Hernia????

A general surgeon should suffice. Easier to get an appointment too. Once diagnosed, you probably can leave it until it is convenient for you. It all depends on the symptoms it is causing.

I let mine go for a year before I even reported it. I just needed a break from doctors...

Jan

good luck! I went to a general surgeon to fix mine. Now it is back and I am taking a break like Jan said because I've just had enough.

Itsnotsherry,
So sorry that things are not going well, you deserved a good summer!
I have become a sort of expert on this one (unfortunately)...my first one was 6-8 weeks post op, just when I started to feel good and started exercise...yup, did it to myself (darn stairmaster!)...it was done through open surgery and didn't quite work so when I got my other hernias (yup, 5 in all) I went to a specialist who did them through laporoscopy and that was darn close to miraculous...if it weren't for my medical history I would have been in and out in 24hrs but they kept me 3 days to be safe...the only negative side effect was the gas...
If your surgeon can do it that way then I highly suggest it...less risk of added adhesions and a much, much shorter down time...my surgeon took advantage of the situation and cut some adhesions while in there and did a bit of house cleanning too so...if it is not painful, dangerous or bugging you, you can let it go for a while but if it is causing problems go to see someone soon...
Sharon

Thank you for your responses. So is the answer we cannot exercise? How do we avoid these? I will try to find a doctor today, just to make sure I have the correct diagnosis, although at this point, I feel like a doctor from it all!

We can certainly exercise, and generally without restrictions. OTOH anyone who's had a big abdominal surgery has a potential weakness in the abdominal wall at the incision line. For most folks it never causes a problem. I'm sorry this happened to you. At least it's a *much* smaller surgery when you choose/need to do it.

I went to my GI surgeon. He put mesh in there. It wasn't as big as our other surgeries but it was still a stomach surgery. I re-injured it recently picking up my daughter. I definitely think there are a lot of restrictions as far as stomach exercises so you don't re-injure it. I went to physical therapy to learn how to lift and what things I can/cannot do going forward. Good luck.

I decided to live with my hernia unless it begins to cause me problems. So far (11 years later) no problems. It doesn't look great but I don't care. My c/r surgeon reminds me every time he sees he that it's there and he can fix it. I'm sure he can! I told him that if ever I need to have him surgically fix anything else, repair the hernia while he's there!

I am with CeeeeCeeee. I have had mine since 2010 and it causes me no problems. I have actually found doing crunches makes it less noticeable for me. My is at the top of the incision for the removal of my colon. Best of luck to you!

Two Incisional hernias from colon resection surgery. One from the incision down the center of my abdomen and the other from the colostomy incision. I am having both repaired June 5th by the same surgeon that did the resection. Hoping to have them done laproscopically. How long should I expect for recovery to return to a "desk job"?

You can do sedentary work within a week in most cases, but ask for the typical 6 weeks or so, just in case there are complications. Better to be ready to go back early than to have to deal with extending your leave.

When I had my incisional hernia repair it was just an overnight stay. My surgeon initially planned it to be ambulatory surgery, but decided to keep me overnight because I tend to have complications. I did wind up developing a seroma that needed draining several times, but it did not keep me from doing my usual routine. I was up doing the housework, chasing the kids, cooking, etc. the second day after surgery.

A cakewalk compared to the colectomy and j-pouch!

Jan

I'd say that it depends on the type of surgery and the surgeon...if it is done externally with an open suture line then you need to take a bit longer off and avoid any strenuous activity for a while (4-6 weeks) but if it is done through laporoscopy you should be ok in a couple of days and good to go by the weekend...that said, you are not supposed to be gardening, mountain climbing or repainting the ceilings in the same week as the repair...give yourself some time off...(then paint the ceilings!)
Sharon

Mine was not laparoscopic, was an open midline repair, and I was fine in a couple of days. But, I did have mesh, so it is a stronger repair. Still, sitting at a desk is not very strenuous, and it depends how much you want to return to work.

Still, you just don't know how your recovery will go. But, these things don't generally involve periods without eating and that sort of thing. It's generally pretty superfiscial (although my surgeon went in and took a peek at my pouch, just to enjoy his handiwork, I guess...

Jan

I had an incisive hernia about 3 years after my colectomy - it was repaired without mesh and never bothered me again (I am a carpenter by trade, so heavy lifting is all too familiar).

I am on my second parastomal hernia - repaired once last year - surgeon estimated a good 5-7 years, it lasted 6 months.

I'm having the j-pouch done next week and the surgeon promises me some good mesh will go in at the take down to minimize future hernias.

Best of luck!

- Mark