Strangulated Hernia

[Welshie35]

Anybody had the operation for this? It’s a umbilical hernia.
DW rushed in by the GP Friday and had the 4 hour surgery on Saturday night.
Still in hospital at the moment as they had to cut quite a large area as the hernia had been there a long time. Doc says no driving for 2 weeks, no lifting for 6 and no work for 8.
Is this a realistic recovery from any experience out there?

I know everyone is different and don’t take any medical advice etc but just looking forward previous experiences.

Thanks

[Rabel]

Slightly different circumstances - family member had the connective tissue and not the intestine cut away due to strangulation - but a similar length of surgery and not keyhole. They were signed off from work for 8 weeks and told to refrain from driving for at least 2 weeks. They were in hospital for a bit longer than expected, and I'm afraid that obesity did play a role.

For them the 8 week recovery was optimistic, but there were other things impacting on this and I think that the delay in recovery was unexpected.

Gentle movement and activity when your DW feels up to it will help. The driving restriction is so that you can hit the brakes in an emergency and not hesitate or be unable to do it (either through strength or through pain). I hope that they are feeling better soon.

[WhereIBelong]

It can be a hard recovery. But those timescales seem about right to me - except driving, twisting was hard so could not check blind spots until about 4 weeks myself.

As well as the things listed there were stupid things I could not do for a few weeks - like use my foot to push something out of the way, bend down to pick up a towel from the floor, take anything at all from a shelf above head height... and MY GOODNESS you soon realise quite how much that debilitates you and alters your daily life. No walking the dog meant DH had sooooo much more to do.

Other things to think about - elasticated waistbands! loose shirts that do not require you to twist arms behind and put effort in to pull on, vest or assistance with bra etc...It is amazing what you use your core muscles for and what can and cannot be stretched for a while! It is a serious abdominal surgery, not to be taken lightly.

Hope she recovers quickly...

[wendywhite]

Hi I am 15 days post strangulated bowel repair, no bowel resection necessary, but it was a laparotomy so a full incision. I am doing so well, I am sure that I could drive and I am pottering around the house all day, really. No pain, in fact not a moments pain from the get go. I will be going back to work, radiographer, at about 5 to 6 weeks, but I only do 2 days a week anyway. Just a slight wound issue which is a nuisance, but that all. Hope this helps x

[deeley]

Hi yes had strangulated femoral
Took three and half weeks to get back to work, no lifting for six.
A lap of the dining table was all I manage in week one.

[Mr Tom Morrow]

I don't know about umbilical ones but I find it strange the NHS won't operate on some of the others and wait until there is an issue.
Not good enough.
I paid to have mine repaired as I refused to wait for a problem to manifest itself.

[Welshie35]

Thanks everyone. Back up to the hospital today as oxygen levels are low.
Trying to explain to work why I am off is the struggle now.
We also have a disabled DD who has CP, epilepsy and Autism who cant dress herself and get ready for school and does t understand what’s going on.
DW usually does it all as she works in the same school the DD14 attends!
Thanks again for your replies.

[Rabel]

Sending you positive thoughts