It is in my future, unfortunately.

Anyone had that done?

I suppose they will use a mesh in the procedure.

How about recovery/down time?

Anything to be concerned about or ask?

Thanks!

...

I had a double inguinal done in 2010. I didn't realize I had a hernia(s) until my physical that year . The surgeon did not do it with an arthroscope and it was my choice. He told me to cut instead of scope would be more effective and yes he used mesh. It will hurt a tad the first few weeks and you will have some discomfort the first few months and then everything is fine. DO NOT LIFT OR EXERT YOURSELF UNTIL THE THING HEALS COMPLETELY. you do not want to repeat that surgery. I was out of work for 3 weeks .

He had to be full of CHitt and or full of Opioids to play golf

I had an umbilical hernia repair with mesh done some years ago, popped several stitches about 3 or 4 days after operation, doc says no big deal, goes OK for awhile, then tears a 4inch hole in my gut wall, had to have revision surgery to put my transverse Colin and about half small intestines back inside, needless to say I did not use the same doctor. Check you Physicians experience and success rates with the type of repair being done!

..

Just get it done before season. I me and Doc R dont want to hear any bellyaching. Capiche.

Oh yeah, good fortune.

...

Thanks!

I'll try not to cry too much!

Do lots of crunches between now and then.

Improved core strength will benefit recovery time and comfort level.

From your pics Barry, you seem on good shape unless they are old pics.

But focus on that aspect.

I had a double inguinal done arthroscopically. The doc said I'd be back to work framing in 3 weeks. Hell, I still needed help to get off the couch(where I had to sleep) for that long..... Missed 2 full months of work and had fairly light duty as a cut man for a couple more weeks after coming back. I swear I could feel the mesh clear down into my ballsack. The feeling was similar to rubbing yourself with drywall sanding screens..... The worse part was my incision was too close to my bellybutton. It has been years since the surgery and my navel still gets infected because the scar tissue pushes my 'innie' closed and it gets infected down under the blockage. Have fun, Barry.....

If I had to do it over again, I'd wear a truss like my ol' man did and not go thru that chit again.

Thanks, I'll do that.

I'm still in pretty good shape. 6'05" and 210 lbs.

I guess I just don't carry 200 lb. rolls of net wire like I used to...

Talk to your doctor about cutting the nerve that's associated with the area of your hernia. I had an inguinal hernia fixed about 20 years ago. I still had pain for years afterwards. About 6 years ago it got so bad that I thought I had another hernia. The doc couldn't find anything but decided to do an exploratory surgery. Turns out my illioinguinal?? nerve was what was causing the pain. Surgeon said that the doc who originally did the surgery should have cut that nerve, but didn't. Haven't had pain since the last surgery. A friend of mine had a very similar experience.

Dammit.

I've got a girdle already... Might have to get one for every day of the week.

...

Oh.....one other thing..... They pump your belly up with CO2 to give them room to work to stitch the mesh in place. Being a little skinny guy, they musta had to overfill me, to have the room to work. It ripped up my belly muscles something fierce, according to another doc.

Taller than you look in pics!
Good luck.
Got a date planned?

Yanno, for gettin cut on ?

No date planned yet.

I'm right in the big middle of my busy season with my brush control business.

I really don't know when I'll find time. I went non-stop until Jan. this past season.

Colace is your friend.

Wanna know how I know?

That girdle is looking better and better...

Had the Kevlar mesh added a few years ago.......the pain wasn't terrible (I used the Oxys the morning after surgery and flushed the rest). Don't exert yourself!
We got an ice storm two days after I had surgery that took down a ton of trees. I had no choice but to be out running a chainsaw to clear the driveway.........and paid for it in spades!

Does it have a garter belt?

...

I had the mesh surgery done 20 years ago. I think they called it the Trendellenberg procedure. They used staples to close the incisions. For the first week there was a lot of pain. One thing I noticed is that if I even thought about sitting up or moving, I would get zinged with a sharp pain. I was apparently unconsciously tightening my abdominal muscles in preparation for the move.

If you live in a fairly small town or city, I recommend doing a little research and going to an well experienced surgeon in a larger city. They get a lot more practice at surgery of a specific type. A botched hernia surgery killed my father-in-law. The local surgeon unknowingly nicked the intestine and the local hospital didn't do anything for 30 hours or more. They only sent him to a hospital in Spokane when he was going downhill from sepsis. By then it was too late to save him. You want a surgeon that has done hundreds of these operations.

