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AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 26569
Hernia. Working advice please.
« on: July 08, 2025, 07:11:54 am »
So. Yours Truly has been diagnosed with an inguinal hernia.

Increasing discomfort over the last week became sharp over the weekend and yesterday teatime after working pain became really sharp.

Went to A&E with the rest of Bristol's great unwashed and doc pushed it back in  and referred me to GP.  Informal advice is it will be months before an NHS op is available.

So  any advice about working - level of work - supports you can buy - to wear while waiting for op would be much appreciated

Thanks in advance.
It's a game of three halves!

Always shining

  • Posts: 138
Re: Hernia. Working advice please.
« Reply #1 on: July 08, 2025, 08:08:41 am »
Go on eBay and get yourself the inguinal hernia truss support belt. Been wearing mine for about 12 months now whilst waiting for my op.
Absolute godsend. No pain whatsoever whilst working. As long as you keep the lump in you’re fine.

AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 26569
Re: Hernia. Working advice please.
« Reply #2 on: July 08, 2025, 08:32:13 am »
Go on eBay and get yourself the inguinal hernia truss support belt. Been wearing mine for about 12 months now whilst waiting for my op.
Absolute godsend. No pain whatsoever whilst working. As long as you keep the lump in you’re fine.

Really appreciate your response. Have taken your advice and ordered.

May I ask a couple of further questions?

Have you modified your work as in not doing higher stuff or lighter equipment? Or amount per day.

Do you have any idea what the NHS waiting time is/will be?

How old are you?

It's a game of three halves!

Always shining

  • Posts: 138
Re: Hernia. Working advice please.
« Reply #3 on: July 08, 2025, 03:16:20 pm »
No I’m still working the same as always.
No change whatsoever.
I’m 58.
NHS waiting time - how long is a piece of string! Can’t help you there mate.
Tip - buy a spare ‘belt’ as over  time the Velcro fails.

Stoots

  • Posts: 6355
Re: Hernia. Working advice please.
« Reply #4 on: July 08, 2025, 03:53:12 pm »
Sounds like a good excuse to retire

Martin Lane

  • Posts: 173
Re: Hernia. Working advice please.
« Reply #5 on: July 08, 2025, 05:05:41 pm »
My son just had one repaired just above his belly button,  have to wait about 4 weeks, went in hospital 7 am was home by 11 am.
Was not allowed to lift anything  for 3 weeks then after that another few weeks  of very little light lifting, was told not to work for 6 weeks but went back after 5 weeks just ground first floor pole work but taking it very easy, 3 months on back to normal.

Hope you get yours sorted out soon

dazmond

  • Posts: 24440
Re: Hernia. Working advice please.
« Reply #6 on: July 08, 2025, 06:09:46 pm »
Sounds like a good excuse to retire

You give up too easily.....its only a hernia....if he wears the appropriate clothing and is a bit more mindful in his approach to his working day he ll be fine....

Good luck Malc....my brother has had 2 hernias and  its a very common,straightforward procedure for a health professional to work on. He didn't do much after each op but he's more of a sedentary person than us window cleaners.
price higher/work harder!

NBwcs

  • Posts: 994
Re: Hernia. Working advice please.
« Reply #7 on: July 08, 2025, 07:49:02 pm »
Cant give you any advice but hope your feeling better soon.

AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 26569
Re: Hernia. Working advice please.
« Reply #8 on: July 08, 2025, 09:13:16 pm »
No I’m still working the same as always.
No change whatsoever.
I’m 58.
NHS waiting time - how long is a piece of string! Can’t help you there mate.
Tip - buy a spare ‘belt’ as over  time the Velcro fails.

Well my delivery from Anne Summers has arrived! Ordered this morning from Amazon and arrived at 8.30pm so tried it out and got Mrs. Gold to help me adjust it ... ooooh ... errr....  ;D

Cleaned my upper windows including my xtreme 47 on my loft rooflight.

Worked fine! Felt a bit 'new' and bulky to start but actually ok.

Taken off now I've stopped trying it out.

If not too personal a question do you wear it just for work or for all waking hours? Or what?
It's a game of three halves!

Always shining

  • Posts: 138
Re: Hernia. Working advice please.
« Reply #9 on: July 09, 2025, 07:05:58 am »
Yes it’s bulky and a bit uncomfortable to begin with but you just get used to it. I wear mine all the time and take it off for bed. And when I have a bath /shower of course!

CleanClear

  • Posts: 15366
Re: Hernia. Working advice please.
« Reply #10 on: July 09, 2025, 05:56:03 pm »

Do you have any idea what the NHS waiting time is/will be?


⏱️ Average Waiting Times

    England-wide averages: Roughly 57 weeks (about 13 months) for 9 out of 10 hernia patients from GP referral to surgery
    thetimes.co.uk+15beenletdown.co.uk+15inews.co.uk+15
    .

    Longest waits: Some hospitals like Queen Elizabeth Birmingham report delays of up to 82–85 weeks
    beenletdown.co.uk+1beenletdown.co.uk+1
    .

    Quickest trusts: Newcastle’s Royal Victoria has waits as short as 18 weeks
    beenletdown.co.uk
    .

📊 Regional & Hospital Variability

    2020–21 data: Average waiting time in England was 191 days (~27 weeks)
    nhsshetland.scot+6questions-statements.parliament.uk+6questions-statements.parliament.uk+6
    .

