inguinal hernia recovery advice

[docca]

Hi. I had laproscopic repair of left inguinal hernia 7 days ago. I am 57 yo and cycle about 1000k a month. Had op at 12 and walked out 4 hrs later rather high on pain killers. walked 400 meters the next day, 800 day 2 then over did it a bit day 3 with a 2k walk that made me feel a bit wonky. Only took pain killers for 3 days. Have kept active every day since op and have experienced only a few twinges in area of hernia repair in groin with a slight swelling due to what feels like fluid. Walked 4k yesterday at normal pace with no problems. Still have bruising around navel where camera was inserted plus a bit tender in that area when I bend but other than that very happy with the way things are going. Can recommend getting active and staying active from day one. Found myself eyeing off the road bike this morning thinking a slow tootle on level streets may be ok. Like the previous contributer from OZ I had to pay for this op myself as the waiting time here in Hobart Tasmania is about 2 years with the public health system. So far I am up for $3,700AUD
Still waiting for anesthesiasts bill. Oh the pain lol. Looking forward to getting back on bike and hitting pedals at full power which is something I have not been able to do for some years due to hernia that I did nothing about until it got so big I could no longer ignore it. Hope this helps someone.

 

[mike-tyson2011]

Thanks BRW,
Thanks for the online advise I found it very useful as you say there is not much good advise online.
I had a hernia repair 10 days ago and still a bit sore on the cut, and a little shooting pain at times.
But told by nurse at hospital this is quite normal for a 72 year old.
As you advised I have been active and done things around the house and gone on a few short walks etc.which seems to improve things.
Just one question
When did you get back to driving your car as I am getting conflicting advise from different people.
Regards
Mike Tyson (Stafford UK)

 

[Andys Mom]

Hi,

I ran across this thread doing research for my son. He is scheduled for lap inguinal hernia repair with mesh in about 2 weeks. He is 19, in good health, pretty active especially during this time of year. He's in his 2nd year of college at our State University and in the Marching Band. He was first diagnosed with this at age 11 and we were told it was congenital. At that point the defect was very small and we were advised to take a "watch and wait" after the doctor was able to reduce the bulge in the office. We were extremely careful for the next months and it appeared to have healed. He had no further trouble at all until about a week ago.

This thread has been hugely helpful! I do have a question for anyone who has experience with this surgery. My son is scheduled for surgery on the 17th. We've discussed this in detail with the surgeon. He is also scheduled to march in an end of season Bowl Game parade and half time show probably some time right after the first of the year (we don't know which Bowl game they'll be playing in yet.) Is this going to be doable or is he setting himself up for a huge disappointment? He will be about 2 1/2 to 3 weeks post op by then. The surgeon seems to think he'll be able to do it. I'd appreciate any feedback you can offer.

Thank you,

Andy's Mom

 

[docca]

Been six weeks since lap henia repair. Should have had it done years ago. Was back on bike after 2 weeks doing about 20k at a time. Now doing 300k plus a week. Have done several 50k rides at over 30kmh average speed without any problems. I have stayed away from big hills up until now just to be safe and will start hills from today. I have not done any heavy lifting and will try not to over do it in the future as I believe that was what brought on the problem in the first instance. Other than that I am back to a normal life. Andys mum. I feel the lad should be ok for his marching band engagement. The surgeon will let him know after his post op checkup if he is ok to go. I can advise anyone that is facing this procedure to get active and keep active as soon as you can after surgery. Hope this post is of help to someone.

cheers

Doc.

 

[tassie boy]

