Recent inguinal hernia experiences.

Hi,

Just been to see my GP this morning and she has confirmed that I have a direct inguinal hernia. She says that they don’t really like to operate on them nowadays? Dr Google suggests to the contrary and old threads on here suggest that people have had operations?

Cheers,

Mick

I had bilateral and operated on late 2018 with a mesh implant. Turned out I had 4 in the end (plus an umbilical).

My surgeons advice
a) they dont; get better by themselves
b) the risk of a strangulated hernia is greater the older you get and the risk of surgery increases with age too (I’m early 50’s).
c) why wait if you’ll have an op eventually?

Yup, had the right side done in the summer . Op went well (mesh), that’s both sides done now(other one was 20yrs ago).
I had always planned for a slow steady recovery through the Autumn /Winter and am now just starting to feel like I can trust it and test myself with bigger efforts when out on the bikes . I have also heard some proper horror stories first hand from people where it didn’t work well and they are still in a lot of pain/discomfort, so although it is a very common op, do as much research as you can and weigh up the risk.

Tell em you fit multi fuel stoves for a living and your hobby is Powerlifting, the surgeon used extra staples and recons he put them into the bone.
Told me to never lift more than my bodyweight 🤣

I think I’m going to push get this done because it is really bothering me.

Private vs NHS?

What did everyone else do?

Looks like it will be about 3k.

Mick

I had one done 10 years ago on NHS, was told it would be keyhole and ended up as open surgery and signed off for 3 weeks which I extended to 4 weeks, my manager went spare with me off a month. We also a lovely April so coming back to work with a slight tan didn’t go down well for someone signed off sick.

It took ages to get my fitness back up, then I went through a falling off the bike phase for about 4 months which put me back even further.

Even now the general area still aches now and again but think that may be due to general poor flexibility from running – hip flexors /hamstrings / glutes etc.

I’m in for a double inguinal hernia op on Monday.
I first noticed it 7 years ago,at the time the Doc said ‘if it’s not causing you problems try & ignore it’.Last year it started playing up,I went back to the Doc’s,new Doctor & she said it’s probably for the better if I now get the operation done.It’s taken from May until now to get my surgery,this is with the NHS,maybe going private would have got my surgery booked in earlier.

Also, how active were you before the operations?

I’m not sure how much I can/can’t do.

Mick

Regarding recovery time I think a great deal depends on the size of the hernia and whether or not it can be done by keyhole or has to be open cut. I had one done mid November, open cut and the hernia was massive according to my surgeon, so I think my recovery was longer than most, took two months off work, I’m a photographer so a fair bit of running around, carrying kit etc is needed. If I was office based I could have worked after about six weeks but not before.

It’s still sore now from time to time, especially the area where I was cut is still quite sensitive and I wouldn’t want to squat or deadlift like I used to (it’s what got me into this mess in the first place), I’m cycling but nothing too strenuous or it starts to hurt, I think these things just take a bit longer to heal properly than people think, a friend who had one done a year ago still gets pains when he runs.

As for no longer fixing them my surgeon told me that’s the policy in the Oxford area and the problems that many said would occur haven’t materialised, go figure.

I had a bilateral op in January last year.
Initially we thought their was one, but I had an ultrasound which showed a small one on the other side, so both were fixed at the same time. If I had it fixed on private, they would not have done an ultrasound & hence would have been back for another op in future.

At the time, the surgeon just said “I assume you just want it fixed” their was no talk of “watchful waiting”.

I (very slowly) walked half a mile the next day & was totally back to fitness within a few months. Then, I had a big step sideways off the bike & think I hurt the scar tissue around the mesh. Perhaps I should have done more stretching post-op, as the doc is now suggesting it.

A year to the day post-op was my first Strathpuffer & I’m doing more riding now than at any time since I was a kid.

It seems like it’s a tricky call since there seems to be a lot of occurrences of problems post-surgery.

I think a lot of problems occur when people do too much too soon, if you have the op you just have to be prepared to take it easy for longer than you probably hoped, deep tissue takes six to twelve months to heal fully.

My surgeon’s advice was just use common sense, if it starts to hurt stop what you’re doing. Also remember hernias never get better without intervention.

And if you do have the op, tight pants and laxatives from day one 🙂

rhs done last september key hole with mesh. surgeon repaired small umbilical hernia on way out had 2 weeks off work all good now +1 for laxatives as codeine well know for creating internal concrete!! Waiting time was about 6 months nhs I got email day after i paid for holiday so had to postpone i think 3 weeks till next opening. good luck

My old man had one done on NHS last week, he’s 73. Only had to wait about 2 to 3 months I think.
Done with mesh and seems to have gone well.
S

Where I am (South Wales) there’s a within thirty two weeks policy from initial doctor’s appointment/diagnosis to surgery.

My mother nearly died recently due to a strangulated hernia so keep an eye out.

I had first hernia about 20 years ago, kept on at the gym, cycling etc. until I found it almost impossible to walk very far at all. Open mesh surgury and I was off for almost 8 weeks IIRC.

Other side went a couple of years ago, doctors never mentioned just ignoring it so straight in and had it done pretty quickly*. Ironically, going in through the belly button has now given me a hernia there but thats another story…

* You mentioned option for private operation – if you do get the doctor to refer you, see if they can get you into the local private hospital to do it – they have to take a certain number of cases and basically only do the easy ones so if you’re reasonably fit, not obese chainsmoker, then they might be able to do something quickly for you. I was assessed and had the op before the local hospital would have even had me for an assessment.

Had the op 4/2/20,get it done they don’t fix themselves without surgery.
No biking or strenuous activity for 6 weeks.

I had keyhole done for a inguinal hernia about 5 years ago.

I knew it was a hernia as soon as I felt the twinge when lifting an enduro bike stuck in clay like mud.

Showered that night and the golf ball lump was there for all to see, first few days felt a bit tight but nothing too painful.

Took around 6 months from initial appointment to getting the surgery as it kept getting cancelled which suited me as I was competing in mx and didnt want the time off.

I carried on with biking and motocross and didnt give it a second thought. Apart from when hungover being sick, you could feel the hernia pulsing in and out with the gag reflex, same with coughing!

After the surgery the first few days were a bit painful, sleeping on back, walking etc.. gradually increased activity walking a bit more each day.

Laxatives is a good shout, and dont sneeze!

I was back on my mountain bike on the 13th day post surgery, riding brechfa, although I was 28 years old and quite active pre op, which helped with the recovery.

Initially you are a bit cautious lifting heavy things, but you soon forget you have even had it done

Had one for 2 years now, no pain, just the bulge. I have private heath care through work, could get it done, but it’s not causing me any bother…

Saw GP again last night, they agreed to give me a referral because of the discomfort. It could take months, so I’m thinking I will just go private and get a loan.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jul/17/nhs-rationing-putting-hernia-patients-lives-at-risk-say-surgeons

Booked to see a private surgeon next. Procedure could be 2-3 weeks after that.

Had it done two days ago (keyhole) lots of pain still (from keyhole wounds). Was hoping to be walking round more but too painful.

Really glad that I married a nurse!

Tried a 10 minute ride a couple of days ago (surgeon said it would be ok, 2.5 weeks post-op).

It was painful and I walked home. I have been getting very painful twinges since and am back on painkillers.

Hope it settles down soon.