Reflux, Hiatal Hernia, and now fluttering, need help - Hernia Message Board

njben · 05-14-2007, 02:39 PM

Hello,

I have been diagnosed with a hiatal hernia, GERD, gastritis, and esophagitis. I am on Nexium 40mg qd. I was diagnosed with GERD a couple of years ago and the hernia about 2 months ago when I had an EGD and switched to Nexium. I am male, 32-years old, overweight, and a smoker. As of 5 years ago my cholesterol was on the high end of WNL. I also have asymptomatic (or being that its congenital as far as I know asymptomatic) MVP.

For the past week I have been having symptoms consistent with what has been attributed to the hiatal hernia/gastritis in the past (fullness, bloated, epigastric pain and tenderness, difficulty taking very deep breaths, and diffuse what feels like musculoskeletal pain over the rips). However, during this time a new troubling symptom has arose that being a flutter feeling that lasts about a second or 2 in my epigastric and just above that area over the sternum but towards the bottom end of the sternum. It feels like something inside is slightly spasming and causes no pain but it is a little concerning. There are no lingering effects after it ends.

I have been taking a swig of Pepto before meals and that has gone a long way to alleviating the pain but the fullness, bloating, and fluttering still remain. Activity has no effect on symptoms although eating does.

I guess the question I have is regarding the fluttering. The fulness etc is somewhat worse that it was in the past but the feeling is consistent with the past but the fluttering is new.

Thanks for any help you can provide.
Ben

RIGIRL · 05-14-2007, 02:53 PM

how long have u had the shortness of breaTH? im going to the docs to get checked for all of that because i have been having breathing problems for 4 years now and i notice if i stand to long or clean my house ect.. my stomach starts to get real tight in the upper part and it makes it real hard for me to breathe unless i lay flat on my back. does this sound like a hernia?

njben · 05-14-2007, 03:17 PM

I don't get short of breath, it is just difficult to take a deep breath. Its hard to describe other than that I breathe normally but if I try to breath all the way in I can't. I think that is caused by the hernia going through the diaphragm or the stomach taking up part of that space.

RIGIRL · 05-14-2007, 03:42 PM

thats how i feel. it sux

jcgman73 · 05-17-2007, 10:14 PM

How long have you had this? I've been battling a similar breathing problem for 5 years. I've seen all sorts of docs. The best I can gather is that my vocal cords are possibly being affected by reflux. One pulmonologist has diagnosed vocal cord dysfunction (VCD), but my ENT is still not sure. VCD is basically when the vocal cords contract when you breathe in, creating the awful feeling that you have described. Just wanted to make you aware of this possibility if you weren't already.