Im 25 and had epigastric hernia since i was little. My job involves heavy lifting sometimes, thats when i feel discomfort or pain and sometimes find myself pushing it back with my fingers. And for the first time i could actually see it, little blue ish bump slightly higher than my belly button. Im doing my operation in couple of month and flying to eourope for that.

I had an inguinal hernia and got the operation about three months ago. I first noticed it about three/four years ago after intercourse but earlier this year I noticed it prominently sticking out after exercise. At one point it was like a golf ball sticking out. I was completely concerned because they say that inguinal hernias are age related and mainly affect men but I'm 23 and female and even though I do exercise I don't lift heavy weights in the gym. Anyway, straight after the surgery was horrible. I took a bad reaction to the anaesthetic and was really badly dizzy and felt sick. I was given morphine as the pain was so bad when I woke up, but I think this heightened the dizziness and instead of being in the hospital for the morning I was kept in until the evening. Don't let this put you off though because the anaesthetic affects everyone differently and if I didn't take the bad reaction combined with the morphine I would have been back in bed by noon. The worse pain came around day five after my operation. I was having agonising shooting pain that can only be described as what felt like lightning bolts of pain down my left leg. I could barely move and the cocodamol I was given was so strong it just made me dizzy and I couldnt do anything but sleep on them. Thankfully I went straight to the doctors because after doing careful research before my op I was worried about trapped nerves. I was prescribed an anti-depressant called Amitriptyline - not for being depressed but because the medication sends waves to the brain and this controls the nerves (or something along those lines). I was apprehensive before taking them because I was worried about getting addicted to an anti-depressant when I didn't need it but from just taking 1 10mg tablet that night before bed the difference I felt the next day was incredible. The lightning bolt pain was minimal. I had a four week prescription to these tablets and I came off them after three weeks because the pain had completely reduced. The dose is that low that if you keep to the recommended dosage (I was 1 10mg tab a night) you certainly will not get hooked. Three months on after my operation, the top left hand side of my pelvis and inner thigh is still quite numb due to cut nerves when the surgeon was putting the mesh in but I am gradually getting all of the feeling back because the numbness has dramatically reduced within the past two months. Now and then but not often enough to complain there are little twinges of pain but nothing that bothers me to attend the doctors. My scar is just about healed but there's still a little swelling. I took two months off exercise and it has been hard to get back into my usual routine but this is due to fitness levels being reduced. The only discomfort I've had during exercise is hip movements in Zumba. I had heard that squats can be sore, but iv been doing plenty of squats weekly and had no problem. Would I get the surgery again? If I realised how dizzy I would have got after the surgery and during the recovery period, I would hesitate but in saying that being only 23 my body can recover so much quicker right now than it would have in say 10years time. If your doctor is instructing you to get the operation, think carefully about your body and what you feel is right for you but do remember that the younger you are the quicker and smoother the recovery period. Also, I had researched alot of body building sites because inguinal hernias are common within body builders but no one had suggested the use Of Amitriptyline. Your surgeon has to cut nerves to put the mesh into your body to act as the muscle wall and most of these nerves go numb (feeling gradually comes back) but some nerves spark pain and Amitriptyline in my case reduced the nerve damage pain dramatically from the first time using it.

my friend said she went to the doctors and was told that she was fat because she went to the doctors coz she thought she had a hernia. she got all this information from THIS WEBSITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Five years ago I was seriously injured when a motor-bike hit me from behind doing 50mph as a result, apart from all the other problems I have been left with a massive incisional hernia. It runs from breast bone right down to just above my genitals. The scar tissue runs down the middle splitting my stomach in half so my intestines,only held back by my skin, look as if they are trying to reach the floor, it looks absolutely hideous. I was referred to a surgeon who said that as it is just cosmetic then he cannot do anything on the NHS. What do I do? apart from comitting hari-kari!!!!

I had Umbilical hernia when I was younger, I had the operation to get it sorted when I was 6 years old. Unfortunately they didn't do it right and it still sticks out a bit (some days are more then others!) and I am now in my late teenage year, I have been to the GP about it several times and have asked for it be to sorted as it has made me body conscious but all they did was gave me tablets for a completely different reason and it still has not been sorted. Is there anyone that could help me?? Thanks.

i've had my problem for 4 years and only the last year the doctors took my problem more serious i am 21 yrs old and after a endoscopy done they told me i had a 5cm sliding hiatus hernia and constant gastritus, I've had a acid reflux test done on me and waiting on the results but my question is how can i get rid of my constant gastritus? As im so young they say my hernia is rare and I feel that I act older than my actual age but i would love to feel happy and confident within myself to go out socialising more and due to my problems I cant and it gets me down as i find even drink soft drinks will make my stomach swell.

Hi i had a baby boy on May 28th 2011 weighing 9lb 6oz he is my second baby, and since then i still look about eight months pregnant. My doctor says i have a umbilical hernia along with split tummy musles approx 4-5cm. My surgeon says they will fix the hernia but not the tummy muscles. This would still leave me looking pregnant and people ask on a daily basis how far gone am i!!! I work on emergency ambulances lifting and carrying heavy loads and my boss says i probably wont be able to work back on the road with split muscles as there is no support. Im only 32 and i love my job any one have any ideas? Would be most grateful.

Hi after a year of pain, two laproscopys and plenty of investigations, the doctors now think I have an obturator hernia. (femaile and 34) Please can you explain more, and whether surgery is really necessary (as what I've researched doesnt sound great). Also this hasn't shown up on CT or MRI scans! Are there any investigations I should request before going under the knife?

im a 22 year old girl and have a hiatus hernia and have been vomiting every day for the last 4 years the docs have found this hernia and say that it shouldnt cause me this much agro but it is am sick every day get extreemly dizzy and unsteady and as i said the docs have said they dont know whats making me like this but its ruining my life i find it hard to work and just to get on as nomal is a mega effort and i dont know what to do any more please help me??!!