Had operation 30/11/2012 for inguinal hernia on left side ,mesh repair method in hospital at 8am op done at 9am awake at about 10.45 am walking at 11.20 am urinated at 12oclock and had a light meal at 12.30 walked about recovery ward with aid of nurse at first then on my own for short bursts then discharged at 2.30 pm and wife drove me home .I have continued to walk around the house the yard the paddocks any where that is relatively easy .
The pain is about 3 to 7 on a scale of 10 but has decreased over the days and now only hurts with coughing ,getting out of bed turning too fast and using the bowels with too much effort ,and the blooming hair regrowth is like a little *****.
The bruising is as ugly as you can get and for the first couple of days the scrotum and penis were one scary sight but now almost returned to normal still find myself giving a little support to the testicles when walking a good thing I live in the country as probably not a good look middle age 58 year man with hand down pants /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif
Have had excellent communication with all health care people at the hospital in Burnie Tasmania from the receptionist to the surgeon and all the wonderful nursing staff and I think that has helped a heap ,my GP was also very informative and answered my questions .
I am reasonably fit walk at least 6klms a day prior to op and do a weight resistance or lift exercise once or twice a week and this is going to be the hardest thing for me to take it very easy for around 7 or eight weeks recovery but the alternative of repeat surgery will make sure I follow doctors advice .
DO NOT ignore a hernia if you think you have one see you doctor and get it fixed the alternative is very serious .

 

[gcarey3]

I read through these posts before surgery and again afterwards as a reminder. They were very helpful to me and I think all of you that have shared your tricks and experience. I had surgery a few times before (lung and knee) but I think the inguinal hernia repair has additional challenges because of the reasons mentioned by many; coughing, sneezing, having a bowel movement, getting up out of a soft chair, etc.

I had my open inguinal hernia repair surgery (with mesh) on November 30th so it's been a week. I was active every day since the surgery. I didn't even take any of the oxycodone for the first few days, ibuprofen was enough for the pain. The biggest issue I had was that even clearing my throat gave me that burning right down into my crotch that some have described as a searing pain. Then I remembered that a side effect of any opiate is cough suppression. So I started taking a low dose and it was very effective. I found that holding the pillow to my chest didn't work all that well as pressure still was transferred to the abdomen when coughing. But if I sat in a chair and bent forward pulling my leg on the left (hernia) side up to my chest as much as I could, it would support the incision area and pain was much decreased when coughing or sneezing.

I normally cycle almost every day and I have over 10,000 miles so far this year so it was a real adjustment sitting around the house even for a few days. So before I went under the knife I set my bike up on a trainer. On Wednesday (5 days post surgery), I felt pretty good and the swelling had gone down a bit so I decided to give the trainer a try. The first challenge was getting my shorts on over the incision without pain. Once I got them on I was fine and they were actually compressive which felt good. The other hard part was getting up on the trainer without straining the abdomen. I put a step ladder next to the trainer and used that to help me up and it worked great. I started out pedaling slow, maybe 10 MPH but within about 5-6 minutes I was up to 17-18 MPH which isn't much slower than my normal workout speed. I found that I preferred sitting up a bit instead of a racing position. It was pretty easy to keep my legs moving without straining my abdomen. I only did a 20 minute workout which was about 5 miles (trainers are so boring anyway) but worked up a sweat at least. I've taken another few days off the bike but I'm ready to give it another try. Here is a link to my first post-op ride on the trainer: http://app.strava.com/activities/31137491

My surgeon says that even a construction worker is back to work in two weeks after this surgery. I specifically asked him about riding and told him what my plan with the trainer was. He said that was a good idea rather than riding on the road since there are times where you may strain your abdomen if you have to put your foot down on an uneven surface or slip off the pedal when clipping in. Following that reasoning, I think I will start out my road riding by venturing onto the bike trail near my house. I won't have cars to deal with (except a few intersections) and I can go any speed and stop if I want. I'm hoping to at least get a good spin going so I can keep my aerobic threshold somewhere reasonable while my abdomen heals. Prior to having the surgery I did the same thing; spun the hills and used lower than normal gearing.

The only good thing about this whole thing is that I had the surgery at a pretty good time as far as cycling season goes. My challenge will be to get back into shape by March which is when training races start around here. And of course I will have to burn off the extra pounds I'm surely putting on while I'm sitting on my butt writing this.

I'll report back later anything positive or negative. I just signed up for the Strava Rapha Festive 500 Challenge which is to ride 500k between Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. This is the only challenge I've ever signed up for that I have some doubt about making it but we'll see!

