Double Hernia Op - recovery time/experiences?
Discussion
I'm 51 and having a double hernia op this morning - just heading off to hospital shortly. Its laparoscopic (had my gall bladder out last year the same way) and will be a mesh repair. I was told by the pre op check nurse last week that I should take 2 weeks from my desk job and then ideally work at home for 2 more weeks. I normally commute about 50 mins on the train to London (but my boss is ok about me WFH if needs be).
When I come round and can read the internet again, I'd be interested to hear your experiences? Is that "WFH as well" bit a bit OTT? Seems a long time. I know I won't be lifting much or mowing the lawn for a few weeks longer. How about driving - when were you driving again?
All thoughts welcome - although I may not see them for a while, obviously.
Cheers.
When I come round and can read the internet again, I'd be interested to hear your experiences? Is that "WFH as well" bit a bit OTT? Seems a long time. I know I won't be lifting much or mowing the lawn for a few weeks longer. How about driving - when were you driving again?
All thoughts welcome - although I may not see them for a while, obviously.
Cheers.So a couple of weeks on and things seem to be healing, albeit slowly. How anyone could be weight training so quickly is beyond me - I've been told no heavy lifting for 6 weeks - and it was only after about 10 days that I could stand straight without 1 side or the other pulling. I was warned there was a risk of "bruising to the scrotal sac" - well they weren't kidding. The last few days have been like being tapped in the 'nads with a cricket bat every few minutes 24 hours a day. I'm told this can take a few weeks to subside. Yay. Can't drive yet, as a result. The thought of getting in the MX5 at the moment has me wincing all on its own.
Takes the mind off the main hernia repair, I guess! But anyone going for it, watch out for that one.
Takes the mind off the main hernia repair, I guess! But anyone going for it, watch out for that one.
Digger said:
Oh missed this first time around!
Only one day after my op. . . . same as yours, bilateral laparascopic, 46yo. . .
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I started treadmill-walking as the only exercise after 7-10 days, nothing more than that for about another 3 weeks. Slowly increase treadmill pace and incline over the days and light machine work in the gym, nothing to antagonise the groin, although had a minor setback 2nd time I tried dumbbell standing raises, so laid off any free weights until approx 6 weeks total had elapsed.
Pretty much back to normal after 2 months, nearly back to my old gym routine.
Understandably the abs took a further 4-6 weeks before I felt repaired and comfortable enough to start exercising them. Prior to that I did gentle adductor and abductor work.
My left nut was tender for quite some time and my surgeon suggested up to 6 months for that to decrease, 6 months down and all is well, just a very very slight tenderness remains.
If you're worried about scars, I tried arnica cream, which may have helped.
ETA - wfh seems a tad excessive, but bear in mind it wouldn't take too much of an unexpected / awkward manoeuvre to aggravate the surgical repair.
Thanks for that - read your thread too now. I was told to be mobile asap as it helps healing and in fact walked out of the hospital on the day (slowly!) to my surprise. Its been a mix of lying propped up on the bed, sitting catching on some blurays, walking around the house, a couple of short trips out - the last of which seems to have triggered off the tender bruising - spent the following day lying propped up on the bed on painkillers, after that. I've really tried to avoid PKs as much as possible - I got give loads of codeine to last me a month but have only taken a handful.Only one day after my op. . . . same as yours, bilateral laparascopic, 46yo. . .
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I started treadmill-walking as the only exercise after 7-10 days, nothing more than that for about another 3 weeks. Slowly increase treadmill pace and incline over the days and light machine work in the gym, nothing to antagonise the groin, although had a minor setback 2nd time I tried dumbbell standing raises, so laid off any free weights until approx 6 weeks total had elapsed.
Pretty much back to normal after 2 months, nearly back to my old gym routine.
Understandably the abs took a further 4-6 weeks before I felt repaired and comfortable enough to start exercising them. Prior to that I did gentle adductor and abductor work.
My left nut was tender for quite some time and my surgeon suggested up to 6 months for that to decrease, 6 months down and all is well, just a very very slight tenderness remains.
If you're worried about scars, I tried arnica cream, which may have helped.
ETA - wfh seems a tad excessive, but bear in mind it wouldn't take too much of an unexpected / awkward manoeuvre to aggravate the surgical repair.
Edited by Digger on Wednesday 2nd September 21:50
But the big thing friends have said is be patient and take things slow, even if you feel things are healing, don't push it. More than one has said they did and ended up with complications, failed repair or another hernia.
