• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Anyone had hernia surgery?

ZLBubba

Sergeant
Supporter
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 15, 2009
881
75
44
Maryland
So I've got hernia surgery on Tuesday and I was wondering if anyone's gone through it? It's an umbilical hernia, which I heard is way better to have than a grion hernia. Still, I'm not exactly stoked to get cut on.

How long were you down and out for? At what point were you able to start jogging and lifting again? Any long term side effects? Thanks for the help.
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

Mine was small about half the size of a golf ball kinda' poking through my belly button. Went into surgery and they sewed it up. Dang Demoral is great. Anyways had surgery on a Monday and was back working on Wednesday. My wife had to have the one that they put a net into. It took here a LOT longer to recover. She says she can still feel it in her when she moves a certian way. Are they netting it or a straight sew up.
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

I was down in the hospital Sunday night til Saturday,which was dis charge day. They gave me some powder to blow my valves out -stomaches. You will shit all night til your ass is sore. Operation on Monday,most of the morning. Tuesday was the day The nurses made me get up and walk. Felt like a peice of ply wood had been insert in my stomach. No foods til the stomach comes alive-like rumbles and farts,then a cup of tea and Beef Bounllion soup is served. This gradually works up to solids foods. The one thin I elected to do before going in,is to lift weights for2 weeks which really helped.U will get back sores from laying in bed for so long. In 3 weeks I was back to work.Oh ,mine was a net and a small portion of the small/large intestine meets was snip and rejoin.
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

They're going through my belly button and netting it up. I'm doing the pre-op tomorrow and should find out all the details then. Not looking forward to it though.
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

As a result of my motorcycle accident they had to remove a small section of colon.I was so swollen that they couldn't pull my abs back togather,put in a 5x8 screen and a skin graft off my thigh.The screen they used disolves over time,soon as I get my prosthetic leg they're gonna fix me up.I was told that working out prior to is the way to go.If I remember right they said for each day in the bed it takes three days to recover fitness wise.Sounds like yours will be straight forward hope everything works out.
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

God man, a hernia surgery ain't shit compared to what you must have gone through. I'm glad you are pulling through this. Hang in there.
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

Hi. I am nurse and maybe can give you some feedback to help you. They will put mesh in to help prevent it from happening again. Most of the time you will wake up comfortable as our docs put a local anesthestic in like the dentist does, I would think that yours would do the same but ASK THEM TOO. The surgeon will talk to you kinfolks and tell them your do's and don'ts and a discharge nurse will have them in writing. You will be tender for a couple of days (this is where my friends have filled me in) and you will be out at least2 to 3 weeks depending on your job and/or healing time. I hear it is not too bad but then you can get back on this site and call me a liar if need be. Best wishes and remember statistically you will be in more danger driving to and from the hospital or surgery center than from the operation itself
smile.gif
Hope this helps Another mistake people make and that is not taking your pain meds around the clock. It is easier to prevent pain by keeping a good blood level of narcotic than playing catch up because you took them after you started hurting. Set your alarm every 4 hours or whatever the prescription says for the next 2 to 4 days.
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

I've never had it done to myself but I've bloodied my mits in several hundred of them. A small umbilicle hernia repair only takes about 10 minutes from incision to closure. Most likely you wont be getting any any mesh (or "net" as its been referred to in this thread) unless the defect in your abdominal wall is more than a couple centimeters(very uncommon in the umbilicle variety). The'll make an incision about 2cm around your navel then push any protruding abdominal contents back through the abdominal defect then close the abdominal wall with a couple of sutures.

No heavy lifting for 4-6 weeks, keep the incision dry for 7-10 days. Back to jogging in 2-3 weeks. No house work for at least a year haha.


best of luck
Dustin
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

Thanks for the help, guys. The surgeon told me at my consult that I was getting the net because of its size. He stuck his finger up into the hole and said he didn't want my guts busting through anymore. Who knows? I'm not going to tell him how to do his job. I'm just going to show up, get cut, and pound those pills until my belly stops hurting.
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

Concur with much of the above, haven't had one myself but have done a couple hundred of them w and w/o mesh, through a scope and open. Belly ones aren't as bad as groin hernia's for recovery. DO NOT hold in a sneeze, get laxatives to go with your narcotics, no sit ups, crunches, leg lifts or ab work outs for 6+ weeks. If your best bud is a joker, threaten to shoot him if he visits you. Laughter is NOT your friend.

Think Ice Cream, Margarita's and Rammen Noodles, you have 367 channels of nothing worth a damn to watch for a week. Invest in net flix for PSP & action fliks NO FUNNY SH!T (you'll regret it). Better yet go visit the library and READ something good.

You'll be up and around before they say you should. Do what the man says and ride it out by following directions. This ain't the big game and you don't have to "play through it".