George

 

[Andys Mom]

Just a quick update. Andy had his surgery a few days earlier than planned, on the 13th instead of the 17th. Dr. had a cancellation and offered the slot to us. I thought the extra 4 days of healing time before heading off to the Bowl Game would be to his advantage. Anyway, surgery done, we were home by 3:30 pm (surgery was at 9:30 am). The rest of that day was pretty difficult. Andy was really nauseated and vomiting every time he ate or drank anything. I called the surgeon, who called in a scrip to the pharmacy. That did the trick and he was able to start keeping clear fluids and pain meds down.

I got him up and walking from one end of the house to the other and back every couple of hours through the evening and night. Then ice for 20 minutes, then sleep a while. It made for a long night, but I think it really helped. Yesterday he moved on to soft foods and we continued with the ice and walking. Today he's eating normally and, since I had to make a trip to the grocery store, he chose to go with me. We walked slowly around the store for about 20 to 30 minutes. He's worn out and napping in the recliner, but doing so very much better. He's not needing pain meds any longer as he says the pain is maybe a level 1 to 2.

I took to heart much of what I read here and a few other places online and did most of what was suggested. He's gotten through this so much better than he would have had I not had access to so much information.

Thank you all, and I wish you all wonderful holidays!

Andy's Mom

 

[jimbolya]

tomorrow will be 3 months since my hernia surgery (9/21/12 in this thread.) I'm presently going strong and no longer have to be concerned with a hernia that was really beginning to slow me down more and more as time passed.

the only lingering after-effect from surgery is continuing numbness in the area of surgery. no pain at all, as well as no discomfort. just this very unusual sensation of localized numbness in the area.

looking back, I was still moving real slow at two weeks out. driving a car, and getting in and out of it, was no fun, but could be done if necessary. being bent over or leaning forward so that increased pressure was being placed on the surgery wasn't at all comfortable and once in the car I found it much more comfy to put the seat back and get as stretched out as possible.

walking for short distances (200-400 meters) was about it for 2-3 weeks. found out not to over-do it after a quarter mile walk early the second week...down for the next day and a half as a result. mainly just minor pain and discomfort, but continuous, so...

...back to icing. I iced quite alot of the time, sometimes even going to sleep in a recliner with the ice in place. ice seemed to be instant relief for over-doing things. I had two nice hospital ice packs, so almost always had an ice pack that was ready to be used. if the ice wasn't enough, 400mg of Advil usually did the trick.

four weeks out, I was still moving slow and deliberately, and standing around for any length of time wasn't easy, but if I had to, then sitting down and stretching out was the first thing I looked forward to as soon as I could, and icing if necessary.

it wasn't until the 6th or 7th week that things really started to get back to normal.

at 2 months, I was good to go for any undertaking. skiied the other day (bc) and had no problems associated with the surgery. have yet to get back on the bike, but that has nothing to do with the surgery either.

now I'm looking forward to a Merry Christmas and lots of new snow in the Idaho back-country to while away the winter frolicking in.

cheers for a Happy Holiday and best wishes to all you recovering hernia surgery patients out there!

 

[jimbolya]

tomorrow will be 3 months since my hernia surgery (9/21/12 in this thread.) I'm going strong and no longer have to be concerned with a hernia that was really beginning to slow me down more and more as time passed.

the only lingering after-effect from surgery is continuing numbness in the area of surgery. no pain at all, as well as no discomfort. just this very unusual sensation of localized numbness in the area.

looking back, I was still moving real slow at two weeks out. driving a car, and getting in and out of it, was no fun, but could be done if necessary. being bent over or leaning forward so that increased pressure was being placed on the surgery wasn't at all comfortable and once in the car I found it much more comfy to put the seat back and get as stretched out as possible.

walking for short distances (200-400 meters) was about it for 2-3 weeks. found out not to over-do it after a quarter mile walk early the second week...down for the next day and a half as a result. mainly just minor pain and discomfort, but continuous, so...

