I had the same thing a few years ago. Please above all things remember this. POOP AS OFTEN AS YOU CAN AS SOON AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE. Get off the pain meds as soon as you’re not hurting. If you get stopped up you’ll be in trouble.

ETA: if you lift something or try really hard to poop don’t hold your breath. Be thoughtful of breathing. It makes a difference.

@sarge901...   Wow!  I would almost think that what happened to you would be physically impossible.  But it obviously happened.

I wonder if they cut something in there that held your intestines in place - a tendon or something?

Umbilical hernia repair about 10 years ago. In at 7am, home by 1pm. Rest of the day was no big deal, likely because of the residual drugs still in my system. Had Hydrocodone scrip. Took one next morning, one more 6-8 hours later, and one more the next morning. MADE ME FEEL LIKE SSHHIITT. Nausea, dizziness, and other crap. Quit taking them and went with Advil. Was very painful, but not as bad as my first bout of Gout. No way to sit, recline, sleep comfortably for about 6-7 days. Got better and within 2 weeks was back to about 95%. Took it easy for 3 months and was back to 100%.

Just never have been able to take hardcore pain meds. Cure worse than the ill in my case. Just had to tough it out. Fortunately I have a pretty high level of pain tolerance.

Never had the constipation problem, likely due to not taking the pain meds.

OP, stay as active as the pain permits without pushing the limits. I'll be wishing you luck and a speedy recovery.

Had my left side done 2 years ago, and getting the right done in Jan.

It hurts for quite a while. Six months I was still in a decent amount of pain occasionally. Even now, I sometimes get a slight pain from time to time.

You might want to read about laproscopic. I've heard that it sometimes fails and needs repair. Happened to my buddy... Second time he had conventional surgery and the mesh and his held up to fine after that.

Expect to be down for 2 or 3 weeks and pain for a few months after that.

I am hoping that will not be the case since its small and they are doing lap.

My optimism is soaring though.

Try not to cough.... or laugh. And keep a pillow with you at all times.

One last thing OP.  For the first week or so when you have to take a piss, let it be gravity fed.  Don't push, you will regret that as well.

And if you have a dog do not let it greet you or jump on you for at least 3 weeks.

Ahreed. Complete shoulder replacement and sent home with 4 days of oxy. Pain and withdrawals where a bitch

Had mine done this past October,right side inguinal small hernia done robotically.

The first few days my abdomen was sore but didn’t need anything stronger than aspirin.
Myt throat was sore due to the breathing tube being removed.

After the first week soreness is all but gone.
This is when you have to remember  the Dr’s instructions about lifting things and over doing it because you feel fine. Take it easy.

His advice to me for the first 6 weeks after surgery was this....
Don’t do anything you wouldn’t do in a coat and tie.

It honestly helped me remember when I was feeling fine not to lift that 30lb item when I wasn’t cleared to lift past 10.

I remember the doc telling me that my garbage could turn black and blue but I didn’t have any of that. I was never told that there was a chance that lose function of my dong. I had some lingering pain behind everything. The doctor said that it was from the tacks that they use to attach the mesh to your pelvis. I can’t remember how long that soreness lasted but it wasn’t bad.

I'm not sure what happened, the doc was awfully concerned- probably due to considering a lawsuit. The other drs who first saw the damage said that it was something that they'd never encountered. I did tell them that if the pix showed up on the web- I'd be hunting them. This was the most painful thing that I've ever experienced. I had over a dozen ambulance-chasers to visit me, along with a few insurance types. The follow-up visits to the dr's office were tense but I'm over it now- thank the Lord! I have a sign directly in my line-of-sight in my bathroom that tells me to take it easy. I just could not consider wearing a bag for the rest of my days and that would have ended my career.

Hit it with a hammer. That seems to fix everything.

I just had this done on 19 November. All good advice. I wish I would have had some of it. I cannot stress enough the importance of supportive underwear. Gravity is not kind...

Once again, GD is amazing, and has armed me with plenty of info and advice.  Thank you all.

I will add whitey tighties to my ammo fort, stock up on stool softener, imitation crab meat and orange powerade.

Now I will have to select some movies.

Had two repaired about eight years ago. I had previously had them repaired when I was three years old but the techniques at that time weren’t very good and they failed later on. I put off the surgery and just put up with it for several years.

My repair was done with mesh through two tiny incisions. I honestly had no pain afterwards during recovery. They pumped me full of fentanyl after the surgery that morning and released me just after lunch the same day where I went home and promptly took a 15 hour nap. They prescribed opioids for pain management but I honestly didn’t need them and never got the prescription filled. It was a month before I could go back to work. Today I feel 100%.

I did have an extra nut for a while.

I never had this problem. I think that’s more from the opioid pain meds than the procedure. Pissing was weird for a few days though. I’d feel like I had to pee but when I got to the bowl I’d end up standing there long enough my legs would go numb and only manage to dribble a little.

