Hernia surgery?

[SuRrEaLNJ 294]

Got the call today I'm going under the knife two weeks from now to find out how bad the damage is. They have to go inwith the camera to figure out how hurt I am and then repair acordingly. The doc can't give me an estimated recovery time without knowing what exactly he's fixing, but I have a probable issue in my right groin and a possible issue in my right abdomen. Anyone else have hernias operate on? How long were you laid up for if so? I'm kind of not sure what to expect here.

[Malsua 1,422]

Got the call today I'm going under the knife two weeks from now to find out how bad the damage is. They have to go inwith the camera to figure out how hurt I am and then repair acordingly. The doc can't give me an estimated recovery time without knowing what exactly he's fixing, but I have a probable issue in my right groin and a possible issue in my right abdomen. Anyone else have hernias operate on? How long were you laid up for if so? I'm kind of not sure what to expect here.

 

I had a laparoscopic Umbilical hernia repair with mesh and know a number of guys who've had inguinal repairs.   The day of and the day after the surgery(Days 1&2), you're pretty laid up.  You have to move around to make sure it heals right but you're mostly immobile.  Day 3-4 it's sore but you can generally move around but no lifting anything.   If you have a desk job, you can go back to work by the 5th or 6th day but you're moving slow.  If you have a labor job, I would take 2 weeks off.  You don't want to rip anything.  My doc told me to avoid anything with heavy recoil for 3 weeks(i.e. no shotgunning) out of an abundance of caution because it is a twisting shock motion.

 

As far as pain, I took one percocet when I got home after the surgery and some advil for the rest of the first week, that's it.  Those heavy narcotic drugs do nothing for me with 1 then knock me out with 2, so I don't bother.  It hurt pretty bad those first 2 days but after that it was very manageable.

[silverado427 10,837]

I had three in my life time, The last was two years ago, first week sucks.  second week not so bad, I had to wait like six weeks before i could start working out again. This part is no fk joke If your going to take the pain meds, You need to take dulcolax !!!!

[oldguysrule649 397]

Five years ago, when I was 56yo, was away on a business trip and noticed a bulge in my lower abdomen while showering. Not a good day. Had conventional surgery 2 weeks later at a local surgical center(not hospital). My repair was significant. Left with a 4" incision stiched and glued shut(no bandage to deal with). If I did take any pain meds it was only for the first day or two, then Advil. First few days were a challenge, not horrible by any means. Just very uncomfortable moving around. No driving for first week. Things gradually got better in the ensuing weeks. I did return to work after two weeks and flew to Houston on a business trip. In hindsight, should have given myself an extra week recovery before traveling. After a month, felt confident enough to handle my snowblower and do light shoveling. Lastly, for a very long time afterwards, remained extra aware to not reinjure myself. Would often feel a mild discomfort in that area when exerting myself. However, never did have any real issues after the initial repair.

 

Bottomline, it sucks to have to deal with this at all but you will be fine and life will return to normal in a short time.

 

Hope this helps. Good luck

[ted527 21]

had double hernia repaired about 15 years ago, took the pain meds the first night.

by the 2nd day it felt better than the day before the surgery since i didn't have to keep pushing my guts back in.

walked around the Camden aquarium on day 3 with no real discomfort.

because of the type of work i do i was out for 6 weeks.

[SuRrEaLNJ 294]

I'm thinking that it's furtuneate for me that I don't have the internal bulge. The dr is convinced I have a hernia but it's not through to the outer wall. I forget the word he used for that. Surgery is on Friday the 23rd, and I'm cleared to be off for at least a week, and pulled from shipments and things involving real work for an indefinite amount of time. Yesterday all my boss would do is let me stand there and look pretty, I got yelled at for picking up anything heavier then the phone so I'm not to worried about being forced back.

