For several months over the last year/eighteen months, I had felt a lump in my throat. It didn’t hurt or stop me from swallowing, but was always there. There didn’t seem to be any outward sign of it, but due to my family history, I eventually decided to get it checked out. As a result, I was sent for an ultrasound, which then led to my being sent for an endoscopy. The photos from this showed I had a Hiatus Hernia and several small stomach ulcers, which were biopsied. I must say that the endoscopy procedure was interesting. As I have a high gag reflex, the staff opted for sedation and I was given an injection of something, which meant that although I didn’t become unconscious, my mind went away for a while. Really odd.
As a result of the procedure I was prescribed two kinds of antibiotics, plus Omeprazole. A month later, I went back for a second endoscopy and thankfully found that there was no longer any sign of my gastric ulcers, which had also been biopsied. So now I just have the hernia.
Naturally with all this in my mind, I headed for the computer and Google, to see what I can do to reduce the hernia or even get rid of it altogether. (Did you know that it’s the most common diaphragmatic hernia, with the prevalence rate of hiatal hernia is between 13 percent to 60 percent of all adults. This includes roughly half of those over the age of 50 and that middle to older-aged women (over 50 years old) develop hiatal hernias more than any other group).
Now, to my irritation, I find I need to avoid various foods in the future. Well, I don’t have chocolate very often, (just if I get a craving), nor foods made with tomatoes; citrus fruits I can take or leave and living alone, if I have three small glasses of sherry or wine a week I’m pushing it. HOWEVER, I love spicy foods, tea, coffee and always have onion in my casseroles.
I’m already working to reduce my weight (14kg in the last year and still going down), and will certainly ask for help with any heavy lifting.
But, darn it, I suddenly realised that, prior to my move, I packed up my home last year and with all the book boxes etc, did a heck of a lot of solo heavy lifting, one of the reasons put forward for encouraging a hiatus hernia to occur.
My goodness! I’ve learned such a lot over the past few weeks, including the fact that there are often no symptoms for a hernia, till something gets worse. But the most pleasing of these is that I DON’T have cancer of the oesophagus, or stomach. I am pretty healthy all things considered and can’t wait for my son to deliver the bicycle he is giving me so that I can get back out on the exercise trail again. The Rail Trail in my town is lovely and passes through the Karangahake Goorge, a very popular cycle trail.