Umbilical Hernia Required

[silicastorm]

Doctor says it looks like I will need an Umbilical hernia in the near future.

 

Anyone have an experience that was positive and what was the cost, length of time in the hospital and which Pattaya/Jomtien hospital did you have the operation?

 

edit : location

Edited November 20, 2021 by silicastorm

[DrPhibes]

Usually, being very out of shape and shagging 4 ladies of questionable reputation over the course of a week while fighting serious constipation is enough to get an umbilical hernia.  No need for spending on a hospital visit!

 

Seriously though, did have an umbilical hernia repaired 20 years ago in the the US by a Thai Dr no less.  Was not that big of a deal but be sure to follow the instructions for healing.  Don't try to cut it short.

[silicastorm]

1 hour ago, DrPhibes said:

Usually, being very out of shape and shagging 4 ladies of questionable reputation over the course of a week while fighting serious constipation is enough to get an umbilical hernia.  No need for spending on a hospital visit!

The hernia was caused from coughing and vomiting during my battle with Covid Pneumonia last year.

[Eff1n2ret]

I had this op at Bangkok Rayong Hospital nearly 4 years ago. The invoice for surgery was 8,800 baht, total amount spent for medication and pre- and post consultations about another 3,300 baht. I had it done on a local anaesthetic and required only a couple of hours lie-down before they let me go home.

[bbko]

14 hours ago, silicastorm said:

Doctor says it looks like I will need an Umbilical hernia in the near future.

The doc says you need a hernia?

[Chris.B]

12 hours ago, Eff1n2ret said:

I had this op at Bangkok Rayong Hospital nearly 4 years ago. The invoice for surgery was 8,800 baht, total amount spent for medication and pre- and post consultations about another 3,300 baht. I had it done on a local anaesthetic and required only a couple of hours lie-down before they let me go home.

Very cheap! ???? Are you sure that's baht not USD?

Edited November 20, 2021 by Chris.B

[Chris.B]

 

Laparoscopic Umbilical Hernia surgery and Mesh graft    259,000

 

https://www.bangkokhospital.com/en/package/surgery-package

[bkk6060]

7 hours ago, Chris.B said:

 

Laparoscopic Umbilical Hernia surgery and Mesh graft    259,000

 

https://www.bangkokhospital.com/en/package/surgery-package

That's about what I was quoted.  Add, they said I needed to stay 2 nights in the hospital.

It is outpatient in most western countries and I had it in my home country, no hospital stay.  Also, they are really stingy here with pain meds. Tylenol will not cut the pain.   A strong Opioid for about a week to 10 days will do the trick.

Edited November 20, 2021 by bkk6060

[Guderian]

I've had one for 20 years. I saw a surgeon privately in the UK around 15 years ago and he quoted £2,000 to fix it then, but his view was why bother? As I'd had it for years already without any problems it was unlikely it would get strangulated in the future, plus why did I think that a surgical scar was better to have than a lump? Also, as has been said, for around 3 months after the op you have to be careful not to try lifting anything heavy or straining it in any way, and even then he said  there's no guarantee that it won't return at some point in the future. All that was enough to put me off spending two grand and I've lived with it ever since. The women here just regard it as the same thing they might get when pregnant, as it's quite common then, so no big deal. It may not be a thing of beauty, but who wants to have the most perfect body of any corpse in the graveyard at the end of the day, lol?

[Eff1n2ret]

12 hours ago, Chris.B said:

Very cheap! ???? Are you sure that's baht not USD?

Humble apologies. Upon re-examining that invoice it was for various examinations and treatment prior to the op. Annoyingly, I can't find the invoice for the op itself, but it was nothing like the amounts quoted in other posts. I also don't remember anything about a mesh implant, I thought the surgeon just removed the offending blob, which had become painful because of infection, sewed me up and told me to take it easy for a few weeks. It's been fine ever since. 

[Chris.B]

2 minutes ago, Eff1n2ret said:

Humble apologies. Upon re-examining that invoice it was for various examinations and treatment prior to the op. Annoyingly, I can't find the invoice for the op itself, but it was nothing like the amounts quoted in other posts. I also don't remember anything about a mesh implant, I thought the surgeon just removed the offending blob, which had become painful because of infection, sewed me up and told me to take it easy for a few weeks. It's been fine ever since. 