It was annoying.

Had one repaired when I was in HS.

Only advice is don't do anything that will strain the abdomen.

Eat a lot of roughage and fruit for super smooth voids.

Take something for allergies the first few days after if you are the allergy type. A sneeze will drop you to your knees.

Avoid humor at all costs. My brother came to check on me and hang. Brought  a new National Lampoon magazine to read. Thumbed through it after he left. A pic in there damn near busted the doctor's repair.

Well everybody is different and every surgery is different. Some people play "tough guy" and some really have little pain and soreness.
I've had three inguinal on my left side and need another. Mesh surgery laparo. all three times.
First one not too bad, pain and soreness a few days. Off meds in 4-5 days.
Second surgery was much worse. Had some nerve damage somehow. It was like a knife stabbing if I bent or twisted a certain way. Now I have a tingly, numb area that feels weird. On meds much longer for that one.
Third surgery was similar to first.

Doc said problem was most likely too much lifting too quickly and I agree. Third surgery I followed instructions but never healed back like it should. Probably back to 80%. Then, after a few months started getting worse.
I've been putting off surgery #4 for 3+ years because Doc said most likely would have to do conventional surgery to undo first three and start over. In my case right now, the scar tissue at the edge of the mesh is bothering me more than the actual hernia spot.
I hate to go through that again. I may have my knee done first.

IMO, I would follow the lifting instructions no matter how good I felt after a week or two, and avoid ANYTHING  that may increase chance of harming recovery. I would also start taking stool softener a couple days before surgery and keep taking for a week after.

Gotta get a pretty big umbilical hernia fixed first part of the new year. Already been advised that it’s gonna SUCK. Now after reading some of these stories..think I wanna throw up!

Be patient. I had two, it took a long time to heal and get back to where I was.

@russtang

Do you feel like the lapro wasnt a good method and conventional would have taken care of it first try?

Wishing I would have started this thread weeks ago.  I am just not a big thread starting guy.

Had a fishing trip planned with two friends. One had a vasectomy that morning and insisted on going we tried talking him out of it but he was determined to go. We didn't get a quarter mile from shore than he was on the bottom of the boat groaning every time we hit the bottom of 2 foot swells The other friend and I were laughing our heads off with each groan. We kept asking him if he wanted to go back but he insisted on fishing. Three hours later he was all but screaming and we had his crotch packed in ice. He still insisted on fishing but the two of us decided he'd had enough for the day and packed it all in. We got him home and he could barely walk with the other two of us helping him. His wife took him dragging and screaming back to the doctor. The doctor chewed him out royal and sent him home with orders to keep his crotch on ice until the swelling went down. He ended up missing a week of work and waddled like a duck for another week. Lesson learned, do exactly what the doctor tells you to do and the whole world won't laugh at you when you start talking about going fishing again. His wife finally made him sell the boat.

One month ago had umbilical, laparoscopic with mesh. Three days painful, anther five or six tinder, back to normal.

My oldest had this surgery a few years ago. Surgery was outpatient. Pain was more then expected. If you sleep upstairs now, set something up downstairs for the first few days. You'll be fine. :)

Wow. If you're going to do something do it right. No halfway for you.

So we should sent the OP the Three Stooges DVD set?

This, and miralax with a little prune juice at 2-3 days is your best friend.

Had an inguial and umbilical done 3 weeks ago. Feeling back to normal but not picking up anything over about 25 lbs yet.

Easy peasy, I had the same thing done in July.  Was back working in two days light duty.  About two weeks later it was like nothing happened.  Edit, after reading about pooping problems I experienced none of them.  Maybe I got lucky but it was a very easy surgery.

Doc told me recovery was nothing - he had one and played golf on the second day.

I must be a wimp because I wasn't moving for a couple days The worst part was puking - I felt like my guts were coming out. Apparently my body didnt like the pain meds they gave me.

Very easy surgery,Had the conventional not laparoscopic as hernia was too large,Mesh was installed.

Walked 2 miles the next AM (slowly) no pain meds except a couple of Ibuprofen 600.One each night x 2 nights.

Within 2 wks very little to no pain at all,Started Turkey hunting @ 3wks post op still walking  a little slowly but ATV bumps were painful.

I was careful about 6-8mos lifting over 40lbs,doc said nothing over 75lbs for 1yr

It will be 3 yrs in February and if I lift 100Lbs plus I can feel it but otherwise OK.

Prepare yourself for massive bruising in the genital nut sack area. You will not be able to shit correctly for 3 to 5 days due to the massive pain. I strongly recommend that you speak with your surgeon for them to prescribe Tylenol 3.

The only thing in my mind was that I was not going to be wearing a bag permanently. It may have been risky on my part but I did what I thought I had to do.

