Living with a parastomal hernia can be quite challenging, especially when it starts to affect your quality of life. This is a situation faced by a 55-year-old who has had an ileostomy for 25 years and developed a painful parastomal hernia about a year ago. Despite the surgeon's warning about the complexity of the repair surgery, they are determined to go ahead and are seeking advice from others who have had similar experiences.

Here are some insights and advice shared by others:

1. One person shared their experience with laparoscopic repair for multiple abdominal and parastomal hernias. Surgeons used an intra-abdominal mesh to cover the entire abdomen, which helped prevent further hernias. While the surgery was generally successful, they later developed an umbilical hernia.

2. It's common for recurring and new hernias to occur after surgeries related to ostomies. Additional surgeries can sometimes weaken the abdominal muscles and may lead to reduced activity levels.

3. When deciding whether to proceed with surgery, consider the balance between the pain and impact on your lifestyle against the risks of undergoing more surgery. The goal is to choose the option that will best restore your comfort and ability to function.