inguinal hernia recovery advice

[nahho]

Hi, tottenham. Well, your question is one I've looked around over and over to answer, and the answers vary widely. The Beverly Hills doctor to whom I linked in one of my replies above swears by allowing hernia surgery patients to start exercising, with only lifting restrictions, after just two weeks! Then there's a surgeon in this thread who insists we shouldn't start until after 8 weeks. I've seen even three months. You'll also see a common theme about simply not rushing it. I started riding again after the three week mark, twice in that following week, and it went surprisingly well, all the way through the 9th week or so, until, as I said above, when I started having severe leg pain -- which turns out to be from a bulging disc (confirmed with MRI today). Did my bulging disc come from my exuberant restarting of cycling? It may or may not have -- I've read that the larger culprit is posture and general core weakness. I suspect that's the case with me -- as well as possibly my body compensating as my abdominal area recovered and added pressure to the back. Though that could have started in the winter when my hernias formed, before I restarted the cycling season at all. So, it's hard to really answer your question. But you haven't done any exercising for five weeks, and I presume you're feeling OK. I'd say a "few miles" (presuming that doesn't mean 50) around the neighborhood would be fine and hitting the gym would be fine. You might seek your doctor's advice on which particular exercises in the gym are best. Incidentally, today I also had a second surgeon check out my repair and confirm it, itself, was in good shape, despite all the riding I did and my leg pain problems. Here's some other advice that's very reassuring as you go through recovery:

Keep in mind that it's not uncommon for patients to feel pulling, tugging, aches, burning, heaviness, swelling, occasional sharp pains, and overall 'discomfort' for months after hernia surgery. However, these occasional symptoms should become less and less frequent over time.

That's from this doctor's website: http://www.californiaherniaspecialists.com/hernia-recovery.html Note also how quickly, in his thorough chart on recovery, he says exercise can resume. Looking back in my case, I still would not have started after the two-week mark; my ride after the three-week mark was much slower and careful as it was. But like many in this thread say, your case is your case, and only you and your doctor (or perhaps a couple of doctors who see you personally) will know what's best for you.

 

[nahho]

Hi, all. Well, it's been three months since my last update on my hernia recovery, and I also haven't ridden my bike since then except for a few test rides around the neighborhood. I'm soon approaching seven months post-surgery; the past three I have been working on my core work and stretching (coached through physical therapy) to ease sciatica resulting from my bulging disc.

The physical therapy has helped, but I don't believe I'm out of the woods. Alas, winter has begun where I'm at and I really won't know what kind of cycling I can do until March or so.

The bulging disc technically is not related to hernia recovery, but I believe it is in some way. The hernias weakened my core, and I've had to work on my abs to strengthen them. My lower-right ab still easily gets sore and swollen; it still appears the right side had a big hernia. I've also learned how to strengthen muscles and ligaments surrounding my hips, especially my right side. All those weaknesses I believe led to the bulging disc.

So there's the question of how much I pushed on the bike and whether it was too much. Obviously my bike has told me to stop, and I've listened. I had never read anywhere or heard that getting back on the bike would lead to a back problem causing severe leg pain, so it's hard to feel bad about how I rode. But it does look like I should have done more cross-training after the hernia surgery, working on the core and hips. One thing that's sorely lacking in most post-hernia surgery advice is re-strengthening the core; physical therapy really ought to be prescribed by hernia surgeons, but instead they treat the surgery as routine.

That, then, is something to keep in mind. Ride the bike in a few or more weeks afterward, but go easy and do some cross-training, too.

 

[idahopilot]

I had right side inguinal hernia open mesh surgery when I was 16 waaay back in 1991 and remember it like yesterday. I wanted to let you know that the funky numbness, weird pains, etc. all slowly dissipate over time. I remember for ages that I couldn't even feel the area from my incision down past my groin and inner thigh. I assumed that it would be numb forever but it eventually comes back over the years. The only thing I even notice is the fading scar and the scar tissue. The surgery itself was a breeze but for 3 days or so after I remember it hurt like hell....I only popped 2 vicodin and somehow managed to survive. I wanted to just lay in my room and not move an inch but my mom told me I had to start walking asap per the Dr. So I got up around day 2 and it helped immensely. You need to get up and get moving as soon as possible after this surgery! The biggest issues are as follows:

1) Walk around as much and you can handle it...You'll get up sore as hell the 1st day after but you need to get the hell up and walk (shuffle) around like your normal routine. Do not crawl back in bed or you'll want to lay there forever motionless.

