Recovering After Hernia Surgery (Page 1)

Hi, I had the same op in 2005. I struggled with any form of exercise including walking for about 6 weeks. This is about the time they say you should not lift anything heavy let alone walking. I must say after about 2 months I was back mountain biking and playing golf so just be patient and take it easy,,, good luck

thanks. I am 3 wks post surgery and still struggling with inflammation. I was told the same but have pains around the incisions. is that supposed to be normal?

Hi im a 27 year pro rugby player I had a inguinal hernia op with mesh 6 days ago. Touch wood. I have no problems I walk every day and going faster every day I easily walk up and down stairs getting in and out of bed is painless overall I have very little to no pain, mostly sore when I cough or sneeze or bend down (all where he cut me) and have no swelling or inflammation. Im shocked by all the reports on here and also happy my recovery is going so well.
I find walking and icing helps the recovery and pain go away. My phisio (He had the same op) told my that when I walk I sould stand up straight and walk normally and walking stairs slowly helps too. I find that even if I lie down in bed Moving my leg up and down slowly helps my recovery aswell. Im back in the gym tomorrow starting upper body slowly and in 3 days after the stitches come out then I can start walk in cold pools with ozone treatment.

All of the posts are very helpful. My 22 yr old son had a ''massive' incongruoinal hernia surgery two weeks ago and he wasn't offered any follow up which surprised me considering he's got a six inch scar. However I believe recovery is down to the individual and what their level of fitness is prior to surgery. My son is literally rareing to go and we are holding him back because we don't want a repeat. He desperately wants to at least go in the pool and do some gentle swimming which I think won't hurt him as long as he takes it easy. The scat has completely healed. Post op he was able to climb stairs within 24hrs and was back at his desk job a couple of days later. The most pain he had was a burning sensation around the scar tissue which is when he put his feet up and rested. The key thing is, take it easy but you know your own body better than anyone else. Don't rush your recovery but at the same time, don't be afraid to ease into some light exercise with your Drs approval of course.

I had inguinal hernia repair with mesh 6 days ago and have had some good luck with recovery. Below are my tips:
- Plan on staying in bed or in a recliner for 4 days after surgery.
- Ice, Ice, and more Ice! At first I used the ice bag they gave me at the hospital, but found a bag of peas worked much better. So stock up on frozen peas so you can switch out the bags as needed. Keep the spot iced at least four days...even when you sleep. I never had any bruising until I stopped icing on day 5. I am on day 6 and still icing when I can, it helps.
- Take a stool softener and drink tons of water. Urinating the first couple times is no fun, but getting constipated is even worse. First movement can be frightening if you do not take preventative measures. I will stop there.
- Meds definitely help for the first couple days, hard to sleep without them. I moved off of the meds and to Advil on day 4 as I had to go back to work.
- Take a short walk on day 5. Movement helps but do not push yourself to pain. On day 6 I am pretty mobile, but still a bit sore if I move in the wrong direction or temporarily forget that I just hard hernia surgery and try to get something of the top shelf. Just happened.
- Do not over eat while recovering. Pressure at the would hurts, even from inside out. Same with putting on a pair of pants that fit before you were swollen.
- Wear loose fitting clothes. Sport shorts and a tshirt rock! Flip flops or slipons too, it hurts to put on shoes.
- Rent movies, but stay away from comedies. Laughing, coughing, sneezing will bring you to tears.

I am 64 year old male. I had lap ingunial hernia repair four days ago. Fortunately, I have been able to skip the Oxycodone after coming from the hospital. Just take 2 to 4 advils a day as needed for soreness.
Have not done any serious walking yet.
However, I could not pee at the hospital. So, now I am fitted with a urine bag. Will see the urologist a week from the operation date - i.e., next week.
Anyone else experience this?
I am having on and off soreness in my lower groin. Hope it goes away. Would like to hear from others in my age bracket who may have had this surgery and their experiences.

