Wish Things Would Just Go Away

Engine2 · Post by **Engine2** » Fri Dec 05, 2008 7:33 am

Well, I have to say things have been pretty good, but I am a sufferer of Anxiety and may always be this way, but since a few doctors appointments earlier in the year I have been doing well.

I have acid reflux and hiatal hernia which is supposedly a big cause of my reflux. So, this brings us to the last few days.

I have been able to control my anxiety and I have been Xanax free for at least 3 wks if not longer. I was taking them on an as needed basis and have not really needed them. I'd like to stay off, but with the holidays and a stressful family situation I may need a couple to keep my sanity (and smile).

Anyway, this is really about the reflux (and I know most of you are not doctors) but for those how have either reflux or the hernia, I was wondering if the reflux could get stimulated with the hernia even while on Meds. I get a burning or irritation in my throat and it started after 2-3wks of yard work on the weekends. (LEAVES!!!!). I have to bag them all and then carry them to the front for garbage pick up. I am thinking I aggravated the hernia.

I have accepted the pains that come with Costrochondritis, reflux, etc, but since being on the little purple pill things have been pretty good.

I know I don't eat great, but just wondering if anyone else battles it with this type of hernia. If not, it could be stress related...I am monitoring, but it is annoying. Stupid leaves!

selfinducedcoma · Post by **selfinducedcoma** » Sat Dec 06, 2008 10:20 am

oh boy, am i with you on the reflux.. i just had a barium swallow and upper gi series, both of which came back normal... but still, i feel terrible! every day i have some weird burning/discomfort in my chest and it often feels like i can't get a deep enough breath.. its making my anxiety go absolutely crazy..

i had an endoscopy done two years ago and it came back showing acid reflux and eosinophilic esophagitis, so i know i have issues there.. but my current gi doctor says he doesn't see any reflux. i am taking protonix but it isn't helping nearly enough.

i wish i had any sort of advice for you, but i'm really not sure what to do with myself even. i actually thought i had a hernia but the upper gi/barium swallow didn't show anything and my dr. doesn't think an endoscopy is necessary, so.. i don't know. he just prescribed me clairitin to treat my eosinophilic esophagitis (which is a weird type of throat allergy). of course, i'm afraid to start taking it just like i am every other medication!

anyway, just saying i can relate to your problem. and i've been diagnosed with costochondritis too! i can imagine that the yard work might aggravate the hernia.. i hope that things improve for you soon.. physical problems are no fun at all!

SeeBee · Post by **SeeBee** » Sat Dec 06, 2008 10:32 am

Any stress/pressure on the upper abdomen, i.e. straining, lifting, etc., can definitely aggravate an HH. You are putting pressure/strain when you bend over and lift... therefore, worsening of the reflux.

Engine2 · Post by **Engine2** » Sat Dec 06, 2008 2:45 pm

Thanks for the responses. I suppose it will be something I just have to live with as they say there is no treatment for the HH unless it gets really bad and they have to do surgery, which I will hopefully try and avoid!!

As for my Costochondritis, I thought it was eventually suppose to go away, but ah, no! Then again I have two kids, one of which is 2, so obviously he gets lifted up a bit by myself and I am a firefighter/EMT so I have strains there.

I definitely can correlate the feelings coming soon after all the yard work. I expected the chest pain and costchondritis to flare up, but I guess I did not expect the reflux (throat irritation) to get bad.

I felt better today, though I have my chest pain tonight after being out with friends and lifting my son in and out of my truck....that does not usually do it, but I assume I am recooperting from my new strain.

I also recently started using the nautilus equipment at the YMCA, been walking for months, but know I need to work some muscles and based on how sore the biceps, triceps, and deltoids have been, I might be able to stop the guessing right there.

However, if I did not do all the guessing and thinking, I guess I would never have wound up here in the first place.

selfinduced....I hope you feel better and I hate to say it, maybe you need a second opinion on the endoscopy. I was wondering when/if they will send me for another barium (upper GI) just to check things out....ahh, that was gross.

Kattykyt · Post by **Kattykyt** » Sat Dec 06, 2008 3:14 pm

I also have a HH and was told a few things when I was diagnosed.
No sit ups because it would aggrevate it. When you do those it forces the stomach over the diaphram.

As for foods not to eat. They gave me a big list. Of course I love most of the things on the list.

No nuts, chocolate, carbonated drinks, citric acid, tomatos, onions, caffeine, and a few others.
I was really good for the 1st 2 years but... My goodness. Citric acid is in everything. LOL

It helped me for a while. I slipped up for the past 10 years and am now dealing with the acid reflux again. Grr

Good luck with everything!

rose_thorn98 · Post by **rose_thorn98** » Sat Dec 06, 2008 4:34 pm

I had horrible pain and had a endoscopy done year ago, diagnosed with GERD. Took Prilosec for 8 months, but it only worked for the first 2 months. Then I had barium x-ray and upper GI series and they were normal. Dr. said I had stress related unspecified abdominal pain. I quit a stressful job and quit the prilosec....within 2 months all the pain went away. Stress definately causes GI pain.!

aim1974 · Post by **aim1974** » Sat Dec 06, 2008 5:58 pm

engine2
I also had an upper endoscopy in october and was diagnosed with a small hiatal hernia. Everything you wrote above is the same things which i experience. I was given prevacid which helps me greatly. I know it can suck to have acid reflux, it can be a horrible feeling, but it can be controlled. I think anxity and stress can contribute to it also. Well I hope it all works out for you. Let me know if i can do anything for you.

Aimee