Patients’ Reviews, Blog and Comment Forum
Patients’ Own Comments
Any patient who has had a hernia repaired at The British Hernia Centre is invited to post comments on his/her experience on this blog. It is intended to be a guide for others who are contemplating having their hernia repaired.
Please report your own experience here (at the foot of this page)
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After suffering with a groin Hernia I decided to see a consultant and get it fixed, I’m in BUPA so I booked in to see a hernia specialist in Manchester where I live. The consultant was excellent, he said he could perform the operation using keyhole surgery and I would have a general anaesthetic. He said it wasn’t an easy operation but he had done many of them so there would not be a problem. I was about to book this when my wife checked out The British Hernia Centre, their procedure seemed much less intrusive and the recovery times much better.
Today is the sixth day since I had my operation completed by The British Hernia Centre at the Lindo wing. The whole experience has been amazing and far better than I expected.
My consultation was one evening last week, my specialist’s confident and pleasant manner filled me with confidence for my operation the following morning.
On the morning of my operation I was introduced to my anaesthetist, he explained everything to me and made me feel completely at ease.
The operation (under LOCAL anaesthetic, not General) took around half an hour, I was awake but could not feel any pain, once completed I spent a short time in Recovery where I was monitored before being taken back to my room for an excellent well deserved meal.
A couple of hours later my wife and I were walking back to my hotel and that evening we had a walk out and enjoyed a nice meal in a local restaurant.
The following day we returned to Manchester by train, the recovery has been both remarkable and uneventful, I have had no pain from Day 1, the only thing I have felt is the slight discomfort you would expect from the dressing. I have not mentioned the Admin and the rest of the nursing staff at the centre, they were all very helpful and totally professional.
I would like to thank the whole team for their help, i’m just so pleased my wife found The British Hernia Centre.
Absolutely brilliant experience from start to finish – even down to the music choice (i.e. mine!) and humour, which put me at my ease:).
Thanks to everyone: the nurses, including the one who did the regular checks (sorry I can’t remember a name but you were lovely to me), the anaesthetist and the surgeon. It was only a small routine op but that didn’t make any difference: I came away feeling thoroughly cared for.
Complete success. Happy New Year to everyone and thank you again. If there is such a thing as karma, and I rather think there is, good things will happen for you in 2019.
Rachel
One of the great joys in our work is that we have such wonderful patients. So many of you make such lovely comments it really makes us immensely happy. We wish ALL of you a Happy New Year for 2019 – our 30th birthday year!
Had a Nissen Fundoplication for a Hiatus Hernia just over two weeks ago at the British Hernia Centre. The outcome has been outstanding, absolutely zero acid reflux, zero complications and I was able to return to a physical job just 10 days after the operation, I even had no need for painkillers or any other medication 48 hours after the op.
The staff were fantastic and the whole thing which I was very anxious about went brilliantly.
For the first time in 7 years, since the operation I have had no need for Omeprazole and even after 10 days I can swallow just about all foods as long as I chew thoroughly. I have had very little Colic, am able to belch which they say after such operations is rare and have had absolutely no acid reflux which I had so severely, it led to Barretts Oesophagus by age 27.
If the long term outcome is as good as it has been so far, these guys will have literally changed my lives. The money I spent to have this privately done was worth every penny and I cannot thank these guys enough. If you are still undecided then at the very least go speak to these guys.
The whole procedure lasted about 1½ hrs including recovery etc but at no point did I feel discomfort or lacking in confidence because I was surrounded by genuine caring nurses/staff.
I had the opposite side hernia repaired some 10 yrs ago at The British Hernia Centre. Touch wood I have never had a problem with this previous repair hence my reasons for selecting The British Hernia Centre to undertake the current repair.
I am 68 yrs old and have already returned to bowling some 7 days after the repair and intend to start gym next week.
6 months post-op reminded me to again express my gratitude to all concerned at the British Hernia Centre, particularly my surgeon who did an absolutely brilliant job.
The only issues I have concern the failed repair carried out in the [a major English NHS teaching hospital] in November last year. Their having operated on me twice in one night and failing to repair the hernia I have now been told the surgeon who carried out the operation “no long works for the trust” so I cannot follow up what happened. This is the only painful area.
Please, please pass on my heartfelt thanks to all at the British Hernia Centre for allowing me to return to normal life so quickly!
I always recommend friends and family and work colleagues to the British Hernia Centre whenever hernias are mentioned.
If I had known you existed and how easy it would have been to recover and resume normal life I would have had the operation last September when I found out I had an incarcerated hiatus hernia! I am ecstatic about how the procedure turned out for me and the care I received.
