is the pain from from acid reflux or hiatus hernia

[loscoe]

Hi - recently been diagnosed with sliding hiatus hernia and acid reflux and now having chronic pain at times lasting for hours on end and want to know

Does the hiatus hernia exacerbate the acid reflux or is it the other way round

Is the pain the result of acid reflux or the hiatus hernia poking through and being trapped as sometime Gaviscon will abate the pain in 10 - 15 mins - this short burst of heatburn is usually after eating but on several occasions I have had pain for  7 - 8 hours after the initial attack and even still there in the morning when there is no food in my stomach - it is not a burning pain but tight constrictive pain very similar to gall bladder attack but right above the diaphram and feels like something is trapped in my esophegas just below the rib cage as I can feel it even more so when I try to swallow food.  It is also made much worse if I sit down so posture definitely contributes to the pain level.

Had gallbladder removed some years ago but this is so similar to the extreme pain of a gallbladder attack

[rusty398]

See an Internist.  Ask about taking Malic Acid with your meals and Digestive Enzymes just after.  Your problem may be due to a lack of acid and or enzyme production, thereby not breaking down your food and creating gerd symtoms.  If this is the case ask if you can slowly ween off the antacids.  Good Luck!

[selmaS]

From my understanding the hiatal hernia causes the reflux......but I would imagine that an acid flare would affect the hernia...kind of a viseous (sp) cycle.

May I ask how long has this been going on?

Also, did u consider that u may have something in ur diet that is affecting u?...we all will have different trigger foods....some that r safe for me may not be for u ect...
U might want to try and keep a journal and see what triggers u have of the diet u r using.

The only other thing is a possible bacteria issue....like H.Pylori.

"selma"

[loscoe]

I am under doctors care and have been prescribed prevacid to reduce stomach acid and started on this yesterday.  I did previously try nexium and had no attacks while taking it but am reluctant to have to take medication for ever and wanted to see if I could manage the condition with dietary changes.  Not long after I stopped taking  nexium the acid reflux returns so hence my question does the acid reflux cause the hiatus hernia to push through the diaphram as I still have the constrictive pain after 19 hours and the Gasviscon and other OTC medications have not offered any relief from this

[selmaS]

Hi and welcome to the GERD forum.

It is highly possible u may be suffering from acid reflux......r u under a drs care?....do u only take OTC meds, or r u on an RX?

In addition to meds u  do need to avoid certain foods....please see the Health Pages here on MedHelp.

If ur pain persists I suggest u get to a GI dr.....ask to be checked for a bacteria issue.

"selma"