Hernia repairs....

I have to have 2 incisional hernias repaired on October 18th.  Has anyone had to have this surgery done less than a year after they have had open gastric bypass, or any other gastric surgery?  What should I expect, how long is recovery time?  I am just a little scared and need some comfort and reassurance.

Mine, hiatel hernias, were repaired with my surgery so I can't tell you much but wish you luck. 

what was your recovery time? how long were you under anastesia? How did things go for you?

Well, I'm just 9 days out now so I guess I am still recovering.  The hernias were evidently the easy part.  I had 4 open abdominal surgerys previously and my surgery ended up being 3.5 hrs instead of 1.5.  I had a pretty rough go the first 3 days but since then have gotten progressively better each day.  When home on day 3. I progressed rapidly.  I think what took so long for me was cutting out all the adhesons that had formed over the years.

I had a huge incisional hernia repaired about two years out. It went basically from breastbone to pubic bone, and I got it fixed by getting a "tummy tuck." That meant that I got it repaired without using surgical mesh, which pleased me. It was a BIG total operation--hernia repair, abdominoplasty and panniculectomy all in one. It was far and away the toughest surgery I've ever had, and I've had a number of them over the years, a lot harder than my open DS as far as overall recovery went. I got a complication that necessitated a revision of the panniculectomy portion four weeks later, so that extended my recovery. It all hurt like hell.

Boy can I relate!!

I am having one very large one (softball size) done on the 27th of this month. My surgeon told me not to worry. He had worked on people with more abdominal work than I had.
He assured me that I would have a regular recovery time. about  8-12 weeks before you can lift. He told me to restrict myself to 5lbs and under this time.
I guess my cat is going to be very mad at me! She weighs 12lbs! lol
I'm two years out and have had two other surgery's in that time, so try not to worry, just follow the Dr's orders.
If you have questions by all means ask!
Don't do what I did and pick up something too soon. That's what landed me in this position in the first place! I had some surgery on my abdomen (not related to the WLS) and I forgot I was not supposed to pick up or push anything heavy (over10lbs) for 12 weeks. Oops! I forgot one day and here I am now doing it all over again.
Try to relax, you will feel it for the first week or two and after that it is just remembering NOT to lift!
You need to let the internal healing be complete before you put strain on it. Otherwise you have to have it done all over again!
Hope this helps.

PS. the actual sugery takes about one to one and a half hrs. depending if they are using the mesh reinforcement or not. this time I'm getting the mesh as it is a big one. It ususally requires you stay overnight.

Susan

Thank you for your responses.... I have to have 2 removed and they are going to do the mesh lining.  I have an 8 inch hernia under my rib cake then right underneath that I have a 2 inch hernia that appeared about 2 to 3 weeks ago.  So my whole incision from the open RNY has basically oppened backup.  I have a 3 year old toddler who is very affectionate and clingy, so I am pretty sure that is how I ended up in this ordeal to begin with.  I will not be making that mistake again.  I have already told her that there is to be no picking her up or carrying her for a long time until Iheal and the doctrs say it is alright.  I am going to have her go to my next pre op appt with me so the doctor can sit down and tell her that I wil not be able to carry her, maybe she will understand him a little better.  She is more upset about me going back into surgery than I am.  She is scared I wont come back home to her because she lost an aunt in the hosptial a little less than a year ago so she is not fond of anyone going to the hospital for long periods of time.

I just had this done on August 27th and am getting back to work next week, I work with children so an active job.  I had to have my gallbladder removed so we decided to fix my two incisional hernias while he was doing it.  Thankfully my surgeon didn't give up and kept working through my lower hernia that he said took him 2.5 hours to cut through scar tissue from previous surgeries.  He was able to do it all lapro and with two meshes.  I was sore from the lower especially due to all the previous scar tissue but I have to say I am happy with the fairly quick recovery time and no complications.  Oh I did do a little desk work this past week so a couple weeks was fine for me in regards to work.  My daughter is 8 so thankfully she understood and is a great helper.  Best of luck to you!