Looks like you had open surgery which is cheaper. Laparoscopic surgery is 'key-hole' and is minimally invasive but costs more.

 

[Chris.B]

I just noticed you can get Robotically-Assisted Umbilical Hernia Repair for 380,000 THB. ????

 

https://www.bumrungrad.com/en/packages/robotic-assisted-umbilical-hernia-repair

 

[Eff1n2ret]

40 minutes ago, Chris.B said:

Looks like you had open surgery which is cheaper. Laparoscopic surgery is 'key-hole' and is minimally invasive but costs more.

 

I have gone back through my credit card  statements, and in addition to the 8800 baht previously mentioned, have found another charge for 65,000 baht, so the total cost amounted to 74k Baht.

Sorry for previous misleading info.

[Chris.B]

5 minutes ago, Eff1n2ret said:

I have gone back through my credit card  statements, and in addition to the 8800 baht previously mentioned, have found another charge for 65,000 baht, so the total cost amounted to 74k Baht.

Sorry for previous misleading info.

Which is probably for open surgery?

[Eff1n2ret]

2 minutes ago, Chris.B said:

Which is probably for open surgery?

I would assume so, given the discrepancy with the other treatments quoted. From memory I had a few stitches, but it's just a distant memory, it didn't cause me much pain and healed up quickly.

[Chris.B]

1 minute ago, Eff1n2ret said:

I would assume so, given the discrepancy with the other treatments quoted. From memory I had a few stitches, but it's just a distant memory, it didn't cause me much pain and healed up quickly.

Your description indicates Laparoscopy but the costs you quote indicate Open Surgery?

 

[Eff1n2ret]

1 minute ago, Chris.B said:

Your description indicates Laparoscopy but the costs you quote indicate Open Surgery?

 

Sorry, haven't a clue. Those were definitely the costs, but I couldn't see what the doc was doing behind the sheet, and didn't want to.  I don't know what else to add.

[Sheryl]

6 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

That's about what I was quoted.  Add, they said I needed to stay 2 nights in the hospital.

It is outpatient in most western countries and I had it in my home country, no hospital stay.  Also, they are really stingy here with pain meds. Tylenol will not cut the pain.   A strong Opioid for about a week to 10 days will do the trick.

 

Should definitely not need opiates for a week to 10 days after this simple surgery. Maybe the first 24-48 hours.  After that, paracetemol and or NSAIDs should  suffice.

 

Even with an inguinal hernia repair, nobody needs strong opiates for 7-10 days unless something is wrong.

 

Thai hospitals do give opiates immediately after surgery. What they will usually not do is prescribe them for outpatient use. They will sometimes prescribe tramadol though (which can also be bought OTC).

 

 

[sanuk711]

On 11/20/2021 at 8:21 AM, silicastorm said:

Doctor says it looks like I will need an Umbilical hernia in the near future.

Do you really need it silicastorm?........ unless its imperative don't.   Doc says Don't need it now---"Looks like you need it in the future"

So what are you doing to make it worse-That your need it?

It will leave your stomach larger , and with me weakened the whole area, so it split & had to have full hernia operation , Had the initial done at BKK/BKK hospital.

 

If your going to do it---then go with the extra cost of Laparoscopic surgery.

 

 

[Golden Triangle]

My belly button was about 4 cms wide, I'd had it for years, no problem no pain, I remember the day well when it went into meltdown, I'd had my morning orange juice, just having a mug of tea and a ciggie when bang it went.

 

I was in agony, my Mrs had no idea where to take me & I had no idea either as I'd only been here a couple of years and never been to a hospital here before, anyway, ended up in Bangkok Pattaya hospital, they gave me some meds for the pain & left me to sleep, operated on when the OJ & Tea had passed through.

 

I have a small scar under a normal looking belly button now, in hospital for one night, operation & costs for meds, dressings etc came to about 250,000 baht that was over 8 years ago.

 

The agony was unreal, you will know if it goes because you will pray for death ????, that's a bit OTT but yes it is really really nasty, every bump we hit on the way to the hospital was making me cry.

 

Good luck.

