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has anyone here had multiple hernias?
I’m 31 and was just diagnosed with my 3rd hernia in 12 months. I really don’t know what to make of this. Each time I get one repaired, a new one sprouts up a month or two later. Doing these repairs feels pointless… It’s as if the internal pressure that causes these hernias just shifts to the next weakest point in my abdominal wall and causes a new one.
1st hernia: Inguinal, left side, open mesh repair at UCLA
2nd hernia: Inguinal, right side, open mesh repair at UCLA
3rd hernia: UmbilicalHas anyone been down this road before? Any advice? At this rate my entire torso will be wrapped up in mesh by the time I’m 40 lol
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4 Replies
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Hilarious.
and true: we currently do not have genetic testing for hernias. If you fund the research, it will happen -
I agree with Dr. Towfigh’s statement about genetic predisposition. I had right side IH and then found that my brother had both sides of IH. I also remembered that my father had IH but father never went for surgery and died with it (due to other causes not due to IH strangulation). I had surgery with Dr. Goodyear in PA almost three years ago and results are excellent. My brother had surgery both sides at the same time and he is happy with the results too. Both of us have the mesh (I think it is ultrapro for me).
As I keep saying on this forum time and again, IH surgery does not make you a superman. It fixes the existing IH area and makes you mobile and better at moving. But if you think that the surgery made you a superhero, since the pelvic floor is weak, it will eventually develop hernia the other side. What I observed in the forums on internet is this common mistake. Once surgery is done, the guys think they can lift the earth, hurl the Saturn towards Sun or lift the 18 wheeler off the highway. WRONG! Recognize that you had IH surgery and be careful REST OF YOUR LIFE. Also since hernia is fixed most guys start doing everything and anything from after 3 weeks. For god’s sake, the surgery is what it is and it needs rest. I gave full 6 weeks rest. Only after 8th week or so I resumed the activities (including the one you wanted to know but were afraid to ask!) in full but even now I do not lift anything heavy and get myself seen by PCP yearly to check the other side for possible hernia. So far good.
In a nutshell, yes multiple hernias are verily possible and nobody can exactly tell you where the next hernia could be. If you really want to know where it could be, go the nearest university, find a biomedical engg professor and fund his department with $3.8 million grant o buy software (the professor will be able to pay off his mortgage BTW) to simulate a hypothetical situation. BTW since I have a doctoral biomedical degree I can do this simulation for $290K for you because my mortgage is small and I work alone (did I say it like Ahnold?) 🙂 Take it easy.
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Thank you for your response. Is there some form of a test to see if I have that genetic alteration?
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The #1 risk factor for hernias is genetic predisposition. Can’t do anything about that. Most patients that have multiple hernias have a genetic alteration in the collagen in the hernia-prone tissues. They are just naturally weaker there.
Risk factors that can be controlled for so that you don’t have recurrences from your hernias and/or reduces the risk of another hernia:
– control any straining, such as from constipation or enlarged prostate
– maintain normal weight
– no nicotine
– exercise and maintain muscle strength
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