Paralyzed diaphram w/ hernia

[justasigh]

i have a med. size hernia which seems to lay in the diaphram area and is extremely uncomfortable, can anything be done for me?

[Sunny602]

How has this hernia affected you besides being very uncomfortable? I would think that surgery could fix the defect..what have your docs said about this?
Wish I could help more..Sunny

[justasigh]

thanks for the reply, i used to be very active, i'm out of breath all of the time now and when i eat it is horrible because the hernia seems to get bigger and cause more discomfort.  Right now i am being shuffled between G.I. doc and Thoriac doc, i'm not sure what they will do, just tired of playing the waiting game, it has been 5 months

[Sunny602]

Don't blame you one bit...I liken your experience to being a ping pong ball being shuffled from one doc to another. I have been through it with my problems. I have bilateral diaphragmatic weakness that has resulted in a tracheotomy and ventilator to breathe. Mind you, I have severe symptoms that were life threatening. I hope that you get somewhere and soon so that you can finally get some relief. Sunny

[justasigh]

If you don't mind me asking, how did your weakness happen?  That is definitely a scary disease.  They have no idea what happened to mine, no tumor, no injury it just happened. And really wasn't much of a problem until the hernia decided to live there.

[Sunny602]

I thought that my asthma was flaring up and so did my docs, this was about 5 years ago. I couldn't catch my breath with simple tasks, bending over made me very short of breath as well. Lying down was getting nearly impossible without having to place more and more pillows to prop me up so that I could breathe easier. I wound up being hospitalized frequently over a short period of time, each of those times being treated aggressively for asthma. Finally, I was transferred to another facility where further testing revealed that my asthma wasn't the culprit at all but my diaphragm. The nerves are intact, but the muscle is not...the docs suspect a myopathy. They are still in the process of figuring out just what kind..apparently, it can be difficult to pinpoint what type sometimes.
Initially, I was placed on O2, then O2 and BiPAP as I became weaker and finally the vent once I was in full respiratory failure...that was 3 years ago. The progression was very quick from onset of symptoms.
If you have anymore questions, just holler...Sunny:)

[justasigh]

Good morning!  I go see the G.I. doc today, so hopefully I will know something more conclusive.  I am really hoping they can fix the hernia.  I was doing okay with the diaphram issue, had learned to compensate and did alot of breathing exercises..but nothing is working with that big hernia there.  I'll post this evening.. thanks so much Sunny