    Consultation stage: Waiting for the first general surgery consultation ranges from 8 to 23 weeks depending on your hospital (e.g., 8 weeks in East Cheshire vs 23 weeks in Royal Free London


😞 Real-World Patient Experiences

    Some patients report multiple-year waits—both in personal accounts and on Reddit—citing 3–5 years on the list before surgery, and in some cases needing emergency operation when the hernia became strangulated
    reddit.com+1inews.co.uk+1
    .

    On Reddit, users in Northern Ireland mention waits of 4–5 years, while some in England report around 3 years
    reddit.com+3reddit.com+3reddit.com+3
    .

🏥 Efforts to Reduce the Backlog

    Standby lists are being used to fill last-minute cancellations, helping some patients get surgery months earlier
    theguardian.com+5thetimes.co.uk+5reddit.com+5
    .

    High-Intensity Theatre (HIT) sessions (e.g. at Guy’s & St Thomas’) cluster many hernia ops into single days, significantly boosting throughput
    practiceplusgroup.com+5guysandstthomas.nhs.uk+5nationalhealthexecutive.com+5
    .

    Robotic-assisted keyhole surgery is expanding, with potential to speed up recovery and free capacity, though full impact will be over the next decade
    theguardian.com
    .



*Status*--------Currently Online---------

The Jester of Wibbly

  • Posts: 2263
Re: Hernia. Working advice please.
« Reply #11 on: July 09, 2025, 09:12:47 pm »
Get well soon chap.

That's the main reason I have private health policy.   Too many NHS waiting times.   
Claim your 50% off your mobile payment card reader with Sum Up.  http://fbuy.me/f7Ve3

AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 26569
Re: Hernia. Working advice please.
« Reply #12 on: July 09, 2025, 10:17:59 pm »
Get well soon chap.

That's the main reason I have private health policy.   Too many NHS waiting times.

When you get north of 60 the price rockets. I used to sell PMI.

If I have to wait many months or it gets too difficult/painful/slow to materialise I can go private and self pay.

Well worth it if I am working and earning.
It's a game of three halves!

Always shining

  • Posts: 138
Re: Hernia. Working advice please.
« Reply #13 on: July 10, 2025, 07:46:33 am »
I’m at least 15 months in now. The hernia is no different from right at the beginning. No change whatsoever.
That’s not to say they can’t get bigger etc as I believe they can.  But it’s also true that the hernia could get no worse over time as is the case for me.
Just got to keep it contained and the ‘belt’ does a great job in that respect.

jonboywalton75

  • Posts: 2228
Re: Hernia. Working advice please.
« Reply #14 on: July 10, 2025, 12:33:57 pm »
I had one diagnosed at the start of Covid, wore a truss for 4 years, had the op done in Jan, this year,
I'm 68 now
I wanted to survive till I got my pension, I did that ok👍
Just took things easier and didn't strain myself
All depends on how bad it is though.
Mine was a lump that I was able to push back in.

AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 26569
Re: Hernia. Working advice please.
« Reply #15 on: July 10, 2025, 02:58:58 pm »
I had one diagnosed at the start of Covid, wore a truss for 4 years, had the op done in Jan, this year,
I'm 68 now
I wanted to survive till I got my pension, I did that ok👍
Just took things easier and didn't strain myself
All depends on how bad it is though.
Mine was a lump that I was able to push back in.

May I ask what kind of hernia it was and what kind of surgery did you have? Did it get worse over the four years wait?
It's a game of three halves!

jonboywalton75

  • Posts: 2228
Re: Hernia. Working advice please.
« Reply #16 on: July 10, 2025, 06:07:58 pm »
I had one diagnosed at the start of Covid, wore a truss for 4 years, had the op done in Jan, this year,
I'm 68 now
I wanted to survive till I got my pension, I did that ok👍
Just took things easier and didn't strain myself
All depends on how bad it is though.
Mine was a lump that I was able to push back in.

May I ask what kind of hernia it was and what kind of surgery did you have? Did it get worse over the four years wait?

Inguinal

I had the mesh fitted and stitched back up

Worked a treat 👍

simon w

  • Posts: 1709
Re: Hernia. Working advice please.
« Reply #17 on: July 11, 2025, 08:43:14 am »
Just had a quick google, cost to have this fixed privately between 2K-4K I think I'd consider this over a year half wait for NHS . I guess if you're able to still work without any down time before surgery it's worth waiting, but I'd consider loss of earnings over going private, tough decision I guess as even after private treatment you've got recovery down time.

Slacky

  • Posts: 8431
Re: Hernia. Working advice please.
« Reply #18 on: Yesterday at 05:39:18 am »
Im a bit confused, if I were to answer the OP Id have to be sure he was serious about putting his hernia to work, they can be temperamental buggers.

AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 26569
Re: Hernia. Working advice please.
« Reply #19 on: Yesterday at 01:19:53 pm »
Just had a quick google, cost to have this fixed privately between 2K-4K I think I'd consider this over a year half wait for NHS . I guess if you're able to still work without any down time before surgery it's worth waiting, but I'd consider loss of earnings over going private, tough decision I guess as even after private treatment you've got recovery down time.

Indeed.

I am working with a belt thingy but I find I am being 'careful' and not wanting to strain anything as it wasn't pleasant waiting in A&E and having it pushed back into place.

Also don't want it to get bigger and need urgent/ or bigger surgery if possible. Stitch in time (literally  ;D) and all that!

Carefully looking at this place and reviews of it. The lead guy is a hernia specialist.

Oxford Hernia Clinic: Private Hernia Repair Surgery https://share.google/incojV5lCm9AsBskR

They are answering my damnfool questions very promptly over the last two working days.

It's a game of three halves!