Hiatal hernia help/advice?

Is there anyone else on this forum dealing with the same struggle? I’m curious about what you all actually eat. To be honest, I’ve completely run out of inspiration; everything I’m technically allowed to have is incredibly bland, while almost everything I actually enjoy is strictly off-limits. 😢

If anyone happens to have any ideas, maybe some recipes or just general suggestions, I would truly appreciate it. (And I hope the moderators won't mind me drifting into food talk—it's really more of a medical issue... my doctor told me the only way to manage this is through dietary changes... but I'm finding it quite difficult to stay motivated).
Is it even possible to fully recover from this, or am I just destined to eat plain boiled chicken for the rest of my life 😕?

My husband is dealing with the exact same thing—HH and Helicobacter p. on top of it. All the doctors ever say is that you just have to learn to live with it, or if things get really bad, surgery might be an option.
It’s garbage. Totally insufficient. It’s obvious that nothing works unless you actually take matters into your own hands...

I read somewhere that the Bowen technique helps with hernias.

http://www.bowtech.com/public/about/...l.do?menuKey=1
http://www.grombol.com/pregled1.asp?kat=bowen%20tehnika

My husband hasn't tried it yet, so I can't tell you if it actually works. He’s probably just scared—he pulls that classic move where he says "we can't afford it," but then turns around and buys a new DVD player, a bunch of power tools, or a car polisher... he's just freaking out!

He drank raw potato juice for a while to help with the heartburn, and he claims it helped. There are two old-school recipes: 1. Cut the top off a raw potato, hollow out a little hole, fill it with a spoonful of sugar, put the top back on, and let it sit overnight so the sugar draws out the juice. Drink it on an empty stomach in the morning.
2. Grate some raw potato and squeeze out a bit of juice. Then, add 2 tablespoons of cold water and 2 tablespoons of warm water to 1 teaspoon of that juice and drink it. You can't let it sit too long. They don't specify the amount, but I've used about 4 or 5 teaspoons of juice.

Supposedly, strengthening your core and losing weight helps, so now my husband is doing sit-ups every single night...

Honestly, my struggle isn't even really about the acid reflux as much as it is about meal planning. It’s been a bit of a rough year health-wise, and I’ve somehow managed to put on 15 pounds despite eating basically the same amount as before—minus the burgers and the cocktails. I suppose the issue might be that I still eat quite a bit of bread, but if I cut it out entirely, I honestly have no clue what else I’m supposed to eat. My go-to has always been toast with jam for dinner; it’s something I’ve always enjoyed and never felt nauseous from, but now I feel like I shouldn't be doing that anymore. 😢

By the way, there’s already a thread specifically about GERD, so I was wondering if the moderators might consider merging that one with the hiatal hernia topic? It seems like they might belong together, I guess.

I don't claim to be a moderator—those folks are the true forum elite😁 but I don't see much point in merging everything. While the topics overlap, they aren't identical... but that’s just my humble opinion

Well, in that case, I suppose I’ll be dropping by to visit you all quite often, given that I happen to deal with both 😬

Could someone please share some recipe ideas? I seem to have completely run out of inspiration regarding what to eat lately.😬

So, I just finished getting my endoscopy today—mostly just sat there with tears in my eyes while they shoved the scope down my throat—and turns out I’ve got GERD and a visible hiatal hernia.

The doctor put me on Reglan + Zipantola for the next 6 weeks.

My GP says I really need to stick to at least three meals a day, make sure my last meal isn't after 7 PM, and definitely stop eating at least 3 hours before hitting the sack. Also told me to sleep with my head propped up and to quit straining when lifting heavy stuff.

Yeah, that’s what they tell me, too. It’s easy for them to say, though. I spend all day stuck at the university and don't even walk through my front door until nine at night. I guess it's a bit easier said than done when you have a schedule like mine.

Supposedly, I should be eating five or six small meals a day. Personally, I’ve just settled into a routine of four.

Anyone else dealing with this kind of mess? Also—does anyone know if there’s any way out of this, maybe even some alternative route, to actually get cured or at least make things suck a little less??

