Hernia operation

[Mickey-T]

Anyone had one?

I had one last Thursday, and I've just started to feel human again after 5 days of excrutiating pain. To make things worse, i've managed to catch a cold, and sneezing is............well...........it's a painfull experience to say the least.

The worst part is: no driving/riding for 2 weeks, and even then you are not supposed to lift anything heavier than a telephone directory for 6 weeks. I tried lifting my bike off it's side stand today, and fuck.....it hurt. Today's good weather would have been awesome for a ride, but I'm struck inside for the foreseeable future, and pretty pissed off.

[SzyCo]

I feel you're pain I was lucky and only had to have 1 side done, aparently it's common to require both sides. Hurts like fuck, but it does get better

Mine was in my groin, felt like a kick to the nuts everytime i tried to lift something. I would suggest doing as the doctor says with this one. You'd be a bit shitty if they had to do it again.. We should feel lucky though, these days they have key hole surgery for younger fitter guys, (mine was in Feb at 32) heals alot faster than what it did in the old days. Plus the mesh they use is much better quality.

From memory I went back to work after 2 weeks, but was in a world of hurt when I tried to work properly.. lifting car wheels etc is not a good idea... I think it was about 5 or so weeks before I could lift anything without any pain.

Just take it easy, as my father let his go too long, his belly is the oddest shape I've ever seen these days.. after his op!!

[Mickey-T]

Hi mate

I only had one side done. but I've had the hernia for a good year. i've been hanging on coz we have a trip to UK in another 3 weeks,which will allow recovery time without taking extra time off work. Mine started off about golf ball size, but when I went under the knife, it was pretty darn big. My own fault I suppose for leaving it so long, but couldn't afford any other way.

I had open surgery with mesh. (depends on the surgeon, and this was his chosen method) I was told 12 weeks before any proper lifting. It was in the groin area, and my knackers are about 4 times their normal size, and a very strange purple/black/blue colour.

Oh well, to look on the bright side, when I do get fit, and return from holiday, we'll be into the good weather.

[Tannhauser]

Ouch. Get well soon Mickey.

[RA0]

Guys, any advice as to how we can avoid this from happening? I mean, I lift heavy weights all the time at work. I am a bit concerned after reading your experiences.

[Mickey-T]

Guys, any advice as to how we can avoid this from happening? I mean, I lift heavy weights all the time at work. I am a bit concerned after reading your experiences.

Unfortunately mate..................no!

27% of males will get an inguinal hernia. My surgeon went on about man being designed to walk on all fours, but coz we stood upright, hernias are gonna happen.

Don't want to worry/stress anyone about it, and to be 100% honest, it isn't/wasn't all that bad. Just a couple of days of BAD pain. But you'll be drugged up to the eyeballs for that anyway. Each day shows an improvement. Just wish i didn't have a cold, coz everytime I sneeze, it feels like I'm doing damage.

Don't stress about it.

[Infusi0n]

Thank your lucky stars, males are susceptible to Inguinal Hernias but females (due to the relative lack of inguinal canal) are more susceptible to vaginal herniations .. we definitely get off lucky.

Reason we are susceptible = external genitalia, blood vessels, nerves and the spermatic cord all have to pass through openings in the pelvis and they use the inguinal canal, put excess pressure / undue pressure on your abodomen and the intestines will go the path of least resistance, which is through the inguinal canal.

[Stoneville]

Andy had double inguinal hernia op in April, the weeks off the bike were the worst and remembering not lift anything to heavy, he's OK now, but still has slight loss of feeling around the scar area.

Those back braces worn by most of Bunnings employees helps, but you need to not be a Superman and stay within your lifting limits. Andy caused his hernias by lifting a very heavy log into the trailer over the cage, instead of opening the gate

Another thread Hernia?

[not faz]

Sorry to hear Mickey, but sounds like you're on the way to recovery. Also on the bright side the weather is shit again, so not too disappointing not being able to get out on the bike. Good luck for the recovery.

[Fastgirl]

Hubby just had his done last Saturday....painfull. But back at work on Tuesday. Of course he did lift something and shouldnt have...didnt listen to the doc....and paid for it. He wants to go out dirt bike riding in a few weeks...i think I may have to super glue him in one spot.

[SzyCo]

Mine was no where near as bad as yours Mine didn't hurt until after the op. at first I thought it was a pimple, until it grew, over probably a month, to maybe a 10mm round squishy ball.. I shat as I thought it may have been cancer, soley cause I was without the pain.

My doc told me that it's possible mine was heriditary (did I spell it right?) as both my dad, and his, and my mum's dad have all had them. I'm fairly fit, and wasnt lifting anything extra heavy around the time. I was told they're pretty common and not too bad if caught early. - But yeah the purple balls after surgery were weird to look at

Hope the flu doesn't give you too much grief

[Nudge]

Hope you get well sooner.

You know this is the first thread i wish i hadn't read during my lunch break.

[Mickey-T]

Andy caused his hernias by lifting a very heavy log into the trailer over the cage, instead of opening the gate

Another thread Hernia?

Haha. Sounds like a typical bloke thing and something i would have done..........i mean, why waste time opening the gate, AND having to shut it again, when it can just go over the top?

Double hernia = double pain by the sound of it. Glad to hear he's OK now.

Thanks for the good wishes peeps. Much, much better today (day 7). getting around OK. haven't took any painkillers for 2 days, so well on the way to recovery.

Szyco, I think the "C" word crops up for us all when we find the lump eh? The only thing that calmed me down was when I lay down the "lump" disappeared. This made me brave enough to consult Dr. Google, who diagnosed an inguinal hernia...........Phew!!

[Dyno]

yup had both mine done. one 16yrs ago and the other just under a year ago. most i carried for a month was my wallet. spent 3 weeks limping slowly around the office.

the good thing is that with the mesh they put in there(assuming u took the mesh option) now days its supposed to be stronger than your own tissue.

[The_Wookie]

Hey guys what's the symptoms of a hernia?

A few weeks ago I started getting pain in my groin/pubic, lower abdomen region sometimes going down to the family jewels. The pubic area also seems to have a swollen area.

I went to the docs and he dismissed it as a groin strain, but I honestly can't think of how I would have done that, and thought there would be more pain in the inner top thigh along the adductors. But this is more lower abdomen.

I must admit to not having much confidence in the GP, and was going to get a second opinion.

[potato]

that type of hernia shows up as lumps above ya dick in line with your nuts.[inguinal]

i had both sides done around 3 years ago now, i got the mesh inserts.

took about a year all up to get the mesh sitting right,it hurts but ya get over it and move on, i look twice before lifting/pushing anything these days

[Geeza]

You can get hernia from sneezing also!

[SzyCo]

Hey guys what's the symptoms of a hernia?
I must admit to not having much confidence in the GP, and was going to get a second opinion.

Yeah I'd go for the second opinion for sure. Ask the quak if they think it's hernia, sometimes I've found I have to tell the doc what it is so they can tell me I'm right.. yeah I guess you can tell I don't have alot of faith in GP's

that type of hernia shows up as lumps above ya dick in line with your nuts.[inguinal]

Same same, though mine never ever hurt. Just a small lump that freaked me out, then just seemed to grow slowly.

You can get hernia from sneezing also!

Fuck that!! But I can see how.

I was told that my inguinal hermia happens because as a young bloke after your nads move down into your sack, they go through your stomache muscles which usually grow over, but are never as strong. So with lifting stuff every day, (or sneezing) it can be enough to push your intestines through the muscle to just below the skin. If left untreated it can lead to having some of your intestines removed and all sorts of nasty nasty stuff..

So dudes, any pain in your belly that's not normally there, or doesn't go away, or any squishy lumps that seem to go away when you lay down, get your arse to a doctor!!

[Spock]

So dudes, any pain in your belly that's not normally there, or doesn't go away, or any squishy lumps that seem to go away when you lay down, get your arse to a doctor!!

Just wanted to add that many hernias are 'reducible' which means that there isn't anything sticking out.

That is, there may be a weakness in the muscle wall that intestines etc can press on and open up a gap, but where (at least in the early stages) nothing actually protrudes.

These are the kind of hernias that get misdiagnosed as groin strains. Inevitably they do get worse and left untreated, one day an intestine or something will poke its way through.

[Mickey-T]

Hey guys what's the symptoms of a hernia?

A few weeks ago I started getting pain in my groin/pubic, lower abdomen region sometimes going down to the family jewels. The pubic area also seems to have a swollen area.

I went to the docs and he dismissed it as a groin strain, but I honestly can't think of how I would have done that, and thought there would be more pain in the inner top thigh along the adductors. But this is more lower abdomen.

I must admit to not having much confidence in the GP, and was going to get a second opinion.

Hi mate

it doesn't sound like a hernia. As SzyCo said, you don't get any pain from a hernia (or we didn't). Sounds like a strain. But if you're worried, get a second opinion. An ultrasound will confirm whether you have one or not, if you're worried, insist on gatting one done.

Good luck, and don't stress about it..........It ain't that bad, especially if you catch it and treat it early.