Hernia surgery? - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Kipper is King · 03-01-2011, 10:00 AM

Well, I found out I have a hernia. I know it's gotta be repaired, and I'm not expecting it to be a walk-in-the-park.

That being said, I hope that if I pick a good surgeon and follow any recovery directions closely, I will be OK. I hope I can still enjoy sports and eventually do heavy lifting.

Anyone here ever had hernia surgery? Are you doing alright? I've read some horror stories, but I really need some comfort. It is one of the most common operations performed, after all.

MrMastodonFarm · 03-01-2011, 10:05 AM

Do a lot of cocaine, get a couple pornstar girlfriends and sue CBS over the cancellation of your hit TV show.

Kipper is King · 03-01-2011, 10:07 AM

That really adds a sheen to getting things fixed up!

JustAnotherGuy · 03-01-2011, 10:11 AM

Bumping so Hernia Surgery is not right above Charlie Sheen losing a nut.

SeeBass · 03-01-2011, 10:14 AM

It is brutal I had one. Not very painful after the first week but just enough so you cant do anything.

You will be useless for at least 2-3 weeks and expect to pick up nothing over 10 pounds for 6-8 weeks. You will need somebody else to shovel snow.

There are two options the quicker recovery but high risk of happening again at around 50% or take the longer recovery and the odds of it happening again are less than 5%. Take the long recovery cause you do not want to go through it again.

It is an easy in and out day surgery.

You can finally go swimming to get some activity after about 6 weeks.

GoinAllTheWay · 03-01-2011, 10:15 AM

It's not that bad. I had one once. It was a somewhat minor one I guess but still needed repair. In & out of the hospital same day. That evening and the next week or so I was pretty sore but once it started to heal, I was fine and am so till this day. You will be fine!

Envitro · 03-01-2011, 10:17 AM

I had a sports (inguinal) hernia a few years ago and got it repaired. The surgery went well and all was fine. It was the mesh-type surgery. I started playing hockey again (goalie) 6-8 weeks after my surgery (can't remember exactly now). Lifting stuff was fine a few weeks afterwards. I don't have any lingering issues or anything like that.

My doctor was Dr. Steve Martin (yeah, I know, we had a good laugh about it too) and he was great.

SeeBass · 03-01-2011, 10:23 AM

My recovery probably took extra long as the doctor pulled the stomach muscles down over the mesh to provide extra strength for the long term. Imagine somebody stretching your stomach muscles a few inches.

I am also a very large person so probably a smaller frame would be easier to recover as you would be carrying less weight and I am over 40.

Traditional_Ale · 03-01-2011, 10:43 AM

I had two hernias within 18 months of each other. One on each side of my junk. I got the mesh too. In and out in one day both times.

Now listen carefully...when you are released from the hospital you may very well have enough freezing left that you don't really hurt much. It will wear off by the time you get out of the parking lot. Take the damn Percocet. I'll never forget the feeling of being freshly stitched up and the freezing wearing off all at once. I took two percs right away and prolly another by the time I got home just to make it through.

I hate the stuff, and you will likely get a perscription for a tonne of it. 60 hits or so. I only used them for the first day, because the constipation is terrible. Keep it iced, and try to get off the drugs as quick as possible because you're going to really want to poop although its going to hurt like hell. Like someone stabbing you with a knife. Same with coughing, laughing, and sneezing. The worst of it is over in 3-4 days to a week.

Do not attempt to exercise or stretch or anything until you get the okay from your doctor at the follow up. If Okotoker is reading this, he can attest. I know he had the mesh surgery and then mentioned during an interview he wasn't playing because he had torn it slightly, and the worst thing is to have to go back in a second time.

4X4 · 03-01-2011, 10:49 AM

My buddy got a hernia last june or july and couldn't get in for surgery until late september. An extremely active guy became a useless tit that couldn't even carry a 2-4 of beer from his car to his fridge.

SeeBass · 03-01-2011, 10:49 AM

^^exactly how I remember it too.

I also had the mesh

Traditional_Ale · 03-01-2011, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4X4

My buddy got a hernia last june or july and couldn't get in for surgery until late september. An extremely active guy became a useless tit that couldn't even carry a 2-4 of beer from his car to his fridge.

