Hernias do not get better by themselves, so the two choices are to live with it for ever or to have it repaired by surgery. We recommend having surgery reasonably promptly, but while you’re thinking about it there is a lot you can do to make your surgery go really smoothly with no complications.
Here are some of our top tips:
Look after your health
Book a visit to your GP
You’re about to have an operation. This is a great time to get your health checked out. We find that many of our patients have been putting off seeing their doctor about their blood pressure and cholesterol checks, but now is the time! Bringing your other medical conditions under control reduces complications from surgery (particularly if you have diabetes) and will also help in your general recovery over the next few years.
In the UK most NHS GP (family doctor) practices will do this for you, but there are also many private organisations that will, if you prefer.
Lose weight (if you’re overweight)
Reducing your weight will usually make the operation quicker, more straightforward and reduce the chance of you needing a general anaesthetic. It will also speed up your general recovery after the operation and reduce the chance of getting a complication like a blood clot. It also reduces the risk of the hernia reoccurring. The risk of this is quite low but you can further lower it by losing weight.
What do we think about the weight loss drugs (like Monjaro and Ozempic)?
It’s early days still but it looks like they’re very very effective at helping you lose weight, improving your blood pressure and diabetic control, and there’s also some very early evidence that they may reduce the likelihood of strokes and heart attacks following major surgery. It’s very important, however that you let us know if you’re taking it. We know some people are embarrassed to admit it, but you are among friends here and there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. We may need to give you personalised fasting instructions as stomach emptying is slower if you’re on the drugs. We don’t recommend that you stop them before the operation though, except in very rare circumstances.
Improve your general nutrition, reduce alcohol intake
A healthy diet and reduced alcohol intake will really help you. Plenty of protein to support your muscle growth and also vegetables and fibre to aid good bowel function and reducing the need to strain, which can make your hernia worse. Excess alcohol use can affect your response to the sedation medication we use and impair healing after the operation.
Keep your fitness up
Exercising with a hernia can be hard. The hernia can cause pain, particularly if you’re doing weights or strength based exercises, and it may pop out at awkward moments. If you’re someone who hasn’t exercised for some years, now is a great time to start, but start gently. Walking is a fantastic form of exercise that most people can do. And it won’t cost you anything. Aim to walk at a good pace so that you’re warm and sweating a bit after a few minutes. You’ll be amazed how much better you feel really quite quickly after a daily brisk walk.
For those that want a bit more, try going up and down stairs, some balancing exercises and light weights. Don’t go for heavy weights as you’ll strain and the hernia may become painful. Yoga and Pilates are also wonderful, but avoid straining if you can.
Just before surgery
Well done, you’ve prepared well, so let’s think about the day before surgery. Take it easy, eat normally the night before but don’t have a heavy meal. Don’t drink a lot of alcohol, but a glass with dinner is absolutely fine.
Many people are nervous the night before surgery, and that’s entirely normal, although completely unnecessary. We’ve got this, you’ve chosen experts to fix your hernia who do this all the time. While preparing for the night before, think about what relaxes you and do that. Why not go for an early evening walk? If you’re staying in a hotel close by you have the canal near Paddington and Hyde Park or Regents Park, all of which are great places to walk. Sometimes the weather is ok too!
Go to bed at a decent time, even if you find it difficult to sleep or you wake up too early, remember the time you’re resting is still rest and your body will thank you for it.
On the day of surgery
If your surgery is in the morning don’t have breakfast, but you can drink clear fluid no problem. This includes still and sparkling drinks, and black tea and coffee. Please don’t drink milky drinks as the body digests them like solid food. Modern guidelines allow clear fluid up until the time of surgery (see the Sip til Send Policy here for more details). If you’re well hydrated before your operation you recover better, so please don’t be afraid to drink clear fluid.
You should take most of your normal medications as usual – if you’re unsure, please ask us. Blood thinning medications usually need to be stopped some days before the operation, we’ll tell you individually when. Again, please ask if you’re not sure.
We hope these top tips will be helpful to you. If you have any other suggestions then please let us know and we’ll incorporate them into our updates. We are an experienced team, but you and your families are also a part of that team. We gain our experience from listening to you.