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Original poster

Omeprazole for life, sliding hiatal hernia

59 replies

Thislife55555 · 19/12/2022 22:02

Not sure if there is anyone out there with a similar issue, I experienced horrendous heart burn age 37, 3 yrs on from having our daughter, not sure if it's linked but I went through a lot of stress with her and was eventually sent for an endoscopy which they said I had a sliding hernia and that I'd need to be on omeprazole for life! I've been taking 20mg for the last 4 months so far presicebed by my Gp upon the letter from the consultant I saw for the camera but I've never had a discussion with the Gp about this medication. Due to how busy we've been I've only recently had time to sit down and read a lot this medication and I'm a bit worried. It is saying there is a long term side effects. I also don't think they're really working as I'm stil having issues. Does anyone know much about these drugs and what even may have caused me to get a hiatal sliding hernia? I feel so young to have this issue and I know it's serious it's so irritating, prior to this I was such a fit healthy woman who liked to eat a lot and now I'm swallowing constantly as can feel the valve is slack and I can't eat nowhere near as much as I used to. Also worried about my long term health having a 3.5 yo.

OP posts:
MajesticWhine · 19/12/2022 22:12

This type of hernia is is very common, being pregnant or overweight can increase the chances. Given your symptoms are bad, maybe surgery is an option?

CoffeeBoy · 19/12/2022 22:14

Dd has the same and is on omeprazole. She has EDS which is probably why she has it, was diagnosed at 17yo with it which I think is quite young.

Original poster
Thislife55555 · 19/12/2022 22:17

Thanks both for the replies, it's a bit of a pain, im mostly coping ok with it but it is noticeable, def better since being on these meds but I had no idea what could have caused it. So pregnancy can be a common factor? I did ballloon in weight I was a size 8 and went to a 14, I had a huge Edema issue too and was just all up front I cojkd barely walk the last couple
Months as my ankles and legs ball

OP posts:
Original poster
Thislife55555 · 19/12/2022 22:20

Hit send in error, my legs ballooned, i am bakc to the size 10 now but I don't undertand why it took 3 yrs to come on. They did say it was my valve that it was weakened and I vaguely recall them saying surgery was an option but I can't remember if they said there would be risks but it is annoying to live with as it can be noticeable to me esp if I wear tight fitting jeans which I've had to give up on as it def makes it a lot worse 🤦‍♀️

OP posts:
CoffeeBoy · 19/12/2022 22:21

You get more relaxin and progesterone when you’re pregnant which relaxes muscle so it can make hernias more common.

Original poster
Thislife55555 · 19/12/2022 22:23

@CoffeeBoy arrrr now that makes total sense! Oh crikey so getting pregannt again could make this a lot worse 🤦‍♀️ i wonder if surgery would be an option, I'll have to research in to that and see that it says online as I guess the Gp won't know and will refer me back to gastro I think is the correct dept but hormones yes that makes sense!

OP posts:
namechanged221 · 19/12/2022 22:23

DH has this and us on it for life but he's going for a repeat endoscopy in January because apparently there is some new treatment he may be suitable for?

Original poster
Thislife55555 · 19/12/2022 22:24

@namechanged221 hopefully something a bit better than the omeprazole. It's the first issue I've had with my health bar a broken coccyx due to the Labour as she was back to back, that's another story but I hope he finds something better!

OP posts:
Augend23 · 19/12/2022 22:26

I think we looked into surgery and there were some risks that on balance meant it wasn't worth it for my relative but it depends on the level of impact it has on you.

Original poster
Thislife55555 · 19/12/2022 22:27

I am considering very caustiously another child but I'm really unsure if another could make this a lot lot worse! I don't know anyone whose got this that went on to have another to ask how it changed things, I suspect it'd likely worsen if it's hormones linked potentially 🤦‍♀️ such a pain, I never wanted an only child relaly but I certainly don't want to make my health worse and risk losing time in the long term with my daughter.

OP posts:
fairgame84 · 19/12/2022 22:28

I've got this and take up to 80mg of omeprazole daily. I've been on it for around 5 years and on lansoprazole prior. I'm not overweight but there is a strong family history of it.
The long term issues are to do with osteoporosis i think, my gp mentioned it. However the consequence of not taking the omeprazole is a high risk of oesophageal cancer. I'm waiting for my next endoscopy and hoping they will offer me surgery to fix it. DS had the surgery in 2018 and it worked.

fairgame84 · 19/12/2022 22:29

Oh and I've just had another dc and the issue was no worse in pregnancy.

Original poster
Thislife55555 · 19/12/2022 22:29

@Augend23 I would consider it but yes I'd have to take a look at what the risks for this are, I'll have to mention to the Gp that it doesn't feel hugely improved and see what they say. I do not get the intense burning nowhere near anymore but I def have days prob half the time where it feels noticeably more uncomfortable than others in sense of feeling like the valve isn't doing its job!

OP posts:
CoffeeBoy · 19/12/2022 22:31

Is the surgery minor? Dd is going back to the gp to moan about a few ongoing symptoms. She has a lot of nausea and vomiting, not sure if that’s due to the hernia or her eds but if the surgery isn’t too bad then it might be worth trying. Although she’s also on blood thinners so they’ll probably say no!