Before the surgery I didn't change my activities at all, including commuting on the bike, playing flag football, and also playing music and it didn't bother me. Just had to pop the hernia back in once in a while.

Envitro · 03-01-2011, 10:54 AM

^ yeah me too. The doc told me that I could keep playing hockey and soccer, so I did. Just popped it back in every once in a while. He said that if the pain got bad and it twisted to go to the emergency room since they'd have to operate right away, asap.

4X4 · 03-01-2011, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

Before the surgery I didn't change my activities at all, including commuting on the bike, playing flag football, and also playing music and it didn't bother me. Just had to pop the hernia back in once in a while.

Really? I'm not up to snuff on my hernias, but there must be different kinds. He popped something out on his lower abdomen while lifting a trailer on to a hitch. It completely debilitated him for months. Well, more specifically, he couldn't lift anything. It didn't stop him from riding a dirt bike or getting down with his old lady, but he couldn't lift a chainsaw, so he couldn't work. And he's definitely not the type to not work.

Traditional_Ale · 03-01-2011, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4X4

Really? I'm not up to snuff on my hernias, but there must be different kinds. He popped something out on his lower abdomen while lifting a trailer on to a hitch. It completely debilitated him for months. Well, more specifically, he couldn't lift anything. It didn't stop him from riding a dirt bike or getting down with his old lady, but he couldn't lift a chainsaw, so he couldn't work. And he's definitely not the type to not work.

Yeah there's loads of different kinds. And they all have eff'd up long names I can't remember.

BurningYears · 03-01-2011, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Envitro

I had a sports (inguinal) hernia a few years ago and got it repaired. The surgery went well and all was fine. It was the mesh-type surgery. I started playing hockey again (goalie) 6-8 weeks after my surgery (can't remember exactly now). Lifting stuff was fine a few weeks afterwards. I don't have any lingering issues or anything like that.

My doctor was Dr. Steve Martin (yeah, I know, we had a good laugh about it too) and he was great.

Sounds pretty much like the same hernia I had. luckily when I had mine repaired they did it via Laproscopic Surgery.

I remember waking up feeling like a balloon with the yellow iodine all over my stomach. but all I have now is 1 small scar right below my belly button.

The worst part for me was trying to figure out how to get out of bed without using my abs, ended up having to use the obliques.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laparoscopic_surgery

Quote:

The abdomen is usually insufflated, or essentially blown up like a balloon, with carbon dioxide gas. This elevates the abdominal wall above the internal organs like a dome to create a working and viewing space. CO2 is used because it is common to the human body and can be absorbed by tissue and removed by the respiratory system. It is also non-flammable, which is important because electrosurgical devices are commonly used in laparoscopic procedures

bigtmac19 · 03-01-2011, 12:01 PM

http://www.shouldice.com/

Go here!!

Pinner · 03-01-2011, 12:11 PM

I just got mine fixed this past fall, my warning to you, even if you feel great, do not do any more than your Doc. says is OK. They know because people routinely blow them out again.
Before surgery I was told less than 10 lb"s for 6 weeks, after surgery he said I could lift 30 lb's.

Kipper is King · 03-01-2011, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigtmac19

http://www.shouldice.com/

Go here!!

I have heard the Souldice Clinic is awesome, but affording Flights to Toronto, plus the medical costs which I don't think Blue Cross covers would be tough.

Nufy · 03-01-2011, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Envitro

I had a sports (inguinal) hernia a few years ago and got it repaired. The surgery went well and all was fine. It was the mesh-type surgery. I started playing hockey again (goalie) 6-8 weeks after my surgery (can't remember exactly now). Lifting stuff was fine a few weeks afterwards. I don't have any lingering issues or anything like that.

My doctor was Dr. Steve Martin (yeah, I know, we had a good laugh about it too) and he was great.

I had the same thing done about 7 years ago.

I paired it with getting snipped...

The hernia procedure was done arthroscopically (sp?) while the other was well...you know...

The good thing is that I was able to be fully knocked out so I have no recollection of either procedure.

The first weekend was rough but the mobility came back after a few days...

No heavy lifting for at least a month though...

Good luck.