Nope, you'll forever be known as "Quad"

I had a conversation with my surgeon about this. He said that the risk of infection and other complications is greater. Also the recovery time is way longer. He said the risk out weighs any benefits.

pics?

Pretty much this. I think laparo. is the first choice for any surgery if it can be done that way.  In my case , 3 previous surgeries is the issue that may make it necessary for conventional surgery.

The size of hernia would play a part also I'm sure.

Have had both sides done about 4 years apart. Incisions on both. Both were moderate to large. First was stay 2 days in the hospital because insurance would allow it. Second was out patient. In at 7:00 out by noon.

Some funny shit here but you scare the hell out of the guy. I'm sure surgeons are different as well as outcomes. My surgeon was a retired Army surgeon. Blunt as hell, didn't have a problem cussing out anyone including hospital admins if he felt like it. Around 6'4" and old school. In all ---- probably the best surgeon to have as he was a Vietnam Vet and had probably saved lives in situations others hadn't. Once told me he wasn't a heart surgeon but he had done as much heart work as any around in the military, in the field, by necessity.

Anyway. No pain from either. Just about the same pain as an ankle sprain. Never took a Tylenol for either. First time he came in after my first surgery and chewed my ass for refusing a pain shot. Told me it was through the IV not the ass. Told him I didn't need it. Not being a tough guy. Just wasn't any pain to speak of.

Balls didn't swell. Dick didn't fall off. (Although I did tell him both times not to be bullshitting around and let the knife slip as I needed every inch I had)

OP. Don't stress this. I know it's easy to say as I had never been in the hospital, much less had surgery with the first one, but with a good Doc this is a pretty simple procedure. They will send you home with stool softener and pain meds. Do what you need to do with those. I just ate a couple prunes a day for about 3 days till I had a bm. Get up and walk/hobble every hour or so during the day. That keeps muscle spasms from occurring. And if they do they are bad. So move, don't just lay around or set too long. Don't lift anything more than your dinner plate for a couple weeks. Dr. will give you instructions. Mine were no more than 50lbs. after 2 months. At 4 months I could do as I felt.

For those with umbilical hernias. Had that last year. 47 stitches on the inside. 4 on the outside. No more pain than the others. More like an ankle sprain type pain. About the same weight lifting limits.

In the future, don't carry turbo 400s and sbc engine blocks by yourself cause it's cool. That was where my trouble started.

OP, best of luck. IM if you have any questions. Guarantee you will feel better when you are in your room and it's done. Just need to take it easy the first few days.??

“In the future, don't carry turbo 400s and sbc engine blocks by yourself cause it's cool. That was where my trouble started. “

110% TRUTH!! I used to think it was cool to be able to set big block chevy blocks and FE Ford blocks out of a spray wash cabinet. Guy that I worked for at the time chewed my ass for that stupid crap, too. And now I know why..

I had this last Friday (pair of small inguinal, done laparoscopic).

Saturday hurt a bit, and I used some of the hydrocodone.  
Sunday didn't require pain meds.

First part of the week felt a bit uncomfortable, but nothing particularly painful.

My instructions were to walk as much as possible, don't do any heavy lifting for 2 weeks.

I'm glad I didn't read this thread before my surgery.  

My swelling didn't go down on the side that had the repair.  It sucked, but I did have 3 chicks sonogram my balls.   So I had to have a hydrocele repair months later.......and even that swelled more than normal ( blacked out from blood loss) and I was immobile for 1.5 months.  My advice.  DON'T MOVE after surgery AT ALL and don't do anything that thins the blood like Ibuprofen.....no matter how fine you might feel post surgery.

Avoid having a hernia mesh put in !!! My cousin was in emergency surgery for over 14 hours because the mesh became entangled, growing into her intestines !!!!

If I would have had a single, he would do conventional.  But since I have one on each side, and they are small, he wants to do laparo.

Guess I will have to trust in his judgement.  Surgery at 1100 tomorrow.

Edit: guess its at 0930 now.

Well, there aren't gonna be any surprises. An inguinal hernia is one of the most common types of hernia. It is estimated that almost 70% of all hernias are inguinal hernias. With advancements in modern medicine, it is safe to say that hernia surgeries are the simplest and safest surgeries present. laparoscopic surgeries are quite simple. Painkillers will be provided after the surgery and you will most probably be asked to resume your routine work after 3days of rest. Kindly follow your surgeon's advice.

How are you feeling?

@MT_Mauser

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Welcome to the club OP!

Actually, not too shabby.

The first few days sucked beyond belief, but I was off the painkillers in 2 days.

My balls did not major swell up, but my left side still hurts/has an odd feeling vs the right.

Hope that doesnt mean it was unsuccessful.

Mine was the same.

The repaired side will feel tight and sore for some time.Mine still gets sore 3 years later sometimes depending how i crouch,twist,etc