Need advice re: hernia

[bfk4lyfe]

I have an inguinal hernia. It doesn't bother me but I can tell its there. I like to lift and since I learned I had it I initially put off squatting/dead lifting but the surgeon said in my follow up visit that as long as it doesn't hurt, go for it. I squatted yesterday and I can still 'feel' it, still doesn't hurt but its just there, if that makes sense.

I know I have to get surgery ultimately, can I put it off for a few months or should I just do it as soon as the surgeon can squeeze me in? The surgeon told me if it doesn't bother me it can wait, but if I'm avoiding doing things because of it, then why not get it over with.

FWIW I'm 35, totally healthy and in above average shape. I think my biggest hang up (aside from being scared shitless, having never been put under before) is I have a vacation in 4 weeks that would involve a lot of swimming (Hawaii) and I don't want to just sit and watch the kids swim because I can't go in because the stitches can't get submerged or something.

But I am also concerned I might bend wrong, rip it more and my guts will start spilling out, or does it not work like that and only get worse over time?

 

[BLEE]

Be brave and get the surgery. You will have to do it, eventually. You won't rip it and your guts won't spill, but you can make it worse. It can be serious, if you strangulate the protruding gut. My Dad had an inguinal hernia repaired, but his was excruciating, before it was fixed. Avoid that kind of pain, or risking gangrene. Get the repair.

 

[bfk4lyfe]

Be brave and get the surgery. You will have to do it, eventually. You won't rip it and your guts won't spill, but you can make it worse. It can be serious, if you strangulate the protruding gut. My Dad had an inguinal hernia repaired, but his was excruciating, before it was fixed. Avoid that kind of pain, or risking gangrene. Get the repair.

How long was his recovery?

 

[Buckley]

Just googled Post Op care for this. Boy, did I not follow the guidelines. I lived with a situation like yours for a couple of years before I decided to get it corrected. Surgery was a snap. Went on a fairly strenuous hike five days later, albeit slower than normal. Recovery for me was a breeze. Doc said I wasn’t the norm, fwiw.

Go on your vacation and get it fixed when you get back. My opinion.

 

[BLEE]

How long was his recovery?

I don't remember. It's been over 30 years, ago.

 

[UKDslayer]

I have an inguinal hernia. It doesn't bother me but I can tell its there. I like to lift and since I learned I had it I initially put off squatting/dead lifting but the surgeon said in my follow up visit that as long as it doesn't hurt, go for it. I squatted yesterday and I can still 'feel' it, still doesn't hurt but its just there, if that makes sense.

I know I have to get surgery ultimately, can I put it off for a few months or should I just do it as soon as the surgeon can squeeze me in? The surgeon told me if it doesn't bother me it can wait, but if I'm avoiding doing things because of it, then why not get it over with.

FWIW I'm 35, totally healthy and in above average shape. I think my biggest hang up (aside from being scared shitless, having never been put under before) is I have a vacation in 4 weeks that would involve a lot of swimming (Hawaii) and I don't want to just sit and watch the kids swim because I can't go in because the stitches can't get submerged or something.

But I am also concerned I might bend wrong, rip it more and my guts will start spilling out, or does it not work like that and only get worse over time?

If you had it done tomorrow your stitches should be out and the skin healed well within two weeks - but your activities will still be limited. It's tearing something on the inside that is a problem. If your surgeon feels that you are currently at low risk for bowel strangulation at the moment, I agree with enjoying vacation, and getting it done when you get back and can heal properly. Make sure you are fully aware of warning signs of things changing quickly, but otherwise forget about. I've been thinking alot about how I spent money when I had it, and I don't regret any vacations to Hawaii - wish I had taken more.

 

[Maggot]

Just googled Post Op care for this. Boy, did I not follow the guidelines. I lived with a situation like yours for a couple of years before I decided to get it corrected. Surgery was a snap. Went on a fairly strenuous hike five days later, albeit slower than normal. Recovery for me was a breeze. Doc said I wasn’t the norm, fwiw.

Go on your vacation and get it fixed when you get back. My opinion.

I agree with this. Slack off on the lifting til after surgery but swimming wont hurt you.

I had one a couple years ago. Its about two hours prep, 30 minutes surgery, 2 hours recovery, and home...thats if its robotic surgery, which is highly recommended. For the robotic they pump your belly full of gas )CO2 I think) then make just 3 tiny slits to slide the mesh in, unroll it, maybe a stich or two, and done.

 

[Matches Malone]

I have an inguinal hernia. It doesn't bother me but I can tell its there. I like to lift and since I learned I had it I initially put off squatting/dead lifting but the surgeon said in my follow up visit that as long as it doesn't hurt, go for it. I squatted yesterday and I can still 'feel' it, still doesn't hurt but its just there, if that makes sense.

I know I have to get surgery ultimately, can I put it off for a few months or should I just do it as soon as the surgeon can squeeze me in? The surgeon told me if it doesn't bother me it can wait, but if I'm avoiding doing things because of it, then why not get it over with.

FWIW I'm 35, totally healthy and in above average shape. I think my biggest hang up (aside from being scared shitless, having never been put under before) is I have a vacation in 4 weeks that would involve a lot of swimming (Hawaii) and I don't want to just sit and watch the kids swim because I can't go in because the stitches can't get submerged or something.

