Hernia Surgery

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Hunter8282

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So I did something dumb and now have a very small fat containing inguinal hernia on my right side.

Doc said:
"It measures 1.5 cm in width, so very small

These types of hernias are typically repaired when causing pain or seeming to get larger. There is no urgent need to repair these, but if causing pain/discomfort, we often do."

It does seem to be causing me pain and discomfort that is not subsiding. Waiting for a "scheduling" to call with an appointment to see a "general surgeon" to consult and then setup a time.

I am worried about potential side effects of having the surgery, but don't think I can live with it the way it is either. Right now I am just really mad at myself for self inflicting this pain and probable surgery. :(

I would appreciate your prayers as I work through this.
 
Yup, I've had both sides done. Get it done NOW! It took me @ year to totally recover; no post pain, but just a feeling of being back to 100%.
 
Hunter8282 said:
So I did something dumb and now have a very small fat containing inguinal hernia on my right side.

I am worried about potential side effects of having the surgery, but don't think I can live with it the way it is either. Right now I am just really mad at myself for self inflicting this pain and probable surgery. :(
Click to expand...

I don't know how old you are, but unless you have some other health problems, I don't think you'll have to worry too much about side effects or recovery time.

When my dad was 76-years-old, he had a final hernia surgery...he'd had one or two before during his life. He chose to have a local anesthetic administered rather than being put all the way out, and he even took the option of actually watching the surgery by using a mirror the surgical team set up for that purpose. He said he could feel them sort of tugging on stuff and moving his innards around, but there was no pain...he said it was fascinating to watch. He had the surgery early in the morning, and if I remember correctly, came home that same day. Or definitely by the following day. He more or less stayed in bed for about three days, but then was up and sort of hobbling around...back and forth to the bathroom and to the den to watch television or eat something. He was fully recovered in two months and was back to chopping firewood.

I was apparently born with an inguinal hernia on my right side, and had it fixed when I was in the fifth grade. Back then (the mid-fifties), they kept people in the hospital for three or four days, maybe longer. I wasn't a happy kid. But it's never given me a problem since.

As others say, get it fixed, and the sooner the better. It won't fix itself. I really don't believe it'll be as bad as you might think. Good luck with it.
 
Get it fixed, I had a strangulated hernia that they were able to put back without surgery, after I had numbness all down the side of my leg, and my abdomen still hurt. I was afraid to move afterwords, argh I can't live like this!

Had both sides repaired orthroscopicly, 3 small incisions, in 6 months I could lift the back-end of my Harley. That was ten years ago.

Good luck
 
I am coming up on 43, a tad overweight, but otherwise healthy.

Right now I am at the mercy of the local surgical center here. Waiting for them to review my referral and then call to schedule a consult. So I can only go as fast as they allow I guess.
 
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So to those that have had them in the past, while I am waiting, do I just keep physical activity to a minimum to avoid having it "grow" until I can get it fixed?
 
Hunter8282 said:
So to those that have had them in the past, while I am waiting, do I just keep physical activity to a minimum to avoid having it "grow" until I can get it fixed?
Click to expand...

It depends on kind, location, and severity. In general I think it would be a good idea to do just that. Lifting and/or straining in any way could only aggravate the situation.
 
Hunter8282 said:
So to those that have had them in the past, while I am waiting, do I just keep physical activity to a minimum to avoid having it "grow" until I can get it fixed?
Click to expand...
Get 'er done!
I was fortunate that I went almost 20 years with one while doing hard, physical labor in awkward positions before surgery with no more than a dull ache after a particularly hard day. It grew to the point the entire lower end of the inguinal canal was ruptured.
Worst part was waiting to pee while still in recovery (wouldn't discharge me till I did) then knocking the bottle over while I put myself away.
Best part was finding this Forum while recuperating!
Listen to your body before and after, you've lived with yourself long enough to trust whether your overdoing something and keep a cane handy for after. Great for getting up and down from a chair or the bed.
 
Many years ago I was playing golf with my brother. He uncorked a driver off the tee and almost came out of his shoes. After I heard the "ping" I heard a "thump". He hit the ground clutching his abdomen. I had to drive him to the clubhouse and help him on a barstool.

A week later he had the hernia surgically repaired and it never bothered him again.

I hope all turns out well for you.
 
I got one back in the late 80s and didn't even know I had it until the doc found it during my checkup. I let it go for a while but it got worse quickly. Then I got laid off so I got it fixed on their health insurance. It is out patient surgery which is OK until the anesthetic wears off. I was extremely uncomfortable for several weeks. Get it fixed.

My farmer Dad always waited until he was incapacitated.
 
Hunter8282 said:
So to those that have had them in the past, while I am waiting, do I just keep physical activity to a minimum to avoid having it "grow" until I can get it fixed?
Click to expand...

Yes, I'd keep strenuous activity down. I tried walking the dog, easy enough, made it up the street but couldn't go farther or back :eek:, had to call for help, my daughter drove over and gave me a ride home.
It was winter, after that, I'd look out and my daughter had stopped by, shoveled the walk, moved the dumpsters to the street, brought in the bottled water... "Dad what time are you walking the dog, I'll be there".

Only had to wait a week for surgery, but couldn't drive to AZ, missed Christmas with the family that year.

Folks died from untreated hernias not that long ago, think truss.
 
