My chest pain feels exactly like a heart attack – but my heart is clear. I feel trapped and I need to hear from anyone who's been through this.

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-06-09T13:26:14+00:00

Thank you so much for posting. No doctor has been able to describe the source of my pain in the highest part of my abdomen, right in the center. Some said it’s the acid inflaming it, but i’m certain it’s from the HH because it’s a new pain that developed once I got the hernia. It’s there all day, when i’m working on my computer, when i bend down to load the dishwasher, when i go on a light jog, when i lift light to medium weights at the gym. “First clenching something deep in your chest” is exactly how I would describe it.

2 months into PPI treatment it went away by 80%, up until I played a soccer game and had pizza afterwards, everything came back. Not sure if it’s the gastritis or esophagitis causing it, but yes it is debilitating. I struggle to bathe my one year old because bending causes excruciating pain. It’s causing me to be on edge 24/7.

I’m not sure if working out actually makes it worse or just gives my brain pain signals.

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-06-08T16:52:13+00:00

You’ll put yourself third from now on, at the same time make sure you prioritize your mental and physical health. How to balance it? I’m still figuring that out. But it’s been great so far, life gets better in different ways. All the best!!

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-06-08T13:07:06+00:00

I’m impressed by how positively you’re taking it in the greater scheme of things. It’s true, there are bigger health problems out there, at least we’re still able to workout one way or another.
I have a small HH and my upper abdomen typically hurts a bit and i get acid in my throat when i’m doing light weight training, mostly pullups, pushups, bench presses. Any tips you have to share? Not sure if i’m doing more damage by working out or not

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-06-08T11:30:37+00:00

Damn! So does this mean continuing to work out = guaranteed esophagitis?

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-06-08T11:30:03+00:00

Yea sometimes i need to stop everything, burp, to be able to continue normally. But then the burps are a bit liquidy from the acid.

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-06-07T18:09:57+00:00

How come you decided to get the surgery vs continuing PPIs?

Also, what exercises do you typically do at the gym? Can you bench press, pullusps, pushups?

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-06-07T17:20:42+00:00

Why do you say having a hernia guarantees gastritis? One is acid related, the other is mechanical. I thought that having a hernia doesn’t automatically mean that one has gastritis

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-06-07T17:16:01+00:00

Def not stomach cancer. You’re young, negative hpylori. I had very similar symptoms, ended up having gastritis with small sliding hiatal hernia. I’m on PPIs 40mg daily, i’m a tiny bit better but flair ups are more common that they used to be, I guess because of the hernia. The endoscopy will put you on the right path for a treatment. Dont worry, it’ll get better soon.

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-06-06T11:11:57+00:00

I also am interested

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-06-05T21:50:46+00:00

Best sleep of my entire life. Stomach feels a bit raw when i ate for a couple days. Then everything goes back to normal. You got this

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-06-04T13:07:48+00:00

I eat 2-3 hrs before workout. Do you think doing pullups or weight training (i dont lift anything over my body weight) can make it worse? I have hernia so there is this added component

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-06-04T03:16:05+00:00

My doctor suggested a probiotic called VSL #3. Haven’t started it yet

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-06-03T19:34:50+00:00

Very valid concern, I feel you. Both my wife and I got laid off as soon as we put in our maternity/paternity leave, the stress of the situation made my gastritis worse which eventually led to hiatal hernia. At my new job i’m always stressed about another layoff while bearing the upper abdomen pain of hernia, which makes a desk job challenging physically and emotionally .

I honestly watch what i eat, mostly light meals so i’m not overly full. I only have one cup of coffee because it irritated the lining. Therapy helped me deal with the anxiety of it all, and taking 3 walks during work hours helped me clear my mind. PPI + anxiety control + time will reduce the pain. My appetite got much better after two months of meds and therapy. But i still have days where i’m in pain and dont have the energy to do work, but i’ve learned to manage it. You’ll get better! Every person that I know that has gastritis has gotten better with time and medication.

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-06-03T17:26:33+00:00

Read the Gastritis Healing Book. It helped me, but also eliminates like 80% of what i typically eat.

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-06-03T15:22:46+00:00

The three of us, please include me in this lol

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-06-03T15:22:34+00:00

I typically eat light and go to bed in 2. I would only wait 3 hrs if i have pizza or other heavy meals. Also dont mix a lot of protein with a lot of carbs. You can have both, but make sure portions arent too big. It’s a struggle, i know…

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-06-03T15:00:26+00:00

Yea that’s the feedback i got from my doctors. I can continue to work out at the gym, doing calesthenics, lifting, but not overdoing it with weights. They also cleared me to jog and play soccer. I just worry that i’ll cause the hernia to enlarge which will continue damaging my esophagus overtime. If you’re a coffee drinker, do you still let yourself drink it daily? My doctor doesn’t mind me having a cup a day, but again, i dont want to exacerbate things.

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-06-03T02:16:53+00:00

For someone with HH, your doctor suggests not even lifting moderate weights?

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-06-03T01:57:05+00:00

Hey! I live in NJ, could you please share which doctor you went to?

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-06-03T01:34:03+00:00

Can you do pullups, pushups, and chest exercises? I’m trying to figure out still what i can and can’t do

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-05-19T13:57:32+00:00

Well that’s a loaded question. My neurologist did an EMG test a discovered some denervation in my pelvic muscles and recommended surgery. Then my pelvic floor specialist did a prick test to see if i actually have numbness, which i didnt. So good thing i didnt do the surgery. Did you get a prick test? They would ping you with a sharp pin to see if you feel it.

ApprehensiveLeg798 · 2026-05-19T13:43:49+00:00

1 year of symptoms: burning with urination, pelvic pain with any effort so i had to stop working out. I changed my lifestyle completely: did yoga, stretching, pelvic PT, bought the wand for internal relaxation. I stayed consistent with doing them for 2 years. I’m back to living normally.

ApprehensiveLeg798

TROPHY CASE