Reply To: In the 70s and 80s hernias were no big deal –now they are hell

[ajm222]

i think it’s probably fair to say that it’s a bit hyperbolic to suggest an adult weight lifter has lived with a tissue repair for 50 years, unless indeed that person had the repair as a child. i’ve seen a lot of hyperbolic statements from some quarters here recently, probably partially to get a reaction out of the readers, and partially out of exasperation or desperation. it’s totally understandable. but just saying it doesn’t do everyone else any good when exaggeration is employed. just saying we should try and be as precise and level-headed as we possibly can when sharing stories, and as detailed as possible, as we have seen that the devil is in the details. age, type of repair, type of hernia, past medical history, any other extenuating circumstances, and accuracy on all other fronts is most helpful when discussing successes and failures. hard to nail down those details most of the time, but the more the better. especially given the state of the science regarding hernia repair and some of the mystery surrounding it.