Hiatal hernia or just really bad GERD???

Ok so I am 2 year post op for my gastric bypass and I have been so lucky (knock on wood) to not have any issues until recently. About 3 weeks ago I ended up vomiting bad I mean really bad it felt like my stomach was coming up with the food. The food came out in one huge ball and after that I started noticing a sore throat everyday and a burning sensation, as well as a pain in my chest especially after eating, drinking, or breathing. I thought maybe I had a cold and no cold medicine helped so I finally had enough I went to the ER. The ER told me that my bloodwork looked great and all my organs were good. So they suggested going back to my bariatric Dr. So I went in to see them and they did an Upper GI thinking maybe it was an ulcer and they also prescribed me Carafate before every meal and at bedtime and took my Prilosec dosage from 10mg a day to 80mg a day. Found out its isn't an ulcer but now they are thinking a hiatal hernia I am waiting on the people to call and schedule the endoscopy but in the meantime I am getting very little relief from the medicine changes and I am now eating very little at a time and not drinking as much. So let me ask you this if someone was to say they are doing the following would you think it was a hiatal hernia or GERD:

pain in chest especially eating, drinking, and breathing

when I eat it feels like my food is filling up in my esophagus causing me to belch like crazy and release gas other ways

Sore throat from acid rising at night time

even wearing my bra hurts cause it feels like it is pushing in and causing discomfort

And remember not much relief with the antacid and carafate

Anyone have any suggestions cause I am about to the point to stop eating, drinking, or breathing lol not really but I am very annoyed with this and would love some relief

Its funny the only full relief I have gotten was the GI ****tail I got at the ER it helped for about an hour!!!!

Prior to my revision surgery, I had a lot of your symptoms (minus vomiting).  I thought I had bronchitis but I went to my PCP and she said "no sign of bronchitis...maybe just hay fever"  I had a check up with my surgeon to get ready for surgery and he noted that the cough/tightness in chest/etc was a sign of particularly bad GERD.  

I DID also have a hiatal hernia which my doc found upon removing my lapband.  I don't know if my symptoms were worse because of it but my surgeon told me it was more because of GERD.  I can't recommend anything that will help.  You may need stronger antacids but if it is a hiatal hernia they will have to remove it.  Hope you get the relief you need soon.

Sounds exactly like my gastroparesis (slow stomach emptying) Nothing I can do for mine except some anti acid meds for the burning and eating small meals all day and chew well, because I have other health issues that stop me from being scoped. For you tho they may be able to help it with surgery. It is a miserable way to live trust me I know, I hope yours is fixable!

Hiatal hernias often cause GERD, ans repairing them often cures it. Definitely sounds like you're got one!

It really does sound like a hiatal hernia.  Mine was repaired when the lap band was put in.  It was making small amounts of vomit come up as I slept at night, very dangerous as you can drown on that vomit.

I use over the counter Pepcid AC twice a day and xtra strength Tums at bedtime.  It helped a lot.  Now that I have had the band removed, I rarely suffer from any sort of gastric upset and when I do it is because I had too much coffee.

Do you mind if I ask you a question? When you had your band removed, did you have another WLS done in it's place? The reason I'm asking is because I was banded in 2009, and have had NO problems until recently when I found out I have a hiatal hernia. The surgeon won't repair the hernia without removing the band but cautions that if I do that, without a revision surgery, that I will gain ALL of my weight back. That is scaring me, and my insurance is fighting me on having a revision done. I'm just seeking information from all sources possible. :/

You described my situation to a "T" with the exception that I am banded. I had an Upper GI scope done and it was revealed I have a substantial hiatal hernia that needs to be repaired. In the meanwhile I get relief from Omeprozole and when it flares up nasty, those little, square, chewy tums (just 2!) seem to relieve me pretty instantly so I can sleep.  Good luck with your scope, I hope you feel better soon!