Incisional hernia
Discussion
It was confirmed last week by ultrasound scan I have a hernia , apparently from op I had 8 months ago , I guessed the very large lump ( niece described it as a alien trying to get out) , and when I don’t wear my shirt people often ask ( with that look on there faces ) what is that sticking out your side , it’s large .
But other than the looks it doesn’t bother me , no pain etc , I’ve a consultation this week over the results of the scan but I’m after some advice from people who have had them , it’s not bothering me other than looks , not me when it comes to looks as I’m well past the stage of worrying ( 63 ) , but I’m just wondering will it cause me more issues if I say leave it ( wife says it’s noticeably bigger , I’m not sure ) .
As I say I’m thinking leave it , but wife has said get it sorted , I should I guess listen to advice from consultation but I’ve lost a lot of faith in my doctors of late , if it was hospital I’d probably go with there advice
Thankyou
But other than the looks it doesn’t bother me , no pain etc , I’ve a consultation this week over the results of the scan but I’m after some advice from people who have had them , it’s not bothering me other than looks , not me when it comes to looks as I’m well past the stage of worrying ( 63 ) , but I’m just wondering will it cause me more issues if I say leave it ( wife says it’s noticeably bigger , I’m not sure ) .
As I say I’m thinking leave it , but wife has said get it sorted , I should I guess listen to advice from consultation but I’ve lost a lot of faith in my doctors of late , if it was hospital I’d probably go with there advice
Thankyou
There’s a non-zero chance it will get worse. A lot worse.
My dad had a hernia that could have been operated on, 10+ years ago but the doctors weren’t entirely comfortable doing this because of his age and they chose not to go ahead.
Now they definitely can’t operate because of his age, and it’s a real problem.
My dad had a hernia that could have been operated on, 10+ years ago but the doctors weren’t entirely comfortable doing this because of his age and they chose not to go ahead.
Now they definitely can’t operate because of his age, and it’s a real problem.
Gas1883 said:
As I say I’m thinking leave it , but wife has said get it sorted , I should I guess listen to advice from consultation but I’ve lost a lot of faith in my doctors of late , if it was hospital I’d probably go with there advice
Thankyou
From this I take it you have an appointment with your GP about the scan result? And you're not happy with your GP?Thankyou
You're probably discharged from the hospital team, but it's worth calling the consultants secretary to see if they'll give you an appointment or if you need another referral.
Then ask your GP to refer you if needs be.
Alex Z said:
There’s a non-zero chance it will get worse. A lot worse.
My dad had a hernia that could have been operated on, 10+ years ago but the doctors weren’t entirely comfortable doing this because of his age and they chose not to go ahead.
Now they definitely can’t operate because of his age, and it’s a real problem.
Thankyou , that’s good it won’t get worse , wife says it’s bigger , I’m not convinced .My dad had a hernia that could have been operated on, 10+ years ago but the doctors weren’t entirely comfortable doing this because of his age and they chose not to go ahead.
Now they definitely can’t operate because of his age, and it’s a real problem.
Bill said:
From this I take it you have an appointment with your GP about the scan result? And you're not happy with your GP?
You're probably discharged from the hospital team, but it's worth calling the consultants secretary to see if they'll give you an appointment or if you need another referral.
Then ask your GP to refer you if needs be.
The operation was done by a different trust ( Leicestershire) , they discharged me back to my trust ( Lincolnshire ) as they said other than mri scans , 1 yr , 3 yrs & 5 yrs no more treatment was necessary, and these scans could be done by my trust , the ultra sound called for by a practice nurse at my doctors , I just received a txt saying received result of ultra sound , book a appointment , so not sure who will see me to discuss options .You're probably discharged from the hospital team, but it's worth calling the consultants secretary to see if they'll give you an appointment or if you need another referral.
Then ask your GP to refer you if needs be.
I will ring Leicester & see what they say , though a specialists in kidneys did op , so not sure if he’d deal with a hernia , I’m guessing it’s a fairly straightforward op that could be done at local hospital
Thankyou
It will affect you psychologically in subtle ways before any other physical symptom manifests and your quality of life will suffer the longer you convince yourself you're actually not suffering in any way. Doing nothing is not the sensible option IMO. Also as others have noted - the longer you leave it the harder any op will be on you physically, and so will the recovery.
Gas1883 said:
Alex Z said:
There’s a non-zero chance it will get worse. A lot worse.
My dad had a hernia that could have been operated on, 10+ years ago but the doctors weren’t entirely comfortable doing this because of his age and they chose not to go ahead.
Now they definitely can’t operate because of his age, and it’s a real problem.
Thankyou , that’s good it won’t get worse , wife says it’s bigger , I’m not convinced .My dad had a hernia that could have been operated on, 10+ years ago but the doctors weren’t entirely comfortable doing this because of his age and they chose not to go ahead.
Now they definitely can’t operate because of his age, and it’s a real problem.
Arrived at hospital 7am, operation at about 10am, back in room a couple of hours later, left hospital at about 4pm. Back to walking in gym on treadmill next day. Running 5k on treadmill and using weights at my previous to hernia level a couple of weeks later.
uknick said:
Gas1883 said:
Alex Z said:
There’s a non-zero chance it will get worse. A lot worse.
