I have a friend that is researching Bariatric Surgery and very interested in the Sleeve.

She has seen several doctors in the Pacific Northwest and has been given various expert opinions on whether by-pass or sleeve is the best. She is on an emotional roller coaster. I would like to give her some advice from actual sleeve patients.

Any thoughts on this? (I did not have to have a hernia repair, but I know several of you did.) Any thoughts are welcome!!!!

Surgeon A strongly advises against the sleeve for people with a hiatal hernia, even after repair. Since he does more sleeves than the other surgeon, it seems wisest to listen to him.

My wife had a small hernia repaired at the time of her sleeve. I was scheduled to have it done but when they got in, they decided that mine wasn't bad enough to worry about. I am 1 year post op and my wife is less than 3 months. Neither of us would have opted for a different procedure, even if we could go back and re do it. Good luck to her.

I had a moderate-sized hiatal hernia which was repaired during surgery, and that alone (no more heartburn, GERD, waking up choking after inhaling stomach acid) was worth the sleeve. It's an excellent choice for your friend!

waking up choking after inhaling stomach acid

I thought that was just a side effect of heart burn... is that a warning symptom of a hiatal hernia? cause that happens to me about once a week

It could be, definitely! I know my reflux was a combination of the hernia and my diet. Whenever I went really low-carb, it'd go completely away, no matter how much greasy or spicy stuff I was eating... soon as I'd go back to having cereals, milk, pizza, tomato sauce, and sugar, it'd be right back again. I'm 99% sure I developed the hernia during pregnancy (I had a BIG baby), as that's when it all started for the first time.

Whenever I went really low-carb, it'd go completely away, no matter how much greasy or spicy stuff I was eating... soon as I'd go back to having cereals, milk, pizza, tomato sauce, and sugar, it'd be right back again.

Oh no! That describes me 100% !!

I had an umbilical hernia repair a few years ago when I had gall bladder surgery. My bariatric surgeon asked if I knew whether the hernia repair had mesh and I did know it did not because the surgeon didn't want to risk infection re gall bladder removal. I wonder if mesh is the issue. I know nothing about hiatal hernia repairs.

I had a hiatal hernial also that was repaired at the time of surgery. Curious as to why even after repair it would not be a good option? I haven't had any issues since surgery; no gerd, reflux, nothing!

My surgeon says 80 some percent of ppl have hiatial hernias and don't even know it.. He repairs them when he does the sleeve surgery... Seems pretty common so why her doctor thinks it would be a problem is beyond me.

Thanks guys ... I knew I could count on you!

Anyone else? I'd like her to have even more real life experiences to take back to her doctor. By-pass might be the right thing for her, but it would be good for her to feel fully informed when making her decision.

Thanks again!

I had a hiatal hernia I was unaware of repaired at the time of sleeve. Postop I immediately had awful reflux when I lay down. Have has it intermittently since. Am 10 months postop now, take over the counter Prevacid and don't get reflux. If i forget the Prevacid I start coughing which is related to the acid. I did have a scope and it just shows mild reflux. SMALL price to pay for having lost ~110 lbs in 10 months!

I had a moderate hiatial hernia repaired during surgery. It did not effect my recovery at all. I have had no issues - either with my VSG or with my hernia repair.