I made a post about GERD here: https://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/441776-is-this-gerd/

But now I'm not sure what is going on. So here's what I'm dealing with:

1) burning in my throat and occasionally my chest and stomach

2) nausea when eating anything at all, no matter what it is or how much or little of it I try to eat

3) can't tolerate anything but liquids now

4) if I try to eat, it literally won't go down. It sits at the bottom of my throat and doesn't move for AGES. Drinking liquid doesn't help. It just gets stuck there, too.

5) lots of burping and hiccups

6) dark, sticky kinda poo (sorry, tmi)

7) heaviness and pain in my upper stomach/abdominal area

8 ) occasional shortness of breath

9) feeling full after literally 2 or 3 bites of something (small bites, and before stuff wouldn't go down, I was trying to eat and I would be PAINFULLY full after 2 or 3 bites)

10) literally woke up with what felt like acid in my throat this morning (now my throat feels raw and hurts)

Some of this sounds like GERD, but some of it doesn't. My husband looked it up and said it sounds like a hiatal hernia, but I don't know. Anyone have experience with that? I'm up late because I'm in so much pain and I can't sleep. Definitely looking forward to calling my surgeon's office. But still, anyone on here have any clue at all what this might be??

Wow. You have been there for a while. I am hoping that’s good news meaning they are fixing you right up. Just know I have you in my thoughts.

I’m gonna say this was probably a hiatal hernia based on my own personal experience. I had an intense sharp pain by my sternum that hurt so bad I called my cardiologist! He sent me to the ER. They told me it was palpitations and to see my cardiologist in the morning.

I KNEW it wasn’t palpitations because those were completely different from what I was feeling. I brought it up at my next surgeon visit and he sent me for a barium swallow… and then another when I told him the first radiologist didn’t do enough imaging. The below image was the result- a hiatal hernia of almost my entire sleeve.

The result from delayed care was esophagitis, constant heartburn(gerd), and hiccups from waking to sleeping. I ended up getting a revision to RNY and a second (had one with sleeve) hiatal hernia repair along with it.

Hopefully yours isn’t as bad and they’ve caught it in time to make repair easier.

I have esophagitis, gastritis, and gerd. I'm being referred to a GI specialist to have a scope done to see if there's a hernia. They could only do the barium swallow test in the ER. OH, also, apparently my esophagus spasms pretty dramatically any time I eat or drink anything. So...yeah.

On 08/22/2022 at 23:08, SleeveDiva2022 said:

I have esophagitis, gastritis, and gerd. I'm being referred to a GI specialist to have a scope done to see if there's a hernia. They could only do the barium swallow test in the ER. OH, also, apparently my esophagus spasms pretty dramatically any time I eat or drink anything. So...yeah.

Oh no… I’m sorry!!

I have esophagitis, gastritis, and gerd. I'm being referred to a GI specialist to have a scope done to see if there's a hernia. They could only do the barium swallow test in the ER. OH, also, apparently my esophagus spasms pretty dramatically any time I eat or drink anything. So...yeah.

I'm so sorry. I hope that its mild and they are able to treat it without too much trouble.

8 hours ago, SleeveDiva2022 said:

I have esophagitis, gastritis, and gerd. I'm being referred to a GI specialist to have a scope done to see if there's a hernia. They could only do the barium swallow test in the ER. OH, also, apparently my esophagus spasms pretty dramatically any time I eat or drink anything. So...yeah.

Oh wow. I’m so sorry. Well at least now you have some answers and you are on track to getting better. Perhaps your surgeons office can pull some strings and get you in quickly. I’d like to think a referral from the ER would be treated as urgent but if not it’s worth a phone call to see. If they can help.

Edited August 23, 20223 yr by ShoppGirl

I have an appt with my NP on Friday. They said if I haven't gotten a call from the GI by then to schedule my appt for the scope then they will call them to get me in quickly. I was given a "GI cocktail" that numbs my esophagus, treats the acid in my stomach, and prevents nausea and vomiting. My hubby is going to get it filled now. My paperwork says it's an antacid, Donnatal, and viscous lidocaine. I was given a dose in the ER and it BURNS initially, but then after about 20 or so minutes, I was actually able to eat a very small amount of food!!!! I came home and had 1 plain scrambled egg, and it was GLORIOUS!!!! Actual food!!!!! I'm back on a liquid and mushy food diet (just like after surgery) until this gets resolved, but at least I have a way to have some food again!!!!

