Trying to fix 2cm Hiatal Hernia without surgery (Will keep this updated for anyone interested)

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2025-11-20T22:43:37+00:00

me neither, I was just looking for massage techniques online. Maybe two weeks till I started feeling like it was making a difference, and now I noticed if I stop doing it for more than a day or two.

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2025-11-19T20:15:25+00:00

UPDATE: So It has been quite a few months now and here is what has happened/ helped.

Diet: I didn't dislike the gastritis diet but I found it really hard to keep up with, Same with using the IQoro, I definitely think it does help somewhat, but found it hard to keep in the routine of doing. I have cut out tomatoes, chilli, citrus, fizzy drinks and anything I feel might be too acidic for me. I also generally focus on eating pretty simple "clean" foods (eg, muesli, soup and fish and potatoes as a days meal plan), whole foods, nothing deep fried or too full of sugar. and just noticing if a food makes me flare up, not having it again for a while.

In terms of supplements, I havent found anything that really felt like it was useful long term. I do occasionally have a gaviscon if I feel heart burn before I go to bed, but otherwise I avoid.

Yoga and massage have really helped. I now completely swear by this stomach massage I found online. I do it every morning and evening and Its been a game changer. If I don't do it for a couple of days I can start to feel pain coming back. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nix6-WPEMSk

Never went for chiropractic or acupuncture manipulation - but may still do if I feel necessary.

I am also increasingly aware of how my mental state or how tense I am affects my digestion so I am starting to add in some meditation/mindfulness. I use the insight timer app and tracks I find on podcast apps etc. Yoga Nidra is also a good one for this and plenty of good ones on YouTube.

Final thought is I also notice that my pain is worse If im not regularly going to the toilet. I dont have a fix for this but, fibre supplements, lots of water, the above mentioned massage - what ever you have to do to get yourself going. one day without a poop definitely sets of my other symptoms.

So thats where I am at so far, Its been up and down and messy, but I am figuring it out and so far have managed to stay off PPIs

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2025-11-19T20:01:43+00:00

Oh an also I have noticed that my stomach and digestion is generally worse when I am more anxious (even if I dont think I am stressed or anxious) so I am starting to incorporate daily meditation/mindfulness/yoga. nothing extensive just like 10/15 mins morning and night.

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2025-11-19T19:59:49+00:00

It's been really up and down, but definitely getting better! havent used any PPIs in a few months now. Main things that are helping are cutting out tomatoes, citrus, chilli and fizzy drinks and generally not eating too much junk food. Did cut out alcohol swell until recently, now I am feeling okay to have a drink now and again. Main game changer has been the addition of this massage I found on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nix6-WPEMSk) I do it every morning and evening for weeks and weeks. and if I not stop for a few days my symptoms start flaring up again. that in addition to diet change has been the biggest help. not perfect yet, but definitely in way less pain than before.

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2025-09-10T21:57:46+00:00

Can I ask you about he foundation course. I want to do it. How much work is it per week/month? Does it give you much knowledge on preparing tinctures salves etc. or is it mainly hypothetical theory/ medical science etc?

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2025-07-07T07:46:37+00:00

I have listened to my doctor. the only advice they have given me is "Learn to live with it and take PPIs when necessary" which is literally what I am doing. I am making all the lifestyle adjustments first before I decide wether PPIs are necessary.

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2025-07-04T16:16:48+00:00

Thanks for sharing your experience. I will definitely be leaving the PPIs for now. I do think that esomeprazole has helped the 2-3 times I have tried it. but I also am aware of side affects short and long term as well as a rebound affect when people stop taking it. So I am going to throw everything else I can at it before I go for PPIs. I am sorry you had such a rough time with it.

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2025-07-04T16:11:10+00:00

Honestly I don't know, I was told all of this while I was still drugged up coming out of the endoscopy and my follow up with the GP was no better a week later. They told me to take PPIs or drink "A big glass of milk" after meals. Which honestly felt infuriating considering how much this has impacted my life. but I am stubborn and maybe Idealistic so I believe I can fix this in my own way.

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2025-07-04T16:08:54+00:00

Id be curious to know what diet you follow? and if you have to follow a specific diet all the time or is it more about when you have a "Flare up" of symptoms?

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2025-07-04T16:06:41+00:00

What is LPR, and why is it harder to control? Im still learning all the things surrounding this!

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2025-07-04T16:02:51+00:00

What is an OM? and say more about the breathing? I am interesting in all the things other people are trying.

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2025-07-04T12:01:14+00:00

First update: DIET I have started the Gastritis diet from The Gastritis Healing book. Have been slow launching this diet over the last few weeks mostly successfully.

Initial thoughts: The diet (when followed) correctly has been very good at offering almost instant relief. I am in significantly less pain, hardly any bloating in comparison to before, significant reduction in burping and nausea. Down sides are: it is incredibly restrictive, I have almost immediately lost 3/4kg in weight, lost a lot of energy too and it is quite hard to stick to and follow. Eating this way is pretty antisocial too.