My dad had a hernia that could have been operated on, 10+ years ago but the doctors weren’t entirely comfortable doing this because of his age and they chose not to go ahead.
Now they definitely can’t operate because of his age, and it’s a real problem.
Thankyou , that’s good it won’t get worse , wife says it’s bigger , I’m not convinced .My dad had a hernia that could have been operated on, 10+ years ago but the doctors weren’t entirely comfortable doing this because of his age and they chose not to go ahead.
Now they definitely can’t operate because of his age, and it’s a real problem.
Arrived at hospital 7am, operation at about 10am, back in room a couple of hours later, left hospital at about 4pm. Back to walking in gym on treadmill next day. Running 5k on treadmill and using weights at my previous to hernia level a couple of weeks later.
I suspect the op does not have an 'inguinal' hernia, more likely to be a umbilical hernia as it can be seen when his shirt is off.
A inguinal hernia is a inguinal hernia, there's no 'standard' about it - the lump/bulge appears in your 'groin' area.
I don't think even with a shirt removed you'd see your groin would you?
I have had two 'inguinal' (groin) hernias, one right side, one left side, almost 50 yrs apart.
The first on the right side was when I was 18 in 1968, it involved a stay in hospital (RAF military hospital - we had a choice back then, general anaesthetic in civvy hospital wait was 3 months, but I was able to chose military as it meant I got it done within a couple weeks. Who knows that today? The military hospital in question is long gone.
My stay in hospital was almost a fortnight. The op involved open surgery, sewn inside and outside, leaving a 6 inch scar, still visible today!
Fast forward to 2018, now 68 yrs old, and I had other (left) side done privately, under a 'local' anaesthetic, chatting to surgeon as he operated, in and walking out in less time than uknick above - in at 9.30 am and being driven back home at lunch time. Scar very small, mesh repair, scar now virtually invisible.
Re 'hernias' whichever type, inguinal etc, 'strangulation' is always a possibility - ie: it then becomes an 'emergency'.
Don't leave it!
Edited by dandarez on Sunday 2nd February 23:40
This may be blunt.
Dad has a hernia (OK, he has more than 1, but hey)
He went to the docs with a complaint, doc said "nah, it's just your hernia, don't worry about it"
He went back to the docs not much later, doc then said "Oh, woops, it wasn't your hernia, it is cancer, it is now too far gone for any treatment"
Go get it sorted.
Dad has a hernia (OK, he has more than 1, but hey)
He went to the docs with a complaint, doc said "nah, it's just your hernia, don't worry about it"
He went back to the docs not much later, doc then said "Oh, woops, it wasn't your hernia, it is cancer, it is now too far gone for any treatment"
Go get it sorted.
Gas1883 said:
It was confirmed last week by ultrasound scan I have a hernia , apparently from op I had 8 months ago , I guessed the very large lump ( niece described it as a alien trying to get out) , and when I don’t wear my shirt people often ask ( with that look on there faces ) what is that sticking out your side , it’s large .
But other than the looks it doesn’t bother me , no pain etc , I’ve a consultation this week over the results of the scan but I’m after some advice from people who have had them , it’s not bothering me other than looks , not me when it comes to looks as I’m well past the stage of worrying ( 63 ) , but I’m just wondering will it cause me more issues if I say leave it ( wife says it’s noticeably bigger , I’m not sure ) .
As I say I’m thinking leave it , but wife has said get it sorted , I should I guess listen to advice from consultation but I’ve lost a lot of faith in my doctors of late , if it was hospital I’d probably go with there advice
Thankyou
There are (to my untrained knowledge) 3 main types of hernia that you can get, that will show an external lump.But other than the looks it doesn’t bother me , no pain etc , I’ve a consultation this week over the results of the scan but I’m after some advice from people who have had them , it’s not bothering me other than looks , not me when it comes to looks as I’m well past the stage of worrying ( 63 ) , but I’m just wondering will it cause me more issues if I say leave it ( wife says it’s noticeably bigger , I’m not sure ) .
As I say I’m thinking leave it , but wife has said get it sorted , I should I guess listen to advice from consultation but I’ve lost a lot of faith in my doctors of late , if it was hospital I’d probably go with there advice
Thankyou
1) As mentioned above - inguinal hernia. This will show as a lump in the groinal area and may/may not get larger or more uncomfortable with time.
I have one of these. I was told by a surgeon yesterday that it doesn't need operating on yet.
2) Umbilical hernia - I had mine operated on yesterday under general anaesthetic as day surgery.
I had it for at least 2 years without issue, as it was very small, but I did so much heavy coughing during a bad bout of flu and chest infection this last year, that it tore some more and needed operating on. The longer you leave these, there an increased risk of its size increasing and also of strangulation, which is extremely painful and life threatening.
3) Abdominal hernia - basically the wall of muscle going down from your belly button to your groin.
Typically the one that men get when trying to lift / move something that is too heavy.
If the lump from this is visible, get it sorted - same risks from strangulation.
Excuse any bad typing - still under effects of GA.
Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff