Community post
After the Cut... .:. My Inguinal Hernia Surgery Recovery
A bit more than a month ago, I had inguinal hernia surgery after almost a year of waiting on the waiting list... So, I had time to prepare myself for it... The process intensified somewhere in June, when I was called to do standard pre-operation tests... Luckily (or unfortunately 😃), everything was fine, and I was ready to undergo the surgery... The date was July 22nd, 2026...
This was my second surgery, after the appendix "removal" 35 years ago, and this time, I got the second cut, on the other side (now I'm symmetrical 😃)... There were two options for the surgery: laparoscopy - less invasive, fast recovery, but with the possibility of having the same problem in a few years, and classic surgery - "Lichtenstein operation" (don't look here if you are too sensitive 😃), which means more complicated surgery, regular cut, and longer recovery, but with almost zero chance of having the same issue in the future... Well, seeing how long I was absent from HIVE, you can guess which one I had... Lichtenstein...
Regarding the surgery, I was a bit freaked out... As my last (and only one) was 35 years ago when I was a kid with total anesthesia, this time, I was told it would be local anesthesia, and I would be awake during the operation... I suppose that sounded scarier than all the cutting, sewing, and whatever else happened... 😃 Luckily, when I was on the operating table, they gave me so many sedatives that I don't remember anything... The thing that nobody was talking about is RECOVERY...
Before the operation, I was told that they would release me from the hospital the very next day (sometimes they do it the same day), which I (naively) understood meant that the surgery isn't a big deal, and I would be OK in 2-3 days... Oh, how wrong was I... 🙂
My wife's photo - the cut
The morning after the operation, the surgeon came to my room and told me how everything went OK, and how they would release me in an hour or so, after the nurses changed the bandage... She also said that there would be no checkups at all and that the wound was sewn from the inside, and there was no need to take out the threads... If I had long, prolonged, unbearable pains, I should come to the E.R., and that's it... Okay, no big deal... Easy-peasy... I thought... Btw., all that happened in less than 24 hours after the operation... I felt fairly good, but still on painkillers... It was time to go home...
I was expecting more issues with climbing stairs to the 3rd floor, but surprisingly it was relatively okay... The first day or two, I had issues with getting up from the bed, which was something that stayed a problem for the first 2 weeks... If you checked that nasty link, you saw that along with the cut, they did some muscle moving and did some internal sewing... A lot of moving parts + UFO (unidentified foreign 😀 object) is sewn to my body from the inside... The first body reaction is to eliminate the object, which means inflammation... But, in my case, that was expected, and that's how this works...
Something that I still feel (probably because of the synthetic mesh) is the feeling of numbness in the inguinal area... The first days after the operation, the numb area was pretty wide, and as time was passing by, it was shrinking... But very slowly... Keep that in mind...
After those first pains, I began to have new moments in recovery... Somewhere around the first 10 days, I realized that the recovery would take a bit more time... As I didn't have any information from my medics, my main doctor was AI... Every time I would have some doubt, I would ask if that's normal or unusual... Should I check with the doctor, or stay at home and rest... Actually, my AI chat history is helping me out with writing this post...
Having fresh cut means additional caution with doing anything... What is the best position to sleep? How to avoid sneezing and coughing? (Believe me, you don't want to do that in the first days) And the worst thing of all, going to the toilet... I don't want to go into details regarding that, but all those drugs that you are getting during (and after) the surgery, plus lack of physical activity, don't help at all... I'm still not sure if my fear of hurting the wound, or all the other mentioned reasons, was the main reason for having a really hard time... My recommendation if you run into a similar problem... Try 2 kiwis in the morning, or some less aggressive laxative drugs (consult your doctor), and don't delay it... Every new day will make it worse...
My doctor told me that I should start walking after 3-4 days in the house, and slowly go out for longer walks... That didn't happen... lol... I went out of the house for a walk almost 10 days after the operation! I wasn't ready to do it earlier...