2) Start taking Colace or anything that will help the bowel process when you get out of surgery. This is literally the worst thing I remember about this surgery....I was constipated for 3 days and when I finally went I almost blacked out coming out of the bathroom from the whole ordeal. Try to go the morning before surgery and eat high fiber for a couple of weeks before. It literally is my worst memory of the whole thing. It hurts to cough or sneeze so just imagine what having to strain at all feels like.

3) Your testicle(s) will turn black and blue and swell for a day or so...Put ice on it and call the Dr. if it gets out of hand. I called mine and he said it's normal and to ice it. That's it.

4) Take it easy for a few weeks, but don't go overboard. My surgeon was an old guy with years of hernia surgery and told me not to worry about it and that the mesh is stronger than the original tissues. I was back at my grocery store job within a couple weeks and running sprints on the track team a couple of months later. A year after that, I was in Army ROTC and working out all the time so it isn't going to slow you down long term.

5) If you're having any hesitation over this surgery.....Don't. Just get it done but find the best, experienced surgeon in your area. It's not that bad...Hell, if a 16 year old can pull it off.

PS...I was reading the previous entries and didn't want to diminish anyone's problems or pain they're having post surgery a few weeks later. No surgery is "simple" and I know the human body is complex. I still would advise anyone with a hernia to get it done vs. "watch and wait". I had weird pains and numbness for a long time but was lucky that it didn't slow me down much. It all went away over time though...That's the good news!

 

[nahho]

Thank you, Idahopilot, for your reply, especially, in my case, about the numbness and weird pains dissipating over time. I've heard this from a few people now. When the aches, pain, swelling and discomfort happens, sometimes I swear I've done new damage while having done little to prompt it. And I'm just impatient for the day I'm not aware of it. So I find myself needing reassurance over and over.

Another oddly comforting thing right now is that my shoulder, which I hurt shattering my collarbone in summer 2013, is increasingly uncomfortable in the cold weather. That's muscle tightness, and I can see the parallel with my hernia site. When I work out, I feel better in both places -- that's because I'm getting the muscles loose.

So the advice to keep moving pretty much from Day 1 applies to months afterward as well!

And I second Idahopilot's advice to get the surgery done if you're feeling discomfort of any kind. Yes, I have my annoying aches and pains now, but it would have only gotten worse and worse and just unworkable without the surgery.

Plus, as one colleague tells me over and over, once the abs fully heal, "You can do anything! ANYTHING!"

 

[donneh]

Hi all, i have a left inguinal hernia which i noticed the bulge 3 weeks ago

it disappears when i lie down and pops up after a while when i stand up. Not alot of discomfort, just a mild burning sensation once in a while. I would say its small-medium right now

I plan to see the doctor and get a surgery in 2 months time.

1) is it safe to do purely machine exercises in the mean time? ie.. seated chest press, seated dips, seated rows, seated machine preacher curls?

2) whats the proper breathing method to NOT increase intra abdominal pressure? I know the Valsalva Maneuver is a no-go obviously, but what about stomach vacuums WHILE still breathing normally through the nose and lungs

Does blowing out your stomach while holding your breath increase intra abdomical pressure? Or does sucking in your abdomen increase the pressure??

3) Now in 2015, is the laprosopic TEP mesh method gold standard for least recurrence, chronic pain and post op complications? Still so much differing opinions and literature out there! sigh

TIA for any advice, and i hope everyone on this thread have made full recoveries from this unfortunate injury...

 

[Bonzer]

Glad to have found this thread. I've inguinal hernia too on the left. I'm overweight and have a desk job. I do work on my cross-trainer and road biking twice a week. ( I used to ride my static bike earlier). My pain is intermittent. I've been told that your doctor prescribes some kinda strapping below the waist and would advise a surgery only if it's absolutely necessary.

Now that you are operated, do you wear straps below the waist apart from exercise?