I have one of those! Funnily enough, I had it prior to picking up smoking (I also had wear and tear along my oesophagus from the bile I was refluxing, doc thought I was a smoker haha).

I was told that, for me (yours may be/is different) if I had surgery there was a high liklihood that it would just herniate again. I was told to stop eating acidic foods like tomatoes, coffee, chocolate, dont pick up smoking, and it can be managed.

I never stopped eating/drinking those things heheh 😬😅 and ending up picking up smoking 2 years later when I was 28 (long story). I still get reflux and whatnot, but it’s managable and I take full blame for any issues that may develop later.

Iirc, the surgery is a keyhole one, not really too intrusive, though I may be misremembering. Either way, i dont believe the recovery time was long. I think get a second opinion just to be sure, but if you have been advised that surgery is for the best, then defo consider it!

(Edit: I’m hopping back on the wagon dw, and sorry for the weird text-wall, I don’t believe I was very helpful lol).