Among Friends

[geegerbee]

I apparently have a small umbilical hernia. It doesn't hurt. Doc wants me to schedule surgery. Very hard to get to actually talk to him. Doesn't call back, except 1 time when I wasn't home. My question is what if I don't choose surgery? My mother had one and she never had surgery. My father had one, but the nurse dropped him whe she was supposed to help him out of bed and the stitches came apart. He never went back. So he had his the rest of his life.

Anybody have a hernia and didn't choose surgery?

[RedTop]

Your hernia will not just go away, but not all hernias require immediate surgical repair.  There are changes that could occur with the hernia that signal the need to schedule surgery.  

Your doctor needs to inform you of your exact situation so you know whether this truly needs immediate attention or can be monitored awhile longer.   

[on the bay]

@geegerbee -

My friend has one and never had surgery either.

You could get a second opinion too. I'd want to ask a lot of questions like why he/she recommends surgery, what might happen without it, what will it affect, what should I watch for in changes etc.

[Janey2]

Get a second opinion. See a doctor who will sit down with you and answer all your questions. I never heard of having any type of surgery without a doctor sitting down with you and explaining everything. In my opinion, having any type of surgery demands a second opinion before deciding what you are going to do. To tell you the truth my family always speaks with 3 doctors before having surgery. 

[RealtyGal2]

I have had hernia surgery, but my doctor inially advised me to wait and monitor it. I waited until it was painful enough to be annoying and had the surgery. It is an out patient surgery aand is only painful (sore with movement) for about a week, but you do need to slow down for a month or so regarding lifting, etc..

[CalminHeart]

I had a protruding hernia in my low abdomen so when the surgeon fixed it, he fixed the umbilica one.  I didn't even know I had the umbilica one until he told me during the exam.  

[software]

"Apparently"?

First question, how, when & why was it diagnosed?

Do get a 2nd opinion.   

If it doesn't bother you, and it is what you say, just watch it.

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@geegerbee wrote:

I apparently have a small umbilical hernia. It doesn't hurt. Doc wants me to schedule surgery. Very hard to get to actually talk to him. Doesn't call back, except 1 time when I wasn't home. My question is what if I don't choose surgery? My mother had one and she never had surgery. My father had one, but the nurse dropped him whe she was supposed to help him out of bed and the stitches came apart. He never went back. So he had his the rest of his life.

Anybody have a hernia and didn't choose surgery?

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[Imaoldhippie]

This is a question for a doctor.  Either make an appointment with your doc to ask these questions or find another one.

Most all hernia's are potentially dangerous.  They can be come strangulated and turn gangrenous and cause serious complications.

[hckynut]

@geegerbee 

I will tell you why I did choose to have my 2 hernia surgeries. It interfered with me being able to reach my max level of activities is 1 reason.

The other is that it can be dangerous, resulting in tissue loss(a times needing a more intrusive surgery), and it can possibly also be life threatening.

My surgeon told me that surgery wasn't mandatory. Be also explained the physical impairment in my physical activities along with the potential risks.

I had my surgeries at the 1st openings he had in his schedule. Neither surgery was the least bit problematic for me, other than being restricted with my normal activities for a short period of time.

I have always been a "get it fixed as soon as possible" guy. That way it will be done on my terms and not prolong the possible dangerous alternatives.

hckynut

[hckynut]

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@Janey2 wrote:

Get a second opinion. See a doctor who will sit down with you and answer all your questions. I never heard of having any type of surgery without a doctor sitting down with you and explaining everything. In my opinion, having any type of surgery demands a second opinion before deciding what you are going to do. To tell you the truth my family always speaks with 3 doctors before having surgery. 

@Janey2 

I personally have doctors(surgeons) that are also my friends. If I need something like a surgery that is outside their specialty? I ask them who they would see should they have this same issue.

I trust them enough in their specialties to do surgery on me, if necessary, and also trust them with their reference of a surgeon in the field I need. 

I have never found the need yet to get a 2nd opinion and certainly not a 3rd one. Have had many invasive procedures and surgeries, and each doctor explained in as much detail as I wanted, in their specific surgery on myself.

hckynut 

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