Hi everyone,

I am wondering if anyone out there had a hiatal hernia and was able to get surgery or was told they should have an open roux-en-y gastric bypass. I have been doing everything I was told and passed all my tests for 4 mos and was just told that since I have a hernia of 5 cm that I should get the bypass surgery instead. I do not want bypass. I am so disappointed and upset. I really wanted to do this. I see my dr. on oct 30 so maybe I can talk him into it. I really want this but don't want to have problems with acid reflux after. Please, please someone tell me they had a hernia repaired of this size and still got the lbs and is doing great. They told me I would have a 30% chance of slippage and my chance of complications would go from 2% to 35%. Now I don't know if I should insist on getting this. My dr. has only done about 100 of these lbs so i wonder if he is just being overly cautious. Does anyone know if you have the hernia repaired what is the difference in the recovery period or is there any? thank you so much anyone who can help me. I feel like I have lost something I havent had for a while...... HOPE

Hi everyone.

Thank you so much for all the responses I have gotton. I really appreciate it so much. I have hope again. Spiritus, thanks so much for telling me the size of your hernia. I really needed to hear that your's was 8cm and mine is only 5cm so maybe I will have to find another surgeon. I will see what he say's on the 30. Good luck on your great recovery. I hope and pray that I too will be able to join bandland. I just didn't want to do it and then have acid reflux all the time. That would have made it not worth it.

Hi,

When I went in for my surgery, they said I had a Hiatal Hernia the size of a grapefruit. They had to stitch up the hernia before they put the lap band on because they said the lap band would have fallen into my chest cavity. My gerd is gone. I don't know why your surgeon can't do the same for you while they are in there. My neighbor had her lap band last week and she also had an esophegeal hernia, and they fixed hers too. I don't blame you for not wanting bypass. Stick to your guns or find another surgeon.

Good luck!

NB-FW

I had my lap band surgery yesterday and when she got in there, determined I had HH. Fixed the HH and installed the band in one op. Feeling great!:clap2:

hi citimom

how are you doing? thanks for responding to me. Are you having any problems? Do you know how large your h.h. was? I go next tues to find out if I can still have LBS. I hope I can. What has been your toughest challenge so far.

I had one and they fixed it when they did the band, which was yesterday! I am home and doing fine.

Hi New Beginnings! I, too, had a hiatal hernia and did not know it until the day of my lap band surgery. My surgeon repaired the hernia and was able to place the band. My surgery was on 10/16/07. I have no idea what size the hernia was or how involved. What I do know is, I have had very little pain and discomfort. Good luck! =-)

I went for my 2 week post op check up yesterda, lost 21 pounds, stitches doing great, go back in 3 weeks for 1st fill.

I also had a hernia, it was repaired during surgery, I feel great, don't have to take prevacid now.

So far, I can't eat eggs, they stick then they come back. Have tried two times so I guess I will mark them off my list. I can do popsicles good, also can still do slim fast with no problem, I can eat cheese.

My short term weight loss goal is another 20 pounds by Christmas.Long term 80 more total.

I too had a hiatal hernia too - it was actually the rarer kind called para-esophageal hernias, the gastro-esophageal junction remains where it belongs, but part of the stomach is squeezed up into the chest beside the esophagus. These hernias remain in the chest at all times. With this type of hernia, complications can occur, such as incarceration and strangulation. Incarceration means the hernia is stuck and being squeezed. Strangulation results from teh lack of blood supply, leading to death ofthe tissues involved, when incarceration persists too long. Surgical intervention is required.

The other type of hernia is Sliding hiatal hernias are those in which the gastro-esophageal junction and part of the stomach slides into the chest. This junction can stay permanently in the chest, or just slide into the chest during swallowing. The later results because with each swallow, the esophagus contracts, causing the esophagus to shorten and pull on the stomach. After the swallow, the junction falls back into the abdomen. Approximately 90% of all hiatal hernias are the sliding type.

My doctor performed surgery on my hernia - it was a balloon type of surgery, I did have to stay in the hospital overnight but was released the next evening. I think I had a little more pain than usual, but not too bad. I know it can be done - lap band with hernia repair. I do know that they don't recommend getting a lap band if you have a hernia, but if you repair it it is okay. Most surgeons repair and then do the lap band.

Hi - I have a hernia, and it didn't need fixing at the time, however I was told that if it did require fixing, it would be done at the same time as the band - simple as a stitch in the hernia and one in the stomach to pull it back through!

I found out at my UGI yesterday that I have a Hiatal Hernia to. I was told it is small. I called my surgeions office and his nurse told me not to worry about it, that it is really common. I see him on Thursday for my last visit before surgery.

So I don't know what to tell you, seems that they just fix them when they find them. Unless I suppose that they are really bad and they would have to do an open procedure rather than lap.

my doc told me that if he sees a hernia there, he fixes it as a matter of course...

My doctor said I had the largest HH he had ever seen. he repaired it during Lap band and I went home the next day without pain meds and back to work in 3 days. I can't even tell I have had the surgery.

I signed permission for the docs to fix any hernia they found. None showed up in the pre-op testing, so I thought I'd be fine. I didn't realise that it would cost extra.

Anyway, got the band. Everything went well except for one thing. No one told me that I had had a hernia repair performed on me as well. I got a bill in the mail 3 weeks later.

What would you do? Just pay it? Complain? It seems a bit negligent not to tell me that they had done it and whether it would affect recovery time or not.

I asked the doc about it at the first fill and he acted as though it was no big deal that I hadn't been told and told me some details.

I'm happy with the service otherwise. Would you make a complaint?

My doctor fixed my hernia when he put my band in. I don't know if it made recovery longer. I don't think it did though.

I was banded 12/3/07 and had a large hiatal hernia that the Dr. repaired during the banding procedure.