Incisional Hernia

Yep, for me it was an easy fix. In and out the same day. Reinforced the sutures with mesh. Been good to go for about ten years.

I had Umbilical Hernia surgery several months Before prostate surgery.... Just don't hang out with any comedians after surgery. Belly Laughing isn't good.

Well done 81GyGuy!

Add me to the hernia club roster — except that mine was after open-heart surgery rather than prostate surgery.

I, too, was one of those imbilical hernias that was in and out the same day. Back to work (office job) in 3 days. Back to the gym (carefully) in a couple of weeks. By now, 7 years later, I can’t even find the scar.

As long as there are no complications in the procedure, the simple ones are easily fixed. If you have a complex hernia, with organ or intestinal involvement, then you need the ace team to do the procedure and you may find yourself with an overnight stay in hospital. These procedures have very low complication rates, and generally much more straightforward recoveries than prostate (or heart) surgeries.

I went for a CT scan on Friday. The dr will be calling me on Monday with further instructions.

81GyGuy I did the search as you suggested and I am definitely not alone!

My bulges are quite large....one on each side of the incision but I only feel and see them when I am standing.

So we will see what the surgeon has to say on Monday.

SS - You would never think I have an inguinal hernia when laying down either. However, once I have been standing for a while, it is clear that the bulge is there as gravity does its work. This is actually good as the hernia is “reducible” by laying down and not stuck in the out position which can be a big problem.

I am awaiting the results of my CT scan on Friday as well although I have studied my images and think I can find the problem area. Hope that is all that they find.

Yeah, my last CT scan report said “by the way, there is some significant calcification in an artery” which led to a cardiologist visit and some additional testing that I really did not need at the time. All turned out fine but just another issue to deal with while dealing with PCa.

So surgery is scheduled for 11/30. I was given a choice between open and robot assisted.

My brother had a hernia years ago and they tried a non-invasive technique. They nicked a hole in his intestine, closed him up, and it nearly killed him. During the discussion today the surgeon mentioned that robotic indeed had that risk but open doesn't. He said the risk with open is infection of the incision.

He said I would be sent home same day regardless of procedure, either way.

I chose open.

Based on my experience recovering from RALP, where those first few days after surgery were awful because I couldn't stack pillows anywhere to get comfortable, I purchased a recliner. Im sitting in it now. It will do nicelyyyyyyyyyyyyy zzzzzzzzz.

ps: the latest Covid restrictions may make the robotic option more difficult since most of the machines are at hospitals around here and they are starting to limit surgeries. The surgery centers are largely unaffected but I will have to see how this plays out next week.

GoBucks said...
Remember, avoid all comedy and jokes.

We would then have to put you on mute for a few weeks! ;)

Thanks for the well wishes.

Ok its one day after surgery. Here is a brief chronicle of my experience thus far.

One line summary: Compared to RALP, this seemed easier.

As an FYI the hernia developed near the largest incision they created when doing the RALP (the one above my navel). The hernia turned out to be quite large.

1) Covid precautions. I was tested the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and had my results in the MyChart software that night (i tested negative). Thanksgiving was really muted. Generally speaking life has been really muted as I have only seen like 5 people in the past month because I knew surgery was coming.
2) Surgery went well. Long day. Got there at like 8am and was home by 4. Weird thing....No pillows. They had these foam headrests everywhere. I was not comfortable waiting to be wheeled in to surgery or after in recovery. My wife was not allowed in at all. I felt like they were trying to get me out ASAP. Came home really woozy. I could not walk unassisted at discharge but they really wanted me out.
4) Because the surgery was open I came home with this abdominal girdle which i have to wear for like 4-6 weeks. I dont have to give myself shots to prevent blood clotting like I did with the RALP.
5) Pain level is managed well thus far with three 500 mg tylenols every 6 hours.. Sitting still...no pain. I can now walk around the house. Cannot easily bend. Can slowly do stairs. Can use the bathroom. Interestingly the pad I wear for drips has been completely dry even though I drank a ton of water /juice for the last 18 hours or so plus whatever IV fluids I received. It hurts like crazy to cough or laugh. Until that side effect abates my self quarantine will remain in effect.
6) Very thankful for the recliner...wish I had one for the RALP last year.

Stephen, Good news on the successful surgery. My story was a little like Vince's 6 weeks after RP I was out on a walk about 3 miles from the house when I started to feel a terrible pain around my belly button area turned around and started for the house finally had to stop and take a look wow surprise if my life sticking out of the belly button was a lump the size of a tennis ball I pushed it back in made it home vomitting a couple of times walked in the house told the wife grab your purse and a coat we are heading to Duluth, MN immediately drove the 60 miles to the hospital made the wife kinda scared cause I wasn't wasting any time. Walked into the emergency room after sitting there for two hrs walked crawled back up the desk told the girl to call 911 I was sweating buckets and going in and out of conscious the lump had grown to the size of a baseball next thing I knew I was going for x-ray and then to pre-op had surgery around 3 in the morning. I had to stay the rest of that day and night got out the next day. The manager at work was sure surprised when i called him from the hospital as I had just been back to work 2 days. For me the recovery from the hernia surgery was worse and longer than the RP. I was off from work over 2 months. Hope your recovery goes quick and fast!!!!

Larry