Doctors Cured My Heartburn After Finding a Hernia I Did Not Know - Article Health

I started having constant heartburn, including a bile taste in my mouth and a burning sensation in my chest. I had no idea what was causing it or why it came on so suddenly. My doctor did a few tests and told me to try an over-the-counter heartburn remedy. It helped control the acid reflux pain a little bit, so I figured that would be my solution.

But my heartburn continued to get worse. I tried eliminating everything from my diet that could possibly be a trigger. I stopped eating tomatoes and oranges, and then cut out the glass of wine I occasionally had with dinner. I even skipped my regular coffee and I started drinking a coffee substitute made from grain that I ordered online. I started eating my dinner before 6 p.m. so I wouldn't have heartburn that woke me up at night, and I ate bland meals like plain grilled chicken and toast. I tried sleeping with my bed elevated to relieve the nighttime heartburn. Nothing helped.

I finally went back to my doctor, who recommended I see a specialist. The specialist performed an endoscopy, an examination of the stomach with a lighted instrument, which showed that I had a 1 cm hiatal hernia. This meant that a part of my stomach was bulging upward into my chest cavity in my gastroesophageal area, which was causing acid reflux. The diagnosis made me feel a little better because it confirmed that I definitely had GERD.

My doctor at first mentioned it could be irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and I was really hoping it wasn't IBS. Doctors rarely recommend a surgical repair of a hiatal hernia; instead they suggest you treat the symptoms of acid reflux.

I started taking prescription proton-pump inhibitors, which are medications that reduce the amount of acid in the stomach. It felt like I tried every one on the market, and nothing helped. My condition had escalated to the point that I would have acid reflux when I drank a glass of water.


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