Question:
Someone out there has got to know SOMETHING

Hi all. I've posted a couple of times, both before hernia repair surgery and now after and have only gotten one response. Thanks Betty Cloud for that, but I still want/need more input. I'm in excrutiating pain and I'm not doing well at all. Has anyone else suffered complications from hernia repair surgery? How long did the pain last? When will I feel better? What should I be watching out for as far as the pain goes? I feel like everything inside is pulling and I'm terrified of it coming back, I do not ever want to go through this again. Someone, anyone, please give me some feedback.    — Robin O. (posted on September 21, 2002)

September 21, 2002
You didn't mention how long ago you had the hernia repair,but I know that when I had mine done last year,I also had this awful pain that at times I was afraid that I might be tearing something inside.When I mentioned it to my surgeon,he told me that it could take a full year for it to heal completely and that you may feel a pulling every once in awhile and that you should avoid whatever activity caused that feeling til it healed.There were even times that I had sharp pains 6 months after surgery that I was paranoid that they might have left something inside me.I would check with your surgeon just to be sure and reassure yourself that you are ok.Feel free to email [email protected]
   — kim M.

September 21, 2002
I had my hernia repair 17 months ago and I still have pain occasionally. My surgeon told me it takes two years for it to fully heal and that I shouldn't lift anything heavy during that whole time. I was feeling good about six months postop and made the mistake of lifting a 30 pound box of cat litter. This caused a pain that lasted for about a week but I've been really careful ever since and it only hurts occasionally when I stretch too hard. Did you get a binder after your hernia repair and if so, wearing it even now might help the pain. Your post doesn't say how long out from surgery you are...have you asked your surgeon about the pain?
   — Kellie L.

September 21, 2002
Hi, thanks for the responses. I'm only 4 days (Tuesday of this week)out of surgery for the hernia repair. It was supposed to be an outpatient surgery, which I don't see how now. I don't see my surgeon again until this Thursday, which I will ask him about the pain. A full year until this is behind me? Geez......wish I'd known. Thanks for your responses, I do appreciate them. At least I know what I'm in for.
   — Robin O.

September 21, 2002
I had hernia surgery 17 months ago. It was more painful than my open rny. I kept getting a stabbing sharp pain in my one side. Started in the hospital just after surgery. If I turned on one side a certain way I thought I was going to die with this pain. Pain medicine controled everything but that. When I had my first check up. We were able to get it to happen in the doctor's office. After examining me again, found nothing wrong, his diagnosis was that a nerve probably got tied up in a stitch. He put me on Celebrex anti inflamatory for about 10 days and when all the swelling was gone and the stitch disolved, no more pain. I also had a session this year with a stabbing pain, went on for several weeks, I thought my hernia was acting up or had another one, nothing on cat scan, no signs of ulcer but pain continued. Had to do exploratory surgery, no new hernia, hernia repair just fine. Scoped my stomach to make sure not an ulcer which I had no systems of, but since I was asleepwas good time to do. Only thing he found was adhesions on my mesh repair. Removed them, no more pain and that was that. Betsy
   — Elizabeth K.

September 21, 2002
Sorry it will not help you but for pre ops considering surgery. 30% of OPENS get incisional hernias. The chance of a LAP hernia is near zero. To avoid such hernia risk LAP is prefered.
   — bob-haller

September 21, 2002
I am sorry to hear that you are in so much pain. My mom had hernia repair (she did not have wls, shes never been more than 5 lbs over weight..unfortunately I got dads genes!!), she had a lot of pain that did lessen and eventually go away with in a month or so...for Bob, I also hear that the chance of leak with a LAP was much greater than with open...so I guess it is all a trade off.
   — cherokey55