Getting that Hernia Repaired

I've known about my Hernia for over 6 months and tried to put it off. I am scared because of all the Heart attacks  and Heart surgeries I've had.How Stupid can I be.. Well I have a lot of knee pain, back pain and Hernia that is making my Exercise routine out of my life for the past 4 months or so. Basically just scared to move any at all.SO now I have regained 12 lbs.

Time to stop being scared. I WILL NOT REGAIN ALL MY WEIGHT LOSS!!!!

Any Stories about their experiences after Hernia repair greatly appreciated. What is life like after Hernia Repair.? I miss riding my Horse and playing Volleyball and all the many other activities in the summer....For some reason I am still thinking I will be limited to many activities after Hernia Surgery, because of my heart condition. Thanks. Wendy

What kind of hernia? I had an umbilical hernia repaired with my RnY. Made it hard to move from lying to sitting position but there was no long term effects.

I swim for exercise. It works for my wrecked up body and it's helping me lose weight.

Deb T.

I'm in a little bit of the same boat as you.  Double heart bypass 16 years ago.  2 heart attacks...1 stent.  Heart is good now...I do get my exercise in...Not to exhaustion, but movement (example riding my bicycle).  Concerning the hernia surgery, many doctors will do a two for one!!  When they are repairing the hernia they will cut some of the excess skin and you (may) get a free tummy tuck at no cost.  Ask your doctor.  Get it done and then find some type of movement that works for you.  For a last resort for movement, consider elastic bands.  You can get them anywhere.  And there are a ton of exercise videos on Youtube on how to use them and get the heart rate up.  Be well...Brian

I had open RNY and developed a incisional hernia.  I had it repaired in 2004, laparoscopically.    I will say that it was a very painful recovery, since my hernia was so large.  This surgery took me longer to recover from than my RNY.   In the months after my repair, I am not sure what happened, but the mesh must not have held.  My hernia became more pronounced several months following the surgery. Over time, it has gotten bigger and more painful, but I was living in a small town in TN, in which I did not have confidence in the surgeons to do a hernia repair there, so I put it off.  I am back in CA now and not sure if I will have it repaired or not.  It does cause me pain, I do have a very large area of my midsection that is bigger than it has ever been, but again I am not sue I want to pursue repairing it now, unless there is something better than mesh to hold it in place.   Up until a couple of months ago, my hernia was reducible, but not it is not.

If you decide to have the repair, ask specific questions about what they will be using to repair it, what the failure rate is and if there have been reports of complications from adhesions (and how severe) after repair.  

Good luck! 

Nik