...back to icing. I iced quite alot of the time, sometimes even going to sleep in a recliner with the ice in place. ice seemed to be instant relief for over-doing things. I had two nice hospital ice packs, so almost always had an ice pack that was ready to be used. if the ice wasn't enough, 400mg of Advil usually did the trick.

four weeks out, I was still moving slow and deliberately, and standing around for any length of time wasn't easy, but if I had to, then sitting down and stretching out was the first thing I looked forward to as soon as I could, and icing if necessary.

it wasn't until the 6th or 7th week that things really started to get back to normal.

at 2 months, I was good to go for any undertaking. skiied the other day (bc) and had no problems associated with the surgery. have yet to get back on the bike, but that has nothing to do with the surgery either.

now I'm looking forward to a Merry Christmas and lots of new snow in the back-country to while away the winter frolicking in.

cheers for a Happy Holiday and best wishes to all you recovering hernia surgery patients out there!

 

[Huntsman]

Thanks for the very helpful advice especially the comment about keeping the painkillers beside the bed.

Regarding the placing, you had next to the hernia to support it whilst moving about; I intend to wear the inguinal hernia support I bought to wear while waiting to for the operation.

 

[easy recovery]

This has made for a lot of interesting reading. My story is opposite to most of the other posts that I read. Maybe because I am a woman, however, the procedure sounds the same with the insertion of the mesh.

I have recovered almost pain free. Having already had a C-section I knew about the benefits of moving to promote healing. It took almost 24 hours to sleep off the effects of the meds during surgery but after that I was able to move about the house freely, walk 2 flights of stairs easily, use the washroom with no trouble at all. I could have easily gone back to work in 4 days, but am waiting until the staples come out in 3 more days (that is actually going to be the worst part).


I will agree that I was generally uninformed but blame that on my not asking more questions. I should have asked; when will it be safe to bend, stretch, go for longer walks, should I use ice/heat/masage (I did not need any of those), when will I be able to drive again, will driving a standard be a problem (the only glitch in my personal recovery). The Dr.s office told me no special diet arrangements would be necessary, but the post op information recommended 2 days of clear liquids. It is definately best to prestock your fridge with raw foods that will provide roughage, and make arrangements to have someone fill perscriptions if necessary. I was glad that I had asked for a few sleeping pills.
(something I learned with knee surgery). Getting a good sleep those first few days made a big difference.

So, the best of luck to those facing surgery in the future. It doesn't have to be a horror story.

 

[jp01]

I want to thank everyone for all of the helpful advice and shared experiences here. It is comforting to understand what to expect for those who have gone through the procedure.

[SIZE= 10pt]I had a laparoscopic repair of a right inguinal hernia 5 days ago and my experiences have been similar to many of the posts in this thread. I am 47 and am usually very active. Here are a few points from my experience that may be helpful. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]First of all, I got my hernia late last year (2 weeks before the holidays and [/SIZE]I was not able to schedule surgery until Jan 15. A few days prior to the surgery, I developed a minor head cold – didn’t sleep much the night before surgery because I was coughing so much (not good).
I had my surgery anyway and was home later the same day – left the house at 5:50 AM and arrived home before noon. I was reasonably comfortable considering all of the holes and lay around the rest of the day on the couch with a pillow under my legs and my head propped up. The anesthesia was very effective at clearing up all of my cold symptoms. Later that night, when the medication started to wear off, I had my first uncontrolled cough. It is difficult to describe the pain if you have not been there but let’s say that coughing is not something that I would advise. Fortunately, I had purchased a strong anti-cough medication, decongestants and the like for just such an eventuality. I took one of everything I had and waited for things to improve. I stayed on the cold meds for the first two days and was nearly able to avoid further episodes. Beware – coughing is bad.

I did not take any of the prescription pain medication because I tend to avoid medications when I can. I was able to get through the first terrifying BM without major trauma – the second day was much better.

My mid-section was quite swollen for the first two days – partly due to left over gas introduced during the operation and partly due to swelling. Periodic icing was very helpful for the swelling. Early on, I found that my stitches were quite painful when standing. I found that wrapping my waist and navel area with a wide elastic bandage like what is used to wrap sprained joints really helped – I used two. The light compression almost completely eliminated pain from the incisions and I felt more like being up and around.

Now, five days into the recovery, I am feeling much better and am able to walk comfortably (albeit slowly). Now, I mostly only feel mild pain and burning sensation around the hernia repair itself. I see now from reading other experiences that this is to be expected. I bought a hernia truss to wear while I was waiting for surgery. I find that wearing while walking decreases the discomfort in the mesh area. One point here is that I was able to wear the truss much tighter before the surgery. Afterwards, I removed some of the padding and tighten the truss less - it works well that way.

