To repair or wait?

My advice is to get them repaired, especially as you are currently insured. I had an incisional hernia which started as a small bulge and ended up quite large, requiring a longish operation using open surgery and a 'dinner sized plate of mesh.' That was a year ago yesterday and I've had no problems or pain. But I've been careful about lifting etc. I'm not suggesting yours will get enormous, but they don't fix themselves! 

Hi not sure,

I have the same concerns re watchful waiting vs operating

Certain factors tilt the balance towards operating..

- age

- insurance

- it can only get bigger!

Are u active in sports or exercise?

I am respectfully of the opposite position of john01. It sounds like you have a good doctor and I would follow that advice. My doctor (who performed my repair) also told me I could wait a couple of years if I wanted before re-repairing a mesh failure. If your hernias are not getting bigger or causing you major problems, there is no need to operate on them. While a few people have had no problems with mesh, inguitnal hernia mesh repair is typically associated with chronic pain and stiffness afterwards, sometimes severe. Humankind has been living with hernias for thousands of years, and I'm sure we can too. I would say give yourself something you can live with: say, if the hernia grows to the size of an egg or a small orange you can get a repair. I'm sure I don't have to point you to peopre who have suffered 'really' big hernias before operations, and I would not suggest that or let things go to that size myself, but I'm just pointing out that the human body has a way of compensating.

Don't go in for this modern knee-jerk attitude of 'get surgery right away!' It's irresponsible and wholly unnecessary. In my opinion, watch and wait is the way to go with mild hernias in adults. But do watch. And don't go in for that scare tactic, 'better do it now while you have insurance.' Someday you will not have insurance regardless and something else totally unrelated to your hernia might come up. It's out of our control. It makes no sense to spend insurance money just because you have it. A doctor's creed is 'do no harm,' and in my opinion reactive mesh repair has done many a person, especially men in their groins, more harm than good. 

Finally, try to find out more about good health habits in general. Practicing those may ease your mind and help your hernias too (though I can't say). It is known that hernias don't heal on their own, but I can tell you my 'sac' has gone down by a third by practing good, gentle health habits. I don't expect it to go away, but it doesn't hurt much at all and I can live with it as long as it doesn't keep getting better. That's the WATCH part. I hope things go well for you.

I just came across this thread, and my advice would be to get your hernia repaired. I had an inguinal hernia that I let go for 12 years. It didn't really bother me too much, maybe after a long time on my feet, I'd feel some pain down there, but one day, I woke up and things were really changed. There was pain there. and it felt like I had three nuts, and there was a severe rash on the same side the hernia was at. I went in to the doctor that day ( my local VA hospital) and the rash turned out to be shingles. A surgeon looked at the symptoms, and said it was time to get rid of that hernia. The big change though, tuned out to be my bladder sliding through the hole. I had to press down along side my pubic area to pee. That hernia tear only gets bigger over time, and I ended up with a urology issue also which becomes quite invasive. This Dec.27th will mark three years since it was fixed. They'll tell you don't pick up anything heavier than a gallon of milk for about six weeks but you'll be able to figure out how well you're doing. The first week will be pretty rough, and a few times you'll feel like it it just ruptured again, but that will happen less and less. You'll wear sweat pants for about three weeks straight. make sure you buy some before the surgery. Good luck with it.