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[Patchsmama]

Hi Everyone

I posted around four weeks ago when I was terrified as I was due to have an endoscopy. Well, I had it done and survived, but the outcome was that I have a paraoesophageal hiatus hernia.  The nurse practitioner who did the procedure said to take esomeprazole twice a day for six months and then review by GP. 

I was called by the nurse practitioner at the GP surgery last week to go through the report which I already knew and she said to stay on twice a day PPIs for only three months then try to reduce.  I constantly feel like I’m getting different advice.

Last week I started to feel better.  My symptoms have been post nasal drip and like mucus in my throat more than any acid.  However, this weekend, it feels like everything’s gone downhill and the drip and mucus are back.  I was wonder if anyone else with a hiatus hernia has felt like this and how long it took them to feel much better? 

I struggle with health anxiety and worry that I’ll never feel well again.  Unfortunately the nurse practitioner said to look it up online as ‘there were some interesting pieces on it’ which is always a bit mistake with me as I now am thinking I’ll have all the complications.

Thank you so much xx

[Flossieteacake]

No wonder you feel confused with getting conflicting advice! I have a hiatus hernia and was told to stay on PPIs for life to protect myself from acid reflux. Hiatus hernias cannot go on there own so I am not sure why you have been told to stay on them for either 3 or 6 months. What I do is take extra supplements such as calcium to help with taking PPIs. Not at the same time though.

It took me a while for the symptoms to get better and even know I will have flares especially if I eat certain foods. I would not worry and I would totally ignore the suggestion of looking it up. I think looking up things to do with health is a very bad idea when you have health anxiety.

I think I was 29 or 30 when I found out I had a hiatus hernia. It really is nothing to worry about and the PPIs will keep the acid reflux under control.

[SarahT]

Hi,
I used to suffer dreadful heartburn and indigestion, the heartburn seriously made me feel like I was having a heart attack.
I also had an endoscopy and was diagnosed with a hiatus hernia.
When my usual medication was no longer available I was put on omperazole which I now take just once a day. Tbh I have been on this for a couple of years at least, and it certainly controls my symptoms, though they differ from your own.

One thing that helps me  enormously is to eliminate or control, what foods made it worse and avoid them as much as possible. For me it is things like spices, peppers, raw onion, too much tomato, and fizzy drinks amongst others. I don't drink any alcohol anyway.
Whilst I would try to avoid Google for health issues (I convince myself of I have many serious illnesses if I google) I would suggest perhaps looking at common foods and drinks that can affect hiatus hernias and see if they ring any bells for you?

[Patchsmama]

Thank you so much Flossieteacake and Sarah T. I really appreciate your kind replies so much.  I should clarify that I was told I’d probably be on PPIs for life but there is the discrepancy about whether I reduce from 2 to 1 after 6 months or 3 months.   I feel pretty much that I’ve been left on my own with this. 

I think I’ll start a food diary from tomorrow to see if I can identify anything which makes it worse. The weird thing is that I don’t get much heartburn, more the post nasal drip and mucus in the throat, plus occasional indigestion, usually later in the day. 

I’m so glad that there is hope though as I thought that I should be starting to feel better by now, so consequently, it was getting me down again after the initial optimism of having a diagnosis that wasn’t something worse.

Thanks so much again xx

[Taz2]

Hi Patchsmama. I'm sorry that you are having to deal with this seemingly on your own.

Your hiatal hernia is one of the less common types. I have a sliding hiatal hernia and yours is termed a rolling hernia. With a sliding one part of the stomach slides up and down the oesophagus. With your type part of the stomach pushes up next to the oesophagus and stays there (I think that's right) and treatment may be different. Were you given any lifestyle advice at all?

Taz x 

[Toomuchstress]

I too had 2 endoscopy and first one revealed 4cm hiatus hernia with oesophagutis and the 2nd one it went from 4cm to 7cm

Was on omperazole and all the other ones for years , I found myself in AnE a few times as I thought I was having a heart attack and was told it was the hiatus hernia ,
I ft for 3 years and finally had the nissan fundoplication surgery last October,

It was horrific but worth it , I no longer need PPI,s and I was told I had raised prolactin levels due to the omeprozole,
And that taking PPi over a long time is bad for you ,

I'd tell anyone if they suffer with there hiatus hernia to try best you can to get surgery to fix it

Us woman are already suffering with the menopause etc
Men really don't know how lucky they are!