In any case, I am looking forward to a full recovery. Thanks to everyone for the helpful advice and experiences.

 

[Chuck Babcock]

I'm experiencing similar symptoms 11 days post surgery. I have not seen my Doctor for follow-up yet though. I'm trying to stay off my feet as much as possible, but that's not very easy to do. But I would recommend it. I felt so good 5 days after my unilateral surgery, I went to the gym. But I think that was a big mistake. Should have waited at LEAST a full week before doing that. Been pretty sore ever since then. So if you feel really good just a few days after surgery, Great. But continue to take it EASY. You can get back in shape after a couple weeks. It can wait ! Don't set yourself backward.

 

[Chuck Babcock]

Something I discovered before I even had my inguinal hernia repaired, is that when you have to cough, lift your leg on the side where your hernia is (if you are standing). This technique helps eleviate some of the pain even after my surgery. By taking the weight off that side, it reduces the stress from one's abdominal section on same side. Hopefully you will find this works for you too.

PS > The pain killer (Norco) really did cause a lot of nausea. So be careful when using it on empty stomach. It contains the common ingredient of Vicodan. I have heard there is a patch which you can request instead of the oral medication, which does not cause nausea. I found the vomiting to be worse than the pain from surgery, but of course the vomiting hurt like hell just after surgery too. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/drool.gif

 

[novamapman]

I am really glad I found this thread. I am having inguinal mesh repair next Friday, March 22nd. I wouldn't have known any of this information. I am going to make another appointment with my surgeon to ask more questions before the surgery.
My main question although I think I know I already know the answer is I have a 2 week trip scheduled to Italy, Florence and Rome mostly, for April 3rd. I don't think there is any way I am going to be able to make that trip that soon after the surgery. What time frame in order to feel comfortable with all the walking I would be doing might I consider to reschedule the trip? A side note: I had to cancel my only other trip to Italy two years ago because of a failed ablation on my heart that wasn't repaired properly until December 2011.
Steve

 

[Huntsman]

Hi all,
This is the only site I could find that discussed the treatment and post operation strategies in a sensible manner.

My laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair operation was a none event.

The laparoscopic treatment was recommended, because the recover period is shorter and smaller incisions; this is a consideration because here in the UK we have a (reducing) problem with super bugs.

The morning after the operation I felt like going for a walk but fortunately thought I had better just move about indoors. Midday the pain kicked in but compared to the constant throbbing of toothache this pain was minor. I use toothache as a gauge as most people know what level that can be. The pain from the operation is of a stabbing nature and can come unexpectedly so it is the shock more than the intensity.

Many have spoken about the pain when coughing; at least once, you have experienced it you can prepare for it. Beware however, of anything that can amuse you such as comedies as the pain is just the same when laughing!

Any medication has side effects and unfortunately even doctors to not know which is best (see Bad Pharma by Ben Goldacre) therefore it must be a balance between your pain and how active you can be as it seems moderate exercise improves recovery time.

On the 5th day after the operation I am down to one 50mg Diclofenac (similar to Ibuprofen) per day from 3 per day.
On the first day my lump was just a large as before the operation but has reduced now to a minor bulge. On the second day, it looked as though they had tied me to the table by my genitals judging by the colour of them

To conclude, do not put off having the operation because of the fear of pain it is not a problem since any pain alleviated with medication. Not having the operation, I'm informed puts you at risk of a strangulated inguinal hernia and that is an emergency operation.

Notes:-
I am a mature windsurfer not a cyclist.
It may be difficult to correlate the information on this site to the general population, as you are in the main much fitter.

 

[Huntsman]

Hi all,
This is the only site I could find that discussed the treatment and post operation strategies in a sensible manner.

My laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair operation was a none event.

The laparoscopic treatment was recommended, because the recover period is shorter and smaller incisions; this is a consideration because here in the UK we have a (reducing) problem with super bugs.

