Hernia Anyone?

essex-commuter

I had an operation 9 days ago on an inguinal hernia. Open surgery under a general anaesthetic, mesh inserted.

Recovery was quite painful initially (private parts went black!), but I'm feeling fairly good now and an walking daily (albeit a bit slower than normal) up to about 50 minutes.

Has anyone had the same operation? Was wondering how long it was before I can start thinking about getting back on the bike?

I know everyone is different. I'm thinking 4 weeks before even trying something gentle?

Ta.

imatfaal

Follow the surgeon/physio/ot advice to the letter and ignore desires to get back riding or advice from the internet (hey that's self-contradictory) . If you are really desperate to get back riding ahead of the prescribed schedule then shell out on further specific medical advice. The advice you have been / will be given should be very conservative - but it is very hard to judge oneself where that line which must not be crossed is

Midlands Grimpeur

Had two IH repairs (one either side). Four weeks is a good recovery period before cycling or any other strenuous physical activity but go on feel, if you are not ready in four weeks then wait longer.

I assume you have a check up booked in with the consultant (they should have given you a follow up appointment no longer than 4-6 weeks post op)? I would wait until you see them and get the go ahead.

Take it easy when you get back on the bike. What most surgeons don't point out is that in active people the body compensates for the hernia by the non affected side taking more of the physical strain for the affected side. This could result in a slight muscle imbalance, so don't hammer it for the first few weeks as you can end up with muscle pulls/tears etc whilst the body readjusts.

Good luck for a speedy recovery.

TonyJams

Get private physio at a sports clinic rather than relying on the NHS physio.
Also when you do get back on the bike make sure you spin lowwwwww gears on climbs rather than turning over a huge gear that your quads can handle but your injured area cannot.

essex-commuter

Midlands Grimpeur wrote:

I assume you have a check up booked in with the consultant (they should have given you a follow up appointment no longer than 4-6 weeks post op)? I would wait until you see them and get the go ahead.

I have my appointment with the consultant next Wed which is 2 weeks after the operation. I'm on vacation (relaxing abroad) in 10 days so by the time I come back it will 4.5 weeks so will see how I feel then.

All going OK so far.

imatfaal

essex-commuter wrote:

Midlands Grimpeur wrote:

I assume you have a check up booked in with the consultant (they should have given you a follow up appointment no longer than 4-6 weeks post op)? I would wait until you see them and get the go ahead.

I have my appointment with the consultant next Wed which is 2 weeks after the operation. I'm on vacation (relaxing abroad) in 10 days so by the time I come back it will 4.5 weeks so will see how I feel then.

All going OK so far.

Forgot to say I hope the recovery goes well - enjoy the holiday, and let someone else do the suitcase lifting

okgo

I've had open and keyhole, very surprised they're still doing open, far longer recovery time.

cjcp

I had one about 16 years ago. Wasn't riding then, but it would've been a month before I'd have dared got on a bike.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Our eldest daughter had 2x IHs at 7 weeks old.

It was over a year before she was walking, and many years after that before she was riding a bike.

Snakebite the 2nd

I have had a Epigastric Hernia (see below, for a copy and paste explanation)

Epigastric Hernias

Epigastric hernias are more common in men than in women. They occur due to a weakness, gap, or opening in the muscles or tendons of the upper abdominal wall, on a line between the breast bone and the navel or umbilicus.

It was operated on 2 years ago, and am booked in for a second one in the same area at the end of August.

For me the recovery time was 6 weeks off work due to the nature of my job.

After a couple of days I was walking around no problem and in fact did not suffer at all.
After 4 weeks I was gagging to get back on the bike so went for a ride, nothing strenuous though.
After 6 weeks I was back to normal, all be it with reduced fitness.

My hernia(s) are in a different place, I have heard ones in the groin area are a lot more painful.
Without a doubt I was very, very lucky.

