Question:
Hernia Repair, what should I expect?

What exactly do they do? How long will I have to be off work?    — Robin O. (posted on May 27, 2002)

May 27, 2002
It depends on what kind of a hernia you have. I had an umbilical hernia and my PCP told me to wait until I was ready for the TT and then they would repair it then. When I had the TT, the plastic surgeon repaired it as part of the same surgery. They generally have to repair it with mesh since the muscles are like a piece of fabric. If you just sew it back together any stress put on that area will make it tear again and then you are right back where you started from. My friend had an incisional (?) hernia and had to have it repaired early on because it was causing her pain and was sticking out quite far. She had to be off work for a week and then on lifting restrictions just like before because it is an open surgery. The biggest thing for me was to get used to the feel of the mesh being in there while it was healing. Felt almost like something was poking when I moved a certain way. It has been 6 months and I don't feel it at all anymore.
   — livnliter

May 27, 2002
I had a hernia of the thin lining around the intestial track where they had cut it in my orginial surgery 12 months ago. It had pulled apart and was causing the bowel to drop through and blockage.. They had to do an open to repair and am about 6 weeks out now and still have some discomfort...the muscule wall...
   — Lonna G.