UKC

On waiting list for operation for inguinal hernia and would be grateful to hear any advice or just the experience of anyone who has already had one re maintaining contact with climbing before and after the operation.

Thanks in advance.

In reply to Vigier:

I had a double inguinal hernia op (mesh, keyhole, one each side) about 3 years ago. 6 weeks later I was climbing in El Chorro with no after effects or twinges. First 10 days after the op were the hardest - going to the loo being the worst - but I walked out of the hospital and walked every day thereafter. Started gentle climbing after 4 weeks.

Although I only had 4 weeks notice of the op, tried to keep climbing and exercising as 'prehab', hoping to speed subsequent recovery. It may have helped, but I'll never know.

As far as my experience went, it was a very successful operation with surprisingly quick recovery. I should have twigged however that there was a good reason they were giving me a very large pack of painkillers when I left the hospital. Nobody mentioned that peeing and pooing would be a trial for a short while.

Hope this is informative and helpful to you. Good luck.

Dave

In reply to Vigier:
I had the operation (mesh, open surgery) last year about 14 months after first noticing the hernia. Delay was partly my choice due to climbing plans and then partly waiting list time. I would advise not delaying - it gradually got bigger and after about 7 months became very debilitatingly uncomfortable. Fortunately a truss was extremely effective (I could recommend one) and I remained fully active and climbing until the day before the operation. I had a week off work (a bit painful for two or three days) and was walking round town fine after five or six days and climbing back to normal two weeks after the operation. I have had intermittent discomfort since which was quite worrying at first but it has gradually diminished - I do feel annoyed that I was not told what to expect in the months following the op, thus causing anxiety for me and waste of NHS time for appointments.

In reply to Vigier:
Like Mr F Stottie (above) I had a double, oddly enough at about the same time, also dealt with by keyhole. There the similarities end as I didn't suffer pain or much discomfort for more than about 3 days afterwards and the painkillers supplied by the hospital were adequate to relieve that. I went into the hospital at 7.00am and was collected by my wife at 5.30pm and walked the half mile to the car park.

Compare this to the full open surgery I had about 40 years ago when I had my first inguinal hernia - 6 days in the hospital and 6 weeks off work - till I could stand up straight!

My advice on diagnosis and before treatment was to be very careful with exercise in order to prevent strangulation which is very bad. Very bad!

In reply to Martin Bennett:


Open surgery has obviously moved on a lot then - my recovery from it sounds pretty much the same as yours from keyhole.


When my hernia appeared I paid for a private appointment because I was about to head off on a ten week climbing trip and needed to get advice and sort insurance position. I was told that strangulation was very unlikely and that, in any case, as long as I habitually pushed the lump back in promptly it wouldn't be a problem even if a bit of intestine did pop through.

In reply to Vigier:

I delayed my surgery by about 3 months due to climbing in summer then going to squamish. Doctor wasn't exactly like yeah, go for it but they didn't say it was an incredibly stupid idea. The recovery was reasonably quick to get back to climbing but I really struggled with my core for about 6months. Even lifting my legs up high was tough. Took me over a year to get back to the level I was climbing before the op although doubt that was purely down to the hernia surgery. I was probably about as fit as I've ever been when I had that hernia!

In reply to Vigier:
My experience is a little different to the above.

After my hernia developed it caused me a lot of pain - I passed out on New Street station and woke up to find a concerned armed policeman looming over me.

It was initially diagnosed as having an inguinal hernia.

Anyway, went in for op and my surgeon explained to me that he had in fact repaired an inguinal hernia AND a femoral hernia. His view was that the femoral hernia was the one that had been causing me all of the pain, nausea and discomfort. He suspected that the femoral hernia had probably partially strangulated whilst I was at the station, hence me passing out. Luckily for me, it must have sorted itself out.

It is now 5 months on and I'm getting back to some kind of fitness. However, my surgeon has explained to me that I have a natural weakness on my right side - not the muscle but the connective tissue. This means that I am susceptible to further issues. I am to avoid putting lots of pressure through my core because of this weakness (ie. Bouldering - my favourite thing in the whole bl##dy world). I have been told that further surgery, if required, will be pretty rubbish.

Accordingly, I am presently not climbing. Trying to get fit through Swimming and running, but it's just not that inspiring at the minute.


Anyway, I hope your experience is much better!

In reply to bouldery bits:

I had an inguinal hernia repair by open surgery about 15 yrs ago, done using private health care that came with my job at the time. The op went well, I was given a detailed programme of exercises that started the day after the op and I did these by the book. I was climbing E1/E2 five weeks after the surgery and back to best after about 2 months. Subsequently done lots of climbing in Scotland and the Alps and I never even think about it now. Good luck with your op, get some good advice on strengthening and stretching during your convalescence.

In reply to Vigier:

Guys, thanks so much for sharing your experiences, it has been really helpful and, generally encouraging.

Mine developed last summer during a week's climbing and I tried to ignore it, just pushing the intestine back in when needed; however, like Robert, it got steadily more uncomfortable until I had to go to see my GP.

Going to order truss today and give it a go; anyone think it might be useful post op?

Bits: have you tried a truss for your situation?

In reply to Vigier:


This is the one I got: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hernia-Support-Medium-35-41-89-104cm/dp/B0053XV61G...

For me it eliminated discomfort almost entirely, though a bit of a faff to put on - once I had it adjusted properly (pretty tight) I sewed the velcro to stop it slipping. Did not wear it post op.

