[spinotza]

I’ve been wearing trusses, boxers for 5 years to keep my hernia in place. At my most careful the hernia would not pop out for weeks at a time. And yet the hernia is still there. Bandages can not work, Patagonia hernia cure doesn’t work. You can manage your hernia through watchful waiting and wearing a truss or boxers but you can not close the inguinal canal will not close by itself even if you are in a coma for years and you don’t move at all and lie flat on your back. Sorry!

[spinotza]

Hey there @Scarletville. I’m also getting ready to get a mesh repair privately in the UK. I am also curious which clinic you chose/was assigned to. I’m thinking of getting it at the Oxford Hernia Clinic butI can still change my mind! Kang/Desarda/Shouldice would normally be options too but I’m not comfortable getting a surgery abrod in covid times, just in the small chance something bad happens I’d rather be in my home country where I have a support network.

• This reply was modified 3 years ago by  spinotza.

[spinotza]

@Alephy sorry if I was misleading, I have a great deal of enthusiasm to share the story of my period since being diagnosed with a hernia since before I was quite overweight and I lost 12 kg and got into shape and just appreciated life more – discovered swimming and was generally more active than the years before.

The place where I plan to get the surgery is called the Oxford Hernia Clinic. They actually do non-mesh too but only the old Bassini type which I’m not very keen on. On their website they have a pdf where they talk about pain risks at great length and it’s worth reading.

I would be getting an open bilateral hernia surgery with self-fixing mesh under local anaesthetic.
@Good Intentions I’ll call the clinic and try to find out more about how they addressed the points you’ve made about minimizing the risks in the mesh category.

[spinotza]

@pinto I play tennis at a light level without running like a madman (like I used to) around the court. When I just go for a run (anything longer than 1 km), I start hurting as soon as I end the run.
I became a swimmer searching for something to replace running with. I recommend to try it to anyone who has a hernia.

I must mention that I also wear a truss or hernia boxers that keep my bits into place, that has been important for me and it allows me to carry groceries, lift weights. Without it I would feel more discomfort from these activities!

@Good intentions that was a very sobering post and a much needed one. The risk of losing a lot more than I gain is a very valid one that makes the decision a very difficult one. @Herniahelper is highly knowledgeable of the issues and I agree that chronic pain is a higher risk in young people such as myself (32 yo) who are not used to being in pain.
I found a doctor that I like who was recommended by other doctors, now that I have private healthcare insurance it’s very tempting. He does open hernia surgery with mesh but all he does are hernia surgeries and I believe the odds are good with him. In the UK almost no one does the hernia surgery without mesh. I can’t afford to go to Kang and get the surgery in South Korea and I heard mixed reviews about the ones offering modified Desarda in Germany.

So why am I getting the surgery? I relied on the truss/boxers to have a pain free experience for the last 5 years. But I would be lying if there isn’t a bit of worsening happening. The hernia might be slightly bigger than it was 5 years ago, the rarely occuring pain occurs just a tiny bit more often. It’s still very manageable but I don’t think I can go through my entire life without surgery and I’d rather do it now when I’m in great health/weight than in the future when I might be battling other issues as well. Having said that if anyone can convince me there will be a hernia surgery revolution in the next 5 years I would be willing to stretch my watchful waiting run to a full decade :). Thanks all!

• This reply was modified 3 years ago by  spinotza.

[spinotza]

@alephy the doctors are often good surgeons but the advice they give is often not aligned to the latest research on chronic pain and the advantages of non-mesh surgery. In UK NHS can not offer a non-mesh inguinal repair so the doctors would say anything to make you stop thinking about it.

@holeinthewall , you are right. I am searching for the doctor that would operate my hernia when the time comes. I am opting for open non-laparoscopic. I might accept the mesh for bilateral hernia.
In the case of groin hernia losing weight leads to opposite effects: less pain because there is less pressure on the hernia, less risks of growth and I think less risk of incarceration. I know I’ve been thinking a lot about my hernia but it somehow led to a better life: I appreciated every activity more, I became in general a more careful person and I can’t say I missed out on anything except for contact sports which I was never into.

@pinto – my hernia is of course reducible. I would have surgery if it didn’t reduce to nothing when I’m lying down.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by  spinotza.

[spinotza]

Such a good answer @Herniahelper. One that I agree with fully. I opted for watchful waiting. Comsetically it looks a bit bad and my partners over the last 5 years have asked me why don’t I get it repaired. On the other hand this hernia helped me get into the best shape of my life. I turned into a swimmer – I can swim for miles and miles and I never felt any discomfort like I would feel if I’d go for a run. I lost the fat, I feel better than ever and now that my job offered me private healthcare insurance in the UK I will probably finally have the surgery. Although the thought of chronic pain scares me. The last 5 years of my life have been amazing. I snowboarded, played tennis, travelled around the world had a great sex life. All I want from the surgery is for things to stay the same and finally be able to run again.

I took this route because my doctor here in the UK asked me if I want to wait. I said yes. He said come back anytime you feel ready and we will schedule the surgery.