Give me your best advice regarding recovery from Hernia Surgery

Triathlon Forum
1

So I have bi-lateral inguinal Hernias, they arent terrible, largely asymptomatic but they are there and they need to get fixed.

I have beed to two different docs and had it confirmed (although I think I really knew for a few months before going to the doc).

THe crux of it Is I have to move in about 6 days…acros China…by train during the largest human migration on the planet (no joke). So, I cant get the surgery today because I wont be able to pull of the move with fresh wounds.

HOWEVER

the city im moving to, In addition to the martial arts hub of China, also has a famous Hernia “team” at the major hospital and my insurance will cover all but about 600USD (sounds like a bargain to me).

So I get to Shandong on February 11th, third doctor consult feb 12, surgery the 13th or 14th.

I feel very lucky that I have both sides and the doctor is able to fix both at the same time, as long as im going to be fucked up, he might as well get both right? Ive been reading that most people who get one, eventually get the other so just 1 trip for me…suckers.

The BAd: Chinese hospitals are dirty, not like those sterilized rooms in the USA, like Dirty, people smoking spitting…SO I plan to leave the hospital soon after the surgery, I already talked to the doc, he said if I can get down all the IV bags in 4 hours then its ok if I leave.

Im having Laproscopic with mesh…at least thats what I think but Ill talk more to the surgeon when I get to Shandong Jinan.

So looking for advice, encouragement…

Tried in the LR but I got a LR response which was hilarious, but Im getting nervous, looking for real answers, never had major surgery and now im having it in China. I already secured Ice packs (damn near impossible to find in china) and metamucil as well as some street grade painkillers.

As for recovery, I was thinking of taking the dog for a walk around the APT building, (maybe 200m) As for getting back to sports (lifting, martial arts), I sort of have a plan, Ill start from ero with the weights, add 5 lbs each workout until im back to where I am now, it will feel easy but I can focus on form. Ill try to run lightly after about 2 weeks and Ills tart martial arts as soon as I feel im healed.

Up until the surgery, Im just backing off to low stress cardio but a dcend amount fo it (2 hours a day) easy hiking, elliptical, swimming. No weights, no running.

WHat am I missing? how long did it take you or the person you know to get back to it? Am I over thinking it?

Hell of a way to start my 2nd year in China huh?

Thanks for your time

PS: they dont give pain eds in China…

2

I had one side done about a year ago - the traditional incision method. I was able to get back to light aerobic exercise in about a week and gradually stepped back into more vigorous stuff as I felt better. YMMV - bilateral probably adds a bit of recovery time. Recovery from Laparoscopic surgery is supposed to be a little easier - so says the land of google.

Of course there are others on ST much much more qualified than a me.

3

thanks, glad to hear you recovered!!!

4

Same advice I gave you in the LR- be careful when the meds wear off post-op. Your surgery site will not feel as good as you think it does. I hopped up off the sofa (I was home) and felt like somebody had stabbed me in the lower abdomen. I felt fine sitting on the sofa spacing out…

The other issue I had was peeing post-op. They weren’t gonna release me until I peed. I drank a ton of fluids, but had no feeling below my waist so I couldn’t go. They started talking catheter, but I convinced the surgeon to let me go home and I would return to the ER for a catheter if I hadn’t peed by 6:00 PM. As soon as I got home I let loose. Performance anxiety, I suppose…

5

“Dont rush it”
.

6

Oh yeah, I started riding within a week and running within two weeks. My Doc encouraged me to do whatever I could tolerate physically. He encouraged movement. Of course, I only had one side done, and was sliced.

7

I had laparoscopic bilateral inguinal hernia repair with mesh, worst bit was the CO2 they inflate you with to make room for the tools. Felt like I needed to fart out my armpit.

Was told to return to exercise as I felt fit. Probably not textbook recovery, but I was running steady after 10 days, tempo after 14. Light bike work on the turbo after a week. 3 and a bit weeks after surgery I took part in the (UK) national club relay champs and ran a sub 18 5k. My bike was a bit shoddy and I couldn’t swim for toffee (stretching through the core very tough), but for some reason running was ok if a little tight across the abs. Frankly it was a silly idea, but got the all clear in my follow up so no harm no foul…

8

Same advice that you received on the LR.

