Shouldice vs Mesh (Page 1)

I'm sorry to say pain that last for 9 months after hernia surgery is not normal. I hope for Aly Wagner's sake they know what they are doing.
Yes some people do fine with mesh but on the other hand there are many of people, thousands if not more suffering from in pain, all the while they are being told this is "normal" No pain is not normal for any length of time.

I'm sorry if I sound angry it's not directed at you by any means.
I'm one of the people who have been suffering for years and now I have permanent disability and in a chronic state of pain.

All I can say is:
Please anyone out there considering the mesh....reconsider it, look into it, ask the surgeon many questions, and most of all if already have the mesh implanted in you listen to your body if some thing doesn't feel right..odds are it is not right.

Feel free to pm me anytime...All the best to you all.

I went to Shouldice and I'm happy I did. It may be that the majority of mesh patients have no problems but there are those who develop chronic pain problems. Whatever procedure you're considering, be sure to find the most experienced surgeon available.

Numerous people have recommended me to the shouldice hospital in Thornhill, Ontario, including a retired surgeon. Many of the people i have talked to know of someone who went there and their success rate was excellent. I was told that the newer method of using mesh is causing too many complications. So I will fly there from Ottawa and fly home and although it may cost me some I feel confident it will be worth every penny. I decided it was more important than a flat screen tv.

So i went and now im back and on the mend, a little stiff, moving around like a pregnant lady when i get up and down but every day i feel a little better and a little less discomfort, never had any pain at all. This is day 6 and my stomach above the navel is stiff and feels tight because of the swelling. I have a ridge like they said i would. They repaired two, one that was new above the navel and an umbilical one that i've had since birth. So i was nervous just before OR but they gave me a sedative which totally relaxed me. So if anyone is going and is nervous just remember that after the sedative takes effect all negative thoughts leave, at least for me they did. I almost changed my mind up until that point. It was a great place to stay, you just do your own thing afterwards, no schedules, go for walks, watch tv, talk, read, eat, sleep, it was a good atmosphere, unlike hospitals. I highly reccommend shouldice.

amityjan, could you give us an update about your recovery after going to the Shouldice Hospital. I am also considering going to Shouldice and am trying to find out as much information about the hospital as possible.

Hi, Its been two months since my surgery and i feel great, no problems whatsoever. I am back at my pilates and weight training. I returned to work after 2 weeks. My job is somewhat physical, housecleaning, so i gradually got back into it a few houses at a time. All that is left is a fading 2.5" scar and a small hard ridge which is all that is left of the swelling. They say 3mths for that to completely go away and its going that way. I really recommend you go there and not take the chance of having problems with mesh. I was told 30% of the operations they perform at Shouldice are repairs from mesh. Being there for four days allows you to recover without all the outside stresses of life and they encourage you to be active. I went when there was still some snow on the ground but its just such a nice place to be. Ohip covers the surgery and it was $140 per night for the differance between ward and semi-private, they only have semi-private there. If you have any other questions feel free to ask, take care and go to Shouldice!
Janet

can u tell me the cost of the surgery for the hernia in the groin area

I am a female and been back from Shouldice for 10 days now for an inguinal hernia repair. I was wondering how long it took for amityjan's pain to go away completely. It's getting better everyday but I'm looking forward to not having any at all.

My hernias were umbilical and then one above it, yours is more towards the groin area im assuming after viewing google images. I remember other patients wondering why i was able to walk up the stairs from dinner with such ease, most had groin surgery was the answer. I didnt feel actual pain, more like a tingle sensation and a weakness getting up and down and some sensitivity when my clothing touched it. Id say after 3 weeks i felt pretty much on my way to feeling normal again. I kept myself active from day 1 but avoided any ab exercise for about 5 weeks and then gradually added that back into to my routine. As long as you feel its getting better every day your on your way because i felt that way too and its been 2 months and i dont really even think about it most of the time now unless i touch my stomach and feel the small amount of hardness that is left at the incision.

Thanks for giving us an update. Glad to see that you are recovering well. I will be going to Shouldice in June. How did the people with groin hernias appear to handle the operation? I know you said that they were surprised to see that you were up and about, but were they in disabling pain? Did you get a chance to speak with any of them? If, so what were their thoughts about the operation? Thanks

goodtimegal, could you give me your feedback on Shouldice please. I will also be going there in June for inguinal repair. Was this a primary repair for you?

