Question:
To have or not have mesh for hernia repair?

Found out I have a hernia next to my belly button. My surgeon is 8 hrs. from my house so I can't just pop in and see him... but I did talk to him on the phone and he says he doesn't like to use mesh to repair because it can be uncomfortable and with the weight loss he doesn't feel it is nessesary unless it would tear again. I only have ins. for 11 more months and want to be sure I don't have to get it fixed twice! He said to try and wait a few more months to get it fixed in the hopes that I can lose most of my weight so can also get the TT done at the same time. If it gets bad and hurts a lot of course get it fixed now. Would be nice to to do both at the same time but due to the ins.,time frame left on ins. and amount of weight still left to lose... don't know about that! But what is everyones experiance about the mesh? To have or not to have? Thanks,    — Deb H. (posted on May 7, 2001)

May 7, 2001
I have the mesh- I had a HUGE hernia repaired February 1st this year and have a piece about the size of a man's hand outstretched. I know I am still getting used to it, so it does get a little sore now and again, but I am VERY active with all kinds of sports (soccer, softball, golf, tennis) so it could just be me getting used to being active again. My doctor told me the mesh would be a good preventative for having the hernia reoccur- not that I had a choice because mine was so large. BUT, he said that my recovery would be quicker and there is a lot less of a chance it would tear again. Let me tell you- I have lifted weights and just about everything else from carrying 55 pound bags of dogfood to doing situps and that ab thing you see on TV that looks like a rollerblade and I have gotten my waist down to 33 inches and still no more hernia. If I were you, I would wait as long as possible and lose as much weight as possible before having it repaired. Good Luck!
   — M B.

May 8, 2001
I had an incisional hernia that I lived with for a couple of years in the early '90s....(It was one end of my C-Section incision - I had four C-Sections and was in the 250 - 325lb range through them all - put a LOT of strain on my incision) Anyway - I had it repaired in '93, without mesh. Within two years it had herniated again. Lived with it a long time again, and finally had it repaired a second time in '97 - with mesh....it has held just fine since - I've never been aware of the mesh being there at all....can't "feel" it at all... By the way - I have an umbilical hernia as well. I've had it for about 7 years, and when I had the other one repaired in '97 the surgeon said I needed to get it repaired some day... Four more years have gone by - I've managed just fine with it there - but am finally getting in fixed with my Open VBG on 6/11....(and Gallbladder removed) Cathy J
   — Cathy J.

May 8, 2001
I see your answers are varying. I had an incisional hernia for years from an old gallbladder surgery. I had it repaired about 3 years ago -- badly! (no mesh, by the way). It was never comfortable for me after the repair job and I thought it had returned) With my WLS, my surgeon re-repaired it (again, without mesh) and all the uncomfortableness is gone, the places where I'd lost feeling had been healed as the feeling returned, and I'm feeling great about it 13 months later. My surgeon said that mesh can cause as many or more problems than it helps in some cases -- so I don't know, perhaps this is a judgment call by the surgeon that we aren't informed enough to answer. I do know that I had been 'sewn up wrong' by the first surgeon and now I'm sewn up properly. I think a major thing to keep in mind to avoid a future hernia is to take the time to heal properly before lifting anything over 10 pounds -- that means waiting 8 weeks with no vacuuming, furniture moving, lifting, digging in the garden, etc. NONE! Once you are properly healing, GRADUALLY increase the weight and level of activity. Best wishes to ya!
   — Cindy H.

May 8, 2001
I had three hernia repaired and an abdominoplasty on January 2, 1991... 10 days after surgery my incision opened up.. I always wondered if I would have had the mesh would it of prevented the opening of the incision somwhow....The surgeon said not necessarily and may have caused even more problems.. So it's a toss up.. The deciding factor on the mesh is if the abdominal wall is still weak after the repair. My brother had a triple hernia repaired with mesh few years ago and is doing quite well, getting used to the soreness and discomfort the first year was his downside as others have stated in their answers below.
   — Victoria B.

May 10, 2001
I had a hernia repaired with mesh after colon surgery right at my belly button. The mesh is a the size of 5x3 card. I have had no problems with pain, or feeling the mesh. The only thing, I now know why they asked before an MRI if you have any metal I went for one and told them about the mesh, but they didn't think it would matter. Half way thru I asked the tech why my tummy was getting hot, at this point it was passed the warm stage. Well the MRI ended right there. They said because of my size and the fact that my tummy was touching the top of the tube that it was making the mesh heat up.My mesh is titanium so I guess this is why. To me it was one more reason to have surgery.-Good luck. debi mumaw
   — Debi M.