I had a small hernia repaired on January 4. A week ago plus two days.

It was small and he used the method of putting a mesh patch on on the inside of the abdominal wall which if the hernia is small enough is the best way to do it and which the recovery is the quickest for.

Today I can feel a tender spot where the incision is and there is still a swollen place at the incision but the soreness is almost completely gone. I can stretch and sneeze now with minimal discomfort.

One thing I did was I asked not to have a general anesthetic because they make me really nausious after surgery. So he did it with a spinal block and some stuff that made me not care what else was happening. The result was that post operative, they took a little longer before they let me go home because it took longer for my feeling to come back in my legs. But when I got home I ate a normal meal (soup actually) and had no nausia other than a small amount of queasy feelings with NO vomiting.

So if you have a small hernia and are putting off the surgery because you think it is any kindof a big deal....don't.

Tom W

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

My father has had 3-4 hernias over his working career. The first 2 were well before this technique was developed. The third was done using the method you describe. He never felt right after that. He always had some kind of discomfort in the region of the hernia. This is went on for over a year. Sometime later he popped another and insisted it be done the "old fashioned" way by cutting him open. The recovery was longer of course but he felt much better in the long run.

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'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

Tom,

I've had lower left and right inguinal surgeries. The right needed repair October '03, & left, just done in August '06. The mental and physical relief after getting each one done was worth any apprehension before each surgery. I'm a lean, somewhat muscular 6'0", 195 lbs. Neither of mine were sticking out, just a mild bulge in each instance. There was very, very little after surgery pain whatsoever, in my cases. I was put out with a general both times, then picked-up a prescription on the way home.

An interesting sidebar, my Dad had one that he never got repaired, and my older brother, who is a doctor Ph D in the healthcare-medical field, has one, and has yet to get his fixed either. I don't get it, but that's their choices.

The worst part was that I carry a $2K deductible major medical health insurance plan, with a 20% co-pay. No big deal laying out the cash for my share, that's the coverage I'm comfortable with, paying reasonable premiums. One huge benefit with the pre-op physical to surgery, was you get an electro-cardiogram, a chest X-ray, and over 100 different blood measurements done, that your physician has before surgery, to make sure you're in surgery shape. Tom, ask your physician on your next appointment, or your final visit with him about how all your blood numbers looked. If anything stood-out, he would probably let you know about it anyway.

I heartilty would recommend guys get this done, rather than live with it. It was miserable walking around with the discomfort all the time. And, you can't lift anything without risking further internal injury, if you don't get it fixed.

Went in for a doctor visit for a groin strain...doc diagnosed a double hernia in addition to the original injury.

In and out surgery, a few days of bed rest, and back on my feet! Probably the ONLY time I actually followed sensible advice regarding health!

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

Thanks, I'll ask about the blood work.

Tom W

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

TW- Glad your on the mend and everything went well with your surgery and anesthesia. MAC anesthesia is better than general if your prone to the heave hos after surgery. You doing sit ups yet?

__________________
"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL

MAC?

No situps yet. I am sticking with one armed pushups!

Tom W

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

MAC is IV sedation- versed and propynol?

__________________
"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL

I had MAC once. It was the best nap I've ever had!

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

My Mrs. says versed. It was an IV.

I heartily recommend the spinal block. I will admit coming out of it was pretty strange. My butt was the last thing to come out of it. For a good while there I was pretty much normal but was definately a 'numb nuts'!

Tom W

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I had 2 hernias done with a local anesthetic, plus a little valium and atropine. I got bored lying there and fell asleep.

I had my first (and hopefully last) repair with the prolene mesh repair and IV sedation done in mid-December. The patches come in different sizes and even though mine was a fairly large repair, I was still a good candidate for the prolene mesh according to the doctor (Pardieck at LowCountry Hernia Inst. in Charleston, hernias are all he does).

No spinal, only IV sedation, slept through the whole thing - most annoying part was the pain pills shutting down my digestive system - I gave them up after 12 hours and didn't look back -- better an occasional twinge than losing the ability to enjoy my food!

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GeoDad
1985 300D TurboDiesel (238k - 10/10)

Oh yeah?

Next time I am going to just ask for a stiff belt of my favorite bourbon and a quick smack on the noggin with a large mallet!

Tom W

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.