But I am also concerned I might bend wrong, rip it more and my guts will start spilling out, or does it not work like that and only get worse over time?

I got the surgery last December. I also lift. Mine was bad enough where I had my intestine in my nutsack. At first I ignored it and then it progressively got worst, I started avoiding lifting and it effected my daily living. After a year and half and a near call in the mountains, I got the surgery.

I know everyone is different, but my surgeon told me it would be 8 solid weeks. He wasn’t lying. I tried lifting a week prior and it was a hard no. I had a delivery of roof materials scheduled for a week after my surgery recovery date, and it sucked re re-roofing my house like that. My testicle and the actual hernia site was still pretty uncomfortable. Honestly I didn’t feel 100% till about March, that included pushing myself physically in and out of the gym.

 

[bfk4lyfe]

Thanks all, its reassuring. My surgeon said he'll do 4-5 of of them in a day and its the most common thing he does and a great 'intro to surgery' for me. 90 mins pre op, an hour procedure, an hour to sleep off the anesthesia and then I'd be home for lunch. He also said 4-6 week recovery. Hoping I'd be closer to the 4 week side of things given my state, that would give me time to enjoy Hawaii too, and not have to miss work (probably a stupid thing to worry about in the grand scheme of things). If I gotta sit on the beach for the week I guess I'd be in the right place I guess..?

 

[ma smith]

the surgeon said in my follow up visit that as long as it doesn't hurt, go for it...

Well, that doctor is an idiot...

Don't try to finesse a hernia.

 

[BAMAboy18]

Mine didn't bother me either, I had an imbillicle as well and had both done. My best friend had his imbillicle repaired and cried like a baby. I tore the inguinal after 3-4 weeks and had to have it done a 2nd time. My advice is you have to let it heal as per your Dr's instructions.
So mine didn't bother me before surgery, nor did the surgery. But now after a hard day's work, I can feel the inguinal ache. Once you've ruptured, you're never really the same. :/

 

[Hobo Hilton]

I have had hernia repair surgery...
I should have never waited to have it done. Like you there were always excuses to get it repaired.
It's not going to heal itself up. It will only get worse.
Important to give it time to properly heal up.
Get in there and have it repaired at the first possible opening.

 

[CarlM]

Do it and get it over with, it will only get worse the longer you wait. You will be sore for a few weeks and will notice some minor
pains for a few months. Don't be to quick to resume normal activities and let it heal completely. You'll be glad you did. I wanted
to get mine done quickly, but between doctor scheduling and robotic scheduling it took almost 3 months. 2yrs later I forgot all
about it.

 

[One1Bravo]

Get there surgery ASAP. I had a ventral hernia repaired a few years back. I'm a competitive powerlifter and lifted with it for years with no issue. Then one day some intestine popped through and would not reduce. It became incarcerated and bought me a very painful trip to the ER. I had the surgery two weeks later. 8 week recovery time. I was back at 100% in the gym within 12 weeks. No issues since.

 

[dutchboy53]

Just my 2 cents:
If it does not cause pain and YOUR dr said its ok to hold off ... then the call is yours to make
If you get pain, especially constant pain get it checked asap
If not get it done when you want to have it done
That is why this is elective surgery

 

[powdahound76]

Just stay and the Holiday Inn and do it yourself!

Listen to your doc.

Having had one (340 lb lady limp wasnt gonna save herself, I was solo….) I wouldnt do surgery 4 weeks before a beach trip with my kids.

 

[plh]

3 separate surgeries; 2 inguinal and one umbilical. Not pleasant but not life-altering. Only difficulties were going bass fishing 24 hrs after first repair. 1/2 oz jig hook-set on 5 lb'er and immediately knew was a mistake. Trying to self-remove wound closure staples without the staple removal device because were catching my drawers. Seemed like a good idea at the time. Apart from those two numbskulled moves, pretty minimal. All 3, few weeks and back to core/ab work and ice hockey.

Longer you wait, the bigger the repair and increased likelihood of need for mesh or whatever material de jour is current vs simple shelving ligament hog suture reapproximation. YMMV

Lastly, went Gen Anesth for all 3. No local/sedation for this guy, chewed on a tube as the ones I did with local in residency seemed to always end up as "OK Anesthesia" as in "its OK, its OK,..... hold still".

 

[Crewdog135]

About 5 years ago I blew a double inguinal. I had just started a new job and didn't want to deal with it then. Lived with it for nearly two years before it really tore. Surgeon said it was a "large hernia on the left, a VERY large hernia on the right". Recovery took quite a while to get back to true form and it wasn't until after looking back that I realized just how much I didn't do or modified how I did it because of the damn things. I'd recommend not being a dumbass like me and get it fixed sooner rather than later. Schedule for right after the vacation though if it isn't too bad.

 

[bfk4lyfe]

Well the soonest they could have scheduled me in was two weeks before the vacation. the office lady said thats probably cutting it too close as she said I should really not be lifting anything over 50 pounds for 6 full weeks after the surgery, so I scheduled it for the week I get back, which is about 7 weeks from now.