I mentioned the numbness and how the area was shrinking... Well, I noticed the biggest difference only after the 4th week! Yes, you read it right... I still have the feeling, but it's much easier to live with than before... During all this time, that numbness was provoking different pains... Somewhere around 2-3 weeks, I could more easily get up from bed, but I began to feel more pain in my testicle... All that area became even more sensitive than before, which I found strange and worrying... After another AI consultation, it looked like it was normal, aka checking that external link where images show a lot of moving parts inside the body during the operation...
The place around the wound is still slightly swollen, and I can notice the difference between the two sides... That's also normal, and you shouldn't worry about it, except if it doesn't change color (turns red) or grow in size rapidly... Sometimes, you will maybe think it's bigger than the day before, but it could be just the water (there is a medical term I forgot) under the skin moving from one part to another... Which is also normal, and the body will slowly absorb the water...
During the operation, a lot of nerves are cut, and muscles are damaged... All that have to recover and come back to normal... So, when I went for walks for the first time (around 2 weeks after), I had another "interesting" pain... I had maybe a 15-20 minute walk, which after I had the pain that you have after an intensive run (out of shape)... Has nothing to do with the wound, but because of that, I wasn't able to go for a walk the next day!
After 3 weeks, my skin in the surgery area became even more sensitive... It felt itchy, and I had a feeling like after a skin burn... It was very uncomfortable to wear anything... It was another moment for asking an AI what to do... And not sure if it was because of its suggestion, or it was just a coincidence, but I felt another, and probably the worst kind of pain (in my recovery)...
AI suggested showering the area with cold water for 30 sec, then switching to normal temperature, and repeating the process... While showering, I did feel relief, but when I went back to sleep, I had 5-6 severe pains, like stabbing, or getting an electric shock... Or, if you had a toothache and your dentist would hit exactly into your nerve... Ouch...
As I said, I'm not sure if those things were connected (cold shower and the pain), and I didn't connect them when it happened... I skipped the showering method the next day, and it didn't happen... The day after, I did the cold shower thing, and had even worse pains, which made me think... lol... Learned my lesson and didn't repeat the cold shower... After checking an AI (again), it looks like when nerves are "reconnecting", some of them are "overly sensitive," which can cause exactly this feeling...
A few tips if you are (will) going through a similar recovery:
-
Don't force yourself and your body too much... When you feel the pain, stop doing what you are doing... When you scratch your arm, it could take days and weeks to recover... You got torn apart, cut, and sewn in multiple places; a lot of tissue and muscles are damaged... Our body does miracles, but it needs time...
-
Have a lot of patience... Don't expect to run after a day... First, you have to learn to get up and walk...
-
I would suggest using rosehip oil after taking off the bandage until you fully recover! It will avoid additional pain from a dried scab...
-
I wasn't able to sit for almost 3 weeks... Find the pose that suits you and make your body comfortable... Some simple actions can get you tired... I remember that every shower was like running a marathon... Still not sure why, but I suppose my other muscles were trying to take over the duties and made the whole thing so tiring...
-
Have someone to help you... I wouldn't be able to go through all this without my wife's help! 🙏
Why did I do this post? Well, these 5 weeks were a big rollercoaster of emotions for me... Not just physically, through different pains, but also mentally... After experiencing new pains over time, I was on the edge of despair, losing hope that it would ever be better... Of course, that makes no sense, but when you are beaten down over and over again, it's harder and harder to keep your spirits up...
Because of all that, I wrote this post... To share my experience and maybe help some of you who are going through similar things... You will probably have different feelings, but having your recovery expectations low(er) could help with your mental health... Also, realizing what is "normal" and what's not is always good to know!
And don't forget... You will get better!
Have a fast recovery and all the best!
Thank you for your time.
--ph--
👉 Vote for Liotes HIVE Witness HERE 👈
Don't forget to follow, reblog, and browse my Hive page to stay connected with all the great stuff!
Replies (65)
Congratulations @ph1102! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain And have been rewarded with New badge(s)
Your next target is to reach 155000 upvotes.
You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPHave a fast recovery!
Get well very soon.
I'm glad you're feeling better. But still, be careful for a while longer—don't get up or sit down too quickly, and don't lift heavy things.
The BEST post we’ve seen you write ✍️ so far.
