BG Medical: Hernia repair advice

[Nekonaruto]

Kinda feel stupid making a new thread for this...but you can just delete it. No biggie.

So long story short: I had an inguinal hernia repair surgery on Friday and I was allowed go home on Saturday. Today I feel a lot better and all is good...but there's one thing I forgot to ask the doc while I was at the hospital: when can I remove the bandage?

I don't mean the big bandage (gauze?) that's on top of it, but the small rectangular bandage that only covers the incision.

I could just call at the hospital and ask, I guess...but if someone here has gone through a similar surgery they might be able to answer my question just as quickly.

If it matters, I had a mesh placed inside and no tissue was removed...so a rather small surgery.

Thanks in advance!

[Cochise]

2 days but you should have neosporin to keep the bacteria, that naturally lives on your body, from irritating it.

[Nitsuki]

I recall my mom having one, it took about a week for her to remove them. I guess it depends really.

[Denchi]

I had some steri-strips on the incision itself, and was told to just let those fall off naturally (which took about a week). The other bandage I'm not sure, I'd probably call a nurse at your hospital and ask. My uneducated guess would be to keep on on there for another day or two.

[Nekonaruto]

Thanks for the replies, the doc gave me a prescription for some gauze stuff and that's about it...the main concern is HOW DO I SHOWER? haha

I mean, I can just use a wet towel or something, but it's just not the same.

[kuronosan]

Honestly? Plastic bags and rubber bands.

[Elesirdur]

If your sutures are on your torso, you'll probably have to take sponge/sink baths.

When I had my pneumothorax (collapsed lung) a few years ago I had a tube with a one-way valve device taped to the left side of my trunk. Until they took it out about 12 days later I could only clean my legs in the shower and very carefully run my hair under the shower stream, but just use face cloths to clean my body. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed that shower once I got home after having the tube removed and covering up my sutures with plastic cling wrap lol

Once the incision starts to get all scabbed up you should be fine just covering it with regular band aids and being careful in the shower not to put a direct stream of water on it.

PS: Polysporin also helps to reduce scarring, as well as being an antiseptic agent. Use it for a few days when you have the big gauze bandages on, but after they come off, 2 to 5 days depending on how you heal, it's not really necessary.

[MarkM.]

Just shower, most stitches are water proof. You are more likely to rip them by doing something else.

[Nekonaruto]

Ok, thanks for the input, I'll know more tomorrow!

[Atlasion]

I had a hernia about a year ago. The bandage came off after a few days. The stitches came off after maybe a week or so. They were waterproof, so I just showered without covering them. Eventually they started to peel off at the edges, which inevitably led to me pulling them off (seriously, if you're the type that gets the urge to pull scabs off, theres no chance those stitches are staying on for long)

[antihero]

cancer

[zoobernut]

When I had my hernia operation I didn't touch the bandages and they just fell off by themselves after about a week. Similar to what others said.

[Despain]

After my surgery recently, the doctors said to just let it come off by itself, which took a week or so. Of course, my surgery involved them taking out my gallbladder, so the situation for you might be completely different.

[Nekonaruto]

Shameless self-bump of uninteresting stuff:

Just finished taking a shower and it was easier than I thought. I ended up getting waterproof bandages and everything went perfectly.

Thanks for the advice you people gave me. So I'll give you one aswell: if you EVER have to go through hernia repair yourself and it's only a minor rupture...don't be a pussy; opt for local anesthesia. Day #3 after the surgery and I feel almost completely back to normal.

Not even taking my painkillers anymore.

<-- Internet tough guy.

[zoobernut]

I completely agree. It really sucked for me I had a large hernia that took an approximately 6" cut and they put me under for it and it took me 1 week before I could walk by myself again. I was out of school for about 2 weeks. Not fun...

Ironically I was really loaded on vicodin which was great however one side effect of the medicine is constipation which is also made worse by not moving much, let me tell you trying to go to the bathroom when you are constipated and just had surgery down in that area is one of the most painful things in the world. Drink coffee it helps.

[Nekonaruto]

Ok, cripple talk: I can only agree with you Zoob. I was kinda surprised how much the body needs abdominal muscles to ... you know.

My hernia is only like a 2-3 inch scar, if that...so it's ok. However I'm also missing 2 weeks of work...so the recovery time seems to be about the same...or the doc was just being nice to me.

[Denchi]

Yeah, pooping is terrible.

What's worse was puking the day after my surgery from the Vicodin. I never puke, but those pills did somethin' to me.

Hernia Repair + Puking = OMG

Pooping actually seemed bearable after that, although still not fun. The coffee recommendation is a good one.

[Nekonaruto]

Thing is that I can't drink coffee or tea...I don't think I actually like a hot drink at all.

And even though it would help with door #2 it would probably result in something similar to this:

http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/152063

[zoobernut]

I HATE coffee but I gulped it down and in 2-3 minutes it worked. I even drank cold coffee because I don't really like hot drinks either.

[Atlasion]

Ah, hernia repair chat. I know exactly what you guys mean. The general anesthesic made me vomit after getting released from hospital (that or the painkillers, or possible the pakora I ate). Puking after hernia repair really really sucked. Felt like it was going to rupture again.. Ugh.

As a result I refused to take any painkillers incase it was them that made me sick. I decided I'd only take them if I was in considerable pain. In all seriousness, there was very little pain. I didn't have any urge to take any of the painkillers I had. Also, I never vomited again so that was great. I dunno about the size of mine though. I have about a 3 inch scar or so, so I'm guessing not too large?