Training with a hernia

I've been suffering with an epigastric hernia since about April. I've been continuing to train and seem to be able to pull my abs in reasonably well which is stopping it er... popping out. I'm currently at either PE1 or PE2 for most exercises.

I saw an NHS consultant today who has put me on the waiting list for an op but said that, unless it gets any worse during the waiting time, it might be better if I don't have the op and just learn to live with it. He says that, at its current size, there's no danger of strangulation.

I'm encouraged by that and so I'm probably not go ahead with the op. Does anyone else here have any experience of training with a hernia?

I've had a small hernia for years. Had it checked out when I got it, doctor said I should have it repaired. Went to surgery, and the surgeon said the same thing to me as your doctor is now. I decided against the surgery and have not had any issues, or growth in the size of the hernia.

Of course this only my experience, not a medical opinion, but it does corroborate what you MD told you.

I don't know that I would be able to concentrate fully on training and let loose.  I think it would always be in the back of my mind, and I wouldn't be able to push myself as hard as I would otherwise.

Would the surgery have long term effects on your health/performance?

Thanks Cole. It's encouraging to know that it's possible to progress ok with one.

Bipocni. You raise an interesting point though. Why not just get it done anyway? I think I'm of the opinion of why bother going under the knife if my performance wouldn't be affected anyway. There are always risks with any type of surgery and indeed, I had a knee operation a few years ago which certainly didn't improve my knee and, if I'd known then what I know now about exercising, I think that I'd have been better off with trying to strengthen it instead.

Of course, I could still get the hernia operation done if it gets worse in the future anyway. I very much appreciate the opinion though and am very happy to hear from anyone who's got experience of living with a hernia or having one operated on.

I had an umbilical hernia operated on. I got sick of tucking it back in, made me squeemish. It didn't affect my training much, usually felt a tearing/ stinging sensation once I cooled down. My doctor told me to wait for it to get bigger, but also said if it was bigger there would be less chance of strangulation due to less resistance tucking it all back in. So on that advice I trained harder to tear it more to avoid strangulation lol.

Surgery was successful, never felt it since although I am aware of it if I find myself straining, which I do try to avoid. 

I don't think the surgery would affect long term health/performance. weigh up your options, but I think you should train until it affects your performance, then get it fixed.

Dave

Thanks Dave. Yes, I think it actually might keep my form better and stop me straining to make reps or doing something I'm not ready for. I certainly work a lot harder to keep my abs flexed than I used to. I hope I'm not being naive though.

It definitely made me aware of my form. I wish i could go back a few years though, I'm recovering from acdf to 2 levels in my neck now. Makes everything else I've suffered seem like a warm up.

Never never never never train with an hernia, especially if it has the tendency of popping out from the internal position.  the hernia is popping out usually when you are performing exercises with an immensive internal pressure. if you are performing exercises that need abs or in general core control you risk to choke the part of the internal tissue that is coming out. if this happens you can experiment some tissue necrosis and you can die. do not joke with hernia!

Fair enough. But i know 60 year old men who have to tuck their intestines back up through their ball bag every day after work, and they're ok lol.

Alex is right on that, if it is popping out, you need to get it fixed. In my case, this has never happened, and it's fairly small, which is why the surgeon recommend I not have it repaired.

Also at that time I have very low body fat, and in her opinion the meeting used to cover the hole in the abdominal wall would be a potential irritant, which would be worse than the hernia itself.

Givinitago said:

Fair enough. But i know 60 year old men who have to tuck their intestines back up through their ball bag every day after work, and they're ok lol.

what about the person who has the HIV virus in his body since 24 years and he does not present the symptoms? he does no make statistic! as the guy you cited.

And i want to remember that you are not working, you are workouting  ..there is a little difference.

My uncle used to tuck all his hernias  back in on his gut daily after work. He had bowel cancer surgery and had a mesh material inserted under the scarring, and he went straight back to work. he had about 12 hernias around the mesh. I think he's still doing it.

Workouting is exactly the way I approach my job, it's my secret to staying lean. I always tell my guys if they worked harder they wouldn't have to go to the gym. I loved watching the big guys 'take it easy' at work so they had energy for the gym. And then all the little guys running around dragging stuff and sweating all day, then going off to training to smash the gym, while the big guys were 'resting between sets' lolol

Update.

Despite the consultant suggesting that the waiting list was 4 months long which would give me loads of time to assess the hernia and decide what to do, I got a call from the hospital a couple of weeks later with an appointment! I was away over Christmas so couldn't accept the appointment they first offered but I had the surgery last week. I was erring on the side of cancelling the op to be honest but it was pretty uncomfortable over Christmas (probably due to overindulging) so I decided to go ahead.

It's pretty painful at the moment to be honest and I'm struggling to get comfy in bed. I'd hoped that I could start training again after a couple of weeks but I think it might be longer! I'm tempted to start the whole of F1 again from scratch when I start back to build muscle in the area up again slowly. I'd hate to herniate it again. I'll see how I feel nearer the time.

Flattering selfie attached.

Jasper said:

image.jpg

I think this should be your avatar.

Good luck on recovery. Not hernia, but I had an horrible cyst in cóccix. It kept me from training for 2-3 months. I began before it healed fully and got one more month hiatos for that. Back to scratch will be good, but make sure to be well before straining again.