All it took was 🔪 👩⚕️ to help you get to the point!
#waytoosoon 😉
We’ve missed you awful and we cheered to see you back with us at CWH. Take it easy, friend. 🥰
Oh... I'm so sorry to hear about everything you've told us. I hope you have a speedy and full recovery.
I'm about to have the same surgery myself, and in a similar way to how you were operated on (I say similar because right now there's a significant crisis in the healthcare sector here, and the guarantees aren't what they were a few years ago). Now, after reading your experience, I'm actually a little scared because I had no idea the process would be so painful. Now I'm starting to get a better idea of what it's like.
I had my appendix removed few years ago and I would love to be under local anesthesia and be able to see/hear what they are doing. But they put me down all the way... dammit :p
I'm glad you are OK and things are healing... even if its slower than expected. Its always better this way than have some complications.
Glad you are on the mend! That was a great description of the whole process and I can confirm from those details, I don't want to walk in your shoes :)
Sorry for what you have gone through. I wish that you have a speedy recovery. Sorry for the pains you went through in the surgery. Please, get well soon; we have been missing you for long
Good evening @ph1102, I haven't watched the video or whatever you linked to... I'm a bit squeamish... I hope you recover soon, and thanks for the advice (although I hope I don't need it).
Best regards. 😊
Thanks! The worst is behind... ;)
Thanks! Almost there...
Thanks! Yeah, I don't plan on going to the gym for the next few months... 😃
Thank you for your kind words! 🙏
I missed the CWH, too! Every day that I didn't join, I felt guilty!
Still have issues with sitting for a longer time, so no promises to get into CWH every day... 🙂
The surgery itself was easy, as I was knocked out completely... 😃
The other things I mentioned were all bearable... Not long, unbearable pain, but rather short episodes... It just takes a bit more time and patience...
Also, what I had doesn't have to be the same you will experience... I heard people recovered after 2 weeks and completely got back into their routine...
You will do better than me... 💪
I know that the recovery from that operation is tricky, my sister had the same one, with the installation of a mesh.
The same recovery for several weeks, but after that she had no problems.
It's good that you recovered, both mentally and physically, as soon as you reduced the pain and got back on your feet.
You have a junior as support, let him slightly increase your pace and walking distance, just take care of lifting the load, at least for a while.
PS. In that black cloak in the first picture, you reminded me of a Jedi, only your sword was missing 🙂
Ah, I sympathise, that illusion when they let you out of hospital after 24 hours and you think it's done and dusted! I was not prepared at all for Day 3! Glad you're making steady progress and gradually finding your way back.
As I mentioned, my brother went through the same thing when he was 18; he’s now 43. Not only did he experience the same thing as you, but the day after he was discharged, he developed a fever of 38 degrees and we were all absolutely terrified, fearing a serious infection. In the end, it was just the unbearable heat in the city where he lived, and everything turned out fine. So, although I haven’t been through it myself, I know that recovery is very difficult. My mum has had operations for a slipped disc, her gallbladder and varicose veins. We have a long history of looking after people. I understand exactly how you feel. You’ll be fine!!🤗🤗🤗🤗
Take good care of yourself!!
!WEIRD
!MMB
!INDEED
!HOPE
!LADY
!PIMP
looks like a small scar , hope it heals fast enoughfor you and that operation was a succes .
View or trade
LOHtokens.@stresskiller, you successfully shared 0.1000 LOH with @ph1102 and you earned 0.1000 LOH as tips. (2/16 calls)
Use !LADY command to share LOH! More details available in this post.
You’re so funny. 😹 It’s exactly because of that sentiment that so many kind people have, that our tag line is, “we’ll see ya when we see ya!”
Life happens. You don’t need to be attending for us to care about how you’re doing.
But then you know that already.
Go easy on yourself.
Much love! 🥰
OMG, what an ordeal ☹️ Glad to hear you are finally doing somewhat better! 💙
Oh shit! Get well soon!
It sounds like a long process, but I am glad it went well. It may have taken a bit longer than you would like to get better, but I am glad everything was over without any large issues.
