Author Topic: Umbilical hernia help!!!  (Read 4768 times)

bigdarksnake

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Umbilical hernia help!!!
« on: September 02, 2008, 10:21:44 PM »
I got a small umbilical hernia (maybe 2.5 cm diameter), and was wondering if I should get it repaired, or should I wait and see if it stays the same? Does surgery alter abs appearance? Does mesh block abs? How long is healing time? Was it covered by insurance? Should I go anesthetic free (Is is painful?) Please help guys. Thanks.

Luv2Hurt

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Re: Umbilical hernia help!!!
« Reply #1 on: September 03, 2008, 05:24:14 AM »
I got a small umbilical hernia (maybe 2.5 cm diameter), and was wondering if I should get it repaired, or should I wait and see if it stays the same? Does surgery alter abs appearance? Does mesh block abs? How long is healing time? Was it covered by insurance? Should I go anesthetic free (Is is painful?) Please help guys. Thanks.

I would consult with your doctor on this.  Insurance should pay for most of this.  Healing time varies, but have heard with the mesh it is the shortest, probally 4-6 weeks no heavy lifting.

I would think you would want some anesthetic, probally cant feel good.

Overload

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Re: Umbilical hernia help!!!
« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2008, 07:33:22 AM »
Have it looked at ASAP.

The sooner you get it fixed the better.

Don't put it off for too long unless your Doc tells you it is OK.

You should be back to lifting within 4-6 weeks.

Get the good mesh, tell the Doc you lift heavy weights.

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Vet

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Re: Umbilical hernia help!!!
« Reply #3 on: September 03, 2008, 10:19:33 AM »
You know, i was told 4-6 weeks before I was back to lifting after I had my hernia repair.....that was bullshit. 

I blew out an umbilical hernia nearly 3 years ago pulling linoleum off my kitchen floor.  It was stupid, considering I'd squatted 585 x 8 two days before.... 

Anyway, after doing some reading, and watching the hernia seem to get bigger every time I went to the gym, I insisted on an "open" mesh repiar.   I went to a very good surgeon in Manhattan and basically told him I'm a powerlifter, I'm going to squat 900+ some day, fix me so it won't break under that kind of pressure. 

The surgery itself was pretty straightforward.  I was back in the gym after 6 weeks with light work.  The problem I had was hellacious abdominal cramps for almost a year.   I'd lift something heavy and my abs would knot up so bad I couldn't breath.   The same thing with any repetitive type movements like sex or crunches.   I'm not just talking minor cramp pain either, I'm talking mind blowing, hurts like a guy knots in the abdominal muscles.   

I dinked around with this for almost a year before I finally just got pissed.  I fixed the problem---its only happened once since then, I've had no problems with heavy training or with the meets I've done since then, but it was not a fun year while I was having problems. 

I've also come to find out that what I was experiencing---adhesions and cramps secondary to the adhesions is not an uncommon occurance with humans with mesh umbilical repairs.   The close repairs are no where near as strong with a much higher incidence of reoccurance, but the mesh repairs are not problem free. 


My advice---get if fixed and get it fixed soon.   The longer you wait, the more likely you are to have problems.   

bigdarksnake

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Re: Umbilical hernia help!!!
« Reply #4 on: September 03, 2008, 02:12:53 PM »
So its common to get cramps with the mesh repairs? What other side effects? Thanks to all for your help so far!!!

TrapsMcLats

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Re: Umbilical hernia help!!!
« Reply #5 on: September 03, 2008, 02:21:16 PM »
i've only had inguinal hernias (NOT lifting related... although that didn't help), but i never experienced cramping.  What i still experience is nerve pain.  When they go in, they sometimes hit a nerve or cut it.  As with me, it sometimes continues to alert PAIN to your brain even though there's nothing wrong.  for me, its extended periods of sitting or bending over certain ways in the shower or stretching hammies.  It really freaked me out at first (i've had  4 hernia repairs, all in the same place on each side of my lower abdomen... when i puke, its  like squating 1200 lbs for my intraabdominal walls, pressure wise if that makes any sense) because once you've had a bilateral henia reapair surgery, you don't want it again (trust me... one hernia surgery is nothing, two at the same time unreal).  I would see a doctor.  Umbilical isn't even that bad, they don't have to jab a finger up your nuts to test for those.

busyB

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Re: Umbilical hernia help!!!
« Reply #6 on: September 03, 2008, 03:35:37 PM »
So its common to get cramps with the mesh repairs? What other side effects? Thanks to all for your help so far!!!

I had a mesh put in about 10 years ago, embilical as well....

Never had any issues other than the healing process, don't laugh or caugh.  ;)

Once it healed, I was fine and back to the gym in no time. Just get the mesh done, it will never get better if you don't. The scar was minimal, went around my bellybutton and can't even tell it is there.

I did take about 20g. of Glutamine a day to help it heal quicker too.

Good luck!