Mrgrumpygroin: Thanks for the tips. I will be having surgery next week on Jan. 23rd to repair two Inguinal Hernias, I'm not looking forward to it but it helps to read about some positive post op results. I'm 44 years old and in good health so I pray for a speedy recovery. Thanks again

I had open incisional hernia repair on 2 1/2 weeks ago on Jan 15th. The first 4 days were rough and I stayed in my recliner because I could not get up from the bed. After 4 days I slept in bed and it wasn't too bad. I took oxycondone for the first couple of days along with laxatives because they will bind you and you don't want to bear down for a BM. Ice packs helped alot too. I just started a new job on the 28th and I find sitting all day makes me pretty sore and moving side to side in bed still hurts, not horrible, but I feel weird twinges. Week after surgery had horrible tingling and itching for a few days which doc said was normal, went away on it's own. Doc says it's takes a good month to heal. I also had a cycst cut out at same time and that bothers me more then the hernia. I get discouraged at times because I feel like I'll never be back to normal but patience is important, I just lack that sometimes!

WMRE: Your post was encouraging. I'm 45 and had surgery yesterday. I walk 6 miles each day, and my biggest fear was getting off my walking routine. I will take it easy for a few days, but I won't be afraid to start up again. My doctor said walking will do no damage to the mesh repair, though I might not "feel like" going for a while. Thanks

I also had inguinal hernia 2 weeks ago. I had pain the first 2 days, but everyday since has been basically painless. I started walking within my home the day of the surgery, which was awkwardly painful. No pain meds since 3 days after surgery. Get stitches out tomorrow! Gonna put my road bike on the trainer as I finish writing this and ride in my livingroom for an hour! Can't wait to get back to racing! Have 4 more weeks til my surgeon clears me for regular duty as I am a professional firefighter. I think alot of the recovery is pshycological. Don't dwell on the pain and MOVE IT! But, at the same time be logical and don't overdue it. We don't any additional setbacks! Take Care!

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Thanks for your patience!

I had my surgery on April 17. I went back to lite duty after 2 weeks because I did not have the paid time off work. I was in pain the whole time and I still have pain. Sometimes it is worse then before I had the surgery. I go back to the doc. next week to make sure all is ok. Was looking online here to see what others say concerning the lenth of recovery and how long it takes for the pain to go away. Most posts say within a couple weeks the pain is pretty well gone. I was in a lot of pain after surgery. Had a real hard time getting around the first couple days. The first nite I thaught I was going to have to sleep standing up because I could not lay down due to the pain. I do all my regular work and have no problems as far as limitations. I still have the pain. Is it normal for the pain to last so long?

hi im 49 had inguinal hernia op 7 days ago . so far no pain and no problems.Went for 1st walk 3 days after op about 600 yds. Took a while and out of breath but getting faster every day.Be prepared for your penis and balls to be black n blue but hardly any pain down there.Best advice get active no lifting and be patient. GOOD LUCK

I had an open inguinal hernia repair almost 4 wks ago. I've had a lot of the same complaints, such as, difficulty walking, sitting, and standing. I thought I should be able to walk down my block and I made it a little over 1/2 way. I also thought I shouldn't be taking any narcotics but found I still needed something for the burning and pulling feeling. My doctor saw me at one week and will be seen again at 5 wks post-op. I'll try to be patient as some of you have said. I would just like to have a day when I feel great ALL day! Thanks for all the input. It was helpful.

Just had open inguinal hernia surgery with mesh last Monday(5 days ago). While days 2-4 were pretty rough, today was pretty darn good.

haven't had any meds at all today, and walked twice for a total of about 3 blocks. Sore and tender of course, but considering my gut was ripped open 5 days ago I feel great. If I keep progressing like today, I think I'll be at about 95% by Christmas. Thoughts and prayers to all of my fellow hernia op survivors out there...

I had surgery with the mesh about 5 weeks again. I am now experiencing burning paid around the site and occassional sharp pains. Not enough for pain medication, but it doesn't seem to be getting any better. My surgeon only check me one week out and then didn't need to see me again. I am wondering if this is normal or you would get back to the doctor?

