27 y/o with hiatal hernia; was only prescribed ranitidine. what other treatments are there & will i ever need surgery? discomfort continues. thanks!

Maybe: Hiatal hernia and reflux ate two separate things. Reflux causes heartburn and regurgitation, and may be aggravated by a hiatal hernia. There are procedures to stop reflux, some of which include hernia repair. A large hiatal hernia may cause difficulty eating, early satiety, and intermittent chest pain among others. Surgery is the only way to fix them. Meds only control some reflux symptoms.

GErd: If the hiatal hernia has no symptoms than you need nothing. Less is more with meds and if Zantac (ranitidine) is going fine don't change. 7% of the population have hiatal hernias and a few need surgery if they are symptomatic beyond medical management.