Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Hiatus Hernia - Did removal help prevent acid reflux with sleeve surgery?



Recommended Posts

Hello,

I'm a newbie. I completed four months of the required weight management for my insurance to approve the surgery. I am scheduled for surgery in early April. I had the EGD a few weeks ago for my surgeon to look to see if there are any issues in my esophagus or stomach before surgery. I had already mentioned to him that one month prior, I had started burping and was worried that I was developing acid reflux. Since that was the only symptom, he said it could be anything and that his practice is to fix any hernias that they see during the same WLS to help prevent acid reflux later. He said that if I have acid reflux, he would be able to see it during the EGD. So, I did the EGD and he said he saw a small hiatus hernia. He said for me not to worry that he would fix it during the sleeve surgery and that will prevent acid reflux. I had asked him should I choose the bypass versus the sleeve due to the possible acid reflux. He said that since he is going to fix the hernia, I can still go with the sleeve if that is my preference.

My question is to those who had a sleeve surgery and the hiatus hernia fixed at the time of the sleeve surgery, did that indeed prevent acid reflux for you? I really dont want to have a sleeve surgery now and end up with bad reflux and then need to do a revision. I was very direct with the surgeon about not wanting to have a revision later.

Thanks!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I had horrible GERD/ acid reflux for years. During my EGD a moderate hiatal hernia was identified, But my surgeon said he would repair it during the sleeve surgery, which he did. Ever since the surgery I no longer have GERD/acid reflux. I know everybody is different but fixing the hernia worked for me.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

They found a small one in me also, never really had trouble with it unless I eat to late and then try to lay down, supposed to fix it at surgery.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I had a hiatal hernia fixed during my sleeve surgery. I didn't have GERD before and I also do not now. But I am only 3 weeks out.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have had gerd for years and hiatal hernia was fixed during sleeve. I'm now weaning off omeprazole and haven't had gerd. It's wonderful.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you so much for the replies. I have been really concerned about having the sleeve surgery due to so many complaints about acid reflux afterwards. It's good to hear that fixing the hiatus hernia was helpful.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Unfortunately, I had GERD before sleeve surgery and it got so much worse afterwards. I was no longer abe to control the GERD on medications, so I just had a RNY in 2020 to resolve the GERD, Gastritis and esophagitis. Since October, I've had no more GERD.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, mae7365 said:

Unfortunately, I had GERD before sleeve surgery and it got so much worse afterwards. I was no longer abe to control the GERD on medications, so I just had a RNY in 2020 to resolve the GERD, Gastritis and esophagitis. Since October, I've had no more GERD.

Sorry to hear about your experience. Did you have a hiatus hernia? Was it fixed during your initial sleeve surgery?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