[Flossieteacake]

I too am sorry you have been left to deal with this alone. I was too. I have had to totally change my diet. No more fizzy drinks, tomato, acidic fruit, oily foods. You do get used to it though as if eating or drinking such things causes acid reflux then it spoils the enjoyment of the food or drink.

I one asked my GP if I could get my hiatus hernia repaired and she said they do not do it as it is likely to come back so it is not worth the surgery. I assume all areas are different though.

With your post nasal drip it is possible you have the condition post nasal drip. I know some people find nasal sprays helpful for that but it is a very irritating thing to have to deal with. Hopefully it is a response to the hernia and the PPI will help with that too.

[Patchsmama]

Hi Taz2. Thanks for your reply.  I was told by the ANP who did the endoscopy that I had a ‘cup and spill stomach, so I must have had a hiatus hernia at some point’. This implied that it might not still be there but I think it has to be as they don’t go away.  I was given the advice sheet for hiatus hernias from Patient.co.uk.  I don’t smoke, am not overweight, barely drink. I just feel very disappointed that this has happened. I had a TAH & BSO 8 years ago when I had a borderline ovarian cyst so I now always think the worst. 

I just hope things will get better with the PPIs xx

Hi Patchsmama. I'm sorry that you are having to deal with this seemingly on your own.

Your hiatal hernia is one of the less common types. I have a sliding hiatal hernia and yours is termed a rolling hernia. With a sliding one part of the stomach slides up and down the oesophagus. With your type part of the stomach pushes up next to the oesophagus and stays there (I think that's right) and treatment may be different. Were you given any lifestyle advice at all?

Taz x 

[Patchsmama]

I too am sorry you have been left to deal with this alone. I was too. I have had to totally change my diet. No more fizzy drinks, tomato, acidic fruit, oily foods. You do get used to it though as if eating or drinking such things causes acid reflux then it spoils the enjoyment of the food or drink.

I one asked my GP if I could get my hiatus hernia repaired and she said they do not do it as it is likely to come back so it is not worth the surgery. I assume all areas are different though.

With your post nasal drip it is possible you have the condition post nasal drip. I know some people find nasal sprays helpful for that but it is a very irritating thing to have to deal with. Hopefully it is a response to the hernia and the PPI will help with that too.

Thanks Flossieteacake. I also read that repairs are not often done as they frequently need doing again at a later date.   I’ve been in and off on steroid nasal sprays and antihistamines but not much luck.  I’m currently awaiting an ent referral but that was made before I had the endoscopy done. Xx

[Flossieteacake]

I too am sorry you have been left to deal with this alone. I was too. I have had to totally change my diet. No more fizzy drinks, tomato, acidic fruit, oily foods. You do get used to it though as if eating or drinking such things causes acid reflux then it spoils the enjoyment of the food or drink.

I one asked my GP if I could get my hiatus hernia repaired and she said they do not do it as it is likely to come back so it is not worth the surgery. I assume all areas are different though.

With your post nasal drip it is possible you have the condition post nasal drip. I know some people find nasal sprays helpful for that but it is a very irritating thing to have to deal with. Hopefully it is a response to the hernia and the PPI will help with that too.

Thanks Flossieteacake. I also read that repairs are not often done as they frequently need doing again at a later date.   I’ve been in and off on steroid nasal sprays and antihistamines but not much luck.  I’m currently awaiting an ent referral but that was made before I had the endoscopy done. Xx

You may need to chase up the referral but hopefully you will be seen soon.

[Taz2]

Hi Taz2. Thanks for your reply.  I was told by the ANP who did the endoscopy that I had a ‘cup and spill stomach, so I must have had a hiatus hernia at some point’. This implied that it might not still be there but I think it has to be as they don’t go away.  I was given the advice sheet for hiatus hernias from Patient.co.uk.  I don’t smoke, am not overweight, barely drink. I just feel very disappointed that this has happened. I had a TAH & BSO 8 years ago when I had a borderline ovarian cyst so I now always think the worst. 

I just hope things will get better with the PPIs xx

Hi Patchsmama. I'm sorry that you are having to deal with this seemingly on your own.

Your hiatal hernia is one of the less common types. I have a sliding hiatal hernia and yours is termed a rolling hernia. With a sliding one part of the stomach slides up and down the oesophagus. With your type part of the stomach pushes up next to the oesophagus and stays there (I think that's right) and treatment may be different. Were you given any lifestyle advice at all?

Taz x 

This is all very confusing for you as a cup and spill stomach also known as a cascade stomach due to the effect on your digestion is totally different to a hiatus hernia. I hope you get some answers soon.

