tkehler

I had an inguinal hernia operation done on my left lower abdomen about three weeks ago. I figured that as a fit guy in his mid-forties, I'd be up and about within 3 days and able to go to work, and -- importantly -- on my bike within 3 weeks, easily.

Nope. I did go to work after a weekend of rest, but I had to come home (queasy feeling, pain, and mild disorientation). I was home for 5 days. Then, after about 18 days -- just the other day -- I got on my mountain bike and rode 10 blocks very gingerly. Alas, that was too early. I didn't tear anything, but I did feel some pain. Apparently biking uses a number of core muscles, in a way that walking doesn't and so is something one shouldn't do so soon after a hernia operation. Now I have at least 3 more weeks before I can ride, making it six weeks of no biking

It's driving me crazy. I don't do Pcad miles, but I try to ride every day.

Reading some of the horror stories online about people getting botched hernia ops, reacting badly to the mesh and/or plug insert, and having nerves caught in the scar tissues, and so on, makes me glad that my only problem is a hand-sized area that is still numb.

Moral of the story: stay healthy*, because no surgery is a piece of cake.

* Don't collide with vehicles or the ground, etc etc.

quidquam

Yeah, it sucks! My shoulder just got better from a very bad sprain in February and before I had ridden my bike 10 times, I just burned the hell out of my ankle on a backpacking trip and am going to be off the bike for several weeks, minimum. Argh! Seriously, **** these fragile human bodies. I'm going nuts.

So yes. Stay healthy!

Hope your hernia heals up well and you're back on the bike soon!

DrPete 

Nothing was "botched"-- that numbness is completely normal. In fact, sometimes the ilioinguinal nerve--the one that gets entrapped in the mesh--gets divided on purpose. I don't do it routinely, but there are some surgeons who do, with the thought that an area of numbness beats chronic pain. While there's data to support it, I just don't intuitively like the idea of routinely dividing a nerve that's not always in the way, so I'll need some more convincing data that it's a good thing to divide it routinely before I'd start doing it.

Keep taking it easy--this doesn't mean your repair was a failure or that anything has gone wrong. Aches/pains of the nature you describe can be common after hernia surgery.

Bottom line, though, is that if you have any questions about how things are healing, etc. you should see your surgeon--I'm assuming you already had a postop visit?

Indyv8a

I've gone through procedures for hernias twice. First time was an open procedure, and that was VERY painful. At the time I was not riding, but it took a long time to feel normal. Actually, I reruptured the hernia with a sneeze. I nearly passed out.

A few years later, I had to have both sides done, the right was the repeat. Doc kept me off the bike from June to until February. He was very concerned with a rerupture, since I'd already have one. Also he said you can only do laproscopic once, and the double procedure was my only shot. That really sucked.

BTW--I still get occasional cramps and soreness in the region of the patches. Good luck with your recovery.

DrPete 

Yeesh. I always hate hearing these stories. Hope your repairs are holding up now.

What sucked about the laparoscopic repair? I would have done the same in that situation--just curious to know. I usually reserve laparoscopic repair for bilateral hernias and/or recurrences, but when I do them patients are generally pretty happy with it. Just curious to know why you weren't happy with it.

pridefighter

Not exactly relevant to hernia ops, but a week ago I had reconstructive type surgery on both of my feet and can't move for 6-8 weeks! (thank you to those 14 years of ballet) I must say it is pretty torturous to just lay around doing nothing! Doc said I can't even bike for a couple more months after relearning walking again. Hopefully being a healthy 18 year old girl will be in my favor and I'll end up with a miraculous recovery..
I'm going nuts as well.

toothless

I had this done 4-5 years ago. I was back on the bike pretty much pain free in 10 days.

I do still have very mild numbness and discomfort frequently.

GP

I had a hernia repaired a few years ago. I took 6 weeks off then it took another month to get back to full strength.

Indyv8a

The over-careful surgeon not letting me ride forever. Sorry If I wasn't clear.

Yes, repairs are good. Still suck at riding though.

tkehler

So... you're a healthy 18 year old girl with time on your hands. Let me quote a good line from another thread:

How you DOIN'?

Joking aside, have a good recovery. Believe me, youthfulness helps any recovery. I hope you like reading (I do) and that you are good at downloading stuff from the internet or that your friends

And don't forget that it's the TdF. There's not much that's better than watching the French countryside (apart from actually being there, of course).

To everyone else: thanks for the posts and replies. I do realize that I'm being a bit of a whiner, because there are many cyclists who have to take a LOT of time off, i.e., much more than my measly 6-8 weeks. And thanks Dr. Pete for writing. No, I haven't seen my surgeon because we can't coordinate a meeting (we both have young families and work keeps us busy). I can't see him 'til late July.

Cheers

daytonian

Lapro mesh surgery 2 winters ago. both sides done. did a 23 miler on day 11 or 12. i think i waited a month to do any hard sprints or climbs. i don't even think about it anymore and no pain or numbness

sakonnetclip

Had patches on both sides about 10 years ago, the result of a really dumbass weightlifting accident. I think I was off all exercise for about a week and pretty much back to normal 2-3 weeks later. Only felt any real pain the first two days, I think I took a single Vicodin from the entire bottle they gave me.

I'm sure mileage will vary though, everybody is going to be different.

-spence

DrPete 

Yup, that pretty much sums it up.

Shimagnolo

I had a hernia repair many years ago.
I was off work for a week.
My job was a factory job where I was on my feet all day.
I'm sure being 20 at the time was in my favor.
I wasn't cycling, but was into martial arts.
I don't recall how long it took to get back into the high kicks.

My most vivid memories where trying to avoid coughing or sneezing,
and threatening my roommate with bodily harm if he made me laugh.
Also, walking was sort of a shuffle, keeping the same foot ahead of the other.

tkehler

Remarkable! Some of those recovery times are insane! I'm jealous, and can't wait to get on my bike again and start hiking, interval training, etc.

I was handed a piece of paper from my surgeon saying: "Don't lift anything heavier than 5 lbs for 6-8 weeks".

I can walk for miles, though not particularly quickly. And I can play frisbee with my 5 year old son. (Very enjoyable ... but it ain't cardio.)

YMMV, indeed.

DrPete 

That's a pretty conservative estimate. Actually it's really conservative. Best thing to do is talk to your surgeon. I'll be honest that sometimes the nurses in the Same Day Surgery unit grab some outdated pre-made sheet of discharge instructions and give patients something wacky. Give him/her a call and see what they think about an earlier return to activity.

For a straightforward, uncomplicated inguinal hernia repair--open or laparoscopic--I usually have my patients take it easy for 2 weeks, then return to normal activity as they tolerate with strict, very complex orders: "If it hurts, don't do it." People recover at different rates, but most are smart enough to know when to dial things back. At the 2 week mark, if my patient recurs, it was probably a technical problem, not returning to activity too soon.

Carbon Unit

I am going through almost the same thing right now. I had a Hiatal Hernia operation a little over a week ago and just got out of the hospital on Friday.

A Hiatal Hernia is where the stomach tears through the diagram and occupies the chest cavity. In my case, I had an extremely large Hiatal Hernia. All of my stomach, spleen and part of the small intestine and colon had been pushed into my left lung making my left unusable. I also had an irregular heart beat because of the Hiatal Hernia.

I am on oxygen 24/7 and will probably be so for two or more weeks. This is probably because I haven't used my left lung in many years. I was told by my primary care physician that the recover will be slow and difficult. The surgeon also told me that it will be at least six to eight weeks before I can return to normal activity and lift anything that weighs more than 10 pounds.

The good news is that both of us will be perform better after we recover from the surgery. It may take a while but you will be stronger and perform better. Maybe I can finally get rid of my triple crank set.

Good luck with your recover.

tkehler

Thanks, the same to you! Hang in there and think of being able to ride down a nice long car-free stretch of road, with new black top.

That sounds a rough one. Much tougher than anything I've had to go through.

Dr. Pete, thanks. I had a look at the form I was given (by a nurse as I left the hospital). It looks like it was printed in the 1960s. I'll follow standard procedure: start a bit of exercise and hold off when I feel a bit of pain. Cheers

DrPete 

Yeah, hiatal hernias are a whole different animal, as you now know. Recurrence rates are much higher, and it's a much bigger physiologic stress than a plain old groin hernia... Fun operations, though.

Take it easy--no point at all rushing your recovery!

Carbon Unit

That was the concern with this surgery was having to do it again. However, the man that performed the surgery, John Shaver, M.D. is the best at it anywhere near me. People across the country come to him to have their Hiatal Hernia's repaired.

However, I was not prepared for the pain associated with this procedure, but then I guess relocating half of my internal organs isn't easy.

I may not get back on the bike until after Christmas. I will have to see how the recovery goes.

Carbon Unit

Yes, I dream of a long road with new black top and no cars. This is what is what I am looking forward to. It will happen, I just don't know how long it will be.

Hope you have a speedy recover.

Prolene

I just read through this thread and as a surgeon myself, I deem DrPete right on as far as things I would say to patients and do, in these situations. Discomfort is up to a point a separate issue from 'ruining' a hernia repair, imo.

DrPete 

Just check with your surgeon. There are exceptions to every rule and I don't have the info I need to know if you're one of them...

The big difference in inguinal hernia repairs over the last 20 years or so is the use of mesh. The "old fashioned way" of fixing a hernia involved pulling tissues together under tension to close the hernia defect. Nowadays that's almost unheard of (though there are still times you'd do the old fashioned repairs and I know how to do them if need be) because of the advent of mesh. What the mesh allows you to do is bridge the defect instead of pulling it shut and just allow the body to scar over the mesh. This leads to MUCH lower recurrence rates and usually less pain.

Now the trend is moving from using the thickest, strongest mesh you can put in there to using softer, more pliable mesh in the interest of decreasing pain. The softer meshes are still strong enough structurally, but the thought is that they produce less inflammation/pain. My personal favorite is called Ultrapro, which is a lightweight, partially absorbable mesh. I use it for my open repairs in the form of the Ultrapro Hernia System, and just use a plain sheet for laparoscopic repairs.

So far, so good-- no recurrences yet , and since switching to Ultrapro I haven't personally had any patients with chronic pain
issues.

gabdy

^^^

Doc when I was young a friend of mine had a Hernia op at about 20 years old, he wqas up and partying with us the day he got out of hospital, is that cudos toi the surgeon, age and luck or just stupidity? BTW he didn't have any post issues.

I'm guessing stupidity as he was the type of ,person yopu could get do anything just by telling him he couldn't, like scull 30 glasses of water in one hit or eat a dozen oranges one after the other. Never mind, I answered my own question.

dstrong 

Well...now I get to add to this thread. I had a hemi-colectomy of my ascending colon two months ago, with a great recovery (I'm 51 Y.O.). 4 days in the hospital post-op, another couple days taking it easy but back on the jogging trail after 14 days and then back on the bike a couple days later.

This morning, I go in for my physical and the doc discovers a small inguinal hernia on the right side. I don't think I've really had any pain from it but of course, now that I know I have it, I'm noticing a little aching every now and then.

So...I'm setting an appt with my surgeon to get his assessment and if surgery is recommended, I'll get in all the riding I can ahead of time since I attribute much of my previous recovery to being in shape.