Hiatus Hernia Surgery

I had a very large hiatal hernia and had surgery on Feb. 11. I feel great and heartburn is gone. The only issue I have is if I sit straight or bend over for several minutes I have really bad chest pain and clear through to my back. I am assuming it is from the swelling in my chest, has anyone else had this and for how long. I'm guessing it is gonna take awhile for this to all heal.

Hi Marie, glad your heartburn has gone. Yes I also have pain in my chest and shoulder I think its one of the side affects of the op. spoke to my surgeon and he has said that its not uncommon to suffer heartburn after the op as things settle down, here's hoping it will go!!

Hi Marie and Nick. Marie, I wish I had some information to share but I haven't had surgery yet and frankly I don't know if I will, having other abdominal health issues. My doctor has completed an endoscopy and told me my Hiatal Hernia is small. Actually I don't agree because I feel my stomach was raised when he did the test therefore filling the hernia. Sometimes I experience pain all the way into my back when I bend over to pick something off the floor. Please be careful because depending on age these pains could be confused with heart attack. I had a heart attack never experiencing chest pain, only back pain!

Best luck and a very speedy recovery Marie. By the way, how is your voice doing....lol

Ron351

Hi Nick and Ron, My hiatal hernia was in my chest. The pains I have are different from the ones I had before surgery. I suppose it is because everything is not healed yet. My voice is fine, I have had no problems with it.

Hi Marie19160, happy to hear your voice was unaffected. I'm really running in a circle myself and wish I had more conclusive diagnosis from my doctor. Waiting to talk to a surgeon as we speak....lol. May your pain leave you more each day. What makes a diagnosis of Hiatal Hernia conclusive? Which test or combination of tests tell the best story? God Bless and thanks so much for the help. It seems when I'm emotional things are more painful. Today is four years since my mother passed. Her name was Marion and would have been 102 years....wow! Bless her soul.

Ron351

Ron, sorry to hear of your moms passing. My mom passed a year ago tomorrow. She would be 86 this year. The last few days I have felt better, so I am hoping the swelling inside is getting better. I am having trouble finding solid foods to agree with me now. I don't have the heartburn, but I feel nauseated from different foods. The doctor told me there would be some foods I will probably not be able to eat anymore. Hope you get some relief. I had the scope done and they said it was very large. I had to have an upper gi to see how big it was. I have Barretts esophagus which is pre cancerous. This surgery was to help stop or prolong that.

Marie19160 thank you for the information about your hernia surgery. It was very helpful because I've had many bad doctor experiences in the last seven or eight years I'm finding it very hard to decide about having the surgery. I'm very sorry about your mom's passing. Yesterday I had a good cry over mine and finally might be ready to put it to rest. You might consider doing the same if your a sensitive person. Sometimes releasing the emotion is good medically. Hopefully we'll talk again.

Ron351

Thanks Ron, I have had a good cry today and now I feel better. Sometimes I am too sensitive. I was real close to my mom as I didn't have a dad in my life most of the years I was growing up. She was the rock of the family and now it is on my shoulders to try and be the rock for my family, but I don't mind. My family means everything to me. I am glad I had the surgery, because now I can finally sleep all night and not wake up sick and lay there for 2 hours trying to go back to sleep because I am miserable. If you have a good doctor it will be worth it. The surgery I had was the robotic surgery with 6 small incisions.

Hi all

I have suffered Hiatus Hernia for as long as I can remember, but all got worse recently, reflux very bad, and

choking!

I had keyhole surgery last week 18 march 2014...

I was sick as a dog when I woke up, but that was because they eventually found out that I had developed a UTI ( urine infection)

Other than that I have been very impressed by my recovery.

I can burp yay!!! And I am able to swallow the disgusting puréed foods.

One thing though I stopped taking pain killers as I got very very constipated!

Also my shoulders and neck hurt!

But on the whole feel pretty good!

I am losing weight and have lost 5 lbs in 6 days, but quite frankly I really need to, so I am happy!!

It's time for me now to look after my inside and ou,t and Iwant to be healthy and Slim.

I am 53 and now it's time to take lookin after myself seriously!!

Hope this helps.

Hayley

I would like to know how big was your hiatus hernia who had surgery?

I have a 10cm 'rolling' hiatus hernia and would have thought i would be having surgery on this because it has more complications if left. I have reflex oesophagitis too. i have bloating, burping, sometimes pain, can't eat much before i feel full and bloated but still feel hungry!!

I would like to know how big was your hiatus hernia who had surgery?

I have a 10cm 'rolling' hiatus hernia and would have thought i would be having surgery on this because it has more complications if left. I have reflex oesophagitis too. i have bloating, burping, sometimes pain, can't eat much before i feel full and bloated but still feel hungry!!

All I know is that mine was "very large" and rolling. The problem for me was not heartburn or food intolerance, which was controlled very well with Omprazole. Instead, I was bleeding from ulcers formed as a result of the hernia, requiring constant iron tablets and a blood transfusion on one occasion.

I had my surgery in October. All bleeding has stopped. I still have a small hiatus hernia, apparently as a result of the repair of the larger one. I now get some heartburn, especially after sleeping. But I had no difficulty swallowing immediately after the op and indeed recovered very quickly, eating solid food after three days and with very little pain. Now I feel fully recovered, save that fizzy drinks make me feel a little bloated. I feel very much better and recommend the op very highly. Talk to your surgeon about whether the op is right for you. It is complex surgery and will only be undertaken in the severest cases but if it is suggested I would go for it.

Hello Everyone.

Wow! I'm so happy for you Hayley62400. A success story so far and here's wishing your recovery continues to go well. Actually your post really cheered me up. Today a local surgeon called to say I should see a pain management doctor instead of doing surgery. I told his nurse I was shocked because my primary who referred me is also my pain management doctor. Oh well that's healthcare in Florida, U.S.A.

Marie19160, I'm also happy that you could finally get a good nights sleep. I know every square inch of the ceiling in every bedroom in my home....it's awful because sometimes when I could fall back asleep the dreams aren't too much fun for me. Jayne80725 I didn't know they could actually give you a measurement...at least not in Florida. Hopefully tomorrow will be better for us all....

Goodnight for now and I'll check back tomorrow.

Ron

I was not given a size other than it was very large. I am happy with the surgery right now. I have not had heartburn for 6 weeks. I also quit taking pain meds a week after surgery due to constipation and sleeping too much. I had neck pain, chest pain if I sat up too long, and shoulder pain for about 4 weeks, but now I am feeling pretty good. I am having some trouble finding solid foods that don't make me feel nauseated. I have lost 18 pounds so far. Ron, I am not sure what a pain management doctor can do for a hiatal hernia. Hope everyone has a good night