bacchus

I have a hiatal hernia that gives me all kinds of grief from a panic feeling, PVC's, gas, beltching, and burping up food. The panic and PVC's are the 2 worst symptoms. Anyway, I have noticed that a lot of folks that have gotten the lap band surgery also had a hiatal hernia repaired in the process. My questions to you folks are: 1. Did the surgeon perform the Nissen Fundopliction surgery for the hernia repair? (this is where they fix the hole in the diaphram and wrap the fundus of the stomach around the esophagus and sew it back to itself). Or did they just pull the stomach out of the hernia and sew up the hole? 2. How was recovery of the hernia portion of the surgery?(if you able to differ between the two). 3. How is your acid reflux now(if you had it before)? 4. Would you do it again? I don't need lap band surgery but i do need this hiatal hernia fixed. The catch is that i'm not too thrilled about having my stomach wrapped around my esophagus the rest of my life. I was hoping to find a surgeon that would just repair the diaphram and not wrap my stomach. I take nexium every day which controls the acid burn but not the other disturbing symptoms. It is starting to control my life and i'm ready for a fix. Thanks in advance!

That is good to know. Hopefully I can find a surgeon who will just fix the hernia.

That is awesome your HH repair worked. I don't think the doctors understand how many different symptoms the HH can cause from Panic and Anxiety(probably my worst symptoms), burping up food, constipation, and general discomfort in the sternum area. Maybe my hernia is worse than others. I finally got tired of the panic(never had this issue until the hernia happened) and went to my GP and got some xanax to take for occasional use. That seems to help when the hernia is really in bad shape and i'm somewhere "out of my comfort zone". Those 2 combinations usually induce panic. I can't wait to see a surgeon....i'm figuring 4 weeks or so out of my life to recover from surgery is nothing compared to the rest of my life. I'm 29.

I 100% agree that the Nissen is extreme. That's why i don't want it. I just want the surgeon to pull the stomach out of the hole in the diaphram and sew up the hernia. I know that would make me feel 100% better than I do now. Are they any MD's that visit this board that could comment? The wrap is scary. I read too many bad things about it. I know they do it to help prevent a recurrence of the hernia. I just wonder how easy it is to bust the stitches they use to sew up the diaphram. Sounds to me that lap band folks didn't get the wrap but maybe the lap band itself is sort of like a wrap. Does the lap band stay in there for life or once you hit your goal weight it comes out?

It is awesome to hear some good stories about the hiatal hernia repair surgery. I have heard alot of negatives about the wrap part of the surgery. I have a feeling the surgeons did not do the wrap on those that have gotten the lap band too. I am seeing my GI doc on Nov 13th and will request that he refers me to a surgeon skilled in Hiatal hernia repair. I will plead with the surgeon that he just pull the stomach back into place and sew up the hole in the diaphram and not do the wrap. We will see what he says. I'll have some arguement about people getting the lap band not getting the wrap. I have heard people not being able to vomit because the wrap is do tight. That sounds like a nightmare. Keep the stories coming...they are encouraging. Thanks!