Inguinal hernia surgery. What can I expect?

So I got an inguinal hernia. Every time I cough I gotta squeeze my legs together & hold my crotch else it feels like my duodenum is gonna brexit via my left nutsack.

Surgery is on the calendar for next Friday... I'm scared AF!

I think we've all been hospitalized before, but those are usually a case of waking up in a bed with plaster & gauze all over asking WTF happened... Knowing it's coming & having to dread it for a few weeks is totally different.

So apparently I did it up good and the robotic surgery ain't gonna fix it. I'm going to have the open procedure. The left is for sure blown, right is maybe, but the doc's going to determine for sure once he gets me KO'd if it's bilateral and I have to get both sides patched up.

So, who all's had this done before? What to expect? I'm the type that has stayed at work while a small kidney stone made its Kessel Run, so a little pain isn't going to phase me much... it's the staying prone for as long as I have to to get things healed up. How long before you're REALLY able to do for yourself? Is it true you can't even lift a half-gallon of friggin milk for 2 weeks?

What's the real story?

 

I had it done in 2012. Definitely wouldn't do any heavy lifting for a little while. last thing you'd want to do would be tear something and they have to do it again! Pain levels weren't as bad as I expected unless you had to try to do a sit-up like getting out of a recliner or something. That frickin hurt. Most miserable part was not being able to poo for about 3 days afterwards and then when you do it feels like you are damaging something. Milk of Magnesia is your friend. Can't remember how long I walked around with the staples in but once they were out it was much more comfortable. I was crazy nervous too as it was the first surgery I'd ever had. I felt back close to normal after about 6 weeks and still took it easy for a little while after that

 

Mesh or plug? Opening you up will leave a larger scar, but it's better in the long run. Don't be surprised if you need it redone though.
1st procedure (left side) I was in ridiculous pain for over a week afterwards. I don't like painkillers, but I took them that week.
2nd procedure (right side) only saw minimal discomfort for 2-3 days.
3rd procedure (left side again, needed replacement after 6 months), not much pain. Able to do the wildthing that evening.
After 7-8 years I still have pain, but no herniation.

P.S. Worst part is pre-surgery, waiting for that unbearable pain to creep down my arm as the anesthesia enters my body. Why that shit hurts so much I'll never know.

 

Had both sides done 10 years apart. First one regular. Second mesh. Both held. Been six years now for the second. Down at least 2 weeks, first one longer. Listen to Dr, this is one of those times when he really knows best. Take the drugs. Get yourself an elevated toilet seat from the med supply store. You will thank me if you take that advise, it REALLY hurts to try and stand up. Get a pillow to press against your gut when you cough, it hurts. Good luck, you will live...most likely.

Jim

 

I had a mesh 'windowpane' repair done about 25 years ago. Zero problems, although I can sense the repair area every once in a while, like when I cough REALLY hard.

My dad was a 40-year career thoracic surgeon (i.e. gut guy) for the VA in Seattle. Smoked bare-ass Lucky Strikes too.
An amazing doc, but very much a straight-shooter.

Had surgery around 8AM, Dad picked me up post-op, around noon.
I was a bit tender, a bit sleepy, but no big deal.

Dad: "Wanna go out for lunch?"
Me: "is that...OK?"
Dad: "Sure, if you're up for it."

Then, while ordering lunch:

Dad: "Wanna beer?"
Me: "is that...OK?"
Dad: "Sure, if you're up for it."

You'll be fine Auminer. Piece of cake.
Feel kinda delicate for about 5-7 days, then right as rain.
I'd lay off big Dead Lifts/Squats/Romanians/Deep Lunges for a bit longer, if that is your thing.

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Don't freak out when your balls turn blue...it's normal, I was told. There will much discomfort for the first week after, but nothing most shouldn't be able to handle

 

No blue balls here, not even that much pain & discomfort IIRC.

But I have a fairly high pain threshold, so YRMV.

It's no big deal. Seriously.
The physical limitations will be obvious.
Slow & deliberate movements are the key, for the short term post-op.

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Do they know it affects you that way? There are usually things they can do about painful intravenous meds.