Strange seeing you had dressings put on your wounds - for this one, and for my keyhole gall bladder removal last year - they just glued the wounds and let nature take its course. The scars from last year have faded in 18 months pretty well, I expect these will too. Just over 2 weeks on and the main entry point in the belly button is healed and just a scar now. And last night I was able to lie down flat in bed for the first time - its always pulled a bit too much to be comfortable until now.
I'm not a gym bunny but looking forward to getting out to work in the garden. Although carrying stuff is still pretty much out of the question. Even with 2 litres of milk I can feel the pull quite a bit. Amazing what you take for granted!
LordGrover said:
Sorry to see it's taking so long.
Mine was only one side but recovery was way quicker than yours. I had a large haematoma mainly in/on my dick but although unsightly it wasn't painful.
My topic at the time here: click.
Best of luck.
Interesting read - fascinating seeing different experiences with it. I think everyone heals differently - witness the chap on your thread who was wheeled out of hospital after the op; I walked out. You came round pretty well after the anaesthetic - I take ages and I'm a space cadet for a couple of days after. I'm happy enough with the way its going. I've noticed especially the last 3 years or so that my healing rate has slowed down, so I didn't think I'd be running around too quickly. Mine was only one side but recovery was way quicker than yours. I had a large haematoma mainly in/on my dick but although unsightly it wasn't painful.
My topic at the time here: click.
Best of luck.
As long as I can manage without PKs most of the time, I'm ok - I have a lot of patience. Compared to when I broke my ankle and damaged ligaments 3 years back - 4 weeks in bed and a further 3 off work - where I ended up climbing the walls with boredom and quite depressed, this is going ok; nice to be able to relax for a few weeks. And that bloody bulge in my groin will be gone, so more than happy!
Bloody hell... I was going in for a single one (to be done with an open incision) until I developed the second hernia 2 weeks before the op. Which made the difference - the surgeon prefers keyhole for double repairs but open cut for single. I think I got the better deal, that sounds horrendous.
6 weeks on and it looks like I'm one of the "lucky" ones who ends up with groin pain for a period after - imagine walking around all day after being slapped in the tackle with a cricket bat. Apparently its due to nerve damage and can take "anywhere between 3 months and a year" to clear up! Oh joy. Still getting post op pain from around the repair too so a long way from getting back to normal. All rather aggravating! Trying to resist painkillers except for really bad days but I think that's what I may end up doing.
That sounds rough. 2 miles?!! Yeah I can't yet imagine walking that far. I guess I'm fortunate in that the wounds healed up fine. I did run for a train a couple of weeks back (a real 100 yard sprint) without thinking, which my GP thinks has possibly kicked off the nerve damage thing again (it had been getting better).
Since yesterday I had a bad acid reflux reaction to the codeine they gave me so I can't even take that now (I do get reflux quite bad anyway but they still gave me the codeine - which is known to exacerbate it. Doh...). So now I'm on regular paracetamol every 4 hours to see if that helps - if not I might be geting referred to pain management, whatever that is...
Since yesterday I had a bad acid reflux reaction to the codeine they gave me so I can't even take that now (I do get reflux quite bad anyway but they still gave me the codeine - which is known to exacerbate it. Doh...). So now I'm on regular paracetamol every 4 hours to see if that helps - if not I might be geting referred to pain management, whatever that is...
PDP76 said:
I found that the codeine didn't do a lot, barely touched the pain. The tramadol was excellent for it. If you're off and at home then tramadol might work for you.
Tramadol is as much a risk with the acid reflux as codeine apparently. And a bad acid reflux attack is the worst pain I ever experienced, so I don't want to risk it unless absolutely necessary (I almost fainted when I broke an ankle and that STILL wasn't as painful). Have taken the rest of this week as a/l anyway, so will keep on with the paracetamol, take things very easy for a few days and keep my fingers crossed.Edited by PDP76 on Tuesday 29th September 13:59
On the plus side, the hernias seem to be healing up ok and not been too affected by my stupid "running for the train" episode...
coulsond12 said:
I had my hernia surgery when I was 50 at Shouldice hospital in Ontario( http://www.shouldice.com/ ). They had a special treatment for hernia removal called as Shouldice repair and it’s considered to be one of the safest hernia surgeries with good success rate. I was impressed with the treatment too. The surgery I had eliminates the complications with repeat hernias and was safe. I don’t even had a feeling that I was having a surgery.
Was it a form of mesh repair?Just came across this so thought I'd update, for anyone else going through it. I was on regular paracetamol every 4 hours for a couple of weeks max for the post op "slapped in the balls with a cricket bat" pain but it eventually subsided after 2 or 3 months. No tightness or discomfort of any kind after 3-4 months so all good. And the glued wound repair seemed to work really well - scarring really quite small and already starting to fade a bit.
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