new hiatal hernia diagnosis

Hi Dana:Sorry, I can't help you either. Try some of the medical web sites. webmd.com usually has a lot of good stuff and they will have links to other sites also. I'm not at home or I would look them up for you. I'll try to remember.In the meantime, someone here will probably come up with some info for you.By the way, if you want to talk about weight issues, leave me a post on the other board. I've been a member of Weight Watcher's for 2 years now. Don't worry -- I'm not trying to sell it. But it would be fun to be able to talk to someone about those issues because I deal with them on a daily basis. At 48 I finally realized I can't lose the weight and just go back to eating like before. Duh, why did it take me so long? I just got back from my weekly Wednesday meeting. It was so strange to hear people talk about food without talking about IBS and triggers!I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving! I'll try to get the other info for you. Jean------------------"Never let the fear of striking out get in your way." Babe Ruth. And I'm also Praying with Bettie for a cure for this NASTY IBS! Jean

Hi Dana. Nice to meet you. My mother had a hiatal hernia for about 10 years before she passed away. I'm not sure exactly what kind it was...didn't know there were different kinds. I know she had a problem with reflux, and took Maalox liquid for it, she couldn't lie down for a few hours after eating, and she had a "ramp" made that slid under the upper half of her mattress to elevate the top. She couldn't lie flat.I wish I knew more to help you. I'm sure someone here will. Good luck!

Hi Dana,I have a hietal hernia and Barret's esophagus from acid reflux. Never had any symptoms, never knew there was damage being done. I take Prilosec and Propulsid for the reflux and believe that they started the IBS. I don't have any problems due to the hernia, but I think the surgery these days isn't bad. They can do the orthascopy (sp) and just put three small holes (around where the spinchter muscle is) and repair that spinchter muscle and the hernia all at once. My sister also has reflux and the acid made a portion of her esophagus tighten, so she had trouble swallowing. For her they did an endoscopy and stretched the esophagus. That did the trick.

Thanks for the replies. I've been alternating Prevacid and Pepcid AC for almost a week now. I think the Prevacid may actually be helping my problem with swallowing. I have to report back to my doctor in a couple of weeks. I've been eating out a lot lately and don't feel the panic and fear that I may not be able to swallow food. So I'm really hopeful. Jean, I've been on lots of diets. I have trouble sticking with one because of my IBS-D attacks. But I've lost 12 lbs. recently just by eating more healthy and exercising and I feel pretty motivated (especially after this new hernia diagnosis).