Question:
Just found out that I have two

I am a year out. I have lost all the weight I need to. Dr. says I need to have them fixed. Since I'll be off work for four to six weeks, I'd like to wait until summer. I've lived with the pain and discomfort for a couple of months (I thought it was just me getting older!). How long did you wait? Was the healing worse, the same as, or easier than your surgery? (Mine was a an open rny with some complications.) Merry Christmas to all!    — Mary Ann B. (posted on December 25, 2003)

December 25, 2003
Mary Ann, Congrats on your terrific success! Wow ~ Size 6-8 now ~ you go!! I'm recovering from hernia repair which was performed on Dec 2nd. (I'll be one year post-op next week) I first suspected the hernia at about 4 months post op. Didn't really start experiencing discomfort with it until about 6 months post-op & it was minor at the time. Being the super woman I think I am (and also thinking that being 41 contributed to my aches and pains, LOL), decided to put off surgical repair until December when my work load is lightest. I wish I hadn't now. What should have been an out-patient 45 minute procedure turned into a 2 hour procedure and an overnight stay in the hospital. Came home with a drain, a good amount of pain and it was a week before I could stand up straight. About 10 days post op, I bent over to pet the dog (big dog, so it wasn't like reaching to the floor) and when I stood up, I felt something rip. Darn. We're hoping it was just a suture tearing which has resulted in a seroma (& more pain) and it is not another hernia. That pain has def improved and just feels like a bruised area now so I'm keeping my fingers crossed it is the suture tear healing. I truly feel if I had addressed this hernia much earlier, the procedure and recovery would have been SO much easier. If you can, address the hernia as soon as you can. These hernias are just a minor inconvenience (in the beginning stages) and I'd do the WLS again in a heart beat ~ on this same note ~ We've worked darn hard to get where we are and certainly don't want to jeopardize our health and wonderful new bodies by ignoring things. Would be awful to have to deal with a twisted or obstructed bowel cuz we're trying so hard to be Super Women! Again, congrats on your terrific success!! Open RNY 1/3/03 330/182/175
   — chelle3081

December 25, 2003
I have a 9" hernia last fall - it was putting me in horrible pain. I am so thankful that I had it taken care of right away, but I wish I could've waited until winter! Then I could've enjoyed the fall weather more (I live in Wisconsin ;)...<br> It was about 2 months after my hernia repair before I could do much activity. It was open - and my WLS was a Lap RNY with a pretty easy recovery, so the hernia repair recovery was much harder on me. <br> I am having a panniculectomy in a few weeks, and I am thrilled that it is in January, so I will be healed and ready to have fun once the weather is warm and I can run around in the sun.<br>
   — kultgirl

December 27, 2003
I just had a double hernia repair with mesh 2 weeks ago. Please make sure your surgeon closes the tear in the muscle before putting in the mesh most dont. Mine didnt but mine was an emergency.
   — hooterzgirl75