When in pain constantly, it's difficult to stay rational and it drains our energy which doesn't help either. Also it probably doesn't help much if the only doctor you have access to is AI... I whish you that things get better quickly from now on.
I don't mean gym. You mustn't forget not to lift anything heavy. It happens very quickly—you forget, you see something you need to move or lift, and you do it instinctively. That's what I meant.
Really? Or are you just joking? Why would you like to see/hear those things? 😃 Are you some type of masochist? 😃
Thanks! The worst is behind... Now, just the final tweaking to fully recover... 😉
Thanks for your curation! Appreciate the support! 🙏
Ahahahaha... Nobody wants to be in those shoes... But I was comforting myself by saying it's better to have a hernia than something much more complicated and life-threatening... There are much more serious and painful health issues...
Thanks! 🙏
It's only someone who have passed through your experience that can understand the feeling of having new pain especially after a surgical procedure. Some people recover faster or slower, sometimes people differ, and it's great to see you're doing relatively better, hopefully you can recover even better in the coming weeks.
Thank you for your kind wishes! 🙏
I'm doing much better, as the worst is behind me...
Thanks! 🙏
Btw, I didn't watch it either (the external link) before, and even after the surgery... When I was writing the post, I did it for the first time... It wasn't that ugly (as it would be if I did it BEFORE the surgery 😂)...
That's good to hear! I read somewhere that the "numbness" in the area can stay for a long time, sometimes for years... Did your sister have that and for how long?
Hahahaha... It was dark blue and made from some cheap plastic... As you can see in the second photo, they tore it apart while I was on the surgery table... And as it was around 40 degrees those days, I was cooking inside that thing! Couldn't wait to take it off.. lol..
Thanks! Yeah, those 24 hours are full of hope for a fast recovery... 😃 And then reality kicks in... All in all, I was lucky that I didn't pick up some infection or run into any side-effect issues... All this was probably expected, but nobody prepared me for it... At least, maybe this post will help someone else...
Huh... To be honest, that was my biggest fear while in hospital and for the first 4-5 days... What if I got an infection? What if something goes wrong and they have to operate on me again? That's why I was asking so many questions to AI... 😂 Luckily, all went fine, except for those standard pain issues... That's normal, but I didn't have enough information to know what is normal and what's not...
I hope that your mom is doing well after so many complications she had recently...
Thanks and all the best to you and your family! 🙏
It is around 7cm, and it heals (healed) very well... From the outside... From the inside, it will probably take a bit more time...
I had you on my mind a few times during the recovery and operation... When you had yours, and you said you would not go back under the knife... My operation was probably a joke compared to yours, but I don't want to go under the knife either... At least not in the near future... 😃
The moment of leaving bad and moving to the computer chair was the turning point... No way back! 😀
Thanks for your wishes! 🙏
Thanks! 🙏
It has been over a month now, and I'm feeling alive again... 😃
I have to take care a bit more about carrying heavy things, but I will survive that... :)
Thanks! 🙏
The surgery lasted around 1hour, but recovery is a "bit" longer... 😃
No unexpected issues, which was great... Almost fully recovered!
Thanks, man! 🙏
I feel much better... Still feeling weird things in the "area", but much better than a week or two ago...
I was kidding regarding the gym, but you are 100% right about ANY heavy lifting... Also, it's very easy to "forget it" and do something stupid... Will try to be attentive! 💪
The post-operative period is even more important than the operation itself and depends on the patient, which includes having a positive attitude. Everything will be fine!!
Following her eye operations and the issue with her high blood pressure, she’s now on medication. Life has taken its toll on her nervous system, and she gets nervous about things that make no sense. I’m now giving her valerian, a natural remedy, and she’s doing better… but I’m keeping a close eye on her. I have great support from my brother. Thank you!
Thank you! 🙏
You are right about the recovery process... We could have the same operation on the same day, but have completely different recoveries... What I had doesn't have to be the same as what the other person feels...
Hahah yes really :D Cause I would like to see what they are doing. Especially that there was a screen above the table, so I could watch it (maybe). I just find it interesting :)
well i can tell you the surgery wasn't on my bucket list 😂 still isn't .