The morning after the operation I felt like going for a walk but fortunately thought I had better just move about indoors. Midday the pain kicked in but compared to the constant throbbing of toothache this pain was minor. I use toothache as a gauge as most people know what level that can be. The pain from the operation is of a stabbing nature and can come unexpectedly so it is the shock more than the intensity.

Many have spoken about the pain when coughing; at least once, you have experienced it you can prepare for it. Beware however, of anything that can amuse you such as comedies as the pain is just the same when laughing!

Any medication has side effects and unfortunately even doctors to not know which is best (see Bad Pharma by Ben Goldacre) therefore it must be a balance between your pain and how active you can be as it seems moderate exercise improves recovery time.

On the 5th day after the operation I am down to one 50mg Diclofenac (similar to Ibuprofen) per day from 3 per day.
On the first day my lump was just a large as before the operation but has reduced now to a minor bulge. On the second day, it looked as though they had tied me to the table by my genitals judging by the colour of them

To conclude, do not put off having the operation because of the fear of pain it is not a problem since any pain alleviated with medication. Not having the operation, I'm informed puts you at risk of a strangulated inguinal hernia and that is an emergency operation.

Notes:-
I am a mature windsurfer not a cyclist.
It may be difficult to correlate the information on this site to the general population, as you are in the main much fitter.

 

[buddafish]

This site is the most useful thing I have read in recovery. Many thanks.

I am a 46 year old male teacher & amateur soccer player and had an Open Mesh Repair in the English West Country a week ago.
Inguinal hernia likely caused by genetics and rushing to 'evacuate' before teaching lessons.

My experience is broadly similar to that detailed elsewhere

Day -28 - Cold and sore throat cancelled surgery
Day -28 to -1 plus. Anxious and various psychosomatic colds seemed to be just about to appear. Anxious because of statistically negligible, extremely unlikely risks of caring, talented surgeon with sharp object placing sharp object too near delicate organs.

Day 0 - In and out of surgery in 4 hours. Morphined out of my face like Sherlock Holmes without the smarts. Couldn't even raise my voice. It was wonderful but thank the Lord my wife drove me home. No pain at all. Bladder numbed from operation but worked fine with careful concentration. This is disconcerting though.
Day 1 - Felt pretty good. Gently - Up and about. Clear swelling around bruise and distended stomach but quite manageable. Getting up and lying flat caused mildly burning groin pain. All manageable so avoided Ibuprofen and Paracetomol meds. Ate soup and salad
Day 2 - Woke up feeling terrible. Morphine gone. Stuffed meds down. All movement very sore. Walking like very old person. Felt physically very weak and very gaseous. Spent much of day in bed. Ate much soup
Day 3 - See Day 2.
Day 4 - Proper nights sleep, wash and change of clothes. Felt much stronger. Pain only with unusual movements or stretching. Bowels uncomfortable and gaseous. illogically, started to freak about bowel damage. This and gas became biggest issue. Took laxative and drank soup and ate fruit. Hard to sleep with massively distended stomach. Slow walking with stick
Day 5 - World's slowest BM and felt reborn. Regular physical movements mostly pain-free. Unusual movements or standing still moderately uncomfortable.
Day 6 & 7 - Bowel woke up and returned to normal. No bowel pain at anytime - just slow. Physically much stronger, broader range of movement without pain. Watched comedy video and clutched pillow in pain. But laughing took quite a lot of pain away. Able to walk freely for good distances without stick (200plus yards)
After 1 week - can walk, undertake most movements and lift light things without discomfort. 4 inch scar bruised but clean. Burning sensation only linked to 'ambitious' movements.


Key findings after week 1:
1. Should have taken bowel friendly food/supplements everyday as constipation almost as bad as pain. Apparently a General invariably causes serious holdups
2. Should have thought about easier ways of lifting myself out of bed and onto toilet.
3. Take medications every day and don't get cocky
4. The pain and recovery are as nothing compared to the anxiety prior
5. Glad I gave up meat and fags (tobacco) 8 weeks before. Coughing and digestion to be avoided
6. Bowels/bladder/organs/limbs currently functioning to expected level

Slight concern at week 1:
I find that I feel some slightly uncomfortable movement in area below mesh where stomach previously began to poke through. Not sure if it is previously displaced organ hitting underside of mesh or aspect of recovery - or both. Any reassuring ideas would be greatly received.