I had a triple repaired. It hurt for the first 3-4 days. Painful. Stay ahead of the pain if you can. Good luck.

had a right side proceedure done in 2011. Piece of cake. In, and out, outpatient surgery suite. Quick healing, super glued me back together. Zero issues ever since. Sure made life easier.

I had one fixed this last March. Did the arthoscope and mesh. Couldn't stand straight for 3 days w/o it feeling like bees were stinging me in the area between the 3 small cuts and the actual hernia sight. After that, not much to it. Just do as the doc says. If I lift anything heavy, I can feel a pain in the hernia area, but after a while it goes away. Other than that it doesn't bother me.

Same here, back in 2008 or so. Three small incisions and a little mesh, super-glued the incisions back up. I took it easy and watched tv a couple days, then went back to work at the office, being careful about using/bracing my core a lot. It was rather easy to get over. I had my wisdom teeth cut out a few months later and it was worse than the hernia job. My hernia was a mild bulge on the left side, maybe 4 inches below my beltline.

Please take some laxatives b4 surgery. That way it won't feel like you are chitting a fence post. 6 weeks for me. Musta hurt my mangina.


The wife and girls said they wanted to put one of those pet surgery cones on me so I wouldn't lick my incision. Smart ass bitches.

You've been given very good advice by the others on this board, If you'll allow it, I'd like to add my .02 cents, having had two double hernias repaired.

Be very selective of your surgeon (not all are as good as others) and then listen to him. An other patient who had the surgery the same day as I took a cab home from the hospital and went to work the same day. Ripped himself wide open and required a lot of painful repair work. Because the surgery doesn't take all that long, it's easy to think of it as minor. It's not. Recuperation period is about three weeks although it may take longer for a full recovery.

Your recliner will be your best friend. Because you never fully recline in one your abdominal muscles aren't stretched as they would be lying in bed; speeds up recuperation and diminishes pain. After a week or two in the recliner your first time in bed will be uncomfortable but not painful. This'll help you get off those awful pain meds much sooner. Both times, I've taken Percoset (sp)upon arrival home, slept for twelve hours and switched to Tylonal as required for the duration. Get off that pain medication as quickly as possible to avoid addiction.

Best of luck to you and I'll throw in a prayer for you tonight.

Alonzo Tubbs

Had an adominal one, if they cut you open recovery is rough, if they use the incision and camera, not nearly as bad..had one of each.
If they cut you, you'll need help getting off the bed, and plan on straddling the toilet bowl and letting it drain out on its own, never realized you use your stomach muscles taking a piss until the morning after.

Thank you, Alonzo!

I'm planning on doing away with the pain meds when I exit the facility.

Everybody's entitled to their opinion but one size does not fit all. I had an inguinal done laparoscopically 8-10 years ago and I had almost zero pain, missed no work, and didn't worry about exerting myself. Whatsoever.

Wow , if I had read some of these comments about a year and a half ago , I would have been worried . Maybe because of other Medical problems , I had lost about 50 pounds and maybe that was the reason I had so few problems . I had two Hernias "meshed" ,,,,,, a few inches on either side of my naval . Went home the next day with little pain . Might have used a few Pain Meds for a few days . When I was leaving the Hospital I did lift a big bag and was told to cut it out . The only thing I remember is that a large part of the groin area turned black after 2 or 3 days and I checked in to my Primary Care who called the Surgeon and he said : " Dont worry , the natural color will return in about a week . I do remember when I went in for my Consultation with the Surgeon , he asked if I would mind if he brought in some Student Doctors . I said " sure , if they don't touch me " . Anyway , usually they bring in 1 or 2 Students . He brings in about a dozen and then he has me stand up on a raised platform , and says to drop my pants . Normally , I'm not very self conscious but after having lost 50 pounds , my stomach area looks pretty flabby . So there I stand wondering what to say next . I did think to say : " Prepare to be amazed " , but decided that since this was my first meeting with This Surgeon that I ought to ask some Technical questions . BTW , that Polymer Mesh is really expensive .

Sorry to hear about all you that had problems. Mayo owed me big time, so they flew in a Surgeon from South Africa just to do mine. It was over in a few hours, with mesh and absolutely no pain. I was on my way home home in a few hours. With no pain at all. That was 20 years ago. Still no side effects or problems. I guess it boils down is that you get what you pay for. The Doc that did it said he did over 3,000 of these, so I guess he knew what he was doing. Never went back for stitch removal. Left Rochester in the afternoon and was at the local Gin mill in Wisconsin a few hours later. I really do feel for the people who went through so much grief. I was told that a Hernia surgery was a piece of cake. I guess not. Doc's name was Van Heerdin.

