Hernia

Hello Everyone, I need some information on hernias.  I've just been informed that I have a large hernia and I'm not sure what to expect. Any info would be much appriciated. Thank you  Mommoo

I don't know much about hernias, but when I went to the Austin OH Conference, Dr. Demonaco (plastic surgeon) and Dr. Garth Davis (WLS surgeon), both from Big Medicine TV show, said not to have the mesh repair done on a hernia, especially if you want plastic surgery later.   You might want to discuss the variuos types of surgical repair with your surgeon, and possibly meet with your plastic surgeon if you plan to have plastics later. Good luck! JackieBel P.S. What does a hernia feel like?  I think I may have one.  I have a small hard ball-like feeling under one of my incisions.

I have a huge hernia. It was repaired when I had RNY, but returned very quickly. I'm having it repaired in October when I have my full TT with muscle repair. The bad news is, I'll lose my belly button. Unless it get caught and swells where it can't be pushed back through the hole in the muscle wall, there's usually no hurry to fix it. It will usually get bigger so that more and more gut ends up outside the muscle wall, and under the skin and fascia. I think many times hernias return no matter who does it or how it gets fixed.

I had an incisional hernia - just under my last rib. It had been repaired without mesh but reopened. It was then repaired with mesh a few months ago. I have no idea if my experience with the mesh repair is typical or not, but it was truly one of the hardest surgeries I've ever had. And I've had a LOT of abdominal surgeries. I was not prepared by my surgeon for the extent of "downtime" I would require for this procedure, so I would implore you to ask your doc to be as specific as he can be about EVERYTHING. Take best care, A

Hernias are funny things. I got one from coughing for three straight months when I was only 3 - 6 mths post op. I went to a lot of doc for the coughing becuase it would get so bad I'd go into an asthma attack as well, and I couldn't lay down to sleep at night. Ended up I developed severe allergies... the right meds and no more cough.  But the hernia... it grew and grew and grew!!! I was able to have plastic surgery at 11 mths post op because of my large hernia. It was bigger then a melon and when you're a size 4 it DEFINATELY shows!!!!! So I had a repair of the entire abdominal muscle and TT. I couldn't stand up straight for a VERY long time. lol  I will say that the larger the hernia the less chance you have of it strangulating your intestines so that's a good part of having a big one.  Best of wishes to you HUGS

Thank you all so kindly for responding; I sure appriciate all of the posts.  I would have to say that I did not know that I had a hernia until the cat scan showed it the other night in the ER.    I had complained about pain at the incision site prior and was informed that it would always be "tender" at the site.  So basically if the pain got too bad I went to the medicine cabinet and tried to make it go away of course except for the other night when it was excruciating.  I wil see if I can do some research on repairs. Thanks Mommoo

Mommoo, I have a big whopping ventral, incisional hernia that developed along my suture line (my surgery was open, not lap'). It started four months out and I'm now over two years out and it goes from my sternum to right above my belly button. I'm hoping to get it repaired (with mesh) along with a TT if my insurance will play nice; right now they're balking at the TT, but if they continue to be killjoys I'll get the hernia done anyway. It's starting to hurt a lot. Just be sure and keep your tummy wrapped, it really does help feel better. I use a waist cincher by Flexees, rather than an abdominal binder because it's lighter, has more support, and doesn't use velcro, which makes me itch. Also, avoid exercises or anything else that strains abdominal muscles. I don't do any abdominal exercises, even though I want to, and I'm also careful with pushing, pulling and lifting heavy things (tough, since I'm a nurse!) because I don't want it to tear even worse. As others have said, the bigger the hernia the better, in some regards. Once I had a tiny umbilical one that caused a loop of bowel to get stuck and I was in SUCH pain, and could have done permanent damage. It went ignored because my gall bladder pain was bad, but when they went in laparoscopically they found it and sutured it; it's been fine, ever since. Hope this helps, Vickie

Hi there everyone, I too had a hernia.  It was HUGE on the incision line and started about 4 months out.  I had it repaired last year and it showed up again, but much smaller this year.  I am seeing my surgeon August 9 to see about having it repaired and a TT done with muscle repair.  I won't lie, the last hernia repair HURT!  It hurt worse than my Gastric Bypass.  I had no pain meds with the Bypass I was up and around and sore, but manageable.  With the hernia I had pain meds and couldn't move!  But not to scare you, it could of just been me,  my girlfriend is 6 months out and had 2 huge hernias, she had them prior to the surgery and doc just laproscopically fixed them for her and she said it hurt but she did much better than me and we have the same surgeon.  So I guess it depends on the person.  Like someone else said, follow the docs instructions to the T and don't expect to be bending and moving around a hell of a lot for a bit.  I wish you all the best, take care!