Hernia surgery

[ArlyA]

I had mesh put on both sides. Do note fellows, this surgery is a repair the torn liner which holds our intestines in. When we work, like when we pick up something, this stresses the liner very, vey much. Hernia repair surgery requires time to heal and grow scar tissue over whatever system was used to keep it from blowing out again. This healing takes time....

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I searched YouTube last night for a little info about this surgery. One of the videos said that if you have had laparoscopic prostrate surgery you may not be a candidate for laparoscopic hernia surgery for an inguinal hernia. I have had the prostrate surgery. Was hoping to do this hernia thing using the laparoscopic method. Guess I'll find out the options at my appointment with the surgeon Friday.

 

[tractorshopper]

Had both sides done in 1996 by laproscopy. Surgeon used mesh, but I don't know what kind. I had the surgery Friday as an outpatient and was back to work Monday on light duty for a week. My abs were what hurt due to the 4 incisions they made through my abdomen. They were very sore for a day or two as I recall whenever getting up (think sit-up) from the bed etc, but otherwise fine. I may have taken one pain killer the day of the surgery and maybe some ibuprofen the next day. I have never had a problem since then. No continuing pain or anything.

Today, with our new Short-Term Disability policies, etc, you'd probably get at least a couple weeks out of work for it. Hahahaha. Kids these days....

 

[CADplans]

I had mesh installed both sides, about 4 years apart,, around a ~decade ago

I had no reason to "push" the lifting, but, I was back to normal in a month,,
I do not "baby" my repairs,, for exercise, I have been moving and decorating around the shrubs with rock,,

All hand digging, and lifting, during the last couple weeks of 90 degree heat,, probably 20-30 loads so far,,
and also, the digging to plant about 25 new shrubs,,
I used the Gravely rotary plow to dig some of the more difficult holes,, so I did cheat a little,,
The Gravely can be just as hard on a hernia as a shovel,,,

 

[Bird]

I've posted before that I had the hernia surgery on 6/14/98, on the left side, so it's been over 21 years ago, and it was day surgery. They asked if I wanted to be put to sleep, or if I'd rather do a spinal block. I decided to go with the spinal block since it was something new that I'd never had before. And that big stainless steel overhead light fixture made a good mirror, so I watched him do the job, and when he realized I could see what he was doing, he narrated and explained as he went.:laughing: So, yep, he sewed in a good sized mesh patch. Now of course, in addition to the incision, he pulled and stretched things; had some tools that looked like a bent spatula that he used to pull and stretch things apart. Now of course it was painless at the time, but the next time I sow him, I told him I was sure glad I watched him do it; otherwise, when the anesthetic wore off, I'd have sworn he left a knife in there.:laughing: But the recovery and 21 years later, no problem.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Had bilateral hernia surgery (that's both sides) done twice. First time was laparoscopic, just a few small incisions they said, it'll be great they said. Didn't hold. Tried to follow all the instructions, no lifting, no bending or straining, blah, blah, blah. Nope. Was out 2 weeks the first time, then restricted duty for 6 weeks (machinist/steel fabricator, tossing 80-100 lb piece parts around all day at work, so "restricted duty" was required). Less than a year later I was back for both sides again. This time different Dr, the full "gut-you-like-a-fish-and-put-a-screen-door-in-your-abdomen-while-sewing-up-the-torn-canyons" kind of surgery. The second surgeon says to me that he doesn't know why they still do the laparoscopic mesh thing at all, because he spends half his time redoing those (like mine) when they fail.

Still have trouble in the area. Sensitive and still sore most of the time (4 years later). I switched jobs, which helps, and I try not to lift too much anymore. But still bothers me today.

I also have a hiatal hernia, which is the one in the diaphragm muscle between your stomach and your upper chest. That one they only operate on if they "have to", because, as my Dr. explained it, they have to split your breast bone, and the recovery pain is rather severe. Plus most of the time it doesn't hold, and the hernia comes back.

Oh good.

Good luck with yours.

 

[ruffdog]

"gut-you-like-a-fish-and-put-a-screen-door-in-your-abdomen-while-sewing-up-the-torn-canyons"

That sounds like what I had.......fun.

 

[ArlyA]

The rate of failure for laparoscopic is higher than regular surgery. That's why I went with the plain old type. No matter what type you have done, if you stress your gut well enough, you'll need to have it done again no matter what type you had the 1st time.

 

[ruffdog]

I knew exactly when I tore my gut. It was when I was helping the septic pumper lift the cover off the tank. I felt a slight twinge of pain and about 4 months later....bulge.

 

[CADplans]

I knew exactly when I tore my gut. It was when I was helping the septic pumper lift the cover off the tank. I felt a slight twinge of pain and about 4 months later....bulge.

For me, both sides,, I was diagnosed during a physical,, I never felt a bit of discomfort from the "bulge" the doc had to point it out,,,

 

[CADplans]

Talking about surgery,, did anyone else get a "Pain Pump"? I had it both times,
it is shaped like a softball, with a tube that leads to the incision.

The sphere is pressurized, and has some sort of clear liquid pain med in it,, I came home, both times, with zero discomfort.
ALSO, no oral pain meds were needed, at all. After a couple days, my wife pulled the tube out,, it was truly perfect!!

 

[BRMyers]

I did not. I don't tolerate pain meds well, so I just went with Tylenol and ibuprofen post surgery.

 

[RSKY]

Talking about surgery,, did anyone else get a "Pain Pump"? I had it both times,
it is shaped like a softball, with a tube that leads to the incision.