Cheers,

Doc
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

I love this site for so many reasons, not the least of which is the vast and diverse experience of Hide members. I really appreciate the advice. No comedies for me.
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

Good luck ZL, I had inguinal hernia surgery about 5 years ago. As with most invasive surgeries, I was never the same and still feel it once in a while. I went to work the next day. All the advice given is good stuff...
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

Had my spleen out years ago and then a small hernia. 10 years later,I had 7 hernias come through the scar from my spleenectomy. Started above my belly button and then north up into my rib cage. Got a nice big piece of mesh and a new larger scar. The one you're gonna get is less messy and you should be back at it in no time. Just don't rush the healing.
dsc00141o.jpg
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

I walked out of the hospital after the surgery, they want to make sure you can use the restroom.
I had a double, incision was to the left of little friend and only about 2 inches long or so. (the cut, not my little friend!) and I only used ibuprofen, the other stuff they gave me made me feel all funny.
I was back to work in about 3 weeks, every now and then I can feel it, but its nothing to be concerned with.
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

i had a "massive" groin surgery about 25 years ago, the Doc inserted a net of mesh, i was down for a month before my Doc released me for "light duty work", for a period of 6 months, my employer was not one bit happy about that, as it was a company approved Doctor. that gave me an easy job, safety inspector, i done such a good job of that, that it became my permanent job.
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

You will do just fine if you follow the Doc's orders. Some pain meds will bind you up so ask your doc. abt a stool softner. The last thing you need is to be sitting in the head and trying to push something out, the straining couls open you up again. You will be in m prayers. MM
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

I had hernia surgery a couple of years ago and it wasn't too bad. Just take it easy for a couple of days and then you will be back to light duty stuff in no time. I was still in college when I had mine. Had surgery on friday and was back @ school on monday. Back to light duty work in 2 weeks full duty in 4 weeks. Threw the painkillers in the trash. Didn't hurt that bad.

Good luck with it.
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

ZLBubba:I'm on my 22nd surgery,19 while I was in a coma for 6 weeks.Lost left arm above elbow,right leg above knee,perforated colon,was blind in my right eye until a month ago,10" titanium rod in left femur,broken left knee cap,tibia and fibia? broken and my left foot shattered.They got me fixed up pretty good so far,miss shooting the most.Soon as I get my bionic parts I'll be almost like new.I don't like pain medication but ask for this if they'll let you,they gave me 4mg Morphin and 4mg injectable Benedryl at night,Holy Shit!You gonna be up in no time,I'll pray for you.
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

JW, you hang in there, bro. I see guys walking around Ft Bragg all the time with prosthetics who are doing amazing things, some of them even still deploy. My best wishes for a speedy recovery to you.

I'm going under tomorrow morning and then, two sweet weeks off of work. Certainly can't bitch about that. Pre-op is all done, just waiting to sleep, wake up, and head over to the hospital. Too easy.

Thanks to all for your well wishes.
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

motorcycle my ass, sounds more like a Volkswagen sized meteorite or Mack truck doing about 198 MPH !!


BTW.., not being a medically knowledgeable person, how does one get an umbilical hernia or what causes one to get an umbilical hernia ?
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Piston Pete</div><div class="ubbcode-body">motorcycle my ass, sounds more like a Volkswagen sized meteorite or Mack truck doing about 198 MPH !!


BTW.., not being a medically knowledgeable person, how does one get an umbilical hernia or what causes one to get an umbilical hernia ? </div></div>


You get older and softer, than lift something or strain yourself moving a keg of beer and your intestine finds a soft spot where muscle use to be and it pops through the stomach wall. Needs to be pushed back in surgically and covered with some mesh screen. I'm not a Dr. but did stay in a Holiday Inn Express once.Your mileage may vary.
laugh.gif
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

Had an inguinal hernia done last April. It SUCKED!!
Since then I have had it cut open 3 more time. Once to remove a nerve, once for a blood clot, and once for a drain. Wouldn't want to do it again.

Felt like A Rod beat with a bat each time.

Good luck.
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

Almost,trucker made an illegal left turn across my lane when I was about,maybe 30ft or so from him.I had no time to do anything,hit him between the cab and first rear axle at about 45mph.The little walkway in there got my leg instantly and I woke up on the ground waaayy on the other side of the truck.I looked over and saw my Harley scattered all over the road and my leg on the ground where he had run it over.It's been a long road,happened July 09,but I feel almost normal though I tend to tip over alot.If it hadn't been for my wife and daughter I wouldn't have made it.Sorry If I pulled this thread away from its original topic.
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

Mine was in my groin. Like a dumbass I lived with it for a couple of years before I had anything done. They took a while to remove the scar tissue, and as a result it hurt worse than the hernia did. I was closer to 4 weeks until I was lifting again. And could still feel it several months down the road.
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

just got back from surgery and high on drugs. pain's not too terrible, but i'm giong to keep the percocet running in my veins constantly fofr the next couple days. now i'm heading to the couch to sleep, eat, and watch some movies.
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

Glad to hear you're doing OK, the meds are your friend. Just do as Doc said and all should be good. You don't want to go back for a repair, if you blow past the mesh or expand the original defect it's a MF, and more involved to remove the mesh as it gets ingrowth of tissue(scarring), and you get another procedure and longer recovery times. Have had my hands in a few, both primaries and revisions. Happy healing. Drink lots of fluids, pain meds plug.

Eric
 
Re: Anyone had hernia surgery?

Yeah, I'm downing about 8 percs a day and I still feel it. Ah well, it wasn't as bad as my appendectomy. I'm having a helluva time getting comfortable enough to sleep, but that's what the Hide's for, right? Thanks for the well wishes. The Army docs did a good job.