Something else that looks best in the rear view mirror.:)

I had a rough night last night. The pain med wore off and at 1am i was in all sorts of pain,
I took another pain med plus two advil and that worked very well.
I'm still very sore, but I feel better this morning. My wife is helping out a lot; getting me the remote, my bottled water, Notebook, etc....so I'm grateful for that.

It looks like it has been five years since the last post re hernias. I would appreciate some info from those that have had a hernia operation and those that elected to live with it. How do you feel about it now?

I went to see a hernia doc yesterday and she said it was about an eight month wait for the operation due covid. I have an inguinal hernia and really only gives me discomfort when I cycle or walk for an hour.

Also does a hernia belt help? Thanks in advance.

I hope you went ahead and made the appointment. You can always cancel.
Just do it. It's not going to fix itself, and you don't need the constant reminder that something is whack. I've had two, left and right a few years apart. Both are healed and the scars have faded.
An added bonus, while you're healing you are absolutely restricted from lifting anything even slightly heavy or awkward, so you get to sit back and let others around you do the muscle work.
Good luck.

I have had one side done twice and the other once.
If you want to get it done pronto, look into the private surgery facilities. Not a bad time to get it done. Sidewalks are still clear of snow and the winter months to recuperate and heal before getting back to more physical activity.
If I could go back and talk to my younger self before my first hernia operation, I would recommend going to the Shouldice Clinic in Toronto for the repair. At a later point in life the mesh repair will probably be sufficient.
YMMV.

Thanks H_O, I have to wait 8 months due to covid or I can get it done sooner if I go privately.

I am thinking you must have had them done by Alberta Health. Yes I see Shouldice online in Toronto which is a bit far to go. Perhaps there is a private health surgeon who can do it Calgary. I will do my research. I agree it would be ideal to get it done now.
Thanks for the response!

I had both sides done. First the right (1996), then the left eleven years later (2007). The first one was done with local pain shots, they put me out for the left one. Pain & recovery time for both were minimal. In the past five years I've developed a "ridge" of hard, scar tissue at the incision location on the left side. Docs don't have an explanation but say it's not a big deal.

One each side. We are talking inguinal here, correct? 1985 and 2005. '85 was open surgery, no mesh. '05 was hybrid open with arthroscopic assist. The earlier one is like nothing ever happened. Like Marv, I have a hard spot on the 2nd.

Not there yet, but I will need my left side fixe eventually.

Got the mesh 10 or 12 years ago. Another hernia above now but no pain.

Well I got the call yesterday that my hernia op is slated for next week. I look forward to getting it done before the next wave of covid if it happens. Golf season does not open till May so this should work out well. Lifting heavy concrete likely did it to me. Such is life. Captain Ahab I am not.

:D Lots of heavy lifting since and my mesh is still holding strong

Not sure I did mine while building my man cave as I first noticed it pulling up tight my snowboard boots :confused:

Good luck with your op

I thought I would post an update on the hernia repair thread. I had the chance of hernia repair a year ago but two days before the op my ecg showed atrial fibrilation. I got treated with meds for that but I declined the operation because I thought at age 76 I needed everything going for me.

Meanwhile a year later I get a second crack at the operation with the same surgeon. What I expected to happen did not happen and the unexpected did happen. Firstly the pain was minimal. Maybe 2 out of 10. The unexpected? After the operation I could not pee so they put a catheter in me and kept me overnight. The second thing to happen was I sitting on the side of the bed for whatever reason. The male nurse was right next to me. I started to feel nauseated likely due to the anaesthetic in my body still. I reach over to the left to get the sick bowl, put the sick bowl under my chin. I feel the wave of nausea come again and think that I am going to be sick. The next thing I remember there are four men picking me up off the floor. They put me on the bed. I am checked for a stroke and diabetes and everything is fine. There is a term for this which I forget. There was a temporary interruption of oxygen to the brain which caused me to black out. According to the nurse I fell sideways and landed on my knees. No damage done.

Well a week since the op and I feel great. I am glad I got it done. I just love the doctors and nurses.

Cheers, Guy.

When I was getting the check out for physical therapy for my back and knee, she told me that I have a hernia in my stomach.

The questions I would ask are these. How big is the hernia? Does it bother you enough to get it repaired? For instance my surgeon said that I have a small hernia. I asked if it could strangulate and she said likely not. Having said that I feel better having had it done. Before treatment I would experience discomfort during long walks or cycling. Now I don't have to look down at a pouch of skin hanging down in the groin area(inguinal hernia).