Just found out I have a large hernia!!

[sfdreams]

...and I will probably have to have surgery!! Not too happy about this, because in January I had a total abdominal hysterectomy and umbilical hernia repair (where they hijacked my bellybutton:eek: !) and I used up all my PTO for my 6-week recovery.

Now I'm told that this hernia is very large, and that will have to be cut open (versus laparscopy), so that means long recovery time. :mad:

I don't know how urgent this is....may be able to put it off for awhile, but I was just building my PTO back up, darn it!!

I don't know what I need from y'all, except support and a shoulder to cry on!! Thanks for letting me vent! :(

Blessings to all!

[tanishamarshall]

Sorry to hear this, I guess there are no other options? I will keep you in my prayers.

[Bethanie]

and noticed that i have a hernia, i didn't want to go to a Doctor so i lay down and push it back and up and to my surprise it goes away for a couple of weeks.
I got this off of a chinese herbal site off the net, it works for me and since i started "oil pulling" it seems to have gotten smaller.
I'm not saying that you shouldn't get surgery but i looked for an alternative and i feel good about it.
The first thing i do is look for a natural cure for my body before i think about getting anything cut out or getting cut on but that's me:)
B.
I don't like hospitals:)

[tanishamarshall]

I agree, I would look for the alternative as well if at all possible, but if there isn't one then I guess surgery might be the best option. I wish I knew more about hernias but I'm sure a search on the internet will turn up some folks whom have dealt with it.

[Coriander74]

I just wanted to send you some good wishes with lots of hugs and hopes for a fast recovery!!

[KindnessToAllCreatures]

sfdreams- I'm so sorry to hear of the stress that you're under. For some encouragement, you might want to check out the following thread:

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=28465

Please forgive me if you've seen it already. RFT member Douglas started the thread to share his successes with weight loss (over 150# so far), improved health, as well as pictures of his transformation. He recently had a hernia operation and is recovering from this. (He first mentions the surgery on p. 8, post #118.) He seems to be recovering well; I'm hopeful this will offer you a bit of encouragement.

Please know that we are all collectively rallying around you in support of you.

With much Love.

[Bethanie]

I've been almost totally raw except for spices and maple syrup and sometimes i may sip on bean juice when i prepare beans for my hubby.
He's almost 90% raw now:D :D
My hernia has gone down and it's a slight tenderness were it was but that's all.
I'm so happy about it, it did have me nervous at first but now i'm over it.
I try not to lift anything heavy.
B.

[angelia]

I feel your pain!!
I had a hernia repaired and it came back out within a yr since I live a very active life as a professional bellydancer... the doctor said I had many smaller many hernias due to my very large baby I carried (11 lbs and my ab wall was shot!)
and the only way to avoid having the other hernias get bigger with time.. and avoid having the big one come out again he said I should just go to a plastic surgeon
who could do a full tummy tuck and tighten everything up... which I did...
over a yr later... I have no problems... and a tight as a drum tummy for a bonus. ... and all my scars are carefully hidden having it done by a plastic surgeon... another bonus (esp. in my line of work)
It one of the best things I've ever done. Repaired ALL my baby "damage"

Lots of plastic surgeons take insurance for tummy tuck/hernia repair surgery.. mine did.:)

Extreme surgery like this is not for everyone but I love not worrying about hernias coming out!! and being able to live the active life I love... and like I said... the tight flat tummy is a bonus!

[Frugal Raw]

I have a friend who had the exact same thing, only she had 3 "newborn baby sized" hernias in her abdomen. She was told that she needed surgery but also that she would have to lose 100 pounds before it could be done. She refused to get serious about it. Over a year later the hernias caused a major bowel obstruction/collapse and she spent 7 months in the hospital due to 11 surgeries and complications thereof. She was kept comatose for months for her own safety.

It may be in your favor that you only have the one, and I wish you the best of luck in having the repair done safely and timely on all avenues. Did your doc say how soon you would need to have this taken care of?

[sfdreams]

I was surprised to see this old thread pop up!!! Can't resist to add my two-cents worth. :p

Hernias are nothing to mess with...you run the risk of bowel strangulation and possible resultant death. Yours may not be urgent, but it probably will need addressed at some point. My surgeon did not recommend a specific weight loss (as with Mattye Lee's friend) but did prefer me to lose weight as obese people tend to have more complications from surgery. It was a fine line we walked between postponing the surgery till I could lose weight (I lost 75lbs) and watching the hernia for signs of its enlargement. I finally opted to have the surgery when I did, because I was sick and tired of the thought of surgery hanging over me. I just wanted it over with.

I did have complications as it turned out--got cellulitis and wound up in the hospital again, had another surgery and now have an open surgery wound which is healing from the inside out. Should I have waited longer until I lost more weight??? Who knows? I DO know that the hernia repair worked and is holding tight. I was worried about that just before I wound up in the hospital again as I had a lot of pain and felt like my abdomen was going to explode. I thought my hernia had returned. But the CAT scan I had in the Emergency Dept showed the repair was intact. Thank God! :D

And now I feel fine (and actually would feel terrific had I not taken a nasty fall last week!) and do not regret my surgery one iota. I don't presume to tell you what to do--only you can decide what you want to do for yourself. But educate yourself, get second or third opinions, and if you do decide to have surgery, please choose a good surgeon.

Wishing you well.

Mattye Lee, I hope your friend is doing much better now.

And a belated thank you for everyone's kind thoughts and prayers!