OT: hernia

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JXStern - 04 Nov 2004 09:15 GMT

The group here seems to have a wealth of health info, so perhaps
someone can offer some wisdom on this.

My friend was diagnosed a week or so ago with a hernia, and is
scheduled for an operation in a few weeks. The thing is, the symptoms
have already improved by 95%. He's wondering if it makes sense to
have the operation if things seem so much better. He says the doctor
tells him the surgery is still good, hernias never really heal, he'd
always have a weak spot, yada yada ... sounds rather fishy to me.

I haven't even googled on this yet, wanted to post here, thanks in
advance for any advice, stories, pointers, etc.

J.

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spodosaurus - 04 Nov 2004 10:11 GMT

> The group here seems to have a wealth of health info, so perhaps
> someone can offer some wisdom on this.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> tells him the surgery is still good, hernias never really heal, he'd
> always have a weak spot, yada yada ... sounds rather fishy to me.

No, the doc is right.

> I haven't even googled on this yet, wanted to post here, thanks in
> advance for any advice, stories, pointers, etc.
>
> J.

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Adelle D. Stavis, Esq. - 04 Nov 2004 14:10 GMT

The doc is right. My mom let her hernia sit for a couple of years because
there was always a greater health issue to deal with. Then one evening her
gut suddenly started to hurt. She thought it was her colitis. It kept
getting worse until she couldn't stand up. Finally my sister got her to the
ER. Turns out it strangulated and she needed emergency surgery to remove the
dead parts of her intestine.

Your friend shouldn't wait until it becomes an emergency. The complication
rate is much higher for infection, etc. Any surgery should be done at a time
which promotes the best possible outcome. Waiting would be stupid. (Just my
biased opinion).

Signature

Adelle D. Stavis, Esq.

> The group here seems to have a wealth of health info, so perhaps
> someone can offer some wisdom on this.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> J.

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Nann Bell - 04 Nov 2004 14:54 GMT

> Turns out it strangulated and she needed emergency surgery to remove the
> dead parts of her intestine.

happened to my dad too, though his was an unknown hernia that had not been
ignored and the incarcerated section of bowel was ok. still, he went through
several days of major GI turmoil and emergency surgery before the cause was
known and it was a huge scare for the family. tell your friend to have the
hernia taken care of. the techniques they have nowadays make it a much
faster process than it was when we were kids.

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Nann
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Harvey R. Stone - 04 Nov 2004 16:38 GMT

"Nann Bell"
$8_6.431631@attbi_s04>):

>> Turns out it strangulated and she needed emergency surgery to remove the
>> dead parts of her intestine.
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> hernia taken care of. the techniques they have nowadays make it a much
> faster process than it was when we were kids.

> Nann

And my father as well but it was caused by the seatbelt of his car after an
accident. It seems that people will put off what needs to be done just
like procedures for arthritis problems only to reach the point where
something must be done.
Harv

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d'huit - 05 Nov 2004 08:23 GMT

the exact same thing happened to my mom, too!

kate

> The doc is right. My mom let her hernia sit for a couple of years because
> there was always a greater health issue to deal with. Then one evening her
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
>>
>> J.

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Jo Firey - 04 Nov 2004 18:21 GMT

> The group here seems to have a wealth of health info, so perhaps
> someone can offer some wisdom on this.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> J.

A hernia won't heal on its own. I'd think he would be better off getting
the surgery over with while he's feeling OK rather than wait for the tear to
get worse or for the problems to come back.

Jo

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Don Kirkman - 04 Nov 2004 23:05 GMT

It seems to me I heard somewhere that JXStern wrote in article
<lpojo0hho9tsm72vhtnlmnud57lrd97m5v@4ax.com>:

>The group here seems to have a wealth of health info, so perhaps
>someone can offer some wisdom on this.

>My friend was diagnosed a week or so ago with a hernia, and is
>scheduled for an operation in a few weeks. The thing is, the symptoms
>have already improved by 95%. He's wondering if it makes sense to
>have the operation if things seem so much better. He says the doctor
>tells him the surgery is still good, hernias never really heal, he'd
>always have a weak spot, yada yada ... sounds rather fishy to me.

>I haven't even googled on this yet, wanted to post here, thanks in
>advance for any advice, stories, pointers, etc.

Hernias can be strange. With my first one the doctor said it was large
and should be done quickly. After making a permanent move I arranged
for surgery almost as soon as we got to the new town, and the tear
turned out to be small and has never been a problem again.

One the other side, everything seemed routine, but it tore again a few
years later. The surgeon said he would implant mesh, but during the
surgery decided not to. It tore again a few years later, and a
*different* surgeon did install mesh, which has held pretty well.
Lately I do see a small bulge when there's abdominal pressure, but it's
off to the side of the original site where it should be less of a
problem. As of now I don't plan to do it again.

What your friend doesn't want to do is delay and let the hole grow or
risk a strangulation that can be very serious.

I think a more recent technique can sometimes take care of a hernia
without cutting into the muscles so much, and if that technique is
possible that should reduce recovery time and post-op problems.

IOW, your friend needs to seriously consider what your doctor is saying
but not be afraid to get a second opinion if he/she's not totally
comfortable with what they've been told.

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Don
Old age is when you start saying "I wish I knew now what I knew then."

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Cindy - 05 Nov 2004 01:06 GMT

Take care of it while it is small and they may never have to worry about it
again....
Cindy

> The group here seems to have a wealth of health info, so perhaps
> someone can offer some wisdom on this.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> J.

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JXStern - 05 Nov 2004 06:49 GMT

>Take care of it while it is small and they may never have to worry about it
>again....

Thanks to all for comments, the consensus seems clear, and my googling
around says about the same.

J.

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miles.erickson@gmail.com - 10 Feb 2005 08:06 GMT

FWIW:

I just had my inguinal hernia repaired yesterday using the Kugel
method, which I chose because it's the least invasive (one 3cm
incision) and has the lowest recurrence rate (one-half of one percent,
I think?). I went out for a mile-long walk earlier this eve., about 28
hrs after leaving Dr. Kugel's clinic. I'm already off the Vicodin,
too.

It's early in the recovery, but I certainly recommend Dr. Kugel's
method highly. It's not as well known as it should be.

Good luck,

- Miles

> >Take care of it while it is small and they may never have to worry about it
> >again....
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> J.

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