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Gastroenterology  (Expert Forum)
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Hiatal Hernia
Answered by
Kevin Pho, MD - Internal Medicine
Kevin Pho, MD Boston - MA
This forum is for questions regarding Gastroenterology issues such as Acid Reflux (GERD), Barretts Esophagus, Colitis, Colon/Bowel Disorders, Crohn's Disease, Diverticulitis/ Diverticulosis, Digestive Disorders, IBS, Stomach Pain.
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MedHelp Member's Question

Hiatal Hernia

by Freddyb, Jan 30, 2006 12:00AM
Hi and thanks to publish my problem.



I had a Hiatus Hernia Operation in Sept of 2004 (Laparoscopic Nissen), after recovery and good after procedure care, I was back at work. I was watching my diet. We had a party at work and I ate too much meat. after the party I went home and started to feel  hot, sweaty, Heart racing and I blacked out.



This happened 3 times after the first incident. I had numerous tests done and I was told that my Vagus nerve could have been damaged during the procedure.



I realised that this only happen if I had red meat, had a glass of wine and were active (exercise) after my meals.



Every time before I fainted I also had the urge to relieve myself. (Adrenelan)?



Please give me your diagnosis and if there is somebody out there experiencing the same symptoms, please share.



Thanks



Fred
Doctor's Answer

by Kevin Pho, MD, Jan 30, 2006 12:00AM
It is difficult to give a diagnosis without examination.



If your heart was racing, I would consider a cardiology workup.  This can include an EKG as well as stress echocardiogram.  The latter test can evaluate for any structural damage to the heart.  



Another consideration would be an event monitor.  This is a portable cardiac device it can record your heart rhythm in instances when you feel palpitations or racing.  



If there is concern about vagus nerve, or any other arrhythmia, you can consider a referral to a cardiac electrophysiologist - which specialized in heart conduction and arrhythmias.



These options can be discussed with your personal physician.



Followup with your personal physician is essential.



This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.



Kevin, M.D.

kevinmd_b
Member Comments

by emilotte, Feb 27, 2006 12:00AM
The symptoms you mention re heart palpatations. I had the same symptoms and had ECG, 24 hour heart monotoring etc and no problem was found.Endoscopy found small hiatus hernia. Sometimes lying in bed at night I will suddenly wake up with racing heart need to go to toilet and lay there all my muscles shaking for up to an hour.It is frightening when it happens but there are is no pain associated with these symptoms. After doing a lot of research I found people with same symptoms convinced they had heart problems, all had hiatus hernias. Apparently hiatus hernia can affect the vegas nerve to the heart and bring on these symptoms. A lot of doctors have not picked up on the link between the hernia and heart but all these people with the same symptoms can't be wrong can they? Hope this helps shed a little more light on the subject.

by vwbebe, Feb 28, 2006 12:00AM
After reading several posts on this forum, I'm amazed to discover other people who have my exact bizarre symptoms.  I, too, wake up at night shaking, needing to go to the bathroom, but I also have severe pain in my back, stomach, and neck.  Many times I've rushed to the ER at midnight or later, only to be told my heart is fine, therefore I'm fine.  I do have a hiatal hernia and am wondering if I have a gallbladder problem, even though all tests show nothing.  I also have the rapid heartbeat and my blood pressure rises.  I've been doing this now for several years, but no doctor seems to have a clue what's wrong.  How could this many people have the same symptoms and nobody out there can discover the cause? Some say it's anxiety.  Well, probably--would you be anxious under the same circumstances?  All my symptoms are triggered by what I eat, but it's now come to a point where almost everything except thin liquids trigger this. Do we all have to die and be autopsied before someone figures this out?  I'm hoping for an answer before that happens.

by SliderJeff, Mar 20, 2006 12:00AM
Wow.  I am ecstatic and yet at the same time disheartened that I have found people suffering from the same thing I am.  I am 33, very active working out and playing ice hockey twice a week.  I was diagnosed with a hiatal hernia last year after experiencing a nasty reflux incident.  I was put on Protonix and my reflux went away.  A few months later, I got a nasty flu bug flying back from Atlanta and was home sick with shakes, vomitting, diarrhea.  Once those symptoms subsided, I continued to stay home from work for about a week, still feeling "weak and shaky"... with a weird "fluttering in the center of my chest".  One other thing to note is that I have hypertrophic cardio myopathy.  It's not a bad case of it... and I have no restrictions on my activities.  I take a calcium channel blocker once a day for the last 12-15 years or so.  I've talked to my Mom about this and she has no heart issues, but experienced the exact same symptoms for 20 odd years.  Eventually, she was able to alleviate and remove all of the symptoms taking an antacid and 4 hour allergy pill for about 2 weeks straight.  FWIW, these were Titralac and Chlor-trimeton.  I am now starting this regimen to see if it helps.  I have the exact symptoms that you describe.  Dizziness that comes and goes, "hot type flashes" where I feel my face burning and break out in a sweat.  Mid-chest flutter that freaks me out.  Basically, it's all the things that my cardio guy tells me to "watch out for".  So clearly this causes me to stress out more about it, which makes things worse.  Anyway, I've found a few medical articles on hiatal hernias and related vagus nerve/esophageal spasm and so it appears at least SOMEONE in the medical profession is looking into this stuff.  I have pretty nasty allergies as well, and I am going to my doc today to see if possibly an allergic asthma type thing could be related to this condition, as I often feel chest pressure where the spasm "fluttering" happens.  We'll see what he says.



Thanks again for being here and for showing me that I'm not nuts and not the only one who has this thing!



Regs,

Jeff

by BigNikko, Mar 30, 2006 12:00AM
Oh my goodness !! I have the same thing that you folks are describing.  I am 43 years old and just diagnosed with small sliding hiatal hernia four months ago.  I quit drinking coffee and tea but I was wondering if there is any types of exercise that could prevent the hernia from getting worse?  



Are we going to live with this until we die?

by nursemonica, Apr 27, 2008 11:28PM
A related discussion, Whats the next step with my hiatal hernia was started.
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