The sphere is pressurized, and has some sort of clear liquid pain med in it,, I came home, both times, with zero discomfort.
ALSO, no oral pain meds were needed, at all. After a couple days, my wife pulled the tube out,, it was truly perfect!!

I had a bone spur removed from inside my right shoulder. After the fact I was told that is supposed to be the most painful surgery you can have.

I believe it!

I knew that there was a pain pump somewhere under all that wrapping but I didn't really know what it was. I hurt so bad I had my wife call the doctor's office and tell them that the batteries were down in the pump and it wasn't working. The nurse that took the call was a former student of hers and they had a good laugh about it while I was laying in the bed screaming and crying.

Anyway, back to the hernia surgery.

I had a small hernia near my naval that wasn't really causing much of a problem other than sticking out a couple inches but the surgeon said I needed to get it fixed before it tore larger and I woke up with my intestines on the bed. So I had it fixed. Never took a pain pill, not a Tylenol or anything else.

A acquaintance had a couple hernias repaired the next patient after me. His wife called mine a couple days later telling about how much pain he was in. They had run out of pain meds and it was the weekend and couldn't get them refilled until the next day. I think she was hinting to see if we had any and my prescription hadn't even been filled.

RSKY

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I met with surgeon Friday. He is with a large surgical group in Nashville. I asked about the laparoscopic version of inguinal hernia surgery, and he told me that none of the surgeons in his group used it. His explanation was that the protocol for that procedure had never been perfected thus they just didn't do it. I decided to go ahead and opt for the conventional method and am scheduled for Wednesday morning. It's still an in an out the same day procedure, no overnight stay. Great I hate hospitals.

I know many of you guys have indicated great results with the laparoscopic version. I'm sure I could have found a doctor who would have gone that direction had I preferred it. However, after listening to this surgeons explanation, I made a decision that hopefully I'll be happy with in the long run.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Just follow the recovery regimen and go easy. Also, part of the "no straining" is when you go. So take some laxatives so you don't "strain" yourself when you "go". Be careful with stairs, and just take it really slow.

Good luck.

 

[RSKY]

One other thing about my hernia surgery. I knew it was minor. They still had to put me to sleep but I had no worries about the surgery. It was only a thumb diameter sized hole that would stick out about an inch from my naval. I could push it in and it would stay for a few minutes. So anyway, I wasn't the least bit worried about the surgery.

So they have me in pre-op and start bringing in six or seven more people. We were all on gurneys in a very large room. Only a curtain separated each patient. It was very early and I dozed off. A nurse talks to me and then the anesthesiologist (can't believe I spelled that right the first time, or at least spell check didn't correct it) came in, woke me up, and went thru his little speech. He asked me if I had ever had surgery before and if I had ever had any problems. I told him no problems ever. The nurse started talking with this lady next to me and she started talking about having panic attacks and all this crap and started drawing a crowd. Nurse was trying to calm her and she started getting louder and louder. I was expecting her to start yelling, "run, run, we're all going to die". She was really going off the deep end. Finally the doc went over and they gave her something to relax her. Took a while and she was still talking ten minutes later. Doc comes over and says that I seem very calm. I told him that if he would shut that b===h up I would take a nap until my turn. He started laughing and told me that since I was so calm he wouldn't give me the usual calming medication.

The point of this whole story is that while in recovery I woke up nearly instantly with none of the usual bad feeling, can't think straight, can't talk, feel like a large pile of dog c--p. My wife was surprised how quickly I was brought back to the room and how clear headed I was. I had talked with the nurses and the surgeon while they were getting me positioned on the table until they put the mask on me. Apparently it is the usual calming meds they give you that cause the grogginess after the surgery. At least for the minor kind of surgery I had. I was released in record time and headed home soon after the procedure was done.

I have no idea what happened to the panicking lady!

RSKY

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

Well surprise surprise. The surgeon cut into my supposed hernia today and found not a hernia but a large absess causing the bulge. It was in the exact spot that hernias occur in the groin area, thus the
misdiagnosis.

I came home with a tube and reservoir for drainage from the absess area. Guessing a hernia would have been a better outcome, but who's to say at this point. I'll just have to let this play out.

I probably picked up some sort of infection a month ago in a different hospital during a lithotripsy procedure for a kidney stone. Kinda hacks me off, but I think I'm falling apart. Always seems to be something these days.

 

[Bird]

Never heard of that before, Jerry. Good luck with the recovery.

 

[BRMyers]

Well surprise surprise. The surgeon cut into my supposed hernia today and found not a hernia but a large absess causing the bulge. It was in the exact spot that hernias occur in the groin area, thus the
misdiagnosis.

I came home with a tube and reservoir for drainage from the absess area. Guessing a hernia would have been a better outcome, but who's to say at this point. I'll just have to let this play out.

I probably picked up some sort of infection a month ago in a different hospital during a lithotripsy procedure for a kidney stone. Kinda hacks me off, but I think I'm falling apart. Always seems to be something these days.

Not what you were looking for, but at least they found the issue and you are on the road to recovery.

 

[Nikkorott]

I imagine that you're sore, hobbled and kind of perturbed by the whole thing. If you had hernia surgery it would have all been the same. I'm certainly no expert but I have to believe that the odds of a successful recovery are greater under the present scenario. Tugging around a reservoir has to suck a bit. Can you disguise it inside of a beer can? :thumbsup: