Heart Palpitations Forum

May 13^th, 2024, 2:49pm

	Welcome, Guest. Please Login
	News:

Home

Help

Heart Palpitations Forum › Heart Palpitations Forum › Symptoms and other concerns › Hiatal Hernia

(Moderator: RLR)

‹ Previous topic | Next topic ›

Pages: 1

Hiatal Hernia (Read 6711 times)

rebem86

Junior Member

Offline

Heart Palpitations
Forum

Posts: 22

Hiatal Hernia
Jan 29^th, 2013, 7:50am

Good Morning,

Yesterday I underwent an endoscopy as my chest pains have not subsided, as suggested by my doctor. The GI doctor informed me after the endoscopy that I have a small sliding hiatal hernia and signs of acid reflux as their are white marks on my lower esophagus. I have a follow up appointment with my GI in two weeks.

What I am wanting to ask could my chest pain/back pain/shortness of breath feeling be caused by this? I understand that I have health anxiety, which is making all matters worse, but I truly believe that it was sparked by something physical in nature. That coupled with the not knowing what was wrong really fueled the fire.

Edit:

Also this question is directly for RLR. I also had a scheduled appointment Today with a Pulmonologist as my cardiologist referred me to him as I was still experiencing shortness of breath.

Well he scared me as he thinks I need to follow up with an Electrophysiologist to get an EP study. He referred me to someone who he believes can help me. He is trying to push that the heart is fueling my anxiety and not the other way around.

I am scared at this point. I've been working with my therapist (I'm on session four now) to move past seeing doctors after this final round of tests. But now the Pulmonologist wants me to see someone else. It all is beginning to seem like CYA (cover your ass). I was really hoping that I could work with my therapist and learn to accept the anxiety and the "risk" of my health. The reason he recommended this was while listening to my heart he heard the rapid rate increase and the PVCs both the skipped and early beats. He said it was in my best interest to make sure by seeing an EP, and this has had me almost in tears.

He also still wants to Pulmonary Function Test and an Asthma test but he already told me he thinks I'll be fine but is doing them to appease the cardiologist.

Any advice would be welcomed. Thank you.

« Last Edit: Jan 29^th, 2013, 3:53pm by rebem86 »

IP Logged

richie

Senior Member

Offline

I Love YaBB 2!

Posts: 204

Re: Hiatal Hernia
Reply #1 - Jan 29^th, 2013, 11:34pm

hi rebem

i have a hiatal henia and acid reflux. I quess this is often seen in people with chest pain like symptoms. Now do many people have a hiatal hernia like finding, its more common than we think. thats what my doc said.
If its causing all of most of our symptoms.. ? could be.. nobody knows for sure. If its anxiety, GI problems, a combination? you never can be reassured for 100%. its probably not a real problem..

About the advice to go to an Electrophysiologist and in the same time your therapist advice to move past seeing doctors after this final round of tests. ..

oh man i've been there. I can only advice you to ask your pulmonologist exactly WHY he wants you to do this. call him..ask for more explanation. the cover your ass idea. ..thats always a bit of the case. doctors are always very careful not to miss anything with a patient that has all kind of diffuse symptoms and not got an diagnosis yet and is sent through by other doctors. Some just want to be sure and dont burn there hands.

I once was sent to a doctor. to test the pressure of my stomach and esophagus ( air I guess).. he totally dismissed that and wanted me tested for a space occupying mass, man i went through hell, cause people say its all anxiety. so i didnt see that one coming.

the problem is when you get al kind of tests, you dont control what they are going to do and for people like us thats hell. cause now we think ...if its was only anxiety , he wouldnt say this or that.

But he just wants to be thorough , and thats his job to do so, so accept it for now, but explain him your worries and why he wants you to do this EP.

about the therapy. with all respect. I understand the advice but to say to stop get tested is a not achievable goal and advice. Cause there will always be a time you have to get tested , you always should get tested if you have doubts. in the future there can be new symptoms that needs to be tested. so stop trying to get past doctors tests. Learn to believe what they are saying and try to understand that we wont live forever and learn to accept that.

I know where you going through..

good luck

« Last Edit: Jan 30^th, 2013, 4:10am by richie »

IP Logged

RLR

YaBB Administrator

Offline

Retired Physician

Posts: 2057

Gender: male

Re: Hiatal Hernia
Reply #2 - Jan 30^th, 2013, 5:35pm

In answer to your question, reflux and esophageal inflammation can definitely produce all of the symptoms you describe.

The whitish marks on the membrane of the lower esophagus are collectively known as Barrett's Esophagus. Although much is read into the presence of this phenomenon, it is actually quite common and does not lend its presence as a precursor to cancer unless in the presence of other qualifying clinical circumstances, none of which you possess.

The other tests mentioned are purely a matter of standards of practice and do not constitute the need to be overly thorough, which is more often driven by the patient's need to be certain rather than the doctor.

You'll be just fine. Proceed through the tests and if negative, you should consider whether anxiety is fueling most of the symptomatic features you are experiencing.

Best regards,

Rutheford Rane, MD (ret.)

Best Regards and Good Health

IP Logged

Pages: 1

‹ Previous topic | Next topic ›

« Home

‹ Board