I am experiencing similar issues - my surgery was 9 weeks ago. The pain/sensations are most prevalent when I am lying down. I feel pain when I press on the area or stretch in a backbend. I think I might go get a doctor to check it out and see what the issue might be.

i would make an appointment to see the doctor again, write a list of questions and take them with you. make sure you read him allthe questions. i, myself, have some discomfit by evening say pain level 2 or 3. i had ingual hernia incision surgery(about 3 inches) with mesh. i exercised by walking around my diningroom table, then later walking up my 15 steps, only finally did i go out for walks. i also mixed standing 10 minutes with sittinh 50 minutes every hour iwas awake or not eating. i take ibuprofin if my artritis (hips and lower back) get too bad.good luck

Hi Jerry...

Just googling "hernia sharp burning pain" and your blog came up. i have had laparascopic suregery on an inguinal hernia 5 weeks ago today, and in the last few days have been experiencing a sharp burning pain just below the original hernia point. nothing seems to set it off, and it only lasts for a couple of seconds. just wondering if yours eventually went away?! or what you did to combat this pain?!

cheers mate...

Now I have cause to be optimistic. My surgery was about two months ago. Pain has basically subsided but still some lingering discomfort.
Johnny hernia you make the outlook a lot better. I think patience is the key. Set goals when you're feeling better. Get back to your old tricks in a slow meticulous manner.

I am 4 weeks post-op from incisional hernia repair and still trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am still on pain meds which I find I have to take one or two every day. I try to walk around the block every day but I cannot sit for very long or lie flat...I keep hoping to wake up and feel great again! My surgeon tells me it will take 12 weeks to fully recover, I just cannot wait that long.

You have to wait that long or face another surgery in the same area. I did not wait the full recovery time time and I ruptured my repair. So be patient and listen to the doctor, or face another surgery. i had two surgeries in 6 months!

Confetta,
I'll be 12 weeks out from BI-LATERAL surgery on Monday. It hasn't been easy, but I see incremental improvements daily. Low level pain still lingers (one side) but it's more annoying than painful. Walking, swimming, light lifting are OK but I've paid the price if I overdue it. The advise from other contributors is good: patience (of which I'm lacking) is key. Keep the pain/inflammation in check with basic medication and let the body do the rest. Time , I'm consistently told, will heal the wound.

squid9420: You are the only one who I've seen post that you had a Bi-Lateral surgery. I will be having this done in one week from today. I see it has been several years since your surgery, any other issues or is all good now?

I had a bilateral repair done on the 10th, open procedure with mesh. The first four days sucked. Doctor's orders were to lay down flat for the first two days, and let me tell you that was hell because you put pressure on the muscles down there whenever you try to sit up to either eat or get up to go to the bathroom. There was some pain when peeing as well as soreness on my right spermatic cord (which is normal because when they do the repair, they have to fit it through a hole in the mesh, I think, so it's common for it to get inflamed and somewhat painful) However it's 10 days out and I barely notice pain, now. Also my incisions have almost completely closed up: they look like shallow scrape-type cuts, ha ha. What everyone has to realize is that the amount of pain and the amount of time you need to rest is related to the type of repair you had done: If you have a tension repair where they just sew the muscles back together, you have to wait a lot longer and probably don't want to walk too much, because it's very easy to tear the muscles apart before they heal, since they're already under tension. If you have a tension-free repair (mesh) then the recovery time is less (I think it's maybe 2 weeks healing time plus an additional 6 weeks recovery time where you don't want to lift anything) and you can actually walk around a lot: My doctor specifically told me to to walk as much as possible and that I could sleep on my side as soon as it was comfortable for me. As an aside, he did an open repair as opposed to laparoscopic because, he said, operating with a camera introduces difficulties into the procedure, and it's not uncommon to puncture your bladder or intestines with that method due to the fact that they can't sew the mesh to the muscle: They can only use these spiral staple type things that have a proclivity to either work themselves out of the repair site or to puncture nearby structures. Average recovery time is a lot less with laparoscopic but in his (and my) eyes not really worth it due to complications. The guy above that asked about not being able to pee, that's also fairly common. It happens enough that the nurses at my hospital wouldn't let me leave til I had gone. Once the swelling and everything subsides it should go away. Testicular swelling and bruising on the penis is normal as well. You're going to notice a lot of weird things down there but try your best not to worry

Thanks.