In reply to Vigier:

I had a double hernia op in early September.

As everyone else had said, you're in and out of hospital in the day, it's not particularly painful. Getting upstairs (I live on the third floor) was a bit awkward, then I spent a day in bed and the rest of the week on the sofa. It took about ten days to feel myself again which I put down to the anesthetic, I had a week off work and the second week I just did half days (work for myself so that's no problem). By the end of that I was really on the mend, did a lot of walking to aid healing and was back climbing after six weeks. Core is pretty weak and steep moves feel a bit hard, but I was off the pace on that before the op thanks to the hernia diagnosis - I basically kept to vertical climbing and didn't do anything steep and burly when I knew what it was.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Cheers Robert!

In reply to seankenny:
Thanks Sean; was thinking around six weeks for recovery.

PS At my age, really steep routes won't be a priority; however, I had been keen to devote more time to climbing again, so a bit disappointed at developing this hernia. Replies that I've had, like yours, have been very encouraging.

In reply to Vigier:

11 months after my open surgery the pain is easing off. For weeks after I couldn't walk without pain. But admit that I should've taken more time off work. It still feels uncomfortable to lift anything heavy, so I don't.

After the op take a mild laxative, you'll be glad you did. Keep a rolled up towel handy, if you need to cough or sneeze press it on the site of the wound.

Climbing? I'm still wary of belaying, so now only boulder as I don't want to wear a harness. Rockovers are a thing of the past, just too uncomfortable.

To put this in to context I'm in my 50's and have heard of younger men getting back to playing sport within a few days.

Good luck, and I wish you a speedy recovery.

In reply to jcharles:

Thanks for your input; must admit I'm hoping for a speedier recovery but you just have to accept what you get, I suppose.

In reply to Vigier:

I had both sides done about 4 years ago. My anaesthetist was a climber. He said walking after 2 weeks and climbing after 4 weeks, but listen to your body. He was spot on. I did Hadrian's Wall Direct on the Ben after 4 weeks to the day. It was a bit uncomfortable but fine. I declined Orion Direct on the day and that was correct.

In reply to Andy Nisbet:

Thanks Andy,

I believe we are of similar ages, so it gives me some confidence that the chances are this won't be too disruptive to my attempts to spend more time devoted to climbing in the coming year- although I don't have your motivation, I'm afraid!

PS Was your op at ARI by any chance?

In reply to Vigier:

No, at Raigmore, Inverness.

In reply to Vigier:



No.

Had a tight jock strap post op to keep everything in place for a couple of days which was fine.

Not tried a truss, trying to rebuild strength without support at the minute.

In reply to Vigier:

I had open surgery on an Inguinal hernia 3 month ago, prior to the op I made sure that I was as fit as I could be for the op and was climbing outside the day before.
After the op I was back walking on the hills in 3 weeks and climbing indoors after 4 weeks. I'm back to my usual self now but have to take it easy on lifting heavy objects

n.b After a heavy day at work say chainsawing or other heavy ish work I do sometimes have a twinge down the groin but it only lasts for a few hours.

mills.

In reply to mr mills:

Thanks mills,

Mine gets uncomfortable after walking for an hour or so but I can still do some climbing at the moment; although a bit wary, I have to say.

In reply to Vigier:

Right side inguinal hernia diagnosed Feb this year, complication from a bike fall.

Was getting more uncomfortable (larger) as time went on, worst after long days on feet or particularly large sunday lunches.
Open mesh repair by NHS early September. Two weeks off work. NHS follow up is poor, so I went to my own physio.
Got some trans abs exercises to do as you'll have had a cut made right through it.
I was driving after 10 days without issue, went back climbing indoors gently after 4-5 weeks. No problems so far.
Can get slightly achy if doing a large amount of physical work, occasionally feel the mesh stitches pulling but that apparently can happen for up to a year.
Mine is getting better all the time but taking care with what I try on the wall. Limiting factor is now an impinged shoulder, . The joys of being 50........

Cheers
Mark

In reply to MarkAstley:

Thanks Mark.

Will be careful after op to not push too much too soon.

Also find it gets worse after walk but, thankfully, large meals not an issue!

In reply to Vigier:

Had repair to inguinal hernia after putting up with increasing sized hernia which put paid to climbing and cycling. Unfortunately I ended up with a peno scroctal heamatoma (look of the draw). That said, I was remarkably pain free from the repair although the retention probably masked any pain anyway. Back to normal activities after about four weeks although taking it easy. Cycling 50 mile a day after six weeks and climbing normally , skiing as I did previously 10 weeks later. Only occasional discomfort never needed painkillers. Advice from consultant was straight forward... "Listen to your body and anyway you're going to ignore what I say anyway". Never bothered with laxatives but concentrated on high fibre diet with plenty of water to drink post op. Advice with towel rolled up when using toilet was useful. NHS was bril all the way through.

In reply to Vigier:

It is hard wearing a harness, following the op, and there are twinges for a long time afterwards, but then no problem.
My consultant felt climbing never contributed to hernia, but fell-running and football did.
I tend to agree.
Mine was private to fit in with work.
Great success.
DC

In reply to pwo:


I agree. Especially staying hydrated.

In reply to Vigier:

Again guys, thanks for your stories and advice.

Hopefully the lay - off will increase my motivation to put more time and effort to getting back to some form of climbing fitness ASAP!