in 2011 I was sleeved with no indication of having a hernia. I believe if the doctor saw that, he would have indicated to me that he would go ahead and remove it, but because it wasnt seen then, the sleeve was a stand alone surgery. Now had he done the gastric sleeve with the rny, I think my weight loss success would have been for a long time before gaining little to none weight gain. Nevertheless, the infamous GERD came to crash the party in 2019 and I was scheduled a bariatric doctor for a revision in September 2020. At that point I started the process which leads up to surgery and I was approved by my insurance company, thus my surgery date was 02/23/21. The doctor chose gastric bypass which he indicated that he tightened up my sleeve and rerouted my intestine where whenever I eat, it would bypass my stomach and go straight to my intestine, hence longevity of weight loss. He also mentioned to me that I had an hiatal hernia, which he repaired during the surgery. Because this is a revision, my weight loss will go moderately slow, however I choose to think that is on a "case by case" basis. Ive seen people with this revision go on to lose around 50-60 lbs in 4-5 months. I may very well fall in with these people, due to my rapid weight loss 9 years ago. my hw in 2011 was 303, sw was 289, fw 179, gw 160. I never reached my goal weight the first time, but I lost a total of 110lbs in 1 year, and then in 2013 I couldnt get the skin to tighten up, so I qualified for a panni, aka Tummy Tuck. i have big turkey wings and that is considered cosmetic, had Ive gotten that done, I probably would have gotten to my goal weight with ease because I went down to 173 after that surgery then the plateau started, but I maintained that weight for 7 years, then in 2019 I went through a depression state and going back to my bad habits, and smoking ciggs, then to make things worse, covid came to join the world so my weight skyrocketed to a shockingly total weight gain in 2 years of 76 lbs of it back. Thats 40 lbs away from going back to my surgery weight! That was a scary thought, but I think if I didnt have the gerd, my hiatal hernia wouldnt have been noticed. I know how to keep my weight down, because I had highs and lows throughout maintaining my weight without having a head game behind the fact that I was no longer 173. I was dating this guy from atlanta for 2 years and all I did was travel, splurge and dine out 3-4 days a week Breakfast lunch and dinner. I didnt work and he took care of alll my bills and my childrens tuition for college and high school. This caused me to be settled and gained happy weight then my happy weight went flat as I got tired of being smothered and controlled by him so I left him right after valentines day. I then joined the gym at the end of February 2018 because I had got to 220 in my weight! I was making 50 that year so I wanted to at least get back into my size 9/10 before my birthday. Well I did. I lost 22 lbs in 3 months and was toned and force to be reckoned with. So I know that this is a long response, but I just wanted to share with you my journey as a 2 time bariatric patient. Im 5 days out from my revision, and I have lost a total 17 lbs which is to include losing 10lbs in 3 days from preop preparation. If I stick to the diet the way my nut and my dr has set forth for me, I could very well get past the goal weight they have for me, which is 180, and thats due to my frame, and my height as an African American female. At the rate that Im going, I will have lost a whopping 80 lbs in 2 months! But because the weight loss will be slow, and if I had to guess, I would say to get to MY gw of 160 would probably take me about 7-8 months to achieve that goal. Who knows with a sustained diet and exercise, I could very well get to my goal sooner. I hope this document of a response helps. lol, but best wishes to whatever surgery you decide to choose and God speed on your recovery.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

On 2/26/2021 at 7:02 AM, Blueslily said:

Sorry to hear about your experience. Did you have a hiatus hernia? Was it fixed during your initial sleeve surgery?

Yes, I had a hiatal hernia repair with the sleeve than again when I had the RNY last year.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The sleeve/ hiatal hernia repair Gor me off the omeprazole I've been on for years.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I had the sleeve in December with the hernia repair. Pre-surgery I didn’t get GERD bad, it was rare and only at night before bed. After surgery I feel like it might have got worse at the 2 month mark, but your surgeon most likely will give u medication and I’ve been taking it and it helps a lot- when I forget the acid reflux will remind you to. There’s one pill u can take before you eat to help- which Is very helpful to take if You plan on eating out. I hope it is just a temporary thing.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Gabriatric2020 said:

I had the sleeve in December with the hernia repair. Pre-surgery I didn’t get GERD bad, it was rare and only at night before bed. After surgery I feel like it might have got worse at the 2 month mark, but your surgeon most likely will give u medication and I’ve been taking it and it helps a lot- when I forget the acid reflux will remind you to. There’s one pill u can take before you eat to help- which Is very helpful to take if You plan on eating out. I hope it is just a temporary thing.

Sorry to hear that it got worse at Month 2. I really want to reduce medications and medical conditions by having this surgery. So, I really dont want to add a medication after it. I'm ok with taking Vitamins of course.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Blueslily said:

Sorry to hear that it got worse at Month 2. I really want to reduce medications and medical conditions by having this surgery. So, I really dont want to add a medication after it. I'm ok with taking Vitamins of course.

The first few weeks it wasn’t that bad at all, It took time to adjust to not eating so fast (but with so much excitement it was hard) so I only became nauseous when I ate fast or over did it but I learned quickly and had no issues, I wasn’t even taking the medication for acid/nausea. Now that I’m a little past the 2 months and introducing more new foods I do get the GERD, but I’m hoping it’s just temporary and apart of transition- I’ve noticed it usually happens when I take in any vegetables (specifically broccoli, which was my fav). Aside from all the Vitamins, it’s the only medication I’m taking right now- it is as needed, but I take one before I have my “biggest” meal which tends to be lunch. If I don’t take it then I end up with the heartburn, nausea, etc. and will take one and it immediately helps. I have noticed getting up to walk around in between bites helps a lot.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 2 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×