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Inguinal hernia

Big G

8-Apr-2013
5:53:19 PM

Anyone had one repaired? What's the recovery like? Getting mine done in 2 weeks and have heard people say weeks to months to recover but no climbers in my extensive sample...

Marssan

8-Apr-2013
8:13:43 PM

I had a direct inguinal hernia repaired laparoscopically with a pre-peritoneal mesh about 8 years ago. I was told not to climb for 3 months and from memory I think i actually followed the advice.

For the mesh to properly repair the defect it needs to become incorporated into the tissue of the abdominal wall which takes time, any serious straining of the abdo muscles can jeopardise this process.

About 6 weeks after surgery i met some friends at Arapiles, i thought i could do some easy climbs like Tiptoe Ridge or some of the easy organ pipes classics but even walking up the central gully track gave me pain so i canned that plan pretty quick.

I'm a bit of a wuss when it comes to pain so I just sucked it up, didn't climb, and waited to get better, perhaps your experience will be different.

Big G

8-Apr-2013
8:33:12 PM

Thanks marssan. I'm being opened up as my surgeon reckons there is less chance of it coming back. I've put my gym membership on hold for 2 months post op. hopefully when it starts again I'll be up and running.

miguel75

8-Apr-2013
8:41:53 PM

I had an umbilical hernia surgically repaired a few years back with recovery, i.e. no skating or surfing, taking about 8 weeks.

While my belly button may never look the same it's free from any pain, which makes me very happy.

Big G

8-Apr-2013
9:02:48 PM

I've got one of those too! Surgeon reckons its not big enough to worry about yet and it only hurts when my daughters poke their fingers in there (this happens with alarming and disturbing regularity)!

Miguel75

8-Apr-2013
9:29:40 PM

On 8/04/2013 Big G wrote:
>I've got one of those too! Surgeon reckons its not big enough to worry
>about yet and it only hurts when my daughters poke their fingers in there
>(this happens with alarming and disturbing regularity)!

Funnily enough this was how mine was found. I never had any inkling of an issue until little fingers started poking into my BB...

Groveller

9-Apr-2013
7:25:29 AM

Had an open ing hernia done about 5 years ago. Hurts like buggery for the first week, then you have to take it easy for the next 5 weeks. Still get the occaissonal twinge.

Big G

12-May-2013
8:12:12 PM

Update: 3 weeks post op.
first week was purgatory. Second uncomfortable. 3rd, I'm in the dangerous period where i forget and do stuff that could cause a mischief. Wound is still a little tender but managed a ride and have returned the hire car so the bike commute commences tomorrow.
Back on the crag? Well I reckon that a few weeks off yet.

JDB

13-May-2013
11:22:36 AM

Hey Big G,

I had an inguinal hernia repaired a few fews ago; I recollect climbing 6 weeks later.
I still get a dull ache at the site of repair after a big day of climbing.
The good news is that my surgeon said that the surrounding tissue is more likely to let go before the repair.

BoulderBaby

13-May-2013
6:16:27 PM

I'd rest, and make sure you heal up properly. Probably the nastiest of the hernias.

Seb

17-May-2013
9:36:26 AM

I had mine done two weeks ago. First few days post op is an experience not to be missed. Coughing and sneezing are especially fun not to mention going to the toilet. The pain does ease up very quickly though, after one week was able to do a few push-ups without pain. Went for climb for the first time last night at the gym, top rope only. No pain climbing but sitting in the harness is a little uncomfortable still.

Big G

17-May-2013
9:55:39 AM

I assume you had laproscopic surgery Seb? I had the full open job, 10cm long wound in the groin - no way i'm sitting in a harness!!! surgeon also found a benign tumor and removed this but it caused a huge oamount of bruising in the scrotum.

Glad you have recovered so well. I'm still a little ways off a climb at this stage.

Seb

17-May-2013
11:11:38 AM

I had open as well. My cut is about 7-8cm long about 3 cm above the groin itself. No tumor in mine but had some tissue sent out for testing which came back as all good. It was strange though since it was not reducible and it didn't really increase under strain. I probably had it for 10 or more years, it was getting abit more painful recently and I lost abit of feeling in the skin above the hernia, I guess it was affecting a nerve somewhere in the region.

JDB

17-May-2013
3:21:07 PM

Seb you were a bit lucky you held together as long as you did.
My surgeon gave a good analogy on inguinal hernias. He said they were like blowing up a baloon, not much happens at first, but the next stage is a big expansion, read: big blow out, which sometimes enables some bowel to come out as well!! Not nice.

Also, don't over do it Seb, 2 weeks post surgery sounds way to early to be doing push ups to me.

There are 14 messages in this topic.