Has anyone here ever had a hernia repaired, and if so, how long was your recovery before you could perform light duty electrical tasks? How about til you could do everything full strength as before the hernia or surgery? I am having one repaired on Tuesday and am planning on taking off a few weeks as per the doctors instructions. Ironically I'm in no pain now and can do everything including very heavy lifting, and after the surgery I will be in pain and have to take it easy for a while, which is frustrating.

Never had one, but Godspeed to you on your recovery. Let us know how it is going for you from time to time.

Never had one repaired, but have been living just fine with an small abdominal one (naval) for 4 years or so. Excruciating when it first happened, but been fine since, and not suggested to 'correct' it because they don't want to make it worse. But if I did something dumb to make it worse, I would be heading to surgery. Try my best not to do dumb things.....

I had a lower ingunal hernia repaired (left side ) last year. Day surgery, about 3 or 4 days where I couldn't do much, and then another month to get back to normal. Went back to work after 4 days, light duty. A year later, I can still feel the inscion, and have to be careful not to stress it. Wasn't a complete fix, but it is much better than wearing a truss all the time.

I was lucky enough to have a triple repaired. Doc cut a happy face on me. Left, center and right. It was out-patient surgury, and I felt fine that evening...then the drugs wore off! You are in for a very painful 2 or 3 days. Then do as they say...no heavy stuff for a month or more. It took me about 1 to 2 years to feel like I could leap tall buildings with a single bound. It will eventually feel OK.

Just had an umbilical repaired back in February.

Like Mark, I lived with it for about 4.5 years with no real problem until last summer, then it started being painful at times for no apparent reason so I decided to get it done.

I arrived at the hospital on a Thursday at 10.30 AM and was on the way home at 3:30 PM.

I went back to work (office) the following Wednesday, working in the Field will definitely take longer

The first three days there was some pain and discomfort, but nothing to bad. I was not to lift more than 15 pounds for the first 10 days then not more than 25 for another 15, after that back to normal.

Roger

never had one..yet, but I hope everything goes well and you get back up to speed quickly

Hopefully it'll be done laparoscopically in which case you'll be fine in a day or two. Much depends on the type of hernia and if they use gortex material for the repair.

Like Roger I had an umbilical hernia repaired in Sept 06. Had it repaired after it started becoming painful by the end of the day.
I was out of work for six weeks and have a nice 4" frown cut over my navel. The first week was a tough one. I was not to pick up more than ten pounds. No restrictions when I returned to work. It now feels like nothing was ever done. I'm glad I had it repaired.

Al

Isn't it true that even after surgery, the area is still suseptable to re-injury. I thought that you can never get back to 100% afterwards.

Luke that is a correct statement. You will not be 100%. I had mesh put in during the repair so I have a 3% to 5% chance of having my injury return. For a 95% to 97% fix, I'll live with the slight chance my injury could return.

Al

I have had both inguinal and umbilical hernias repaired laproscopically. A hernia is a tear in the muscle wall. They staple a patch (gortex type material) over the area so it's as good, or better, than new.

The inginal was easy but the umbilical was painful for about two days--mostly very sore stomach muscles. Be sure your doctor is using the latest techniques.

Pretty much the same here....had mine about 2 1/2 years ago. Walked around like a real old man for a couple of days. No mesh here, doc said tissue looked good so he just stitched er up. I was told the mesh makes recovery a little longer because the body will try and reject the foriegn substance. I was riding the Harley (avoiding bumps) in 10 days, pulling wire in 3 weeks.

I went bowling about 6 months after the operation. OUCH!!! I don't bowl anymore now.

Jeff

I guess I had mine to long ago. For me it was in '85, a mesh style repair. Misery before, I can not say here where my guts were falling into. 6 weeks of no lifting, very uncomfortable until the staples were removed, and still an occasional twinge, but I do not worry about it anymore. It has not held me back from anything other than mentally as I have not done taken up the activity that caused it since.

Just had it done yesterday. I'm really sore today. It was actually 2, an inguinal and also a very small umbilical. The umbilical sometimes hurts worse than the larger inguinal. Sleeping was bad last night, and the first time trying to sit on the john was excruciating. I hope to get back to light duty in 2-3 weeks and then full duty after 4. The surgeon said I could try anything I want after 4 weeks or so. I don't know what caused it or aggravated any existing weakness; there was never a particular episode I can refer to. I've always worked hard and worked out hard. I'm planning on building back up to where I was before the injury if possible. Maybe no 4" rigid the first week back though....

Good Luck to you. It will take awhile for the pain to go away, but it will eventually.

I had 2 repairs done (lower groin), the last one was because it had strangulated and a section had to be removed.

The kicker was the day after getting out I had to spend walking around Hershey Park (Amusement Park) with my daughter's Girl Scout Troop - ouch! - that was tough, but it wasn't so bad as long as I kept moving.

Bill