 

I had it done in 2002. It wasn't too bad, beware of the scaley black balls though, my doctor neglected to tell me that could happen and I freaked out....good luck.

 

I had the mesh repair about 8 years ago or so. The repair has held fine but mine hurt like a bitch for three or four days. Felt like I had been shot in the gut. As mentioned trying to sit up was the worst. I've talked to others who experienced less pain so I think that varies by person. The surgery itself was simple. They didn't even put me fully under although I don't remember it. I had the surgery at 7:00 am and checked out to go home about noon. Within a week I was back working. I was only a little careful about what I lifted. For the first year or so I'd sometimes get mild pain in the surgery area. I think the tissue grows into the mesh so that probably had something to do with it. All in all it wasn't that bad. It certainly didn't scare me. What was scary was the possibility of it become strangulated, so I had it done very soon after it appeared. Mine was abdominal. My advice is try not to lose any sleep over it. If you have a good doc he's probably done hundreds or thousands of these surgeries.

 

I did mention it after I woke up. I haven't gone under since but if/when I do, I'll be sure to mention it again. My last trip to urgent care they shot me in the butt cheek w/ Torodol. Same painful feeling, this time running down my leg. Must have been a sight for the other patients. I tried to reach the front desk to ask why I was getting so dizzy since the shot but never made it. Within 2 minutes I was blacked-out cold, on the hallway floor. That caused more problems that I originally went to urgent care for in the first place.
This has nothing to do w/ a hernia, Auminer. You'll be fine.

 

Thanks for all the replies! With the varying responses of anticipated recovery time, I think I'm more confused now than ever.

I'm headed out the door to get the deed done.

If I never post again, it's been real.

 

Shave before you go or they'll do it for you.

I echo most comments here. You won't lifting weights or doing sit-ups anytime soon, at least 2 month minimum, probably more for any real core workout. . Just listen to your body.

Oh yes and make sure you go in empty. Won't be doing that for a while either.

 

Get a shave and wax and tell them you keep it that way all the time.

 

I had both sides done with mesh in March.
Not bad really. The first week kind of sucked and driving for any distance over an hour really hurt.
8 weeks later I started squatting in the gym and I went heavy. Haven't had ANY pain since then.

 

Get some stool softener in advance

 

Sooooo...how did it go, OP?

Black balls?
Excruciating pain?
Or, a light lunch and cocktails, followed by a nice cozy nap?

Enquiring Minds want to Know...

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Saul Good, man.

The surgery itself obviously I was asleep for. They put a little something-something in the IV, but no burning from that... really very little effect from that other than mild relaxation. Then they put a mask on me, I vaguely recall saying that it smelled funny, then nada.

Post op, very blocky memory. I vividly remember being so fascinated by the way they put the straw through the pop top on the can of juice they gave me... they just didn't fold the part you lift up to open the can back to its original position, and there's a hole there that holds the straw steady...why have I never thought of that idea before??? Then, a couple of days later, I got in the van with my wife and saw a drink cup from my FAVORITE hamburger joint, and I incredulously asked my wife why she would go to Griff's without me... turns out, we drove through after we left the hospital & I ate my usual double cheeseburger & fries on the way home. Zero recollection!

Lots of swelling under my beltline. Very persistent. I'm still a little swole over a week later. Surprisingly little pain considering the four finger wide gash in my belly. Left side of my groin skin is numb... supposedly not permanent, but apparently sometimes they cut your nerves getting at your hernia. Mr Happy still works fine, though.

Hindsight proves these two items were the best advice in the thread, and I regret having followed neither.

Whoever shaved me nicked the shit out of my legs & nads. I'd like to thunderpunch them in their nads.

As for the second piece of advice, well... I've always had a delicate dance with opioid pain relievers, and this operation really seemed like a good excuse to really get in there & do the electric boogaloo with them. I took 23 of them over the course of three days after surgery, with predictable results for my BMs. Tuesday morning, I'm not going to go into great detail on the event, but suffice to say it plugged my toilet up.

So since I can't really use my core muscles to balance like normal, and I have a pre-existing vacuum disc in the lumbar, I threw the shit out of my back plunging the shitter.

That's been the worst pain of the whole deal.