Has anyone here actually gone through the process of stomach adjustment after being diagnosed with a hiatal hernia?

Can someone please reach out and share what their experience was like getting surgery for a hiatal hernia? I'm also wondering where the best places are to go for it and what kind of cost we're looking at here in the States?

So, I was looking back at my specialist endoscopy report from about two and a half years ago, and it says right there: "Endoscopic hiatal hernia, HP newg"
But I only just noticed that part in the report! I mean, I remember the doctor who did the procedure mentioned there was "something small"... he didn't really say anything specific, just kind of implied everything was fine??
Now I'm totally confused about what his actual diagnosis was. Like, what even is this hiatal hernia thing if he didn't bring it up as a big deal? He just told me to stick to a certain diet and that was it.

I think I figured out what it is on my own, but I’m wondering—can it actually get worse over time, or maybe shrink or just disappear? And do I seriously need to go in for another endoscopy?
The thing is, I haven't actually followed up with the doctor since then because I was supposed to get some other tests done that I just never ended up going to...

Chloe Thompson66 said:So, I was looking back at my specialist endoscopy report from about two and a half years ago, and it says right there: "Endoscopic hiatal hernia, HP newg"
But I only just noticed that part in the report! I mean, I remember the doctor who did the procedure mentioned there was "something small"... he didn't really say anything specific, just kind of implied everything was fine??
Now I'm totally confused about what his actual diagnosis was. Like, what even is this hiatal hernia thing if he didn't bring it up as a big deal? He just told me to stick to a certain diet and that was it.

I think I figured out what it is on my own, but I’m wondering—can it actually get worse over time, or maybe shrink or just disappear? And do I seriously need to go in for another endoscopy?
The thing is, I haven't actually followed up with the doctor since then because I was supposed to get some other tests done that I just never ended up going to...

That’s a clean report.
Just keep living your life exactly like you were before.
No follow-ups or extra testing required.
Everything else they told you is all there is to it.

Had an endoscopy today because of my Crohn's, and they stumbled upon a small hiatal hernia. I wouldn't have even known about it if I hadn't gone in for the other stuff. The report calls it a "discrete hiatal hernia" that shows up when in the Trendelenburg position—diagnosis K44. The doctor showed me with her fingers, maybe 2 cm, just how much my stomach slides up. She said it’s a minor one and told me to eat smaller meals. That was it.

I've been reading online, and some places say you should stay away from the gym and skip ab workouts entirely. Problem is, I’ve been training for years and never felt a thing; I only went in for this checkup because of the Crohn's. What’s the move here? Is it actually risky to keep lifting?

I’ve been dealing with this struggle for quite a while now—honestly, for over a decade, I haven't been able to touch alcohol, black coffee, or even soda. Because of that, I never really sought out a medical professional; I just accepted it as my reality and didn't let it get to me too much. I've always been an active guy, someone who lives for hitting the gym and going for long runs. However, about two years ago, things took a turn for the worse. I started experiencing these intense issues where I couldn't eat anything normally without suffering from severe acid reflux (which is frustrating because I truly love food). The stomach pains became so debilitating that I dropped 30 pounds in just a month and a half. During those stretches, I was stuck eating nothing but boiled vegetables, stale bread, or plain rice—basically just bland, unseasoned cooked food. My doctor prescribed Controloc and recommended a gastroscopy, but I kept putting it off, thinking it would just pass or that maybe a few months of dieting would fix everything. After six months, I felt better, so I started indulging again—grabbing chocolates, winter salamis, and just eating like a normal person. Within two and a half months, I managed to get back to my regular weight, but then the stomach pain hit me like a freight train all over again, and I lost 15 kilos in a single month. Well, life has a twisted sense of humor, I suppose. Finally, I went in for the gastroscopy, and they found an open cardia with a massive hiatal hernia, significant gastric mucosal prolapse with coarse folds, and an irritated gastroduodenal mucosa with erosions 🙂... This whole ordeal has been dragging on for two years now, and I've been relying heavily on Nexium, Metopran, Lekotam, and Roupurut
. I can't even engage in strenuous activity anymore because I simply have no strength left (and honestly, the constant stomach pain triggers such intense anxiety), which has spiraled into a deep depression. In just two years, I've transformed from a guy who absolutely loved sports, lifting weights, and running into a deeply depressed person who just sits at home, completely disconnected from any social life
. My question is, would surgery to repair the hernia actually help, or am I looking at a future where I eventually become bedridden and dependent on others for basic functions? I don't want a life like that. I even consulted a herbalist who gave me various teas to try, but the progress has been incredibly minimal. Is there any hope that I'll be able to get back into sports or that my life will ever return to some semblance of normalcy? This has been going on for far too long. If anyone has any advice, I would truly appreciate it 🙂

