Hiatal Hernia diet help

Options
My_Butt
My_Butt Posts: 2,300 Member
I've been having really bad stomach pains for about 2 months now, and began vomiting last week. After my blood results came back normal, doctor referred me to GE to check for hiatal hernia.

Until my GE appointment comes up, I looked up ways to relieve pain for a hernia and it says limit fat intake.
Does that include ALL fats like avocados and olive oil too?

Thank you.

Replies

  • MossiO
    MossiO Posts: 164 Member
    Options
    I have a hiatal hernia and I don't limit fat. Mine is a sliding one so sometimes my stomach pops up above my diaphragm. It's not painful, but uncomfortable. I can always tell when it's acting up by the way I breathe. If I take a deep breath and my tummy goes out, it's fine. But if my chest and shoulders rise instead, the hernia is up.

    I do self manipulation to help bring it down. But if it were persistently up, I'd probably just try to eat smaller meals. It's a structural thing, so I don't understand how the content of the meals would be affected--more the size.

    But your doctor will have the advice you need. Good luck!
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    Options
    I also have a variable hernia and pain and vomiting are NOT my symptoms.
  • My_Butt
    My_Butt Posts: 2,300 Member
    Options
    My grandma had one and she couldn't keep food down. That's why my mom suggested that. The pain used to come and go, but since I work in a hot warehouse, I assumed that pain was a cramp from dehydration. It's now to the point where it never stops hurting and I'm barely eating anymore due to nausea. And they gave me a prescription for the nausea and Prilosec until I can get to the GE.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Options
    My_Butt wrote: »
    I've been having really bad stomach pains for about 2 months now, and began vomiting last week. After my blood results came back normal, doctor referred me to GE to check for hiatal hernia.

    Until my GE appointment comes up, I looked up ways to relieve pain for a hernia and it says limit fat intake.
    Does that include ALL fats like avocados and olive oil too?

    Thank you.

    I had one and a few things to remember:

    1) there are two types of hiatal hernias. The most common is the sliding hernia where an over full stomach partially slides up into the chest cavity, then slides down when it empties as food is digested. The other is a permanent one where part of the stomach stays in the chest cavity. The second one is uncommon but usually requires surgery.

    2) Generally, an attack is caused by too much food but can be triggered by the same foods that cause acid reflux, including fatty foods. Hiatal hernias and GERD often go together but not necessarily.

    3) vomiting of the food that is in the part of the stomach above the hiatus is not uncommon. Usually the pain goes away within minutes of the vomiting

    4) They can be genetic. Some people are just born with a larger than average hiatus. Being overweight, especially belly fat, can contribute to pushing the stomach up into the chest and also stretching the hiatus.

    5) eating small, frequent meals is often the best way to manage one. It also helps to eat slowly and chew your food really well.


    My story: My Grandma had one, my Dad had one, I had one. I would maybe get at attack once or twice a year for 20 years. When I was at my highest weight, it would be closer to one a month. A little less than 2 years ago (after losing over 100 lb), I suddenly was getting attacks several times a week. I had my kidneys and gallbladder checked in order to eliminate those issues and it was determined that my problem was a hiatal hernia which had changed from sliding to permanent. I ended up having surgery to repair it and it was discovered that my entire stomach had pushed up into my chest cavity. I am fine now, 18 months post-surgery. No problems, no acid reflux, no stomach issues whatsoever.
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,750 Member
    edited July 2017
    Options
    I don't have hiatal hernia but I do have reflux. For me, any type of fat aggravates that, as well as anything very acidic. I have it medicated now with proton pump inhibitors, so I don't have much problem (although if I go mad with rich food (meat and fat) it's still uncomfortable).

    With reflux it's not really a question of 'healthy' or 'unhealthy' fat, it's just that digesting any kind of fat needs more stomach acid, and that makes reflux more painful. I do think harder fats are worse but I'm not sure if that's my imagination.
  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,638 Member
    Options
    My_Butt wrote: »
    My grandma had one and she couldn't keep food down. That's why my mom suggested that. The pain used to come and go, but since I work in a hot warehouse, I assumed that pain was a cramp from dehydration. It's now to the point where it never stops hurting and I'm barely eating anymore due to nausea. And they gave me a prescription for the nausea and Prilosec until I can get to the GE.

    Have you checked for gallbladder issues? What you describe sounds almost word for word like when my mom had gallstones.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Options
    sollyn23l2 wrote: »
    My_Butt wrote: »
    My grandma had one and she couldn't keep food down. That's why my mom suggested that. The pain used to come and go, but since I work in a hot warehouse, I assumed that pain was a cramp from dehydration. It's now to the point where it never stops hurting and I'm barely eating anymore due to nausea. And they gave me a prescription for the nausea and Prilosec until I can get to the GE.

    Have you checked for gallbladder issues? What you describe sounds almost word for word like when my mom had gallstones.

