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I had Inguinal hernia and got surgery done with mesh by Dr. Goodyear of PA. From my experience here are some points. I am sorry if some of these points hurt you but reality always bites. Take it or leave it and BTW I am not a medical professional and you are free to do as you please.
1. Hernia, wherever it happens is due to a weakness in the tissue. And the weakness can happen due to variety of reasons, the main one being genetic and the other reasons are dozens to quote. But if you stretch any tissue – including the amazingly elastic heart beyond a reasonable/alloawble level, it will break. So if you think you are VERY active and want to be VERY active you need to think again after hernia surgery.
2. Hernia surgery, as I said on this forum time and again, will fix your tissue in a good way (assuming the surgeon is a good one) and will put you back on your feet. The ultrapro mesh Dr. Goodyear uses is 8x stronger than the original tissue according to him. So if he puts this mesh in my body and I assume I become a superman to lift the Himalayas from Asia and carry them back to Australia (AKA, VERY ACTIVE) then I will have another hernia in another part of the tissue or close the mesh itself. Yes hernia surgery fixes you but does not make you superman/woman.
3. My PCP warned me about my hernia in 2007 and I waited till 2013 till the bulge showed up below my belly belly button on right side. And then learned that my late father had it and never did surgery and my brother had it and had surgery. So it is genetic and can happen to families. I waited 6 years and ignored my PCP advice not to lift weights etc. (again aka VERY active).
4. By 2013 the pain from my hernia was unbearable. I decided that either I die on surgery table or come out better but cannot sit with hernia and shooting pains. So I researched and found Dr. Goodyear as my choice. Before that for six months I even stopped carrying 1 gal milk cans and anything more heavier than 1/4 Lb. Why because, the lifting was causing more trouble.
5. People have told me and I read on internet that hernia can be cured by yoga and some exercises. I believed those for a few days/weeks and practiced them but found them useless. Once it came to show up on the skin like a bulge, it is almost irreversible. A hole in tissue cannot be fixed by yoga. It needs a patch. And the patch can be another tissue (desarda type) or with a mesh. Each one has an advantage and disadvantage. The internet is awash with these. Will mesh suit you? Nobody can tell. It is like driving car on highway. 999% you are safe. But do people die on highway? You bet. Some people had problems with mesh and some are happy. Some are happy for a few years and then they develop problems. Human body is a closely guarded environment and any stuff you insert inside will have a reaction. If your body tolerates that reaction you are good. Else you know what it means.
6. If you plan to be VERY active after surgery or before surgery when the hernia is confirmed, it will only grow further. After mesh surgery you still have to be careful for points above.
IMAO (A is for arrogant), hernia is like diabetes. You have a friend for life whether you like it or not. It will come with you and is a warning that you have a problem. The problem can be fixed (like a diabetic can live till 100 actively with medication and other controls) but you always need to be careful.
That’s my opinion – strictly personal one.