My official diagnosis thus far is esophageal dysmotility with esophageal spasms, moderate esophagitis, mild to moderate gastritis, mild to moderate reflux. Referral to GI for scope to rule out hernia. Prescription for GI cocktail consisting of lidocaine, Donnatal, and Maalox. No leakage, blockage, or stricture.

56 minutes ago, SleeveDiva2022 said:

I have an appt with my NP on Friday. They said if I haven't gotten a call from the GI by then to schedule my appt for the scope then they will call them to get me in quickly. I was given a "GI cocktail" that numbs my esophagus, treats the acid in my stomach, and prevents nausea and vomiting. My hubby is going to get it filled now. My paperwork says it's an antacid, Donnatal, and viscous lidocaine. I was given a dose in the ER and it BURNS initially, but then after about 20 or so minutes, I was actually able to eat a very small amount of food!!!! I came home and had 1 plain scrambled egg, and it was GLORIOUS!!!! Actual food!!!!! I'm back on a liquid and mushy food diet (just like after surgery) until this gets resolved, but at least I have a way to have some food again!!!!

My official diagnosis thus far is esophageal dysmotility with esophageal spasms, moderate esophagitis, mild to moderate gastritis, mild to moderate reflux. Referral to GI for scope to rule out hernia. Prescription for GI cocktail consisting of lidocaine, Donnatal, and Maalox. No leakage, blockage, or stricture.

Whew, feel better soon!

On 08/23/2022 at 11:59, SleeveDiva2022 said:

I have an appt with my NP on Friday. They said if I haven't gotten a call from the GI by then to schedule my appt for the scope then they will call them to get me in quickly. I was given a "GI cocktail" that numbs my esophagus, treats the acid in my stomach, and prevents nausea and vomiting. My hubby is going to get it filled now. My paperwork says it's an antacid, Donnatal, and viscous lidocaine. I was given a dose in the ER and it BURNS initially, but then after about 20 or so minutes, I was actually able to eat a very small amount of food!!!! I came home and had 1 plain scrambled egg, and it was GLORIOUS!!!! Actual food!!!!! I'm back on a liquid and mushy food diet (just like after surgery) until this gets resolved, but at least I have a way to have some food again!!!!

My official diagnosis thus far is esophageal dysmotility with esophageal spasms, moderate esophagitis, mild to moderate gastritis, mild to moderate reflux. Referral to GI for scope to rule out hernia. Prescription for GI cocktail consisting of lidocaine, Donnatal, and Maalox. No leakage, blockage, or stricture.

I’m so glad you have some answers! And that you can eat something now! I’ve had esophageal spasms and they really hurt!! So sorry you’re going through this but I really hope you can see the GI specialist soon. ???????

For those that don't know what my diagnosis' are, here ya go:

1) esophageal dysmotility - a condition where the muscles in your esophagus fail to contract and the esophagus does not properly deliver food and liquids into your stomach.

2) esophageal spasms - painful contractions within the muscular tube connecting your mouth and stomach (esophagus). Sometimes the spasms are frequent and can prevent food and liquids from traveling through the esophagus

3) esophagitis - inflammation that may damage tissues of the esophagus, the muscular tube that delivers food from your mouth to your stomach.

4) gastritis - inflammation, irritation, or erosion of the lining of the stomach. It can occur suddenly (acute) or gradually (chronic).

5) reflux - occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus

I’m sorry you are going through this. I hope you can get in for the tests you need as soon as possible, and that you have some lasting relief.

I am so sorry you are going through all this. Its good that you are sharing everything though. I’m sure it will help others in the future. Are you able to take the gi coctail often so you can continue to get some food in and get sleep at least??

so glad you can eat some food and are on the path to answers - hope the resolution is quick and as easy as possible

4 hours ago, ShoppGirl said:

I am so sorry you are going through all this. Its good that you are sharing everything though. I’m sure it will help others in the future. Are you able to take the gi coctail often so you can continue to get some food in and get sleep at least??

Yes, I take the GI cocktail but it's GROSS. And it burns when it first goes down (for like 5-8 seconds) and then it feels a little weird because the esophagus is numb and feels odd. But I'm on liquid and mushy foods and after I take the cocktail, I can eat. I take it 3 times a day, about 15 minutes before I eat.