[Springfield1911 22]

I had an left side inguinal hernia repaired at a surgical center 2 years ago. They used a mesh to repair it laparoscopically. I went in at 6am and was home by 11am. Surgery was 45 mins and felt good until the anesthesia wore off. My left side of my ball bag became black and blue and got pretty big. All normal. Find a comfortable spot on the couch for 2-3 days until you can start walking normally again. Doctor gave me percocet but it doesnt do anything for the pain but will help you relax and sleep. I was back at work behind a desk in 10 days.  If you get an incision done with the hernia repaired without the mesh it might take a while longer to recover and yo will have to watch what you lift. You will be sore for a while and will know if something is to heavy based on the soreness that you feel. You will know if something is to heavy to pick up after surgery. Doctor told me that with a mesh there is nothing you can pick up that will damage what he repaired. The worst case is the stitches on the laproscopic incisions will bleed. If you have a labor intensive job it will take some time to get back to work. Sometimes weeks. You just are sore and uncomfortable in that area.

[mipafox 438]

Mine went something like this

 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/YHJsGNs3wdY

 

 

[SuRrEaLNJ 294]

Well an update, they opened me up today, and guess what, no hernia! That explains why it was hard to locate. I did wake up sans an appendix. I had a build up of scar tissue and it looks like I had an unknown case of appendicitis at some point and they say that the tissue was the sorce of the pain. We'll see how that goes but they didn't find anything else in there so we're confident. I believe the words they used were "pretty poor" for the state of the organ. I wonder if the first doc missed that on the cat scan or if that wouldn't show. I know the lab had called my squishy bits "unremarkable" at the time

[Parker 213]

Wow. Hope you're feeling better.

 

A doctor likened my hernia to this sensation: Imagine sitting and having your nuts nailed to the floor. Now try and stand up. That's how a hernia with strangulation feels.

[tony357 386]

Yah i had a doctor diagnose me for a hernia, went to a surgeon and said it was not a hernia that it was an infection put on antibiotic  stopped by the doctors office to tell him and never went back..

[T Bill 649]

Glad to here your on the mend.  Remember, Doctors "PRACTICE" medicine, they never really learn it, i guess.  Chasing butterflies myself, waiting on MRI results, but that's not where the discomfort is.  Insurance denied the MRI that I felt would provide more clues.  Disgusting that you pay premiums for medical care, doctor orders tests, but the insurance a-hat who never sees you says sorry, we're not paying for it. But, if was him, test would be done in a heartbeat.

 

Anyway, rest well my friend.

[SuRrEaLNJ 294]

I'm a former awe advanced level specialist. I used to laugh because you go to the dr, they make you wait obscene times, they try things and if their wrong they try other things.

 

A mechanic is wrong and people lose their minds

[Double Cheese 8]

Well an update, they opened me up today, and guess what, no hernia! That explains why it was hard to locate. I did wake up sans an appendix. I had a build up of scar tissue and it looks like I had an unknown case of appendicitis at some point and they say that the tissue was the sorce of the pain. We'll see how that goes but they didn't find anything else in there so we're confident. I believe the words they used were "pretty poor" for the state of the organ. I wonder if the first doc missed that on the cat scan or if that wouldn't show. I know the lab had called my squishy bits "unremarkable" at the time

Hope you feel better.  If you don't mind sharing, what were your symptoms?

[Sandy 44]

This part is no fk joke If your going to take the pain meds, You need to take dulcolax !!!!

In the name of all that is good and sacred , heed that advice. I had surgery when I was in my early 20s and nobody told me about that part of it. Once I felt better I had what turned out to be the UN-Happiest Happy Meal ever.  Especially with abdominal surgery. Feel better soon. 

[SuRrEaLNJ 294]

I had a mild discomfort in my right abdomen for a while, like 3 years. Never constant but if I sait or laid a certain way I'd have to adjust. It'd feel like someone was poking me in the side. A few months back it was getting worse and then started to spread. Eventually it hurt to do anything that required twisting bending or clenching, and eventually I could barely lift things and the pain got to like a 8 at rest and a 10 when moving.

[NickySantoro 211]

 Anyone else have hernias operate on? How long were you laid up for if so? I'm kind of not sure what to expect here.

 

 

Had a simple double done laparoscopically fifteen years ago. Pretty much a routine type of hernia repair. Surgeon said I could go back to work (as a decorating contractor) in 3 days. Yeah, right!  It was a week before I could even stand up straight and it was 3 weeks before I could go back to work and even then being careful what type of work I scheduled. There was some random "pinching" for almost a year.

FWIW

YMMV