9

Stream of consciousness reply.

I had single side laproscopic with mesh when I was 27. (13 years ago)

3 incisions.
Navel
Just above Appendix scar
Same on opposite side.

The bad news:

Belly swelled up to gross proportions - stomach was almost shiny like a bald man’s head.
Scrotum also swelled up to size of catalope.
Pain upon waking was very bad.
Couldn’t put on underwear - tied a flannel shirt around my waist like a kilt.
Had one chair I could get in and out of - plastic white sundeck chair with high armrests. Armrests are key.
Was on pain meds. Tylenol 3 or better. Didn’t take enough, had a seizure characterized by extreme chills and shivering, plus spasms. Did this twice. Don’t be like me. You will want painkillers.
Relaxing enough against the pain to urinate was difficult for first few days. Had pathetic pees that didn’t provide full relief.
Opiate Painkillers cause constipation. A traumatized midsection makes it hard to “bear down” on a bowel movement. See where I’m going here? You will want Metamucil or some other laxative.
Do. Not. Sneeze. If you feel one coming on, assume the fetal position in your chair and prepare for some serious fucking pain.

The good news:
Recovery was astonishingly fast, improvements day to day are almost exponential.
Surgery was a Monday, took the garbage out myself on Thursday night.
Returned to work the following Monday.
Was swimming again by that same Thursday. It hurt, felt like a runner’s stitch from my ribcage to pelvis the entire time, but was a steady pain and I got through it.
Was lifting weights again within 3 weeks. This was at a time in my life when I was not an endurance athlete, swimming aside, so we’re talking about body-building intensity weights here.
My prediction - you’ll be training again at full intensity within 3 weeks.
No problems whatsoever in the area since my surgery.

When you wake up after surgery and are living the bad news part of my post, remember the good news part. Believe me, at that point in time, you’ll think the good news part is all lies.

Good luck and keep us posted on your recovery.

10

I too currently have this problem but only on my right side. It only bothers me after long runs and when I cough. I am doing IMTX for my first IM this year and decided that I would wait till after IMTX for the surgery or even later. I have done a lot of looking around and it looks like recovery will have you running again from 2-4 weeks. I just could not stop for that right now. My doctor said waiting for as long as I want is fine (I will just be uncomfortable.) I am no longer doing ANY sit-ups of any kind. I am also very careful about picking stuff up now.
Good luck to you in what ever you decide
Jeff

11

A quick tip to prevent sneezing: Don’t blink. If you hold open your eyes, and it’s hard to do, but if you try real hard and hold them open when you feel a sneeze coming on and override that blink reflex, you cannot sneeze!

12

Thanks everybody…

2-4 weeks isnt bad, that combined with 2 weeks of (other than cardio) before the actual surgery might just help some other nagging injuries heal up.

Ill keep everybody updated, thanks again!!!

13

If I were you (and I had the same hernia that I have now), I would keep training and get it done after IMTX. Im not really getting any of the symptoms but I can feel it. My issue is that currently, im not training for TRIs and the sports I do involve lots of pushing, bending, awkward movements, etc, etc.

14

So I have bi-lateral inguinal Hernias, they arent terrible, largely asymptomatic but they are there and they need to get fixed.

I have beed to two different docs and had it confirmed (although I think I really knew for a few months before going to the doc).

THe crux of it Is I have to move in about 6 days…acros China…by train during the largest human migration on the planet (no joke). So, I cant get the surgery today because I wont be able to pull of the move with fresh wounds.

HOWEVER

the city im moving to, In addition to the martial arts hub of China, also has a famous Hernia “team” at the major hospital and my insurance will cover all but about 600USD (sounds like a bargain to me).

So I get to Shandong on February 11th, third doctor consult feb 12, surgery the 13th or 14th.

I feel very lucky that I have both sides and the doctor is able to fix both at the same time, as long as im going to be fucked up, he might as well get both right? Ive been reading that most people who get one, eventually get the other so just 1 trip for me…suckers.

The BAd: Chinese hospitals are dirty, not like those sterilized rooms in the USA, like Dirty, people smoking spitting…SO I plan to leave the hospital soon after the surgery, I already talked to the doc, he said if I can get down all the IV bags in 4 hours then its ok if I leave.

