine. Smaller more frequent meals are better and surgery can be done.

Are you on omniprezol?
Have you been tested for h.pylori?
Have you adjusted your diet?
I find porridge, brown bread and those friendly bacteria milks help. Also no fried food.
I feel worse when I lay down, not better.
YY to the poster who said it ruins your teeth. Cost me a lot to replace them.

My grandmother had one. Her symptoms seemed to be:

• she couldn’t eat much at a time
• certain things really repeated on her, esp onions
• she got awful hiccups and burps
• she threw up after eating more than one would otherwise like

Yes, DH has one so we've had to change our lifestyle but health is more important. We eat around 5.30pm (have DC so lovely to have a family meal), don't eat red meat, tomatoes or anything that irritates it - read up on it if you can find anything helpful and experiment with cutting out food stuffs as google doesn't say a lot. Nothing too heavy and keep alcohol to a minimum. We buy miniature cans of coke for a quick hit if he fancies a bit of sugary fizz but it's not often. He drinks milk which helps and has actually not had to take any ranitidine for ages. Sometimes takes a spoonful of gaviscon at night - he has to sit up so it can go down properly.

So many of our friends have had them diagnosed that it seems common for 40+ people (and seems mostly guys in our circle). They unfortunately have made no differences to diet and eat late and heavy and end up sleeping in armchairs as a result as lying down is painful. They categorically say diet has nothing to do with it but it has immensely helped DH so there must be a link. They just don't want to adjust their lifestyle. One has had a big op on his and can barely eat anything as so full even after a drink of water and says he can't wait to be able to eat burgers and chips once he's healed up

I have one - I get terrible acid reflux and have to force myself to regurge to clear it. Food quite often gets completely stuck.

I'm on lansoprazole but ran out of it today.

I take my Omeprazole first thing in the morning with water (keep it in my bedside table) so it has chance to work before I eat, that’s really helped.

All these symptoms ring true with me and thanks for this post Ana as I was sick on NYE because I had a glass of fizz and of course, that was why. I had forgotton. It seems to be getting worse/having a flare up.

Deffo after 40, I was about your age, the acid reflux is awful. I find it comes and goes but after a period of (only relative) excess I self medicate with the Omazeropole (SP) I can get it OTC here.

Diet and sadly alcohol. Deffo onions, I had leeks the other day, never do this!

I only drink vodka now! Not much coffee.

I get stuff stuck in my oesophagus at lot so I eat very slowly - often my food is cold. If anything gets stuck it usually has to come up because anything else like water will come straight back up again. If there's just a little stuck, a lot of the hiccuping will help it clear. I live on carbs because anything else either sticks or gives me terrible indigestion.

Oh, and a friend recommends fizzy coke for clearing any blockage. One of her sons gets things stuck because of his disability and once ended up in A&E; she drove to his town and walked in with a can of Coke as all the doctors were discussing what to do. A few mouthfuls of Coke and the blockage was away! Must be the same sort of action that has Coke cleaning loos and metal coins 😂

I actually ripped my oesophagus from retching (TMI) this is all ringing too true TooManyPaws

By that stage, I wnet to hospital, which is when I was diagnosed. I went as I also couldn't even swallow water. Or lie down.

@Cuddling57 - Seconding porridge, it is really calming.