As has been said follow medical advice (I didn't!) and listen to your body.
Don't push too hard, do a little more each day, as much for psychological reasons as anything else, but don't be afraid to say "sod it, I am doing nothing today except rest".

Since 2012 I have had to have four operations with the fifth one coming up, and have found the last couple to have knocked me for six, I think it is the general anaesthetic, but whatever it has been draining.

Good luck with your recovery though and hope all goes well.

Snakebite the 2nd

Info on different hernias here:

https://www.herniasolutions.com/about-h ... of-hernias

essex-commuter

Great to hear the stories and advice, thank you everyone.

essex-commuter

6 weeks to the day and I done my first commute yesterday. Took it a bit easier on the hills but all good. In on bike again today. I've lost some fitness but I've also dropped about 12lbs so I think I'm about equal to where I was pre-op.

Happy dayz.

mamil314

okgo these guys are demonising keyhole option as much more dangerous, are they just too biased

https://www.hernia.org/tension-free-mesh/

secretsam

Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:

Our eldest daughter had 2x IHs at 7 weeks old.

It was over a year before she was walking, and many years after that before she was riding a bike.

Likewise my son had his done at 6 weeks

I've seen one done in theatres. They have a good rummage around in your internal organs whilst they're in there.

pblakeney

essex-commuter wrote:

Hernia Anyone?

No thanks.
Got one already. Waiting on the op date.

secretsam

PBlakeney wrote:

essex-commuter wrote:

Hernia Anyone?

No thanks.
Got one already. Waiting on the op date.

I'd bust a gut to make sure you turn up for your op (geddit?)

The Rookie

Had a mild Hernia for nearly 30 years, told its not worth operating on as the chances of success are low compared to the benefits, its the result of an operation for peritonitis due to gangrene in my large intestine, but that's a different story!

Glad to here you are back in the saddle (ahem.....).

pblakeney

The Rookie wrote:

Had a mild Hernia for nearly 30 years, told its not worth operating on as the chances of success are low compared to the benefits, its the result of an operation for peritonitis due to gangrene in my large intestine, but that's a different story!

Glad to here you are back in the saddle (ahem.....).

Lucky you! Mine is also minor but I was told that there are only two known facts.
1. It will not get any better. 2. It will get worse. It is just a question of when and how bad.

essex-commuter

PBlakeney wrote:

The Rookie wrote:

Had a mild Hernia for nearly 30 years, told its not worth operating on as the chances of success are low compared to the benefits, its the result of an operation for peritonitis due to gangrene in my large intestine, but that's a different story!

Glad to here you are back in the saddle (ahem.....).

Lucky you! Mine is also minor but I was told that there are only two known facts.
1. It will not get any better. 2. It will get worse. It is just a question of when and how bad.

Yep, that's what my consultant said. He said OK to carry on cycling as long as it doesn't get much bigger (mine was large to start with, getting on for half a tennis ball size) and doesn't hurt. I commuted the day before my OP.

Biggest shock post op to be honest was my genitals turning completely black, nobody mentioned that might happen. Lasted about 5 days. :shock:

pblakeney

essex-commuter wrote:

Biggest shock post op to be honest was my genitals turning completely black, nobody mentioned that might happen. Lasted about 5 days. :shock:

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :? :shock: :shock:

The Rookie

PBlakeney wrote:

The Rookie wrote:

Had a mild Hernia for nearly 30 years.

Lucky you! Mine is also minor but I was told that there are only two known facts.
1. It will not get any better. 2. It will get worse. It is just a question of when and how bad.

Erm....yes told the same, it has got fractionally worse in the 30 years, but whether that is due to the hernia or just the degradation in 20 to 50 year old muscles I don't know! Mine is the fact that the natural sheath didn't repair properly after I was unzipped and there is some slight seperation in the muscles they could try and repair but deem it not worthwhile, if it gets bad enough they can.

Thank god my bits stayed pink though!