Anyone had/got a hernia?

[figleaf]

Doctor says I've got one under my tummy button. I had key hole surgery in 2002 to remove my gaul bladder so this leaves a weakness apparently. What I want to know is why every internet site/discussion I find says you must have surgery to repair a hernia yet my doctor told me to go away and not worry about it unless I get an excruciating pain. Then I should go to A+E as somthing has got trapped. Although I'm not in any pain currently it doesn't sound like a winning plan to me.

My Dad had this last year -he had to have a little operation on ti - only took a couple of hours in hospital.

I would DEFINITELY go for a second opinion.

Sounds a bit to me. It's not going to fix itself, is it?

I have had one on my tummy button since pregnant with ds2 (who is now 4!).

Told my GP who just said to watch that I can always push it back in and it isn't trapped. Apparently exercise can make the muscle wall stronger - but I've been a bit sporadic with that recently

TBH, I'd rather not have surgery unless strictly necessary anyway.

what sort of excersice?

Stomach/abs exercises.

Won't make it go away (i.e. the weakness is always there) but helps control it, iyswim. Mine does come and go depending on what condition I'm in, but then mine's fairly small - the gap is about the width of my thumb across I think.

I know with ds1, the hospital gave me a leaflet of the stomach exercises you should do after birth to help your stomach muscles fall back into place and knit together. I moved house between kids and didn't get anything similar for ds2 - so maybe the idea has been discredited? I'm certain that they won't knit together four years down the line now for me, but I'm sure being taughter and closer together can't hurt!

(I actually went to the GP for hernia and slight prolapse - apparently my muscles need a lot of work )

Have just made an appointment at the doctors. First one I could get was next Monday with the same Doctor but maybe I can get him to explain why he thinks I should do nothing and what the alternative is/are. I have a slight prolapse since the birth of DS2. Are the two conditions linked?

I think in general they're linked in that they're both things that having babies does to you - puts stress on all those internal muscles! I was told that I should do kegels and stomach exercises but also that as my stomach muscles got stronger that would also help "pull up" the muscles internally - so I guess they're all interconnected.

The things we do for children!!

As far as I understand it many hernias are just left. They are difficult to repair and the repair can break down. They can not be mended continually as the stomach wall gets too weak. If it's not painful I wouldn't begin to contemplate surgery.