Original poster
Thislife55555 · 19/12/2022 22:34

@fairgame84 thank you for your reply! Intersitng as my Dad app has the same sort of issue but he has a cell changes problem, he's 81 thohh and always been fine so far and also smokes like a chimney! Yes I read re osteoporosis. I think I def need to try a slightly higher dosage but it's very reassuring to read your reply. It is def better to remain on them to take the acid down for sure, I am def sticking with them but it's also great to hear you didn't feel worse with a subsequent pregnancy. I was concerned with that. Have you noticed anything for you that makes it feel worse? I have noticed I can't skip meals anymore I feel terrible for a couple days if I'm even an hour late for lunch, so I have to be careful not to miss mealtimes x

OP posts:
Augend23 · 19/12/2022 22:36

20mg isn't that much omeprazole, they might want to up your dose first.

My relative has found various things help: little and often so e.g. we would always have a fair break between a main course and any posing, and she'll have a small breakfast and then a snack mid morning.

Definitely no bending over immediately after eating - so picking things up you have to do like you would if you had a bad back or were wearing a skirt so you crouch rather than bend.

And then for her it's 1 omeprazole before bed and one in the mornings. You don't want to allow stomach acid to keep entering your oesophagus because it will damage the cells there long term and increases the risk of oesophageal cancer, so it's better to inhibit the production of the stomach acid than not.

fairgame84 · 19/12/2022 22:36

CoffeeBoy · 19/12/2022 22:31

Is the surgery minor? Dd is going back to the gp to moan about a few ongoing symptoms. She has a lot of nausea and vomiting, not sure if that’s due to the hernia or her eds but if the surgery isn’t too bad then it might be worth trying. Although she’s also on blood thinners so they’ll probably say no!

Its a fundoplication and they do it keyhole. DS has asd and coped really well with it. He had a morphine pump on the ward after theatre but didn't need it on day 2. Discharged home on day 3 with painkillers. He was supposed to eat a soft diet for a few weeks after but I went to the loo on day 4 and came down to him eating a bag of crisps.
He's only ever had one issue last year where he over ate and needed to be sick but couldn't. I had to call the OOH GP to get him some anti sickness meds. Other than that he's been fine.

Original poster
Thislife55555 · 19/12/2022 22:36

@CoffeeBoy no idea they didn't say, I just remember asking if there was surgery if it's a valve issue and they said yes but there was complications that can arise but I can't recall the exact conversation I had the camera without any meds except the spray so I was feeling a bit dazed when it was done. Sorry what does the Eds stand for? I don't get any nausea or sickness with this x

OP posts:
Augend23 · 19/12/2022 22:37

X post, z sorry didn't see fairgames post!

Theunamedcat · 19/12/2022 22:37

My 13 year old has just started on these pills they are monitoring him closely

fairgame84 · 19/12/2022 22:39

@Thislife55555 yes my dad has it too and so did DS. We've all got cell changes, DS had surgery aged 13.

Mine gets worse with stress and certain foods as well as bending forwards. Chocolate and water make it worse for me.

Titsywoo · 19/12/2022 22:39

I think I'd avoid the surgery unless you really have to as more people seem to regret having it than not. There is a good group on Facebook for people suffering with hiatal hernia that you should look at. There are lots of lifestyle changes that can really improve it.

Original poster
Thislife55555 · 19/12/2022 22:40

@Augend23 thank you; yes I'm noticing I'm relaly having to bend down differently, I don't think having my daughter helped as I was bending down so much but forwards! I need to keep a close eye on that and do the skirt bend I stand to keep things upright!

I think I'll need to try to up the dosage, see how that goes.

And I do need to reduce my meal sizes that's been a bit of a shock as I'm a bit of a piggy! I have to try harder witj that too.

Such fun! 😭

OP posts:
Original poster
Thislife55555 · 19/12/2022 22:44

@fairgame84 wow it's interesting and sa pain also. Dads been fairly lucky considering how much he smokes and eats too! Hope I'll be so lucky but water that's interesting! Never been a huge water drinker so may be a good thing but for me it's prob fizzy drinks but luckily I'm not huge on them anymore but I do like large portions for meals so that's going to take some time to work on!

OP posts:
greenhousegal · 19/12/2022 22:45

Can I join in? Taking lanzaprazole 30mg daily for nearly 2 years now. I had Helicobacter Pylori and was left with a small ulcer and gastritis. Will be on them inefinitely. Then when being treated for Atrial Fibrillation in hospital I had a massive gastric bleed. It was from the stomach and the anticoagulants put me in a very serious situation.

Anyway got PPIs on drip which is the standard treatment for gastric bleed. Still on them now. I asked consultant why and he said, stay on them you are vulnerable to bleeds and that is much worse. Was taken off blood thinners and had a cardiac device fitted so now only on aspirin. Seemingly the PPI is protective as aspirin can cause gastric bleed.

I'm also older than you lot now, and although the Dexa scan was ok, they are monitoring me for bone density etc. that would be normal at my age, but with the PPI it's important.

So far I've no side effects. Lesser of two evils I suppose.

Good luck to all taking this.