Just a note to say how very nice it was to meet you this week, being your first patient the day before yesterday for my DOUBLE hernia op.
I want to thank you for your empathy, sense of humour and professionalism in looking after me, which has been greatly appreciated. I could not have asked for anybody better, and am most grateful to you.
Even though I am nearly 79 years of age and should know better, I was very frightened and extremely nervous, but you were quite correct, I did not feel a thing and even better, was very happy for the rest of the day.
Yesterday (the next morning) I felt a little pain which was expected, but today I am moving around and have even been on my two wheel micro scooter to Sainsbury’s! and I will soon be back at the Club playing my knock-up tennis, gym and swimming twice a week.
Thank you again, I will always remember you, you are a great team.
With kind regards
My heartfelt thanks to the excellent staff. In particular, my surgeon, my anaesthetist and the nurse with the soft Irish accent (I am sorry I don’t know her name at all) were all utterly superb.
So far I have no immediate plans to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, but it feels entirely plausible to me that I will be able to take up hiking again in Cornwall quite soon!
No plans to climb Kilamanjaro? Why not? As you see from our front page ‘slideshow’, after this hernia repair nothing needs stop you! Enjoy life to the full!
I had my repair in September and felt great from the moment I left the operating table.
I am so glad I had it done at The British Hernia Centre.
I was back on my bike within a few days and back in work within a week. Everything was back to normal, so quickly. I would recommend The British Hernia Centre to everyone.
I am kicking myself for dithering so long before going to The British Hernia Centre!
If you end up needing an orthopaedic surgeon, its not our field of specialisation so stop the kicking.
I am very thankful to you for accommodating my procedure during a very busy time for you. My experience was outstanding; my first contact with your centre was very professional and helpful. The people at the hospital were very kind and the surgeon was very knowledgeable and explained things to me in an easy way.
After six weeks I went for a hike with my family and friends to the ‘Portuguese Bridge’ near Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. Now, after six months I actually have totally forgotten I had a surgical procedure and again I went for a hard-core hike, including a walk to the 2nd highest point in Ethiopia, in the ‘Bale Mountains National Park’.
I was getting desperate due to complete local neglect by NHS AND private hospitals plus my local GP practice, resulting in heart problems.
The Hernia by now was very severe when I found your wonderful specialist unit’s procedure was unlikely to do more damage to my Heart.
Everyone was so helpful, cheerful and kind from the ladies in Admin to the surgeon and the others in theatre, along with such good surroundings and pleasant banter which I appreciated.
The total service – including food – was of unexpected quality. I keep telling everyone how good you were and that during the operation I enjoyed the experience.
I slept for only three hours that night – not due to pain or soreness, but sheer disbelief and elation. I did not have any bruising or bleeding. It was one of the best and most memorable, good things that I have ever experienced from the medical profession.
Thanks to all concerned. Since the operation so many acquaintances seeing me again for the first time have started with “You’re looking very well!”. It has lifted a lot of worries from my shoulders.
I am very pleased with my umbilical hernia repair at The British Hernia Centre and wish to convey my grateful thanks to my surgeon and the entire team for the care and expert treatment I received.
It is early days, but I am already without pain and my only concern is to take it easy as I already feel as if I can return to sports activities again. I would advise anyone considering hernia treatment to bite the bullet without any hesitation.
HIATUS Hernia
I had a Hiatus Hernia repair just over two weeks ago under the care of The British Hernia Centre. The outcome has been outstanding, absolutely zero acid reflux, zero complications and I was able to return to a physical job just 10 days after the operation, I even had no need for painkillers or any other medication 48 hours after the op. The staff were fantastic and the whole thing which I was very anxious about went brilliantly.
For the first time in 7 years since the operation I have had no need for Ompeprazole, have had very little Colic, am able to belch (which they say after such operations is rare) and have had absolutely NO acid reflux which I had so severely led to Barretts Oesophagus by age 27.
If the long-term outcome is as good as it has been so far, these guys will have literally changed my life. The money I spent to have this privately done was worth every penny and I cannot thank these guys enough. If you are still undecided then at the very least go speak to these guys.
I am DELIGHTED with the way everything has worked out. On the day of the operation every member of staff was simply wonderful, you have a great team.
I felt relaxed and very confident in the hands of the surgeon and I believe he carried out an excellent hernia repair. Within a week I was gently returning to normal activities and everything was as it had been described to me both verbally by the staff and also in the literature that was given to me on my discharge.