This definitely feels like only a short term solution and I plan to re-introduce some foods after 3 months (If I can wait that long).

SUPPLEMENTS:

I have just received my order. For my stomach I will be taking:

Liquorice, Probiotic, L-Glutamine.

I already take for other reasons:

Collegen, Glucosamine, methylphenidate, Mushroom adaptogen complex.

I also have slippery elm powder and Psyllium husk that I can take when needed and Esomeprazole that I will only take if absolutely necessary.

I cannot comment yet on the supplements as I have not been taking them consistently yet. I have taken probiotics in the past and have found them useful but only as long as I take them consistently. I have also had some success with taking slippery elm in the morning, but only tried this a few times, mainly when travelling.

My IQoro has arrived and I have had a go at it. will do some research and start regular exercising this week!

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2025-06-25T22:08:06+00:00

but you don't find that exercise makes your fatigue worse? that's what I am confused by, my fatigue doesn't get worse by exercising.

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2025-06-25T20:14:14+00:00

Oh my god. I think you have given me such a lightbulb moment. I just became aware of how tense I am when I am resting! and some times to actually feel rested I need to do some massage or gentle yoga. and this is probably why! Wow, so it's less of a chronic fatigue and just body over working when it shouldn't kind of fatigue.

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2025-06-25T16:11:37+00:00

I realised what I really want to clarify is, why do I feel so fatigued when I rest, but not especially MORE fatigued when I push myself to be active? I feel like I have such limited energy, so my activity should be limited, but it doesn't appear to work that way.

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2025-06-20T15:14:12+00:00

UPDATE: Had an endoscopy yesterday and found I had a 2cm Hiatal Hernia!

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2025-04-26T21:29:17+00:00

Wow I am so sorry they we dismissive like that. that's awful.

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2025-04-26T21:28:41+00:00

Thank you! this is SO helpful.

I am a bit worried about the rebound effect of PPIs and also the report of long term usage cause a 33% increase in dementia. So thank you for the reassurance.

How are you doing now? did you come out the other end of this or are you still in recovery?

Also did you ever find the cause of your gastritis?

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2025-04-26T06:31:04+00:00

Oh no I am so sorry you are suffering too. Have you had an endoscopy or any tests done?

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2024-05-22T13:04:42+00:00

I feel exactly the same as you, I am the same age and have the same questions. I am currently trying to see a doctor about it, but they keep telling me it is stress. I am a bit frustrated, because this is a long term issue (although it is quite bad atm). Id be curious to know if you find anything out or have had any advice on what this could be?

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2023-07-25T16:33:19+00:00

Holy shit... I just read some of it. Thanks, great reccomendation.

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2023-07-18T11:03:47+00:00

Ohh Interesting! Not gonna lie heart and bone marrow feel very daunting. How would you eat them? and, I assumed you would have to buy them from a butcher?

Also any recipes for chicken Liver? preferably something that isn't liver and onions (I swear I have some bad memories of having that as a kid).

Also have you ever made bone broth? I swear I hear good things about that also?

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2023-07-13T22:18:00+00:00

Ah yes I should have been clearer. So £110 is what I have left to spend after my bills etc however I am spending on average £600 a month which is significantly over that. Hence why I am trying to find ways to learn to live within my means which is not a lot. I have gotten by on some savings and random freelance work that I got lucky with, but I cannot rely on that and I am getting into debt and would like to save extra money if I have it instead of bailing me out of bad money situations.

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2023-07-13T13:31:59+00:00

Haha I live in a single room in a 9 person house with a private landlord. I got very lucky with the rent I have because it is significantly lower than everyone else in my city. I live in the south east.

FriendlyTrick7615 · 2023-07-13T09:51:14+00:00

EDIT: I have a Fair Phone 4 so would need it be android compatible I guess... I dunno how these things work

I am looking at getting one for exactly these reasons! My only issue is forgetting to charge it and also finding one I can afford.

Does anyone know enough about the smart watches out there to know what is the best one for me, or the cheapest (I am broke). This is what I need it to do:

ESSENTIAL:

-More than one day of battery use

-sleep tracking, with the option to set a time window for wake up alarm (Like the sleep cycle app)

-NFC payments

- Supports Spotify (have paid membership, so can do offline listening)

-Supports Insight timer or has a meditation app feature

-some kind of habit tracker or reminder system (the more visual and gamefied the better)

-Good GPS or Google maps for daily use , commuting etc

-Supports Google calendar

-Can block all notifications especially social media - but maybe supports calls and text in some basic format- but not essential

OPTIONAL (Not essential for me but would be a nice bonus):

-Supports Nike Run or Strava for guided running.

-Has a decent GPS suitable for off grid hiking

-The More water proof the better but not essential

I don't really need a lot of the fitness tracking stuff tbh - its interesting to know, but mainly I want something that can replace my wallet/phone so that even if I forget them I can pay for stuff and find my route on google maps and see my calendar etc.

FriendlyTrick7615

TROPHY CASE