Hey Mentat,
I dont recall anyone saying they were in actual pain but in more discomfort because of the location of the hernia being closer to the leg. But no one was in any disabling pain. When i got to the hospital i went in and they told me to leave my luggage right there, didnt admit me right away. They sent me down to the basement and i was looked at by a doctor down there to confirm that i did actually have a hernia. This took a couple of hours. I didnt have a pre-op appointment being that im from Ottawa. So he confirmed it and then i went to a nurse who did the necessary bloodwork and then i went upstairs to speak with a surgeon. This is where I got a little stressed because the surgeon that examined me couldn't find the hernia. I had it pushed in which was something i could do with it and he told me to go for a 20 minute walk around the grounds to pop it out. He said if i cant feel it im not operating, i was so upset going all that way. So i managed to get it out, i could feel it but when i went back in to him he said he still could'nt feel it. So he called in a second surgeon and this one found both of them immediately. Cant remember the first ones name but i was really surprised at that. So they took me up to my room got me settled in and then later the new patients went upstairs to a meeting to be told what to expect in the next few days. Then the next morning i was told that they would be coming for me at 10am but i never went down until almost noon so i didnt like the wait, a little stressful not knowing what to expect. Then they took me down to the operating rooms and gave me a sedative which made the world of differance and relaxed me. I remember seeing a man that i befriended after i arrived being walked into the OR with a big grin on his face, so you feel pretty relaxed and happy before you go in and i did too. If someone had told me this before it would have helped. So after your surgery you spend the rest of the day in bed, they want you to remain still for at least 3 hours and you have your meal in your room. The next morning i joined everyone in the dining room for breakfast. I was just moving slow but no pain, swear. Later on they called us into the lounge room and we did this little walk around exercise routine that was a bit of a joke as far as exercise. I did alot of walking around the grounds in the days afterwards. I had a roommate but she left shortly after i arrived so i had a private room for most of the time. There were only 4 women there at the time. You will probably share a room for your stay. Well i cant think of much else to tell you, that was my experience, glad i went. Good luck to you, ask away if you think of anything else.
AmityJan
Janet

Thanks for the extensive description of Shouldice Janet. I will definitely go there. Based on my interviews with surgeons in the USA and my own research, I made two conclusions: (1) it is best to avoid using the mesh and (2) one of the best places for a tissue repair is Shouldice. Your comments were really helpful.

Do they do shouldice in USA, or only at this one place in Canada? How come they would only do it there and no where else?

Correct me if im wrong but i think i read somewhere that doctors from other countries go to Shouldice to learn their technique, look into that.

It's been 3 weeks since my inguinal hernia surgery at Shouldice. It's coming along nicely and I have returned to almost normal activity. I take a lot of long walks and the bumps are becoming smaller everyday. Sometimes I still feel a twinge of pain in the lower groin if I move the wrong way therefore I am very careful. Looking forward to the bumps to disappear completely. A friend had hers done last year and has no bump at all. Mentat, yes, it was a primary repair. No mesh is used at Shouldice. Good luck. goodtimegal

Thanks for the information from everyone. I will give an update after the procedure. I am glad to see that you are recovering well goodtimegal.

Can anyone give me a ballpark figure of what was your total Shouldice hospital stay/hernia repair cost? in 2008/2009? Canadian or US dollars would be fine. I can't find this info anywhere, and since I would be paying for my repair myself w/o insurance, I'd like an idea of what I'd be facing financially. Thanks for your reply.

I just returned from my second repair at Shouldice. Had the left side done 27 years ago and the right just under three weeks ago.

The place far exceeded my expectations both times. I had some minor discomfort for the first week. Now almost three weeks from the actual surgery I am just fine. Can do most anything and will ride my horse for the first time tomorrow.

Best place on The Planet for a hernia repair !

Total cost for U.S. resident was $3800.00

amityjan,

Could you share the name of the second doctor that found your hernia immediately. I am planning on a visit for a possible recurrent hernia and the last thing I want is an examiner that isn't 100% sure of what could potentially be there.