Possible Hernia

[Juliee8]

DH thinks that he might have a hernia. He is going to the doctor on Friday to have it checked out. If it is a hernia, what is the recovery time if he needs surgery?

 

[Suz D]

Depends on the hernia. My sister and my dad both had one last year. My sister's recovery time was about 6-8 weeks and the first 3 weeks were really rough.

My dad's recovery time was about 10 days and he didn't have much in the way of rough days at all.

It could be gender, it could be location of the hernia, it could be pain tolerance, there could be any number of reasons for the difference. The doctor will be able to give you a pretty good idea 'though.

Does he feel (or see) a bulge in his abdomen anywhere?

 

[mombare]

My hubby had one repaired when I was 8 months pregnant with DS...the recovery was 6-8 weeks, with the first few weeks being bad! He does not have the best tolerance for pain, and had never had surgery before. He has a strong family history of hernias....probably has another one now, but hasn't gone in for it. He had the original hernia for several years before officially being diagnosed. He had been in for the "cough" test, but they said he didn't have one. They found it on an MRI when he had a kidney stone....and got it fixed from there! Good luck - it is never fun, but needs to be fixed!

 

[Juliee8]

He says that he can feel a bulge in his abdomen. He has had it for awile, but it has just started to bother him lately. He says it is fine for a few days and then it will hurt for a day or 2 and then stop.

 

[Suz D]

I would say that the odds are high that it's a hernia. I'll hope for a quick recovery like my dad's.

 

[clj1410]

My DH has had three! They found the 3rd one whilst repairing the 2nd one! After the first one he went back to work just before 6 weeks, but it was to early, so with the next one he gave it 7 weeks. He just went back to the Dr last week as he thought the one had broken through, but it looks like a fold in the mesh!

Good Luck

 

[monkey30]

I wish him the best of luck!

My son had a hernia when he was just 5, but the type he had was not in his abdomen. He had a Inguina Hernia. After 3 days of tylenol and taking it easy, he had no more pain but we needed to ensure he did not pull stitches so nothing like running or riding bikes for 3 weeks, what a crapy summer for him!

 

[Aryn]

I'm bumping this up because I have a hernia that is being repaired on Thursday.
I am more than a little nervous because I have heard that I have a 50% chance of getting another hernia! I am also worried that I will have a tough recovery. I had my gallblader removed last year which turned into pancreatitis and I spent 10 days in the hospital.
My hernia is an incisional one,in my bellybutton, that came from my last surgery.
I was hoping that recovery time would be minimal, but from these posts it doesn't look like it.
Anyone else have experience with this?

 

[PrinceCharmingsMom]

I have 2 hernias as a result of my Roux en Y gastric bypass however my doctor's are monitoring them until I get to goal weight so they don't have to go in and repair the hernia and then turn around and do a pannilectomy. I wear a binder everyday and am careful with my movements...but I also have a 2.5 DS that keeps me busy and I am doing pretty good so far. They did tell me that if I have it repaired now before I get to goal it is a 50% chance of reoccurance.

 

[Cjmuma]

RN Speaking here...
Some hernia repairs are very simple, and only take a couple of days to feel better. It COMPLETELY depends on the type and location of the hernia. Some can be repaired laproscopically (with the little holes) and some need larger incisions to repair. It depends on where it is, and how big it is. Can't even compare one to another because size and location makes it comparing apples to oranges... Keep that in mind. Sorry to be a reality check

 

[veraletta]

I had two when I was 10 and then again at 21 I had two more.
I really feel for any one that has them.
Both times it took me 8 weeks.
Both times I had larger incisions to repair the hernia's.

 

[veraletta]

Both times mine where in groin areas, but I haven't had one in over thirty three years, and since mine was years ago, maybe they have an easier way to repair them.

 

[stichy]

My DH was out of work for about 2 or 3 days. Technically he worked from home most of that time. He could't lift anything for a couple of weeks but he really didn't have a hard time. He complained about it so much you would have thought he was about to die. The good thing that came out of the operation was that he was able to get the big V done at the same time and be knocked out for it. I don't think he would have been able to go through with it if it was done in the dr office.

 

[SnowWtch]

DH had a abdominal hernia and was just waiting it out like the doctor said and it became strangulated and he had to have emergency surgery. I had to call an ambulance b/c DH is 430 lbs and I couldn't lift him to get him to the car. It took him months to be able to move without any pain. I think size really makes a difference on things.