I wish jeje
Big hugs!
!alive
!hbit
roswelborges, you mined 0.9 🟧 HBIT and the user you replied to (ph1102) received 0.1 HBIT on your behalf as a tip. You can receive 100% of the HBIT by replying to one of your own posts or comments. When you mine HBIT, you're also playing the Wusang: Isle of Blaq game. 🏴☠️ | tools | wallet | discord | community | daily <><
What's more, you found 1.0 ⚪ BLAQ pearl as a bonus treasure token!
Your random number was 0.31283213754656625, also viewable in the Discord server, #hbit-wusang-log channel. Check for bonus treasure tokens by entering your username at block explorer A, explorer B, or take a look at your wallet.
There is a treasure chest of bitcoin sats hidden in Wusang: Isle of Blaq. Happy treasure hunting! 😃 Read about Hivebits (HBIT) or read the story of Wusang: Isle of Blaq.
Gats love symmetry 😂😂
I'm glad you're better man!!
This sounds like quite a journey, not just physically but mentally too. I honestly had no idea the recovery from hernia surgery could take this long. Thanks for sharing such a personal experience and all those little details. I’m glad you’re finally feeling better. Take care and keep recovering. 🤗
!PIZZA
$PIZZA slices delivered:
@zoe01(1/5) tipped @ph1102 (x2)
Send $PIZZA tips in Discord via tip.cc!
I didn't go into details with her 🙂
But I know she didn't have problems with the hernia anymore.
So, just be patient, when you're done with the operation, the numbness will pass.
What you're saying makes sense... I'm still not going to look at the link. 🫣 I'm so glad to see you here. 😊
Hugs!!
Many years ago when I was studying for my business degree, we looked at a case study about a hospital that specialises in hernia operation, how efficient they were and that all patients could leave hospital on the same day (or was it the next day?) It made it sound like the patients had gone through a sausage machine in a factory. Does that sound familiar?😄
Like @enraizar I didn't watch whatever you included in the spoiler 😬 it's a good thing you included the warning
And btw, your hospital gown is very feminine, like a lace opening 🤭
😅😅
Happy day to everyone!!😊🤗
I saw that in my parents' doing, and I saw that doing myself... Every time I catch myself, I try to calm down and think clearly... and stop stressing about stupid things...
Good to hear that she is doing better... Having you by her side helps a lot! I'm sure about that!
😂 😂
Hehehehe... I'm one of those who have to put things in the same place, in the same order... 😂
Thanks, man! 🙏
Thank you very much for your kind words of encouragement! 🙏
I suppose the mental journey was worse... It's nice to be lazy all day, but not to be forced to be in bed for a month... 😀
I’m also very anxious, especially because of what I’ve been through in life, but as my brother says… in crisis situations you get anxious, but if he talks to me, I manage to think logically and understand. My mum can’t. Yes, let’s just say I’m her go-to person for everything.😆
I had the same thought before the surgery, when they were "examining" to leave me the same day, or the next day... As I had an appointment for early morning, it was a viable option, but I got operated in the afternoon... Waking up around 4 PM and trying to stand on my own after that is a bit scary... Anyways, that one night in the hospital was fine...
Another thought that I had was how the heck those celebrities go to gazillion aesthetic operations without needing to do it... I did this as there were no alternative options and it can't be "cured" in any other way... But they CHOOSE to go under the knife, and not just once, but many times... that's crazy...
Hahahah... I think it doesn't work on Ecency... so don't look there... 😂
I knew that the photo would cause some giggles... 😃
I can understand, my father had undergone surgery and I was very depressed. But at least you got the courage, I'm really proud of you. It's not a small thing, you're really brave 🫶🏻.
!PIZZA
Take care! I laughed at the part about using AI as the "doctor".. Cos it was the same for me when I injured my knee recently. Was asking all sorts of stuff from what to eat and what to avoid eating, and how long it takes to recover etc. 🙃
Hehehehe... Oh, yes... Those were the same questions I asked... 😂
"Is XYZ normal? How can I speed up the recovery? What to eat? How to sleep?" 🤣
😂