I had a right inguenal (sp) repair done in 1988.
My Dr. would not use the mesh.
He pulled a muscle over for the closure.
Never an issue.
There are lawsuits about mesh procedures, talk to your DR.

Big Hernias, I had a big one on my right side are best treated with open cut vs laparascopy. Success rate is much higher. The other side was much smaller. DIdn't worry about exerting yourself ????? I had little pain as well, I knew it was there but doubt I took any oxycodene.

FWIW, mine is an epigastric hernia. Above my belly button, under my sternum. I can tell the tear is about 4-5" long.

Laid back on the bed one evening, and it looked like I had a softball sticking out of my stomach.

I'm real careful to keep things in place now. It seems like it's more of an issue when getting up, or laying down.

One of the guys I work with had an umbilical hernia fixed last year. Was back to work in a week. Said he went home from the surgery and banged the old lady forthwith. Another friend of mine had an umbilical and two inguinals done and was laid up for 6 weeks. Said it hurt like hell for a month. I guess it just depends on the person and/or the skill of the doctor.

Had a double fixed about 25 yrs ago.Laproscopic with the mesh.
Was walking the next day and poking around at work a few days later.Only issue I had ,was I could feel the staples every so often.

Going in next Thursday for an inguinal hernia. Had one done about 35 yrs, rough recovery. Hope it goes better this time.

I had it done 50 years ago. All that I remember was how bad the food was for this 5 year old.

I remember when we got all of the insurance stuff back. My wife went thru it with a fine-tooth comb. She told me it would cost well over $100,000 to buy one yard of the stuff at the size/prices they charged me.......

I had a umbilical hernia fixed in February '16. Did the less invasive way. Thought I was going to die when my bowels finally moved after five days. A doctor friend said it would take six weeks to fully recover. She was spot on. No issues now. Glad I did it.

If you need it get it. The sooner the better as the tear is NOT going to heal itself - only get worse. Significant down time was 3 months followed by much improvement and more importantly, no further worries.

I had one repaired several years ago. I slept in the recliner the first night. No problems since then.

Mine was terrible pain constantly for week 1. The drive home was bad enough I was whining to the wife to drive more smoothly. Occasional terrible pain for weeks 2 and 3. Back to work week 4, no more pain pills needed, but pain on occasion. Within 2 months, just a twinge on occasion. Glad I got it done, but it was a rough month, and I have no qualms about taking the good pain pills as prescribed.

Take a mild laxative, you do not want to strain--

Had one done in 2003. Cut/mesh, outpatient. Was pretty numbed up on the ride home. 1st couple of days was uncomfortable. Best advice I got was to use stool softeners.
Listen to the Dr.! Good Luck

Coworker had it done a couple years ago. He was late 50's, strong, but not "in shape".

He took 2 weeks off and had another two light duty then was back lifting 50+# bags. Been good since.

I'd be sure I found a guy that specialized in the procedure and had a pile of good references.

Damn. Be careful. If you colic I gotta come down there to choot you and fire up the backhoe.

Think again hombre. I decided I was going to not to take the meds, the doctor told me even if you feel OK, take the meds, that will be the surgery meds masking the pain. I didn't listen, first day was not feeling too bad, skipped the meds, paid huge with severe pain anytime I tried to get off the bed. It took everything I had to roll over onto my stomach and slide off the bed that way. If they cut you, take the meds, don't be a hero.
Then to top that off, I got a cough. Every time I felt I hat to cough, I would have to stuff a pillow under my stomach, put as much weight as I could on it, and it still felt like I was getting hit with a Bowie knife..it was hell.

So now I finally have a quail hunting buddy who wears a girdle. Geerrreat. I'll tell God this isnt exactly what I had in mind.

Ploymer mesh is expensive because lowyers er pertectin you from killr dockters.

Deal!

I've checked funeral home prices. Just bury me the Cowboy Way!

That reminds me...

Was shredding the olive orchard last week. All those bobwhite pairs I was seeing in the spring are now coveys. Lot's of them. Was covered up by them.

^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^

Best advice on this thread. I had a double inguinal done four years ago, using the mesh repair and a laproscopic approach. Both my younger brothers had the procedure before I did, so it was my turn. Have it done before a little problem becomes a big problem.