Taz x

[Patchsmama]

Taz, this has now set me thinking. I am totally confused. The report given to me by the nurse practitioner on the day of the endoscopy stated  ‘visible cup and spill stomach’ but no written mention of hiatus hernia.  The letter I received from the consultant, who I’ve never seen, made no mention of the cup and spill but said I had a paraoesophageal hiatus hernia.  There is no mention of any measurements or anything on either.

Reading some bits on mumsnet about cup and spill, I can relate to some of the symptoms. Probably the main one being the fact that any indigestion often eases if I lie down. The report said that I did have reflux so I guess I do need the PPIs but I do wonder how much the stomach issue is having on my symptoms. 

Of course, the consultant wrote in the letter ‘no follow up’ so no opportunity to ask anything.

[Twirl]

Hi Patchsmama,
Sorry to hear about everything you are going through.
Not sure if any of this will help you but i was diagnosed with a hiatus hernia about 5 years ago.
I am on omeprazole,  1 in the morning,  1 at night.
Acid reflux is under control with the ppi's, haven't had any heartburn for years.

I have changed my eating habits  cutting out certain foods that was triggering the acid reflux. And I don't eat late at night.
But I also struggle with mucus in the throat, very annoying.

GP suggested it was post nasal drip and I tried nasal spray for 3 months but it didn't help.
So I was referred to ENT, they put a small camera up my nose and into my throat and said they couldn't see anything. We talked about post nasal drip but I don't feel any fluid coming from my nose and dripping down my throat.

I explained the mucus in my throat as it seems to appear  about 20 mins after I've eaten but it can be there anytime.
I also had another examination , a barium swallow to check how I swollow to see if I had a small pouch in my oesophagus that was causing the mucus but that has come back negative too. So gastroenterologist has said the mucus is nothing to worry about. He said it could be that because I suffered for years with heart burn your throat can learn, apparently to protect itself with this mucus and it can take some time to go away.
I have been quite distraught by it but all but all the professionals i have seen have all said its nothing to worry about.
I don't know much about cup and spill, hope you get some answers to help you soon.

Twirl x

[Patchsmama]

Hi Patchsmama,
Sorry to hear about everything you are going through.
Not sure if any of this will help you but i was diagnosed with a hiatus hernia about 5 years ago.
I am on omeprazole,  1 in the morning,  1 at night.
Acid reflux is under control with the ppi's, haven't had any heartburn for years.

I have changed my eating habits  cutting out certain foods that was triggering the acid reflux. And I don't eat late at night.
But I also struggle with mucus in the throat, very annoying.

GP suggested it was post nasal drip and I tried nasal spray for 3 months but it didn't help.
So I was referred to ENT, they put a small camera up my nose and into my throat and said they couldn't see anything. We talked about post nasal drip but I don't feel any fluid coming from my nose and dripping down my throat.

I explained the mucus in my throat as it seems to appear  about 20 mins after I've eaten but it can be there anytime.
I also had another examination , a barium swallow to check how I swollow to see if I had a small pouch in my oesophagus that was causing the mucus but that has come back negative too. So gastroenterologist has said the mucus is nothing to worry about. He said it could be that because I suffered for years with heart burn your throat can learn, apparently to protect itself with this mucus and it can take some time to go away.
I have been quite distraught by it but all but all the professionals i have seen have all said its nothing to worry about.
I don't know much about cup and spill, hope you get some answers to help you soon.

Twirl x

Hello Twirl

Thank you so much for your response.  I really appreciate everyone’s kindness. I’m afraid I completely understand the distress you’ve been through.  When we don’t know why things happen, it just plays on my mind. I wonder whether my throat is doing the sam?  At times I can feel a trickle of mucus down my post nasal space but often it’s just the mucus in the throat, there most of the time except when I wake in the night, weirdly.  I don’t get much heartburn which is the odd thing.

So glad you’ve got sorted, it’s reassuring to hear that there might be light at the end of the tunnel xx

[Twirl]

It is sooo distressing when we don't know whats going on and having mucus in your throat continuously is not great to live with. I totally understand.

I have been so worried about it because I have Barrett's oesophagus but I have had many endoscopy's.
I have even had a 24hr monitor - a tube going into my throat and stomach via a tube in my nose to monitor the acid and that all came back normal.

I did say to my gastroenterologist that I couldn't understand why I had the mucus there because I don't suffer with heartburn anymore.

Very strange and I do still worry about it all but I have had lots of tests and they all reassure me that although its something I could do with out, this constantly trying to swallow and clear my throat. They say its nothing to worry about.

I hope you get some answers soon.

Twirl x