 

Just to add in hospital 1 night only.

Edited November 21, 2021 by Golden Triangle
Extra info

[Sheryl]

4 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

Do you really need it silicastorm?........ unless its imperative don't.   Doc says Don't need it now---"Looks like you need it in the future"

So what are you doing to make it worse-That your need it?

It will leave your stomach larger , and with me weakened the whole area, so it split & had to have full hernia operation , Had the initial done at BKK/BKK hospital.

 

If your going to do it---then go with the extra cost of Laparoscopic surgery.

 

 

Umbilical hernia repair is indicated if the hernia is painful or more than one inch in size. In adults, even if it is less than one inch in size it will usually get worse and larger with time so will end up needing surgery anyhow. For which reason, unless there are factors making the patient a poor surgical risk, surgery is recommended for all adults with umbilical hernia. In young children it is a different matter.

 

There is risk of bowel obstruction and strangulation if not repaired.

 

It has no effect on the stomach, the stomach is not operated on.  The abdomen may be swollen for a period of time post op but this will resolve.

 

Good overviews here:

 

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/umbilical-hernia-repair/

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4605112/

 

Laparoscopic repair is preferable but will cost more than open. In both laparoscopic and open repairs, mesh must be used as sutures alone have high rate of recurrence.

 

 

[Sheryl]

18 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

My belly button was about 4 cms wide, I'd had it for years, no problem no pain, I remember the day well when it went into meltdown, I'd had my morning orange juice, just having a mug of tea and a ciggie when bang it went.

 

I was in agony, my Mrs had no idea where to take me & I had no idea either as I'd only been here a couple of years and never been to a hospital here before, anyway, ended up in Bangkok Pattaya hospital, they gave me some meds for the pain & left me to sleep, operated on when the OJ & Tea had passed through.

 

I have a small scar under a normal looking belly button now, in hospital for one night, operation & costs for meds, dressings etc came to about 250,000 baht that was over 8 years ago.

 

The agony was unreal, you will know if it goes because you will pray for death ????, that's a bit OTT but yes it is really really nasty, every bump we hit on the way to the hospital was making me cry.

 

Good luck.

 

Just to add in hospital 1 night only.

What you are describing is a strangulated hernia and this complication is why it is best to repair umbilical hernias in adults even if asymptomatic.

 

 

[silicastorm]

2 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

Do you really need it silicastorm?........ unless its imperative don't.   Doc says Don't need it now---"Looks like you need it in the future"

Currently the hernia is about 2cm opening, which has increased since last year 1cm.

 

Recently I had something come through the hernia that was extremely painful but with help from Mrs was able to put hot water bottle on and massage the stuff back inside. This is when I went to the doctor that says I will need a hernia operation.

 

Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and helping me understand in clear english. 

[Eff1n2ret]

15 minutes ago, silicastorm said:

massage the stuff back inside.

Ah yes, I kept pushing the little blighter back in, and out it would pop again. I didn't much bother until it became painful, and the doc said it was infected.

Best to have it seen to.

[Cake Monster]

7 hours ago, Guderian said:

I've had one for 20 years. I saw a surgeon privately in the UK around 15 years ago and he quoted £2,000 to fix it then, but his view was why bother? As I'd had it for years already without any problems it was unlikely it would get strangulated in the future, plus why did I think that a surgical scar was better to have than a lump? Also, as has been said, for around 3 months after the op you have to be careful not to try lifting anything heavy or straining it in any way, and even then he said  there's no guarantee that it won't return at some point in the future. All that was enough to put me off spending two grand and I've lived with it ever since. The women here just regard it as the same thing they might get when pregnant, as it's quite common then, so no big deal. It may not be a thing of beauty, but who wants to have the most perfect body of any corpse in the graveyard at the end of the day, lol?

Its OK to allow an Umbilical Hernia to just be a " lump "

But if for some reason the Hernia gets " strangled " you have a real issue on your hands.

I had this happen about 25 Years ago in the UK, and it was horrendous pain and vomiting Etc.

The Hernia was repaired under Emergency Surgery, but no " Mesh " was used. Its not always required

Do not, repeat Do Not rush the healing process and time, or you may find yourself back in the Hospital PDQ