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  1. #1
    RX MEMBER peopleschamp11's Avatar
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    Default Epigastric Hernia

    I apologize in advance for the garrulous essay. I just want to be certain I have some solid advice.
    Roughly a year ago I noticed a very small lump in my abdomen. I just remember noticing it in the shower one day and leaving it be. There’s a possibility that I had this aforementioned lump for years and never noticed it. There are no visible manifestations of it and one could only notice the bump by applying pressure to the site. I had no discomfort in the area.

    Fast forward to a month ago (maybe a tad longer). I was in the gym doing a routine shoulder session and was doing heavy barbell military pressing (315lbs). I did 5 reps and uncharacteristically held my breath through all 5 reps. Normally I’m anal about breathing but since I was going this heavy I was immaturely focused primarily on moving the weight. Once I racked the bar, I stood up and had a horrid pain in my abdomen. It felt as if someone put a dagger directly into my mid section. I wasn’t overly concerned, because I always experience abdominal pressure and discomfort when I shoulder press. The pain subsided within a few minutes and was completely gone within 10. I continued the remainder of my workout.
    For some reason I became paranoid in the shower once I got home. I started feeling the lump in my stomach and couldn’t help but notice the correlation between the lump and the pain site. Then it hit me: I gave myself a hernia.
    I immediately made an appointment to see a surgeon, but couldn’t be seen for a little over a month. I had thoroughly convinced myself that I needed surgery. I continued to go to the gym with the mentality of “Oh, well. I'll need surgery anyways. Might as well blow this mother fucker out and get my money’s worth.”
    The following weeks I trained as usual. Heavy squats, over 600lb deadlifts, equally as heavy military presses as before, etc. I didn’t experience even the slightest bit of pain or discomfort in the physical sense. The entire time though, I kept feeling the lump and couldn’t take my mind off it. It was right in the linea alba. It’s a tiny bit lower than half way between my sternum and my belly button and feels like a little subdermal jelly bean.
    Today I went to the surgeon and, as expected, he diagnosed it as a hernia. He said I don’t need surgery now. He explained to me that it could heal on its own, and the recover time for that to happen is about 6-12months. I have two issues with that statement.
    1. ALL evidence I have researched is to the contrary. Every article I have read states that it’s impossible to hernias to ‘heal’ themselves and will eventually require surgery.

    2. I am preparing for Collegiate Nationals of 2013. This is my offseason and can’t afford ANY time off.
    Obviously my surgeon knows I’m a bodybuilder. I told him that, although it seems both stubborn and superficial, I CAN’T just quit lifting. I need to compete in this show. He told me to make sure I practiced proper breathing while lifting. He told me I would be running the risk of making it worse, but he wasn’t very helpful or talkative. He seemed busy and in a rush. Polite, but just not very personable. I have scheduled another appointment for late September with another surgeon. I don't doubt the diagnoses, I just want to gather as much information as I can. I am very overanalytical at times. So, I pose to you a plethora of questions –

    1. Can it truly heal on its own? Would something like growth hormone be able to help aid the process? Is there a chance at making a recovery whilst still training as long as I avoid squats/deads?


    2. Since it gives me no pain, would it be fine to continue as I have been with my training? Should I train my core more to strengthen my abdominals or is weakness unrelated to why I suffered the injury?


    3. I see several bodybuilders with bad looking hernias on stage. Is it possible, if this did get much worse, to just continue to train for years until I decide I want surgery? What is the eventual threshold of saying “Ok, NOW I need surgery”? is it just pain that will eventually make someone cave?

    Any and all information you can give me is greatly appreciated. I don’t think I’ve cried since I was an infant, but I was damn close today. Part of my just wishes I DID need surgery just so I can get it over with. This is such an awful position to be in. I’m petrified of this thing, and I know no matter how much I try, my training will suffer because I’ll subconsciously be thinking about this little bastard.

  2. #2
    FREAK Baldiewonkanobi's Avatar
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    Default

    I have had hernias and lipomas over the years. I had surgery 10 days out from the Mr. America back in the 80s. It was an inigual hernia in the pubic area. Painful. Could not even cough. I have also had hernias in the leg and calf caused by leg pressing over 1,000 pounds at age 60. Those healed themselves. One thing in common about my hernias is that they could be pushed back in. Can yours?

    Now lipomas are benign fatty tumors. Common on the torso, arms and legs. They are like "jelly beans" just below the surface. You can almost put your finger tips 280 degrees around them. They do not push back in. Can be removed by easy surgery or Meso shots. I like the latter. Stings like a mofo and after a round of about six weekly shots they disappear 100% in 6 months.

    Just another possibility.

    Baldie
    MY MIND & BODY ARE AT ONE WITH MY POWER & STRENGTH............JM

  3. #3
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    Default Epigastric Hernia

    In the last month I have noticed that allisons belly button had gone from an inny to an outie. At our last visit I asked and they said hernia. They would keep an eye on it to see how it progresses. Anyway the belly button is out even more. She has always hated being on her belly but now Im wondering is it hurts and thats why. We go in tomorrow for them to look again. Has anyone else had this? What fo they do for it?

  4. #4
    RX MEMBER tlwatkins's Avatar
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    I had a hernia in the abdomen area. It didn't cause any pain initially and I just let it go. For the longest I thought is was just a pulled muscle until it started to protrude from the skin and I was beginning to experience pain during squats, leg curls and leg presses. I leg presses pretty heavy (max 810 lbs) and it got to the point that I had to back off to almost no weight. My doctor referred me to a surgeon who specialized in in hernias. He initially thought he would have to use mesh as part of the surgery, however since I had a strong muscular core he ended up not having to do so. I assured me that I could go back to 100% of what I was lifting prior to the hernia and he was right. I was only out of pocket for 4 weeks before I could go back to training legs after my surgery. The pain and inability to train legs the way that I needed to is what lead me to surgery. Hope this helps!

  5. #5
    OLYMPIAN Chapter 2's Avatar
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    Since it gives me no pain, would it be fine to continue as I have been with my training? Should I train my core more to strengthen my abdominals or is weakness unrelated to why I suffered the injury?
    It has nothing to do with it. You could continue the training, but the hole might get bigger.

    I see several bodybuilders with bad looking hernias on stage. Is it possible, if this did get much worse, to just continue to train for years until I decide I want surgery? What is the eventual threshold of saying “Ok, NOW I need surgery”? is it just pain that will eventually make someone cave?
    The pain and cosmetical look of it.


    Any and all information you can give me is greatly appreciated. I don’t think I’ve cried since I was an infant, but I was damn close today. Part of my just wishes I DID need surgery just so I can get it over with. This is such an awful position to be in. I’m petrified of this thing, and I know no matter how much I try, my training will suffer because I’ll subconsciously be thinking about this little bastard.
    Do it now, why wait knowing you eventually will have to get it continuing doing what you are doing.

  6. #6
    OLYMPIAN Chapter 2's Avatar
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    It will not heal on it's own, if the hernia pocket is always sticking out of the hole/ break. Even if it's not sticking out, you have no gaurantee's it will heal on it's own.

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