Cycling UK Forum

I have been diagnosed with a significant double hernia which is deemed urgent.
Due to see the surgeon to decide what he will do end of October. We all have different opinions on the word urgent.
My issue is I was told to be careful but keep fit and not put on weight. My drops are uncomfortable so I have used my wife’s Dutch style e-bike which seems ok.
Does anyone know if I should lay off of hills and how they felt as I am a bit nervous of doing further but would like to get back on my own bike.

I respectfully suggest discussing this with a medical professional, rather than asking for advice from strangers on the internet.

roberts8 wrote: ↑9 Jul 2024, 7:34pm I have been diagnosed with a significant double hernia which is deemed urgent.
Due to see the surgeon to decide what he will do end of October. We all have different opinions on the word urgent.
My issue is I was told to be careful but keep fit and not put on weight. My drops are uncomfortable so I have used my wife’s Dutch style e-bike which seems ok.
Does anyone know if I should lay off of hills and how they felt as I am a bit nervous of doing further but would like to get back on my own bike

Urgent ? Have found to date that when absolutely urgent, one normally knows when coming around

But if a medical technician has advised on keeping fit, I'd rely on your own judgement. You'll know if the 10 or 100 mile ride is ok, same with climbing a hill - I.e. I'd quite happily stand, walk 30 miles a week, back on 50+ miles weekly on the bike 3 months after last majors, but 20 months on ? No issue doing yesterdays 85 miles, but NO way I was going to climb those 2 No. 200' steep climbs

I respectfully suggest discussing this with a medical professional, rather than asking for advice from strangers on the internet.

Do both.

It may be next to impossible to get a GP appointment.Also the Junior Doctors strike might continue if the new Administration does not give them close to the pay award they want.Many find understandably some GP's have limited time/patience with sporting queries.
******************************
I ride Brompton,Hetchins 531

Back in May 2022 I was signed up with a fully supported group to ride LEJOG (1000 miles in 14 days, averaging around 70 miles a day). Three days before the start of the event I was showering after a training ride and spotted a ‘bulge’ which I realised was a hernia. I spoke to a cycling friend who had a hernia a couple of years back and his experience was that it didn’t bother him cycling, walking and standing was where he experienced discomfort. I decided to go ahead with LEJOG, telling nobody initially other the friend mentioned above. I was fully prepared to abandon the ride if necessary and I was careful to avoid standing on the pedals. I found that when cycling ‘things’ returned to where they belonged and the only time that I had serious discomfort was prolonged standing in a busy pub in Inverness one evening! I’m not suggesting that going ahead with LEJOG was wise but I got away with it and have life long memories of the experience. I was 72 at the time and the hernia was repaired with open surgery a few months later.

Nicholas wrote: ↑9 Jul 2024, 8:10pm I respectfully suggest discussing this with a medical professional, rather than asking for advice from strangers on the internet.

100%

You are asking people rather than a professional

briansnail wrote: ↑10 Jul 2024, 3:14pm

I respectfully suggest discussing this with a medical professional, rather than asking for advice from strangers on the internet.

Do both.

That's what I did, and found the advice on this forum and others really helpful, especially relating to cycle-specific issues (which my consultant had no experience of other than in theory). Of course when it came to the procedure itself the consultant had the final word.

roberts8 wrote: ↑9 Jul 2024, 7:34pm I have been diagnosed with a significant double hernia which is deemed urgent.
Due to see the surgeon to decide what he will do end of October. We all have different opinions on the word urgent.
My issue is I was told to be careful but keep fit and not put on weight. My drops are uncomfortable so I have used my wife’s Dutch style e-bike which seems ok.
Does anyone know if I should lay off of hills and how they felt as I am a bit nervous of doing further but would like to get back on my own bike.

Usual advice until you get anything more specific: don't do anything that causes discomfort or pain. And find a way of exercising even if it isn't what you usually do or would prefer to do. It sounds as if you're doing that already.

Let them know how important cycling is to you, and I'd try to do that before the consultation, preferably by email.

And write down all of your questions before the consultation so that you don't forget any.

Jonathan

I can vouch for Jdsk’s advice to write down your questions and take them with you to the consultation. It really does help

I had inguinal hernias on both sides back in 2000.
The first indications were a sharpish pain where the initial "Hole" in the intestinal wall is enlarging from straining and natural movement.. It was quite bearable and dissappeared each night when relaxed in bed.
I had no options to stop exercions as I was self employed as a constyruction surveyor and had bills to pay.
A hernia is only a problem if the hole is resricted and the bulge becomes strangulated, otherwise, the edges of the hole resolve and pain lessens. This was my experience. Stay of the bike and take to the swimming pool for a gentle workout on your back.