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I had one fixed in 2017 the main problem I had was they put and IV in and they started running fluid into me and by the time they got to me they had changed the bag at least once and when I woke up I had to go real BAD, I tried and tried and after a while I got a little out and they finally released me but it felt like I had drank a case of beer. I tried to get them to put a catheter in No it takes a Dr's order, this was by far the worst part of the opperation. Jeff
 
I had a double done about 18 months ago. I was limited to lifting 15 lbs for 3-4 weeks as I recall. Up until the surgery I did whatever was required, since I wasn't experiencing any "discomfort" as the docs say. Afterward I took one pain pill just in case, then OTC Tylenol for a few days, not many. All good to go shortly thereafter. BTW, not into WATCHING the surgery!!
 
Peak53 makes a great point about pain meds. I took them for the first day or two (1/2 of the dose prescribed but at regular intervals), and then Tylenol/Motrin. Be careful with those nasty pain pills!
 
Found I had one in 2013. Doc looks at it and asks, "how much does that hurt?" "Not at all" I replied. Doc grunts and says, "You lucky *******, mine hurt like hell".

Did have one lingering side effect regarding nerve sensitivity. Seems to work for the ladies though. ;)
 
I believe it was 1998. My GP discovered the hernia. Got me in to see the surgeon the next day and I had surgery a week later.
These things do not heal by themselves and only get worse over time. Get it done as soon as possible.
 
I had my gallbladder removed laparoscopically 9 years ago. Everything went well, but I didn’t wait long enough to heal before I went back to working out. I did a pull-up and herniated the upper abdominal incision.

I was so mad at myself, and frustrated that I had done it that I didn’t get the hernia addressed for almost 4 years. It was painful doing things, and I finally bit the bullet and had surgery to fix the hernia. They had to put a mesh screen on the inside of my abdominal cavity. It was very stiff/painful for a long time. Felt like it wanted to tear if I did anything strenuous. So frustrating because I have always been very active with sports and working out, and this condition made me have to stop most of that stuff.

Long story short, after a few years of low activity I said screw it and went back into high intensity work outs (I do CrossFit and Oly weightlifting), water skiing, hockey, basketball, etc. Ended up tearing my mesh screen away. Kind of gross, I can feel the ripple under my skin. Haven’t gone back to the surgeon, I’m just dealing with it. Good news is that it doesn’t feel “stiff” anymore...! ;).

Certain positions are painful, and my upper abdomen bulges a bit, but otherwise I’m good. I’ll get it repaired when I’m older and past wanting to do the heavy duty activity... Figure the doctor will just tell me I need another surgery and that I can’t do what I want to do... I’m 53 and a lot more active than many people my age.

Most normal people my age, or older would probably do fine with a hernia repair... Good luck to you!
 
Do not take laxative after the surgery. A long time friend of mine recently did this because he couldn't have a bowel movement after the surgery, probably because of the anesthesia, and he went septic and died from something that should have been simple.
 
dmar said:
I had my gallbladder removed laparoscopically 9 years ago. Everything went well, but I didn’t wait long enough to heal before I went back to working out. I did a pull-up and herniated the upper abdominal incision.

I was so mad at myself, and frustrated that I had done it that I didn’t get the hernia addressed for almost 4 years. It was painful doing things, and I finally bit the bullet and had surgery to fix the hernia. They had to put a mesh screen on the inside of my abdominal cavity. It was very stiff/painful for a long time. Felt like it wanted to tear if I did anything strenuous. So frustrating because I have always been very active with sports and working out, and this condition made me have to stop most of that stuff.

Long story short, after a few years of low activity I said screw it and went back into high intensity work outs (I do CrossFit and Oly weightlifting), water skiing, hockey, basketball, etc. Ended up tearing my mesh screen away. Kind of gross, I can feel the ripple under my skin. Haven’t gone back to the surgeon, I’m just dealing with it. Good news is that it doesn’t feel “stiff” anymore...! ;).

Certain positions are painful, and my upper abdomen bulges a bit, but otherwise I’m good. I’ll get it repaired when I’m older and past wanting to do the heavy duty activity... Figure the doctor will just tell me I need another surgery and that I can’t do what I want to do... I’m 53 and a lot more active than many people my age.

Most normal people my age, or older would probably do fine with a hernia repair... Good luck to you!
Click to expand...

TL;DR version.

ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR DOCTOR REGARDING RECOVERY AFTER SURGERY.

:D
 
I had 3 done at the same time (left & right inguinal and the belly button).
They were done by Laparoscopic surgery. It was a piece of cake compared to a right inguinal hernia that was repaired 11 years earlier by the old CUT and Stitch method which didn't hold and still hurts today where the mesh is still partially attached if I gain or lose weight like over the winter.
I agree with above statements that tell you to get it repaired. It can only get bigger over time.
Good Luck and feel better!

Be SAFE and Shoot often!
 
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LVSteve said:
TL;DR version.

ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR DOCTOR REGARDING RECOVERY AFTER SURGERY.

:D
Click to expand...

Sad thing is that I did. First time, I waited months to do anything, second time (after the hernia repair) I waited over three years. Doctor said it will always be a weak area, and he was right!!
 
After about 4 mos of pain (burning pain) in the upper testicular area I looked up right inguinal hernia on Google. The Google genie described my problem to a tee. So I've got an appointment with my lady Doctor for Friday.
 
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