I actually drove myself to the grocery store today, did some shopping and came home..I was pooped and needed help with the groceries, but it was nice to get out like a "normal person" once again. I did notice I was feeling lightheaded afterwards, not sure what that is..trying to wean myself off of Percocet too. Still have left side pain where the mesh went in and feel slugish. Just wondering when I will get my energy back?

How long did you have swelling? I am 5 weeks post op umbilical hernia repair with mesh and still have moderate swelling around the belly button area. It makes moving around uncomfortable. Do you think this is normal? I'm seeing the Dr. again soon but wanted your experiences/opinions.

Thanks.

hi what is the best medicine for hiatal hernia after operation
?

i am 5 weeks post op from incisional hernia and one near my belly button and still have a lot of swelling and can only walk around the house.

post surgery 9 days now and I feel REALLY good. Stopped pain meds @ 4-5 days. Now just Naproxen for swelling. Had a great husband as a nurse! This itching @ site has started. Thought it would be alot longer to heal. I believe it is the surgeon you have. No bedside manner, but knows how to operate.

ok so i guess it takes longer than the dr's tell us it will. My dr was very nice he told me to take my time! I am six weeks post of and still very swollen feel fat and I can get around the house for about 4 hours before the pain gets bad. Sitting and the car kill me. standing is better. I am so depressed cuz i was so active. Did anyone else go through this?

i like to put a bag of frozen green beans or peas on the sore recovering area for 20 minutes at a time, probably 3 or 4 times a day. i try to do a little more each day. i also like to do some standing, some walking , and some climbing up and down m stairs each day. i write down what id and try to improve each day. the idea is to build strength inthe muscles nearby the injured area and build a little stamina, also try to avoid constipation. that made me feel fat. i use 1 or 2 stool softeners every 24 hours. it's been 10 days sincem myingual incision hernia surgery, of course ther is an area of swelling, it looks like a little ridge. but the pain is gone . don't worry about the fat, we'll all get rid of this when we are healed and can walk fast for 30 minutes 3 or more times a week.

I recently had bilateral hernia and umbilical repair laproscoply. Found the third day most painful due to gas...finally got some OTC meds for that and was better a day or so later. Still have pain 4 days out, walking around like I''ve been on a bronco for a week. Still, I see improvement. I am not taking any narcotics as they were causing constipation. Found tha 2 tylenol with 2 advil helped.

OMG - mixing Tylenol and Advil can kill you. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen cannot be mixed.

It cannot kill you unless you take too much of either. Many nurses and doctors suggest you alternate taking one then the other as they work well together. If one is taking a narcotic, which usually has Tylenol in it, it is frequently given with Advil for reducing inflammation. You probably have good intention of not wanting some one to harm themselves, but I would recommend a little research before alarming individuals.

Hi I had an icisional and ambibical hernia repair my scar is over 6 cm and I am 9 weeks post op still can''t work or do a full day. does anyone elses scar go this long and was it open repair? I am wondering why I am taking longer? I take tylenol and advil for the pain.

OMG do not take Tylenol and Ibuprofen together. That can kill you.

I had my bilateral inguinal laparoscopy 15 days ago. I had it done early in the morning and i went home that afternoon. I had discomfort getting in bed and getting out of bed for 2 days but after that i feel real good. it just bothers me when can i get back to playing golf. I have been put-putting and i even took couple of swings but haven''t played yet. is it too early to golf? any suggestions?

I went through the same thing. My Surgeon , who is also a Golfer, said not to play for 90 days after surgery. He said I can Putt or do light chip, but no real strokes. I have finished 4 weeks and waiting for the other two months,
He said I could do brisk walk or light jog though. Big No on weight lifting

Hello all, I am 30 and was in good shape when I had my laparoscopic repair with mesh for an inguinal hernia on my right side. I had no pain before the surgery it was just a small egg looking lump. Had the surgery almost 4 weeks ago and feel like I'm back to normal. I plan on playing golf this weekend (about a month and 3 days post op). I will do some walking and light running this week to make sure all is well and then hit the links. I like all the post here.

