Has anyone had surgery for a significant umbilical hernia?

Posted by pht1123 @pht1123, Aug 17 7:43am

Has anyone had surgery for an umbilical hernia which contains fat and no intestines? I had an open chole in 1992. Through pregnancies, and steroid dependent asthma, I had gained significant weight over the past 25 years. From all of the above, I developed this hernia.
How difficult is the surgery to recover from? Not ready to take this step as it requires general anesthesia and will wind up taking more steroids for the operation. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks.

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Jody aka mojo244 | @mojo244 | Aug 17 9:45am

I’m a man so I can only speak from my experience. My umbilical hernia occurred during one of our annual law enforcement ground fighting training.
I went to clinic at our hospital and while I was laying on the exam table one of the general surgeons that I met a few months prior walked by. I shouted his name and he stepped in.
He checked me out and asked if I wanted him to repair it in which I said yes. He said let’s do it tomorrow at 0800.
So I really didn’t have much time to think or deal with it but the surgery was a piece of cake!
I just had to take it easy with no lifting for a week.
A few years later I got an inguinal hernia. I developed that one during stage IV cancer treatment. I think it was caused by all the coughing I was experiencing?
Now that one was painful after surgery! We went on vacation a few days after my surgery and it was miserable to say the least.
My genitalia turned black and blue and hurt like crazy.
After a couple weeks I was all healed up and normal again.
Don’t sweat the surgery, they will take care of you.
Jody

riflemanz64 | @riflemanz64 | Aug 18 6:08am

I just had robotic inguinal hernia surgery and it was a piece of cake. No problems and very little pain and swelling. If you can get your surgery done get it robotically.
Simple surgery.

dboesten | @dboesten | Aug 18 10:34am

This may sound scary, but stay with me: My husband's umbilical hernia was caused by appendix cancer (ovarian ca. presents the same way), so his repair was done in that surgery. The cancer is usually very treatable when caught early, as in his case. I agree with the others...get the surgery done and behind you. Get that clean bill of health. Prayers for a quick recovery!

pht1123 | @pht1123 | Aug 18 11:41am

Thanks for the information. Hope your husband is doing well. My friend's sister had cancer of the appendix. Thankfully, she is improving.

marialyce | @marialyce | Aug 18 3:20pm

I had my umbilical hernia surgery when I was 12. I was born with it. Piece of cake except for the removal of the stitches which were wire in my case as that was what was used at the time.