Results 1 to 10 of 10
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Big Sky
    Posts
    1,500

    Just had mesh hernia repair-

    Had a right side Inguinal Hernia mesh repair 36 hours ago. I keep thinking I'm all good until the vicodin wears off then I keel over trying to put some pants on. Basically it feels like I was cut open and someone stuffed something inside of me. No other way to put it.

    I am afraid to take a crap, but I have a juicer and a big jar of powdered fiber and some prunes - one down and besides the anxiety I'm not anticipating any problems.

    Rotating ice packs from the freezer are awesome. My right nut up to the illiac crest is swollen, but there is not a lot of bruising, hardly any actually. Ive been religious with the cold packs though and don't bruise easily in the first place.

    Supposedly its 2-3 days of post op type activity levels and then after 7-10 days the doc claims I can do anything the pain level allows me to.

    The incision is about 2 inches long, medial and running parallel to the inguinal ligament.

    Worst part is the boredom! I've had this hernia for almost two years and am SOOOOOO PUMPED to be free from it now.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Bend
    Posts
    1,350
    a quick word of warning.... take it easy until it is fully healed

    I had one done about 10 years ago when I was in my mid-twenties

    I was chomping at the bit to exercise and pushed it too hard too early and it tore back out

    evidently, it's super rare for them to rip out, but I had to have it redone a few years later and the scar was much bigger and the surgery more invasive to fix it - anyways, good luck with the recovery!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    truckee
    Posts
    23,111
    I'd say your surgeon might be a touch over optimistic. Some people do recover that quickly some take a lot longer. In fact the same person having two hernia repairs at different times might recover much faster from one than the other--that's what happened to me. Nothing about your current situation sounds abnormal. Sitting-or bending over to put your pants on-- is often more painful than standing, walking, etc. I usually tell my patients 1-2 weeks for sedentary work, 2-4 for active, 4-6 for heavy lifting, 1-2 days off if they're self-employed. Lots of fruits and vegetable and fluids, powdered fiber if you want, prunes are fine--don't go overboard on those. A combination of pain meds--narcotic like vicodin or codeine, and nsaid like motrin, naprosyn, or even aspirin reduces the side effects of taking too much of one or the other. Don't wait for the pain to get bad--it takes less pain med to prevent pain than to stop it. sorry I didn't see your post sooner--I bet you're a lot better by now.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    32
    Know this is kinda old but I had a similar situation last February . Had a laproscopic mesh repair on a inguinal hernia as well. Felt exactly like you post op. Started short walks a few days later, was surfing chest high about a month later. Spent all summer in a wildfire hand crew, could still feel the mesh in there on especially difficult days but no pain anymore, cant believe i waited so long to get her fixed.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    33,440
    I had a hernia repair in the early 70's. It was done the old fashioned way, 7-8 inch incision and through seven layers of muscle, iirc. I do remember coming out of anesthesia cussing like a mofo in pain and loving the demerol relief. I had 13 clamps holding my gut together. Next day my buddy came by and I sneaked out in my hospital gown to go to my get-well party some friends were having for me. Because my step dad did the surgery and I knew all the nurses, I wrote a note on my groin/belly where the nurse shaved my pubes - "A place for everything and everything in its place."
    I still think the old man left something in there to remind me of him...

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    under the hogback shadow
    Posts
    3,234
    20 years ago I had the same hernia repair, but double (both sides). I was walking around the house for 2 weeks bent over like an old man. Those 2 weeks sucked. But it was compensated by some chicks wanting to see the scar. I think they just wanted me to drop my pants.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Posts
    4,115
    Had a hernia repair 8 years ago, mesh patch. Skied 3 days later. Raced town dh 8 days later. Had to just be mellow on the start.
    Pretty quick recovery.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Big Sky
    Posts
    1,500
    The repair feels awesome. Super fast recovery. It is a whole new life. The only downside so far is that the repaired side actually feels much more stable than the non injured side, so I have some anxiety that the non injured side could blow out. Hopefully its all in my head.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    truckee
    Posts
    23,111
    Unfortunately a second hernia is not uncommon (I had them on both sides). What to do about it--nothing. Live your life, if it happens it happens. The biggest strain on the groin is not sports, lifting etc, but coughing and sneezing. (I guess you could go easy on the alcohol, upchucking isn't so great for the groin either.) BTW--anyone planning to have a hernia fixed--don't do it during allergy season if you have hay fever and stay away from snot nosed kids and other sources of contagion--you don't want a cough or a cold.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Norte del río
    Posts
    2,212
    I had one fixed about 12 years ago and it was so fucking painful. I've had the one on the other side for the last 8 years. I suppose I should get it seen to.
    _____________________________________

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •