Hi,I had a c section 4 yrs ago which has left me with an extremely large ventral hernia,I also suffer with asthma and severe anxiety. I've left it for this amount of time as it's up to now only given me back ache and was worried about my daughters care while I was getting better,now I've been told that the ct said it contains all my intestines which makes it high risk of complications ,problem is now it's really starting to cause me pain I don't want to leave my daughter with out a mum but don't want this for the rest of my life,I'm 46 yrs old and my hernia is the size of 2 large melons ,please any advice would be appreciated x
Hi Sharon, this sounds horrendous!!. I have a sliding Hieitas Hernia and it makes my life a misery. They never really explain anything to you and just throw drugs your way and hope that they work. I get constant pain under my ribs and round my back, and my stomach bloats so badly i look pregnant. If there is something that can be done then do it?. You cant live like this!!. I'm 44 and a mum of 3 girls, it worries me sick everyday that it's something worse than just a hernia, it stops me from going out or being social. And they have said there is nothing more they can do for me!!!. Have they offered you anything?
Sharon, I know that the type of hernia I had is different from yours (hiatal hernia (part of my stomach was up inside my esophagus causing burning acid reflux all the way up my esophagus and into my throat). I am 31 years old and am pretty health otherwise. My doctors kept trying to keep me on medication for the longest time (that's how they and pharmaceutical companies make money). They told me that surgery is a last resort - that I do believe. I tried every medication, I tried eliminating almost everything from my diet and still nothing helped me. I HAD to have surgery, and I am glad I did. So far I am one week past the surgery and no big changes - still seeing the reflux but will be seeing my doctor for a followup in two days. Get the surgery!! Mine is risky too as it is close to a lot of important arteries and is in a difficult area to reach. I lived in pain for 3 years - it was NO LIFE at all. The least you can do for yourself is try to see if you can fix this issue. Please check out my blog for the whole story http://my-hiatal-hernia-repair.blogspot.com/ and good luck!
Thank you both so much for your replies 
the first consultant I saw advices me to leave the hernia well alone but I got so upset because I feel like a freak that he made an appointment for me to see another consultant,the second consultant wants to operate but said it's very very risky,which worries me so much,my anxiety is caused by the hernia and this has triggered eating phobias and medication phobia,my eating is improving but I won't even touch a paracetamol! Which isn't very helpful when it comes to pain relief
Mfigueredo your so brave ,what is preventing your surgery lesley118?
This is a photo of it I'm skinny apart from this, it's making me so depressed just don't know what to do anymore x
Sharon, I am so sorry that you are having to deal with this discomfort, and with the stress of trying to make a decision on what to do. If the doctor you are seeing isnt giving you the answers you want, find someone else! You need to be with a doctor who has your well being in their best interests. These doctors have to know that this is no life for you. I understand that it is scary and dangerous - but is it worth the stress and pain of every day that you have to go through? Please get a second opinion from another doctor. I live in the U.S. so I go to websites like HealthGrades.com and check out reviews for Gastroenterologists.
Thanks mfigueredo ,I think I may go and get another opinion as I'm really not comfortable with what the consultant told me,I'm in the uk and even though the nhs is free the doctors are far from helpful ,I'm so pleased for you that your agony is over with n I wish you a quick recovery x
My hernia is a little different, mine is near my breast bone in the chest area and causes me discomfort due to my Gerd...which is the next phase for acid reflux disease. I'm not sure that I can assist you with your dilemna. As far as the anxiety, I was recently put on paxil and I haven't been on it long enough to see the affects yet. Some people say it takes about a month, and I have only been taking it a week. I hope some of the others can assist you wth your situation.
Thanks for your reply loretta,your hernia sounds very uncomfortable,mine has been problem free until now it just looks really ugly,which what triggered the anxiety ,I wish you well loretta x
They won't operate, they don't seem to care or listen!!!. It will and is gradually getting worse and I'll end up at A and E!!!. It's the only way these days!!. I agree with the advice you have been given on here, looking at your picture, you really can't live like that. Look up the best surgeon in your area and put your foot down, they can't refuse you xx
Thank you Lesley,it's totally taken over my life ,destroyed my life in fact! I do hope you find some doctor to listen ,it's really not good enough ! None of them care it's so very wrong x
Do you have constant pain with your hernia Loretta?. Mine sounds the same as yours and I also have GERD!. On a bad day my whole diaphragm bloats out and I feel like acid is attacking all my mussels!!. Terrible bloating too, I look pregnant!!!
I'm amazed they are letting you live like that!, not only pain but the discomfort you must feel in clothes or going out!!. I can't get any of my clothes on and I look pregnant!!, even A bra kills!! I hope you have some luck, keep us posted xx
I hate it Lesley,I live in size 22 leggings when I'm a 10-12 normally and baggy tops ,people are always looking at me like I'm a freak! When I went to my last consultant appointment it wasn't giving me any pain or anything so the concern really was respiratory arrest after surgery as I'm a smoker ,asthmatic and have the anxiety which causes breathing probs,it's been that size for 31/2 yrs n nobody really wants to know except the last consultant who made me feel like I was a giinea pig! Just with the words *wow that's amazing !I can't wait to get my hands on it * it's really so depressing as I'm sure you'll know!is it only eating you have problems with or does it feel weighed down perminently too?
I do feel for you, i'm not really sure what these Hernias are, they never explain properly. Whats actually happened inside that has swollen so big, is that fluid?. Why do they think you might Arrest?. Yes i'm constantly rubbing my stomach or having to dig my fingers under my ribs. Feels like a tennis ball is under my rib, the pain travels through to my back and into my ribs and shoulder blades, when the hernia slides i get megga heartburn and burning under my skin and a horrible stabbing pain!. I'm constantly bloated badly, people as me if i'm pregnant!! I don't go out anymore cause nothing fits and i struggle to hold my gut in!!. Like you, i'm normally a 12 and my legs are skinny, i hate it, i'm embarrased so live in baggy slobby cloths and look a complete scruff bag!!. Iv'e had so many tests and scan's and this is all they found, and they keep saying the hernia wouldn't cause me pain!!!, so i'm still 2 1/2 years on, none the wiser!!!, I'm convinced there is something else wrong!! :-(
Oh Lesley it sounds so painful 
I was told that where I'd had the c section the muscle wall had split so my bowels found another home within my muscle wall so to speak,when I lay down and it goes in it feels horrible! They think ill arrest because they'll have to push my diaphragm right up to make room for my intestines as my body apparently has adjusted to the bowel not being there,have they not told you what your hernia contains?as it's very common for organs to enter a hernial space
I would've thought the pains coming from the fact that your ribs are obviously under a lot of pressure,trouble is the bigger it gets the more pressure your ribs are going to feel,I would've thought 
can't quite work out how they think it wouldn't hurt it's up against bone there x
Bloody hell that sound terrible. This is all very scary, all they have told me is that my stomach slides up through my diaphragm, I've googled it and I can't understand why they call it a hernia!!!. To me it's a weak diaphragm! But there must be something there cause I can feel it!!. I have read so many blogs where the hernia fills a space, think I need to look into it a bit more!. What do you think you will do? 👀 x
I wrote to embarrassing bodies, they have the top doctors and they take you serious, it's a long shot but worth a try, you get top treatment!! My friend suggested it, wish I could help you 😔x