Re: Hernia

Did you have any further incidents after your operation and have to take things easy, solitaryman?

At the moment I get "reasonable" days and really bad moments. The waiting is the worst thing. I've done all I can to try and get my operation date but nothing's happening.
Meanwhile I'm bored out of my tree at home, it's driving me nuts not being able to do anything

Re: Hernia

This is the last straw. Had enough.
I'm going to A&E in the morning.
What have I got to lose? They can do the op or send me home

Re: Hernia

After my op I was told the opposite - straining was good because it presses the mesh, which was on the inside of the tear, harder against the muscle wall.

I had retired when this happened so there was no worry about work but I think I was back to 'normal' activities within a week, it was only day surgery. As it was keyhole surgery there were two tiny scars about 1cm long each which disappeared completely within a month or so (though I could probably identify the sites if I looked closely).

Re: Hernia

Best idea if they are making you wait - squeaky wheel and all that.

Re: Hernia

Hey Floydy - how did you fair at A&E?

Re: Hernia

I said earlier I would go if I was as bad as last night, Tabby. I'm not, so I didn't go.
I've had enough of all the fuss to be honest.

Re: Hernia

Ok.

Re: Hernia

Without aiming for any fuss, it's only polite to provide and update...

I was quiet on here yesterday for the simple reason that I went to A&E in the early hours of Wednesday morning because my right hand side hernia was causing me some severe pain. I’d had enough and my wife drove me there at 4.30am.

They spoke to me beforehand after discussions with each other and decided that they would only operate (for now) on the right hernia - the one which has been giving me all the trouble. The reason was because it would be too limiting on my recovery if they did both at once. Besides, the left hernia is basically protruding a little but hasn't caused me any pain, it just needs watching.

After the A&E wait of about three hours, which was incredibly boring but of course, worthwhile waiting nontheless, I was seen by numerous different batches of nurses, theatre staff and every other man and his dog asking the same questions. But it led to my being sent down ultimately at round 11.30am yesterday morning. I was on a ward by 2pm apparently (as I was asleep and not quite sure how long for).

Afterwards back on the ward I was in some pain naturally. The anaesthetics (local and general) plus being cut open for open surgery, not keyhole as the hernia was too far enlarged, was restricting to my movement and it took me some courage to actually try to get off my bed and attempt to walk along the corridor. But it wasn’t as bad as I envisaged at all. I made it to the toilet and took a leak standing up rather than seated and without the use of grasping the walls or handrails.

Later on, they quite shrewdly advised me to still go ahead with the proposed private hospital pre-op for the middle of November as by then today's operation should be healed up nicely and I could use the 28th Nov previous op date for both hernias there as a repair of the left one, pending their agreement on the pre-op date. Sounds a good plan to me and hopefully it will be sorted out, otherwise it may mean going through all this again at a later date. Also, when I explain all this to my work when I call tomorrow night they should see this as a practical means to an end.

Going back to this afternoon and to my even greater surprise the consultant turned up at my bed and said I should be fine going home there and then! Meanwhile I was fed and watered and then my wife turned up at 6.30pm for a visit, bringing me books, my headphones and two changes of clothing thinking I’d be kept in for a couple of days at least. I left with her before 7pm and was home continuing with "Prison Break" by 8.

I’m talking things easy at home now for a while and not driving for at least a week, being very careful. I won’t be drinking either and I’ll be eating wisely as I won’t be very active apart from walking around the house basically keeping my veins flowing and my circulation in order.

I’m so pleased I made the effort to do this. If you remember I almost went through with it a couple of weeks ago but now I’m pleased I didn’t as they would have doubtless sent me home citing the condition wasn’t serious enough. I’m a happy but very tired bunny as I write this at 1.50am this morning

Re: Hernia

Great news Floydy, glad it’s been sorted out for you and the op went well. They don’t keep you in hospital for long these days do they.

Take things easy for a while and you’ll be back to full strength before you know it,

Re: Hernia

Thanks Mags It had to be tackled and I'm sure it will work out fine. I'll contact work tomorrow.

If all goes to plan depending on if the other hernia is operated on, I intend to get back to work sometime in December or more likely in the New Year. Also, I can begin exercising again then too but with a completely different programme of events, mainly no heavy lifting and more cardio work. I'll take it steadily.