Hernia Repair

 Go in Mon. so my surgeon can fix my hernia.  In my appt. today he informed me that it would be much more painful then the RNY.  I was shocked... and now Im so scared!  LOL  Would like any stories/advice on your hernia repairs.  Thanks OH friends.

I had a large incisional hernia repaired when I was about a year post-op.  Because of the size of the hernia, it was open surgery and the surgeon put in a large square of mesh to try to be sure that the hernia wouldn't recur.  Even though my RNY was also open, the hernia repair hurt much more than the RNY because I could feel where she attached the mesh.  It was the most painful surgery I had until I had my tummy tuck.  Some people are able to have hernias repaired by lap surgery, though.  Generally, the more muscle affected during the surgery, the more painful it is.  The surgeon should give you pain medication that will at least make you reasonably comfortable no matter what your pain level.

Lora

I had my ubilical hernia repaired last Sept with a panni. It was open. The first couple of days were really bad, was on constant pain meds. But by day 5, I could walk slowly around the park.

I had a bowel obstruction in late May, so they repaired my very large incisional hernia near my belly button at the same time they fixed that.  It started lap but ended up open.  They used mesh.  It hurt but was bearable.  It hurt more than my RNY (which barely hurt at all), but less than the other 2 surgeries I've had.  I slept in my recliner a few nights so that it was easier to get up and down.  I just took Tylenol once I got home, since the narcotics just don't seem to agree with me.  I still get some twinges 6 weeks later, but it's not bad at all.  They warned me mesh repair takes a long time to completely heal.  The first few days are the hardest.  You will be fine.  Good luck!

 I had an incisional hernia from my open RNY four years ago.  Just had it repaired this spring, laparoscopically.  Not nearly as much pain as the RNY; I was off pain meds and driving withing three days.  Much depends on the extent of muscle area involved.