What you want is a surgeon who does hernia repair for a living, like very week. Who has done this surgery hundreds, if not thousands of times. Who can do this surgery blindfolded, one handed and behind his back. And who is Board Certified. We live in a smaller city but it has a big hospital which gets referrals from all over No MI, including 'da UP. I got plenty of recommendations from friends and family about who to use.

Recovery and healing was uneventful. But you must follow the surgeons orders. Repairing a botched up hernia surgery is a goat rodeo.

Good to see you again Natty. Been gone a long while myself but used to see you occasionally over on nssmbbs.

'Lonzo

I had it done twice, no big deal, don't sneeze for at least 3 weeks. Mine hurt when I f....ked for a while.

Inguinal, done around 2000. Cut open w mesh type.
Back to work in 2 weeks.
Pain killers for 2 days.

My surgery was due to a botched prev surgery, where doc went exploratory and ripped me.

Pain was for 3 yrs, pretty brutal. Dunno if that from initial surgery or hernia repair (or just a combo).
Did feel a pop after 2 yrs and my pain went down 50% the next day.
Suspect mesh/scar tissue abrading nerve............the big nerve that goes to nuts.

All better, wife a size 1...............and she leaves. Too funny.

I just had umbilical hernia surgery about 9 weeks ago. Doc was able to push it back in with her fingers easily and said, "That's a good sign". I asked what that meant and she said that it probably wasn't pinched off which could lead to gangrene (my word, can't remember her term). No mesh was needed. I was in and back out of the hospital in about 5 or 6 hours.

Pulled my back the day before surgery, and was in a lot of pain, but tried to suck it up as everything had already been coordinated with work, insurance, and the hospital. (Didn't bother to mention my back to them.) When they wheeled me in to the operating room, they asked me to slide over from my cot onto the operating table.. OH that hurt!! Several nurses were making pre-op small talk and one was unusually quiet. When the quiet one suddenly started talking up a storm to me, I thought to myself, "Keep your eye on this one, she's up to something". Next thing I knew, I woke up in recovery.

Found out they won't release you until you pee. I'd been holding it for awhile as my family and the nurse were hanging out talking to me in the recovery bed. Finally I had to go. After I did, the nurse told me that I could leave now. I said, "You mean you've been waiting all this time for me to pee?" He said, "Yep". Heck, I could have left at least an hour sooner had I known that.

They put a tight belly band on me and said not to take it off for something like a week, and it was okay to shower with it on. They gave me Percocet, IIRC, for pain. I took it for about a day-and-half at half the dosage they suggested I could use. I wish someone would have suggested stool softener prior to all of this as I couldn't take a dump for almost 3 days. I read, after it was too late, that this a pretty common reaction to the medication given for surgery and pain.

Was on a 20 lb lifting restriction for the first 2 weeks, then 60 lbs for the next 4 weeks. I felt pretty good by the end of week 3. Doctor told me that at 6 weeks I'd be as good as I was ever going to be healing wise, but that the scar tissue will be hard, but soften to normal by about 9 months.

Went back to work after 6 weeks off. Wish I could have had another couple weeks off to enjoy myself, but if my job didn't involve straining, I could have realistically been back at it in three weeks.

Had a burn in the repair side once in a while, for a few more yrs...........odd feeling, tight.
Was in excellent shape when surgery done. Now I'm older/fatter and the burn is gone.

Last yr I ripped open the other side, could feel guts pushing on it when I did heavy stuff at work. No big ol' garden hose pop out like other side did.
But that odd burn/sickly feeling, pressure and stuff not acting right.

I decided to take it easy and have not had it burn or felt pressure on that spot for over 6 months.
Small ones can heal....................maybe.

ghemry, the word is strangulate, where the abdominl a muscles close tight around the intestine poking through.

I've had 3 hernia repairs.

Sounds like an adhesion tore loose.

1) This ^^^^ Before I had mine done, I went to a friend who was a traveling home health nurse. Asked her which general surgeon she saw the least number of, in home, post op, issues with ? There was one who was at the top of her list. That's the one I used. No issues on my side. Find a friend or acquaintance in the local medical field and have a candid side bar conversation.

2) As also said above, give yourself time. I had an office job at the time. Figured I would go back to work one week post op. Tried to bend over to tie my show laces at the one week mark. Wrong. Couldn't do it. My dad used same surgeon a year later to correct a double hernia. Initial outcome was good. However, he started feeling frisky the second or third week and buggered something up working around the farm. Took him almost 6 months before whatever he buggered up resolved itself and stopped hurting. It takes how long it takes...