    At least you should have kidneys and gallbladder checked as part of the diagnostics. Both of those can mimic symptoms of a hiatal hernia and other gastric pain. When I was being diagnosed, they did an upper abdominal ultrasound first to check all 3 at the same time.
  • My_Butt
    My_Butt Posts: 2,300 Member
    Options
    The doctor said it's not gallbladder since that's on the other side than where the pain is. But a lady I work with said she had pain in her back when she had problems with her gallbladder.

    I'll just see what the GE says once I finally get in there.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Options
    My_Butt wrote: »
    The doctor said it's not gallbladder since that's on the other side than where the pain is. But a lady I work with said she had pain in her back when she had problems with her gallbladder.

    I'll just see what the GE says once I finally get in there.

    A GE specializes in gallbladder as well as stomach/intestinal stuff. Good first choice of specialist to get a diagnosis.

    The pain from my hernia was in the center of my abdomen right under the bottom of my breastbone.
  • My_Butt
    My_Butt Posts: 2,300 Member
    Options
    earlnabby wrote: »
    My_Butt wrote: »
    The doctor said it's not gallbladder since that's on the other side than where the pain is. But a lady I work with said she had pain in her back when she had problems with her gallbladder.

    I'll just see what the GE says once I finally get in there.

    A GE specializes in gallbladder as well as stomach/intestinal stuff. Good first choice of specialist to get a diagnosis.

    The pain from my hernia was in the center of my abdomen right under the bottom of my breastbone.

    That's where mine is: center and a bit to the left. I've noticed pains beginning in my back as well.
    My GE appointment is aug 10, so we'll find out soon enough.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Options
    My_Butt wrote: »
    earlnabby wrote: »
    My_Butt wrote: »
    The doctor said it's not gallbladder since that's on the other side than where the pain is. But a lady I work with said she had pain in her back when she had problems with her gallbladder.

    I'll just see what the GE says once I finally get in there.

    A GE specializes in gallbladder as well as stomach/intestinal stuff. Good first choice of specialist to get a diagnosis.

    The pain from my hernia was in the center of my abdomen right under the bottom of my breastbone.

    That's where mine is: center and a bit to the left. I've noticed pains beginning in my back as well.
    My GE appointment is aug 10, so we'll find out soon enough.

    Good luck. From my experience, if it turns out to be a hiatal hernia that requires surgery, do it. The relief and knowing I will never have that kind of pain again was worth it. Only downside: I tend to not burp as much so swallowed air and gas produced by food only has one direction to go. Bedtime seems to be when it all decides to leave.
  • My_Butt
    My_Butt Posts: 2,300 Member
    Options
    earlnabby wrote: »
    My_Butt wrote: »
    earlnabby wrote: »
    My_Butt wrote: »
    The doctor said it's not gallbladder since that's on the other side than where the pain is. But a lady I work with said she had pain in her back when she had problems with her gallbladder.

    I'll just see what the GE says once I finally get in there.

    A GE specializes in gallbladder as well as stomach/intestinal stuff. Good first choice of specialist to get a diagnosis.

    The pain from my hernia was in the center of my abdomen right under the bottom of my breastbone.

    That's where mine is: center and a bit to the left. I've noticed pains beginning in my back as well.
    My GE appointment is aug 10, so we'll find out soon enough.

    Good luck. From my experience, if it turns out to be a hiatal hernia that requires surgery, do it. The relief and knowing I will never have that kind of pain again was worth it. Only downside: I tend to not burp as much so swallowed air and gas produced by food only has one direction to go. Bedtime seems to be when it all decides to leave.

    Oh, I don't burp much anyways (until recently, I burp after everything I eat now.)
    And it'd be nice to take some time off work to rest and relax anyway (silver lining).
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Options
    My_Butt wrote: »
    earlnabby wrote: »
    My_Butt wrote: »
    earlnabby wrote: »
    My_Butt wrote: »
    The doctor said it's not gallbladder since that's on the other side than where the pain is. But a lady I work with said she had pain in her back when she had problems with her gallbladder.

    I'll just see what the GE says once I finally get in there.

    A GE specializes in gallbladder as well as stomach/intestinal stuff. Good first choice of specialist to get a diagnosis.

    The pain from my hernia was in the center of my abdomen right under the bottom of my breastbone.

    That's where mine is: center and a bit to the left. I've noticed pains beginning in my back as well.
    My GE appointment is aug 10, so we'll find out soon enough.

    Good luck. From my experience, if it turns out to be a hiatal hernia that requires surgery, do it. The relief and knowing I will never have that kind of pain again was worth it. Only downside: I tend to not burp as much so swallowed air and gas produced by food only has one direction to go. Bedtime seems to be when it all decides to leave.

    Oh, I don't burp much anyways (until recently, I burp after everything I eat now.)
    And it'd be nice to take some time off work to rest and relax anyway (silver lining).

    LOL. If you do end up having this and schedule surgery, feel free to PM me if you want more info about what I did during recovery. (hint: yogurt is your best friend)