Hey, everyone.
Nothing smart to say here—just need to vent.
I get these stretches where everything seems fine, totally quiet. During one of those lulls, I went through two different endoscopies. They didn't find a damn thing, but the docs keep insisting it’s the only way to figure out what's actually going on with my issues.

Then, out of nowhere, it hits. It feels like someone just punched me right under my diaphragm—like I can't catch a breath. Then comes the constant burping, this lump in my throat that won't budge, and my heart starts skipping beats like crazy.
It lasts anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks, and then we're back to "normal" again.
It’s driving me insane. This constant burping is absolutely exhausting.
So, yeah. Just venting.

wearypanther69 said:Hey, everyone.
Nothing smart to say here—just need to vent.
I get these stretches where everything seems fine, totally quiet. During one of those lulls, I went through two different endoscopies. They didn't find a damn thing, but the docs keep insisting it’s the only way to figure out what's actually going on with my issues.

Then, out of nowhere, it hits. It feels like someone just punched me right under my diaphragm—like I can't catch a breath. Then comes the constant burping, this lump in my throat that won't budge, and my heart starts skipping beats like crazy.
It lasts anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks, and then we're back to "normal" again.
It’s driving me insane. This constant burping is absolutely exhausting.
So, yeah. Just venting.

You aren't alone if those are the same signs 🤦, because I deal with similar symptoms. For me, it isn't even the GERD that's the worst part, but that sensation of a lump beneath the diaphragm, the burping, and the arrhythmias. One thing I've realized is how much stress affects me, since it pushes my stomach up. Food doesn't trigger it as much, except maybe spicy stuff or heavy condiments. Stretching helps me, specifically exercises like rising onto my toes and then dropping quickly onto my heels. That uses inertia to shift the stomach back into its proper place—HH is ultimately a mechanical issue. During flare-ups, I have to cut back on food (which is actually good), so I eat tiny meals like a bird. It's mostly just a struggle.

Does anyone else deal with pain in the lower abdomen when dealing with a hernia? Honestly, my test results come back totally fine—I’ve done the gastroscopies and colonoscopies, everything looks normal... But still, I get this dull ache in my stomach area, just under the left ribs. It really flares up whenever I lift something heavy on my left side, or even just moving around enough to make those ribs shift a bit. On top of that, I’m getting this low-level heartburn that feels super gnawing, especially at night. I’m constantly bloated, gassy, and there's this nonstop rumbling sensation right in that spot... 🤔

says:
Does anyone deal with epigastric pain when dealing with a hernia? It’s strange because all my tests come back normal—even the gastroscopies and colonoscopies. But I get this dull ache right under the left side of my ribs. It flares up whenever I lift something heavy on my left side or make movements that shift my ribcage. On top of that, there's this low-level heartburn that feels like it's eating me alive, especially at night. Constant bloating, gas, and just this non-stop gurgling sensation in that area... 🤔

I've known about a small hernia for about two years now, but this past week was different. Twice, I was hit with these intense, stabbing pains right in the upper abdomen. The pain sort of radiated out, spreading between my shoulder blades. It felt like my chest was actually going to explode. Every single breath—inhaling, exhaling—was painful. The center of my chest hurt so much it spread behind both breasts, and swallowing became a total nightmare. I could literally feel every single swallow of water moving down my throat. It was awful... and once the pain finally subsides, the burping starts, and it just goes on until you're completely exhausted.