Hernia experiences

[Big A]

I have a small umbilical hernia. What should I expect? How is the surgery? How long is the recovery? Anything else I should be aware of?

 

[KillerStack]

Recovery was very easy for me. Went in and out of the hospital same day. No pain to speak of really. Back in the gym in a couple of weeks. Avoided flexing my abs hard and valsalva maneuvers for 6 weeks then went as heavy as ever.

 

[Kaiser]

A,
I've had one for years now and haven't had anything done about it. It has not gotten worse at all even though I do not lift as heavy on squats as I used to. If it is not so bad, are you sure you want surgery on it? I know especially now that I hold a protective coat of blubber over it, it is not noticable.

 

[JETHRO TULL]

BIGA...I HAD ONE FIXED...RIGHT ABOVE THE NAVEL.

THEY DID IT WITH LOCAL ANESTHETIC.

TOOK ABOUT AN HOUR AND 1/2. THE ONLY THING THAT REALLY SUCKED WAS...THE ROOM WAS COLD AND MY STUFF WASN'T AS IMPRESSIVE AS IT NORMALLY IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL...2 NURSES IN THE ROOM I WAS MORE WORRIED ABOUT THAT THAN THE OPERATION! ...A MALE DOC AND HIS SURGICAL ASSISTANT...SO FOUR PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.

I ABOUT BLEW CHOW...FORGOT THAT....I ALWAYS PUKE WITH PAIN KILLERS....FOR EXAMPLE:[TRIED NUBAIN ONCE....I THREW UP IN 10 MIN. SO....I NEVER DEVELOPED A PROBLEM WITH THAT CRAP. WHY'D I TAKE IT? I BROKE MY HAND IN AN 'ALTERCATION'...LOL...IT HURT TO BENCH..SO I TRIED NUBAIN]

RECOVERY: I DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE THE HERNIA OPERATION AGAIN...SO I TOOK IT EASY....4 WEEKS NOT LIFTING...VERY LIGHT FOR 2 WEEKS....

MY HERNIA WAS ONLY ABOUT AS BIG AS A QUARTER IN CIRCUMFERENCE.

HOPE THAT HELPS.

 

[Max32]

my opinion after having one is get it over with if insurance is good. You dont want to worry about it.....btw, waking up and coughing was not fun (tightening abs)

 

[Vander_V]

I had mine right where my appendix is off to the lower left, I believe I reopened my old appendix scar from 26 years ago cause it was in the same spot about an inch they even went in thro that spot to put the mesh in.

Im going to be very honest expect the worst bro, I was hunched over like an old man couldnt take a shit sneeze laugh cough you name it, it was fucking hell and the Dr told ahhh youll be fine in a month my ass more like 3 months, I could finally start training after week 12 so its a pain in the ass for such a lil simple surgery, best of luck bro and stock up on pain killaz.

 

[bigman1]

BIG A, I just had my doctor tell me I have one as well but he said if Im no longer competeing in PL and squatting heavy then not to worry. To watch it and we will take it step by step. He said I would be out of the gym for awhile if I had the surgery and since we can watch it no bigge. Do you still HAVE to squat heavy with a barbell? DL heavy? if noit then get a second op. and maybe think about not doing it. My wife is a nurse so she watches it for me

 

[Ashop]

I have a small umbilical hernia. What should I expect? How is the surgery? How long is the recovery? Anything else I should be aware of?

What caused your hernia Big A?

 

[thebrick]

I had my hernias (including one that was umbilical) repaired some years back. The doc came highly recommended and he did it with a scope. I had surgery on a Thursday and I was back up in a matter of days. As a matter of fact I remember being on my riding mower cutting grass 4 days later. no big deal if done with a scope. Maybe these days all are done that way?

 

[artemis]

I had mine fixed 4 years ago....caused it by deadlifiting.

In and out of the hospital in 3 yrs total..time arrived to time left. I was knocked out...love that!

I only did cardio for the first month post op. Then added weights in about 6 weeks post op. Started light for a month and worked my way back up.

