People with hernias... I have a question :o)

Kimmie K · 08-06-2008, 02:08 AM

I don't mean to ask TMI...this is all out of curiosity

Did any of you have hernias that you didn't know about? If so, what kind was it/where was it located? Would most hernias present themselves in an abdominal exam? Lastly, if you had one, would you most likely know about it before the doctor found it due to symptoms? I've been reading more recently here of people and their hernia situations so I'm just trying to get more info...thanks in advance for sharing!

armywife4life · 08-06-2008, 03:55 AM

i had a hinatel hernia, never knew about until the day before surgery. Im thinking he fixed it when he did the band, i forgot to ask LOL..

Jodi_620 · 08-06-2008, 06:30 AM

I had a hiatal hernia. I didn't know I had it until they did the upper GI during my pre-approval process. I rarely had indigestion or reflux and had no pain. I did get the hiccups every morning but didn't think anything of it also belched a lot but I also drank a lot of Diet Pepsi. Either way I didn't know enough about a hernia to relate any of that to having one.

So an upper GI (barium swallow) should show whether you have one. Mine was apparently a slight hernia so that is probably why I didn't know I had it. A lot of people have them and don't know it until it becomes more severe. The symptoms are: acid reflux, frequent hiccups, frequent burping and if really severe, abdominal pain. Your diaphragm muscle runs across your middle and holds your digestive organs down in the abdomen. With a severe hiatal hernia (tear in your diaphragm) your stomach and other organs can start migrating up into your chest which causes the symptoms.

Jess3620 · 08-06-2008, 07:13 AM

I too has a hiatal hernia. Before surgery I had a lot of heartburn and chest pain but really had no idea what was causing it. After surgery that all stopped and never really thought about it again. Then one day at my doctors appointment my doc was going through my chart and said "oh, we repaired a hiatal hernia in surgery for you" The light in my head went on! That's why I haven't been having heartburn or chest pain anymore! I never had to have a upper GI so that's why my was found in surgery.

just1more · 08-06-2008, 07:41 AM

I had a hiatal hernia and didnt know it until I went in for surgery. My dr fixed it. I had an upper GI, now unless the dr didnt tell me at the time of the upper GI that I had one, I'm assuming he didnt know until I went in for the surgery. On the day of the surgery my dr told me it would only be a half hour, an hour and a half later I came out of surgery. I'm thinking he didnt know.

I had acid reflux before the surgery but was always told "If you lose the weight the acid reflux will go away." I have not had acid reflux since my surgery.

Tina

Luu2008 · 08-06-2008, 07:46 AM

I had a hiatal hernia repair along with a secondary hernia repair. I had an upper GI due to heartburn in pre-op and the test came back as "normal." So it was not known before my surgery until he went in. I was at my Lap Band support group last night and found that many hat hiatal hernia's just like me and did not know about it prior to surgery.

I am told the repair can cause more gas/shoulder pain post op, I experienced a lot of shoulder pain but that could have been just how I would have recovered. My surgery did take longer then expected they had to put off some of the post op testing because I was in recovery longer.

WASaBubbleButt · 08-06-2008, 10:40 PM

I had a hiatal hernia and no, they can't be found with an abdominal exam. They can be diagnosed with an upper GI sometimes. Most of us have one and some don't have any idea. I didn't know I had one until my surgeon mentioned that he fixed it during my banding.

annabella · 08-07-2008, 11:18 AM

I did have symptoms of a hiatal hernia but did not know it at the time. I had my gall bladder removed in 2002 and about 6 months later I went back to say that although the gb was gone I still felt like I was having gb attacks? He said it was probably scar tissue and the only way to undo that was more surgery. I elected to just live with the attacks as they happened so infrequently! I was banded July 2nd, 2008 and was told I had a hiatal hernia and it was repaired. I have not had another "attack" since.

Banded 07/02/08
18 lbs lost since day of surgery!

Ineedalapband · 08-28-2008, 12:59 PM

I didn't have any symptoms nor did I have a clue I had one. If my Dr. hadn't told me he reparied a hiatial hernia during my surgery I still wouldn't know!

I did have more chest pain/pain inhaling after my surgery. My Dr. told me this was from the HH repair. I'm 8 days post op now and all is well. I only have some port tenderness.

terilynn112 · 08-28-2008, 06:10 PM

Thanks for posting... i do have a hiatal hernia. I have known about it for years. It'll be fixed when I have my Lap Band placed 9/16.

Teri