Question: I need upper GI insight. I have been having issues that my doctor thinks might be a hiatal hernia. Last year I went to him because I was getting alarmed at how large the area right under my ribcage was getting, along with having bouts of light colored, floaty bowel movements. I told him I felt like there was a blown up balloon in there. I had lab tests done that showed my lipase to be slightly high. I had an ultrasound that showed all looked well. I tried to change my diet a bit and experimented with green shakes and various supplements. I also got my vitamin D level up, as it was pretty low. The swelling slowly went down, but now I am having other horrible issues. I am still having pain, that fluctuates between dull to mildly sharp, deep and about two fingers down from my breastbone. My bowel movements are more normal, but I have been having occasional and sudden bouts of diarrhea (that look a little on the yellow side) which I can tell are going to happen because it starts with discomfort in the area I have been mentioning. I have been having horrible sleep apnea to the point where there were times I was afraid to sleep because I felt like I might suffocate during the night (I was given Ranitidine 300 mg to take before bed, and this seems to help). Most disturbing as of the past several months is that I have been having lightheadedness and dizziness that seem to be related to pressure in the area I have been mentioning because it gets worse when I do any level of bending forward or where clothing that puts even a slight amount of pressure there. I was told this sounds like vagus nerve compression. I am scheduled for an upper GI (with repair being done through laparoscope if a small enough hiatal hernia is found). So, here are my questions:

Do all of these symptoms (including the vagus nerve situation) sound like they are related?
Would you say hiatal hernia is probably responsible?
Do you think it's possible I may have some sort of bile duct obstruction?

Thank you. I will be anxiously awaiting your response!

Thanks for the response.

I was told that they sleep apnea was probably due to the hiatal hernia allowing digestive juices back up into my throat at night. I was given Ranitidine and it seems to be helping.

Couple of follow up questions:

If it's not a hiatal hernia, why I might I have been swelling up right in that area under my breastbone--feeling like there was a balloon blown up in there.

Also, I am not suggesting anxiety couldn't cause a vagus nerve reaction. But, that does not seem to fit my situation. I only get this lightheadness and dizziness when there is pressure put on the specific area right under my breastbone. It happens when I bend over even slightly or slump when I am sitting. It also happens when I wear clothing with elastic or a bra that pushes in on that specific area. Are there any other possible reasons you can think of as to why this might be happening?