I didn't have insurance...cost me $5K out of pocket.

My opinion get it done...chances are with the amount of weights we push, we will make it worse.

 

[fsm]

I've got one, Had a meeting with the Doc two weeks ago.The operation itself sounds easy enough. but I do a lot of lifting at work and She said no lifting for four to six weeks! So I am also debating whether or not to have the operation at all. I am also at least a couple of decades older than you so that also affects recovery time.

Good luck whatever you decide,

 

[Big A]

Mine is EXACTLY as Jethro's.

Doc said not to worry about it, but I am panicking about it getting worse. If my abs are sore, I panic it's the hernia, etc.

I am getting married in 8 weeks, and we are doing the honeymoon in Fiji and I will be doing my usual stuff - jetskiing on the waves (high jumping, crashing on the waves), so lots of jolting, etc, plus scuba and snorkelling (lots of ab work), so I am worried that I might make it worse until then, or there.

I am a pussy in the gym now, so no issues there as far as heavy DL or Sq.

I am scared as hell about being put under. I can't stand it. I am always worried about not waking up and then I am very sensitive to anaesthetics - takes me DAYS to stop being dizzy and stop throwing up.

JT - you only had a local when they cut you open???

Alin - no idea where I got it from. My belly button has been looking weird at least for the last year, and when I had it checked out, it's a hernia.

 

[leapfrog]

yeah i've had for about ten years and it really hasn't caused me any problems.i hear the surgery is quick and you recover quick.

leap

A,
I've had one for years now and haven't had anything done about it. It has not gotten worse at all even though I do not lift as heavy on squats as I used to. If it is not so bad, are you sure you want surgery on it? I know especially now that I hold a protective coat of blubber over it, it is not noticable.

ps.BIG A congrats on your marriage,and just to let you know fiji is incredible.i want to go back so bad it hurts,the only place i have seen purple water(like a crown royal bag).

 

[KillerStack]

I was somewhat worried about being put under but the anaesthelogist said she hadn't lost a patient yet What about the horror stories of patients being concious during surgery but unable to move or speak I asked. Never heard of such a thing, that's impossible, she said. I don't know if she was BSing.

 

[marshall]

I think I would take Kaiser's advice BigA, if that type of hernia isn't really bothering you or horrible in appearance, I would go until it absolutely had to be repaired. Why do it now if it doesn't need it.

I've had 3 inguinal hernias, the type Vander described. If you are athletic, you have to get those repaired asap as they tear at a rapid rate once it's initially ripped open.

I will agree with Vander, I wouldn't wish an inguinal hernia on my worst enemy. That first week of recovery is torture !!

Vander, there's probably about a 90% chance your other side is going to tear. I hate to bring that up to you, but it usually happens. Mine tore about 7 months after the other side.

 

[thebrick]

I will agree with Vander, I wouldn't wish an inguinal hernia on my worst enemy. That first week of recovery is torture !!

I must have been very lucky or a great surgeon because that was not my experience at all and I had 2 inguinal hernias (1 of those was very large and the other very small) and the umbilical hernia repaired all the same day. Just curious... was your surgery done using a scope?

 

[Kaiser]

Vander, there's probably about a 90% chance your other side is going to tear. I hate to bring that up to you, but it usually happens. Mine tore about 7 months after the other side.

Man that sucks. I've neve heard of that type of hernia before.

 

[JETHRO TULL]

BIGA ...Yes, I still about barfed...but the nurse put a wet wash cloth on my forehead

I was wide awake....like you I hate to be put under. When I have... I hurl as soon as my eyes come open. That's a wonderful way to wake up...

If you talk to the surgeon about it....I don't think there is a reason they have to put you under. Shit, women have kids awake and that's got to be worse than the hernia operation. I had mine done years and years ago. No problems...no additional hernias.

That little bulge is your gut sticking through...and if that gets pinched off somehow...then a guy is in trouble. I didn't like worrying about it...nagged away at me. So...I got it fixed.

Congrats again on your upcoming marriage!