Hi
It has been two years since my Hysterectomy and I was told yesterday I have a Hernia from the operation. My oncologist said they wouldn’t do anything about it unless it started to cause me problem or interfering with the bowel. I have read that if you had a repair and then a reoccurrence where you need an op it could be complicated. Then I have also read it may be better to fix the Hernia earlier sooner than later. Not sure what to do any advice?
hi, jingles6. I was told the same as you exactly & apart from gurgling , popping & not looking great, it doesn’t cause any problems & is not painful.I was told that repairing the hernia could cause more problems as several layers of scar tissue would need to be cut thus causing more scar tissue to form. Personally I will leave mine alone but depends how much yours is affecting you.I am 3 years post hysterectomy. DeeX
Hi Jingles6,I have a hernia from surgery and assumed it would be important to fix it because it would be harder to fix if it tore more and needed emergency surgery. But it is only three centimetres and I exercise normally without it bothering me so I'm glad I didn't have surgery on it.
So maybe for you it depends on where it is, how big it is and whether it affects your daily life.
All the best,
Martine xx
Hi Jingles6, I have an incisional hernia just beside my tummy button and it doesn't really cause me any problems. If I strain, sneeze or cough it will pop out but I have got in the habit now of pressing my hand against it as soon as I feel a sneeze coming on! (It's just another difference between my 'old normal' and my 'new normal' now.) I did see a surgeon about it, as I was worried it might cause issues with my intestines but he said it was a big enough hole that everything should pop right back in if it did pop out and that he'd rather not operate unless it starts causing problems. I'm 18 months post-op by the way, although my hernia made an appearance 9 months ago.If you're worried about it, I would go through your GP and ask for a referral to a hernia specialist to have a look and hopefully put your mind at rest xx
hi - I am 8 years post op and have an incisional hernia, hasn’t given me any problems, I was told if it gave me problems then they could do something but am living with it quite happily and doesn’t stop me doing anything.
I am 10 years post op and developed my hernia about 6 years ago. Just sticks out and gives me a rather a large waist measurement!! Saw a specialist and he too said leave it. X
Hi Jingles6I can understand your concerned. But don't worry yourself, and listen to your consultant advice. My consultant referred me to a Hernia specialist, like you I had a incisional hernia near the belly button, and I did have pain. The hernia specialist, took a scan and checked my tummy, and becuase my intestine was getting stuck in it and he could not move it back out, he said he would have to operate on it, and I had to wait for it to be done and had to be careful as he said if I get any sudden pain and temp with it etc I would have to get to A&E urgently, as it could mean that there was a chance of the strangulation to the organ which is an emergency.
So it's important to see the specialist and he can put you're mind at ease whether you need the op or not., like alot of the ladies have said they have not needed it and they seem to be fine. It all depends on how your hernia pain is affecting you and if the there is movement within the hernia.
Good luck and hope it gets sorted for you 🙏🏽 xx
Hi, Yes I agree with others, depends on how much it affects you. I did have mine repaired about 2.5yrs ago mainly because it was getting bigger and bigger (was almost like a 3rd boob in my lower abdomen). However, it wasn't painful. The oncologists did initially say just leave it. I paid privately to see two different surgeons specializing in hernias to get their opinions and they both agreed it should be repaired. They did say it can be trickier if you needed further treatment down the track, but not impossible. I ended up going with one of the specialists (he's also a consultant/surgeon doing liver transplants, so I felt I was in very safe hands). He was also kind enough to tell me not to get it done privately (too expensive in Australia), but he would be the surgeon to do it at a public hospital and booked me in. So I now have a pretty large mesh inserted. Touchwood, all good! I kind of wish I had done it earlier when the hernia was much smaller. Not sure this helps you with decision. I would suggest get some opinions and then make your decision. By the way, after I told the oncologist team I was having it repaired they were fine with it and agreed because of the size.
Also it had to be open cut surgery - both surgeons said it was the only way they would do it because of scarring from previous surgery. There are also different ways a hernia repair can be done with mesh, so you have to make sure you're getting the best insertion method. All the best!
I've been living for over 5 years with an enormous incisional hernia. It was such a major operation to get it repaired I said not to do it, and I was a bit concerned that such a large amount of mesh would be needed to repair it. Plus I didn't fancy the 'up to a year' to recover from it, but that's probably just because mine is so large. Its pretty unattractive to look at, and wearing a hernia belt in the heat is a bit of a drag, but other than that and more wind in the system, I don't really worry about it at my age (now 73). Been told now that they will only repair it if it causes significant problems - I think that's a policy change since Covid.
Thank you all for the replies it has been very helpful as usual. It’s lovely to have all of you to ask for reassurance. Love to you all x
I have a similar issue with a large incisional hernia and was advised to leave it. It is so large that there is no likelihood of strangulation but because of the risk of infection and my need for chemotherapy in future my oncologist warned that a repair could prevent future cancer treatment. As it turns out that was sensible advice as my cancer has recurred less than two years after my radical surgery and I am now going in for another debulking surgery so I am hoping that will also mean repairing the hernia but am not sure about that yet.
After my debunking I developed an incisional hernia in 2017 The surgeon tucked it in took teeny stitches and its been fine
I also have a hernia about 8 cm long on my midline post hysterectomy. Surgeon said the mesh they put between the muscle layers in the body wall to close the hole, causes chronic inflammation as the body tries to reject it. Inflammation promotes cancer. Not sure if it is a significant issue but it put me off. I hate the bulge of the hernia looks like a paunch. Also no proper core to support my lumbar spine which is sore now. Repair would improve both of those. You have to weigh up pros vs cons
I had stage 3c2 clear cell ovarian cancer 9 yrs ago , a year later 5 hernia's they used pig mesh, it's like our skin . I was opened 2 yrs ago June to remove a lymph node and it was a longer surgery because they remove the mesh to one side but my doctor had no issues. I have been cancer free since diagnosis in April 2014. I hope this information helps and gives you hope. My pet scan in June was clear. Liz
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