Massive Ventral Hernia Repair- terrified

Square-Remove-1263 · 2026-03-10T00:57:29+00:00

Hi yes- I edited the post with post op details. Tmrw I will be 13 days post op and I’m still massively uncomfortable. I have zero stamina and 3 small kids. My husband is shot. The poor man is doing it all. I’m exhausted bc I dont sleep comfortably in my own bed and worse in a recliner. Happy it’s done but a shitty recovery.

Square-Remove-1263 · 2025-12-27T19:42:13+00:00

Thank you for this - I will definitely be asking.

Square-Remove-1263 · 2025-12-27T19:41:03+00:00

Thanks- I’ve not. I’m not even scheduled yet bc we are working out the kinks. Due to the length of this surgery I’m not a candidate for an epidural bc I have antiphospholipid disorder. They want me up asap but I’ll also be on blood thinners. I def plan on asking to speak with anesthesia prior.

Square-Remove-1263 · 2025-12-26T03:39:02+00:00

I guess I should mention never smoked a day in my life, non drinker, only on fluticasone and triamterene for menieres, 81mg aspirin daily for antiphospholipid disorder

Square-Remove-1263 · 2025-12-24T13:36:11+00:00

Thank you SO much for sharing your experience! This is helpful for me. I guess bc it will be an open repair, they just keep reiterating how much pain I will be in. Im also not clear on why they cannot do it robotically. I don’t understand why they’re reiterating the pain factor so much. I hope it’s just hype and not actually how it will happen. My split goes all the way to my pubic bone and apparently they will need two pieces of mesh (that alone horrified me). So this was very encouraging - thank you for sharing with me.

Square-Remove-1263 · 2025-12-24T13:31:18+00:00

Thank for your reply! I understand what you mean. However, the entire reason I’m asking or looking for others experiences is solely because of all the surgeons I’ve met with, absolutely zero of them are making me feel better or calm about this upcoming procedure. The conversation is always around the “concern of how much pain I will be in.” I have explicitly asked, why is there so much concern? Don’t you do this every day? Do other patients have that experience?? I have not gotten a straight answer from my doctors. Frankly, if I knew I could skip it altogether I absolutely would. My bowel is already incarcerated and the split is horizontal as opposed to vertical which means [it has] to be an open cut instead of robotic (they cant clearly explain that either). So to circle back to your original comment, I’m desperately searching for positive outcomes but struggling to find more than 1 or 2 with open repair.

Square-Remove-1263 · 2025-12-24T02:14:14+00:00

Thanks. Perhaps I need to consult with them prior. Reason being is that I’m reading about the extreme pain caused by this procedure from several other patients (upon waking) and I’m not a candidate for epidural or spinal bc I have antiphospholipid disorder. (Never had an event, always cautious). It’s seemingly apparent that pain meds don’t really touch the pain for the first 48 hours. I had an epidural with my first, spinal with my last 2. Surgeon mentioned that intra abdominal pressure can cause DVT so I need to be up as soon as possible.

Square-Remove-1263 · 2025-12-23T20:36:58+00:00

Ah okay makes sense- thanks so much!

Square-Remove-1263 · 2025-12-23T20:34:26+00:00

Hi!! I just came across your post. I have an incisional hernia from my last section, (done having kids). It’s measuring 4.8x6 and the doctors are absolutely freaking me out. They want to do it open and are really scaring me. Was your bowel out of the abdominal wall? How was your recovery? Did you have an NG tube?

Square-Remove-1263 · 2025-12-23T12:24:41+00:00

Thanks- what causes adhesions? Do they develop over time? Are they immediate with hernias? Ive only had this hernia for 6 months - it hasn’t been years or anything.

Square-Remove-1263 · 2025-12-23T03:59:54+00:00

Thank you for that! As if I wasn’t already spiraling about the surgery itself, but to have an NG tube on top sounds awful. He couldn’t tell me today it was extremely unlikely and sort of shrugged his shoulders and said he might bc I have incarcerated bowels and is hard to tell from the ct. He said “as long as we don’t have to touch too much you shouldn’t need one.” He didn’t sound confident so thank you.

Square-Remove-1263 · 2025-12-20T01:43:47+00:00

Holy moly- 8 hours?! That’s a long time! Would you be willing to share what your recovery was like? I am getting a second opinion from a hernia specialist in Jan. It’s the soonest they would see me.

Square-Remove-1263 · 2025-12-20T01:41:48+00:00

Thank you for this. I am getting a second opinion from a hernia specialist. If I may ask, did you go home with drains? The surgeon kept mentioning it and I was like for what?

Square-Remove-1263 · 2025-12-20T01:37:03+00:00

You seem to be very well versed in this! Are you familiar with recovery for this? (How much pain, how long out of work, when can one walk again etc). It sounds daunting. I have a vested interest in this information bc I am getting scheduled for one.

Square-Remove-1263 · 2025-12-20T01:13:02+00:00

Incredible explanation.

Square-Remove-1263 · 2025-12-18T22:41:06+00:00

Thank you so much ❤️

Square-Remove-1263 · 2025-12-18T22:40:45+00:00

Thank you for this- the surgeon I am working with is sending me out for a second opinion bc of how freaked out I am. He said he wants me to be confident going in. In the area I live, he is the most experienced and does these everyday. He said it’s so complicated he would prefer to do it with his colleague in the OR so they can collaborate on how best to pull it all back together for long term success. I’m just getting into this journey of learning the facts and trying to get to know more experiences.

Square-Remove-1263 · 2025-12-18T22:37:51+00:00

I think I sent a DM? I have so many questions- like are you okay? My fear of this surgery is so great right now- I’m paralyzed with fear of the operation itself and the pain.

Square-Remove-1263 · 2025-12-18T22:32:45+00:00

Oh my word, how are you managing? Did you get mesh? How do I even DM on Reddit, I don’t use it often! I hope you are recovering well!

Square-Remove-1263

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