Im having Laproscopic with mesh…at least thats what I think but Ill talk more to the surgeon when I get to Shandong Jinan.

So looking for advice, encouragement…

Tried in the LR but I got a LR response which was hilarious, but Im getting nervous, looking for real answers, never had major surgery and now im having it in China. I already secured Ice packs (damn near impossible to find in china) and metamucil as well as some street grade painkillers.

As for recovery, I was thinking of taking the dog for a walk around the APT building, (maybe 200m) As for getting back to sports (lifting, martial arts), I sort of have a plan, Ill start from ero with the weights, add 5 lbs each workout until im back to where I am now, it will feel easy but I can focus on form. Ill try to run lightly after about 2 weeks and Ills tart martial arts as soon as I feel im healed.

Up until the surgery, Im just backing off to low stress cardio but a dcend amount fo it (2 hours a day) easy hiking, elliptical, swimming. No weights, no running.

WHat am I missing? how long did it take you or the person you know to get back to it? Am I over thinking it?

Hell of a way to start my 2nd year in China huh?

Thanks for your time

PS: they dont give pain eds in China…

My doc said I could do whatever I wanted up until the surgery until pain became a factor. He even sent me back to work (structural fabrication) for a couple weeks until the surgery. Granted, I ended up having to sit out of work due to the fact that strenuous labor did cause the hernia to worsen in that short time. My repair was via incision. As to the recovery, just listen to your doc and your body. I did start “training” a little sooner than was recommended but it was truly out of boredom from sitting around the house. If I recall correctly, the surgery was 10 weeks prior to my first sprint triathlon. I completed the effort but I was not in my “best shape,” so to speak.

I have two big caveats regarding recovery. One, be sure in advance you’re not allergic to the medicine they give you. Vomiting up vicodin two days after abdominal surgery sucks ass. Second, be prepared to entertain yourself via other means. I marathoned Game of Thrones and watched Top Gear religiously. Looking at your situation, I would try to have the surgery in the U.S. or whatever country has the most “western” hospitals. Those conditions would scare me more than anything else.

15

Sorry to hear about the hernias but it sounds like you have it under control and $600 sounds like a bargain to me too.

I’m wondering though, why aren’t you covered by insurance and what is the medical insurance situation like over there?

Good luck with your move and with the surgery.

16

I am under insurance, the 600usd is deductible I guess. The chinese citizens get like an ID card thats also a debit card that is also a social security card, they can use it at any pharmacy or hospital. As a foreiner I have a different sort of insurance through my work. The surgery will actually cost about 20,000rmb (docs make 4000rmb/month vs my 12,000 rmb), I just have to pay a deductible, all my check ups have been free.

As for the conditions, yeah, not quite ideal but my buddy got the surgery and was fine, back in the USA, i have no insurance, zero zip ziltch…so it would probably cost me like 20,000usd to get it done there. By the time I paid for a flight to the USA and back…not to mention the exorbitant cost of simply existing in the USA, it would cost all the money I have.

My main goal is to recover and get back to Jiujitsu and be able to complete the Foreign Mandarin language qualification course.

17

Thanks for taking the time to write that up, much appreciated!!!

Glad to hear that the healing gets better on a day to day basis innitially.

18

I had a out patient bi-lateral done about a year ago, end of season. I questioned my doctor when I could continue my triathlon workouts. He said, next day would be fine if I felt like it, and I did, (no swimming for two weeks, this is due to healing of the incision). He told me pro football players who have this done mid-season do not miss their Sunday game!

Getting over the effects of the drugs and the trauma of the surgery was about a 24 hour period for me. BTW, at my age, I could be the Grandfather for many readers, at least a Father! If you are in good shape going in, you will lose little physical fitness. But, do what the doctor tells you.

19

How’s the recovery coming? Back to training?

20

Yeah, been doing some biking and running. GOt cleared by the doc yesterday, Said I could get back to Muay Thai and striking stuff right away but Ill need a little longer to do wrestling stuff (BJJ and judo) just due to the internal pressure but im more or less god to go.

Got a fight scheduled for 8 weeks from now so Ill be building back up and looking to get in the ring.

Thank you for asking!!!