katiegirl said:
It depends on the kind of hernia, but the surgery is quick, easy for the surgeon, and relatively painless. The guys I've seen who've had the surgery have all be back to business in 5-7days (no heavy lifting for 3-4weeks) and haven't complained about discomfort. This site has good explanations about the whole process:
http://www.facs.org/public_info/operation/hernrep.pdf
Clearly I can't speak from personal experience, but of the patients I saw, the hernia guys had the shortest recoveries and least problems with pain after the surgery. Once repaired, it's rare for hernias to recur in the same place, and just because you've had one doesn't mean you're prone to get them. I didn't see any waivers for them on the NAMI pages, so hopefully the Navy sees it the same way and won't give you any grief about it.
5-7 days...are you kidding.
In January of last year I had Bronchitis, first time for that. Coughed so much (read that professional coughing) I got a free hernia out of it. Hernia was not painful, but felt like something oil canning in the groin area..you know like the bottom of an old style oil can moving back and forth. Saw the Doc...yup, a hernia.
I had to wait until March 4th for surgery and that was on a rush schedule as I had overseas orders.
Pre-op appointments at Bethesda were fine. Check in, get shaved, get ready. Let me tell you, the mind controls it all, and when you are nervous, there is no read that no pleasure in having a female shave you for surgery. Not fun awaiting the "procedure."
Surgery goes okay. After I wake up I'm told they in addition to the hernia repair, they found a non-cancerous tumor on my pelvis (a lipoma) so they decided to scrape my pelvis to the bone to remove it. What am I supposed to say as I sit there on morphine doped up...."yeah whatever, sound great."
As I had Bronchitis a couple of months prior, they did an epidural for my procedure. I must have needed a lot of numbing juice ( my words) as it took 12 hours for the sensation in my feet to come back. I ended up staying an extra night.
I was supposed to check in at 0600 and be discharged at 1800.
Ended up in at 0600 out at 0800 the next morning.
Recovery...holy crap. Without a doubt the most painful thing I've ever felt. Not a kicked in the groin pain, but deep down torn muscle red hot branding iron pain. And not for a few days...I was still hurting after 2 weeks. Of course my pain medication ran out after 4 days and my follow up was not until 2 weeks post op. Ask for it if you need it before you leave the hospital.
Moved slowly like an old man (real old like A4s) for two weeks. Had to sleep on a very low bed. I'm telling you this sucked. Maybe it was just me. Then again...
Good luck....