Should make full recovery as football season ends. ..

 

[Iang]

[SIZE= medium]I had inguinal repair surgery three days ago and I thought it would be worth sharing my experience. I’m 53 years old, I have a BMI of 24, I do a variety of cardiovascular exercises (treadmill, cross-trainer, stepper, rowing machine, bike) five times a week with a session typically lasting 45 minutes – I keep my heart rate in the range 150-160bpm throughout exercise.[/SIZE]

[SIZE= medium]To ensure I was in good shape before the surgery I lost a little weight, increased the intensity of my exercise for a period of a couple of months, and made sure I’ve followed a very healthy diet.[/SIZE]

[SIZE= medium]I was concerned about the surgery and the recovery period (two weeks off work and six weeks before resuming more intense exercise).[/SIZE]

[SIZE= medium]I had open surgery for a left side inguinal hernia. I had hoped to have keyhole surgery but my surgeon said he preferred open surgery - he said that he used to do keyhole surgery for hernias but now he prefers open surgery because of the sensitivity of the area. He described the site of the hernia as having a lot of ‘clock workings’ and that using very sharp surgical instruments in the area was easier with an open surgical approach.[/SIZE]

[SIZE= medium]I felt very anxious on the day of the operation. I was admitted at 7.30am. Actually, the time spent in the hospital (and I was discharged at 2pm on the same day) was, if anything, actually relaxing. The surgical team were confident, encouraging and very supportive. I didn’t experience any pain or discomfort at any time in hospital. I wasn’t given any painkillers when I was discharged.[/SIZE]

[SIZE= medium]I felt tired when I got home and snoozed for a while but then watched a movie in the evening. I took painkillers (1000mg of paracetamol and 400mg of ibuprofen) in the evening before I went to bed – although I didn’t have any pain. On the day after the operation I went out shopping and walked around the local town. I took some painkillers in the afternoon and also in the evening – although, again, I didn’t have any pain. The second post-operation day was the same except I didn’t take any painkillers – I also drove my car for about half an hour. On the third day (today) I’ve walked 5km at an incline of 6 on my treadmill keeping my heart rate below 115bpm. I’ve done some housework and been painting outside which has involved a fair amount of stretching, bending and light lifting.[/SIZE]

[SIZE= medium]I’m going to return to work tomorrow (i.e. day four after the operation) because I feel completely fit and healthy.[/SIZE]

[SIZE= medium]I’m being cautious in everything I do (and I'm going to continue in that way) but so far things have completely exceeded my expectations. I think I’ve probably been very fortunate and I can see that many people have much more difficult recovery periods, but it's worth knowing that there are very positive recoveries (so far!) too.[/SIZE]

 

[steamerboat]

Another inguinal hernia survivor here! This is day 6 post op, left side, no lapro, just regular open surgery with mesh. I'm with Kaiser and I think doc said this was a more reliable and stable way to go. Looks like everyone's experience can vary a little.
I never felt excruciating pain and got off the heavy duty pain reliever after couple days, especially since I too wanted to avoid constipation as much as possible. Definitely smart to eat light the day BEFORE and AFTER surgery and to try and go to the bathroom morning of surgery or day before. I hadn't gone since 2 days before the surgery so not ideal, and didn't go again until about 3rd day after surgery! But I have generally healthy diet and ate light, so it was only a minor challenge going to the bathroom without too much strain. But did it without any softeners/inducers, etc, so was quite proud off that!
Definitely good to do regular icing as much as possible and ibuprofen. Have been doing some minor getting around all week, few short car errands. Still some swelling on hernia side of abdomen. After initially turning my privates all purple/red bruised color, looks like it's starting to clear up a bit. Being on my feet for long still puts some annoying pressure on surgery site, so hoping that returning to work at libarary in couple days can be paced, without too much standing up without a sitting spell.
The real question is: did everyone who got hospital socks, put them on with the anti-slip sticky side down? - I saw a video posted by a hernia patient, of his real-time experience and right before his surgery he showed off his cute socks, but had the sticky side on top. I don't think he knew. lol