To answer some folks questions about sharp pain that was uncaused. That would be you nerves reconnecting in the area. So sometimes you'll feel it around the scar other times it might go down your leg a little. All normal though. I know all of this because my wife is a very well educated RN and took great care of me after the surgery.

I think the drastic differences in recovery times that we are seeing on here have a lot to do with age, physical fitness of the person before surgery, and how well you have taken care of it post op. I hope this posting has helped. Keep posting guys, it's a great way to get knowledge out there.

Can you gays be specific about the phase of your hernias before the surgery... what's the level of the pain and how long did you had it, or did you have bulge and how big it was...Recovery may differ from the phase of hernia.

I had open Inguinal hernia repair with mesh. Dr told me not to lift heavy objects for about 40 days... after that i should be good to do anything...
Thanks

I had surgery (inguinal) one week ago. I had an incision of about 5 inches it seems to be healing well. I use hydrogen peroxide and soap and and water which helps the healing process. I have discomfort when i sit in a chair. i need to rest in a sofa. Here in Puerto Rico they send you home the same day. The hardest part is trying to get into bed.
I think standing and moving helps healing process.

I have a question for all that have the mesh implanted for their repair.

To what degree do you notice (either regarding pain, tightness, lump etc) the implant itself in everyday living? Do you feel the implant every time you bend down, walk or get out of bed in the morning? Or is the pain non-localized?

Thanks

I thought I would add to this forum. I had surgery for a inguinal hernia on my left side just over 4 weeks ago. It was open surgery as opposed to a laparoscopy. Although I am up and about and returned to work in just under three weeks, I am still experiencing pain in my left side, I guess the location where the original hernia protusion was. It gets worse if I have to stand for too long or sit at my desk for long periods. Last night, for example, I had to go for a social gathering after work which meant I had to stand most of the evening. I was almost hobbling out of there. I''m told that it could take sometime and I should be patient. The area around the left side of my groin is still swollen and numb and the skin is very sensitive to the touch. I''ll keep the forum posted.

Glad I found this forum, as I was wondering if my recovery was going normally or not! I had laparascopic repair with mesh for an inguinal hernia just 2 weeks ago. The pamphlets they give you beforehand make it sound like you''ll feel pretty good after 1 week and back to normal by 2 weeks, so I was concerned. The repair still feels like a hard lump under the incision. I did fantastic the first week and went for my checkup, at which time the doctor told me the hardness was completely normal and that w/in 6-8 weeks it would flatten out, etc. That afternoon, the skin that had felt somewhat numbed still after surgery began to get more feeling back, and next thing you know I''m having these weird stinging pains when my leg is at a 90-degree angle to my abdomen. Ibuprofen helps, but I was feeling quite worried that I''d have to put up with this for the rest of my life. Thanks to everyone''s posts, I now see that I need to be much more patient, and I feel hopeful that I''ll be better than ever if I just give it some more time!

Hi All

New to this. After a total knee replacement they found a femoral hernia as it
caused problems with physio I went to surgeon on Friday, she got me straight into hospital four days later and operated. She said she would open my appendix scar to repair. When I woke up my scar started at appendix and went 3/4 of the way across my lower belly bigger than my C-Section about 8" long. I was told they found femoral hernia and an inguinal hernia both were repaired with mesh. I am in agony everytime I get up from lying or sitting I have stinging burning sensation down my right leg that is debilitating.

Does anyone know why I am getting this pain in my leg and has anyone ever experienced this kind of situation. I am 46 female living in Sydney. Thanks for reading

I found this blog because I was googling those exact symptoms! I had my surgery a week and half ago and was wondering if the lump and numbness was normal or does it mean I'm straining myself. I'm 21(got the hernia when I was pregnant) and have a 23 month old daughter at home, kind of hard not to be active. Glad to know it's normal!
What about bloating? I'm naturally thin(5"4, 120 lbs) but since my surgery, I look super bloated to the point where I won't wear fitted shirts. Is it weight gain from not being active at all for a whole week or is it just post op bloating?