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I’m happy to report the surgery was a piece of cake! On Sat. 9/1 I arrived at the hospital at 8am. I was able to go right in and get prepped. In the holding area I talked to my surgeon, the anesthesiologist, and the CRNA. I told them all I wanted to stay awake and they were all okay with that. I was wheeled into the OR about 9:35 and was wheeled out at 10:07. Other than the local injections I got a little fentanyl to take the edge off. I chatted with the surgeon while he worked. He placed a Ventralex patch. A couple of times he had to inject some more local because I had a spot that didn’t numb very well. I could feel some pulling, tugging, poking, and pressure, but it wasn’t painful. If you’ve had a c-section then you probably felt a lot more than I did, and you went through it unsedated as well. The nurse called my husband into recovery to come get me at 10:30, I got up, went to the bathroom to pee, got dressed, got my instructions and vicodin rx, and walked out at 10:45. My husband and I went and had an early lunch at a favorite Mediterranean restaurant of ours, went to a video store and rented some videos, and went home. I was kinda sore and tired, so I took two vicodin, laid down and dozed for a couple of hours, got up and visited with a friend that came by for an hour and a half (she was amazed I was up and about and not in much pain), then laid down again another hour or so while my hubby fixed dinner, had dinner, checked my e-mail and browsed the web a bit, then sat with my hubby and watched the movie I picked out (it was Robin and Marian with Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn) before taking more vicodin and going to bed.
The next day I was back to chasing and picking up little ones around the house. I took ibuprofen 3x but didn’t need any more pain medicine of any kind after that. I’m so pleased that I haven’t had much pain. I took the dressing off after 48 hrs. and saw the incision was very small - a U-shaped cut of about 1-1/2″ along the bottom edge of my navel. It was closed with absorbable sutures and Steri-Strips. When the puffiness went away about 4 days post-op my belly button shrunk up to the way it was before I was ever pregnant and you couldn’t even see the incision without looking into my belly button, it had shrunk up into it. I went to my first follow-up visit on 9/11 (10 days) and my surgeon, with a bit of surprise, exclaimed “Very nice!” when he saw it.
I’m glad I went ahead and got my hernia fixed. If you’ve been dealing with a hernia for a long time, stop putting it off and get it fixed, because hernias never get smaller on their own. They can only get bigger, and the sooner you get it fixed, the easier the recovery.
hernia, surgery, umbilical hernia
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6 users responded in this post
Hi,
I just ran across your blog while I was looking up umbilical hernia. I am a 30 y.o. mom that developed hernia towards the end of my last pregnancy, this past summer. I am about to have my surgery in January and am extremely nervous. Your comments eased my mind a little. Thanks.
The prospect of surgery is always nerve-wracking, even if it’s a relatively simple operation. I hope you’re having a tension-free repair (using mesh like Prolene or the Ventralex patch). Even if the hernia is small if it’s just sewn together you’re looking at pulling, pinching, and a high likelihood of a recurrence, b/c more tension has been put on already weakened tissue. This is particularly important if you think you’re having another child, which is when the recurrence is most likely. If you don’t know what kind of repair you’re getting, please call your surgeon and ask - if he’s just going to sew the hole together please don’t walk, but run to find another surgeon. I’m three months out from my surgery now and I’m doing great - you can’t hardly see the scar (it shrank up into my navel) and I’ve been pain-free since day 2 or 3. I’ve also been cleared for getting pregnant again if I decide to (with four already, the oldest being 4, I’m not so sure) but I’m good to go anyway.
If you trust your surgeon’s competence and judgment, you have nothing to worry about. I wish you all the best and Merry Christmas!
I just got my umbilical hernia repaired a few weeks ago. I was a special case because the first time my surgeon saw my hernia, his jaw dropped and had to show his whole staff what a hernia really looked like when there isn’t much fat to hide it. When I was in a laying down position and asked to lift my feet a few inches my intestines poked through between my so-called abdominal muscles and was pretty visible since the skin in that area was thin and badly damaged from being pregnant (twice). I didn’t have any severe pain from my hernia, but was told to get it fixed ASAP. So, the area of my skin around my belly button was removed when my surgeon repaired my hernia. He used my c-section scar and made another incision perpendicular to that up to my sternum area.
I have a flat tummy now, just no belly button, and no more hernia (woohoo!). I, of course, had to have general anesthesia and the surgery took over 3 hours to complete. I stayed in the hospital over night and went home the next day. I had drain tubes for about 5 days and a pain pump constantly supplying numbing medication to my abdominal region for about 2 days. I am very pleased with the results and have a follow-up tomorrow! It was difficult to stand up straight but that was because of the removal of tissue/skin. Coughing and sneezing are still pretty laborious, but am still unable to pick up my 3 month old daughter.
I just want to say Thank you for posting your experience. It’s very comforting to know that hernias after pregnancy are pretty normal. I hope that other women will post their experiences too!
Wow Shirley, you had some pretty drastic surgery, and so soon after your c-section! That sounds like you had more than an umbilical hernia, maybe large ventral and/or incisional hernia(s)? Also, wasn’t there any way that repair could have been done laparoscopically? In any case, I hope you’re recovering well. Please feel free to update if you wish.
Great to read your comments.Mine popped out after my second child but only annoys me sometimes. I went to see a 2nd surgeon (privately) here in the uk and was told he would make a four inch incision above to get it fixed. It would be under general. i had a c-section but there was no mention of using that scar. To be truthful, I only went to see the doctor out of vanity, the national health doctor said it was small and not to bother- I wanted my innie back. There seemed no merit in getting the repair if it wasn’t playing up and would leave me with a big scar and I’d have to have general.
A friend of mine from Greece has just had his (massive) one fixed and he has no 4″ scar?! I assumed the scar was standard procedure but it seems it may be a UK thing. it was great to read your news;I now know there is another way of doing it so i’ll persevere and try and find someone else; i know it won’t get better on its own (although I ask myself, will it get worse)!?
Anyway, thanks for sharing. Good luck to you and yours
Nikki
Hello,
I am so glad that I found you moms with umbilical hernias and surgery stories!
I am a 35 yr old mom of two boys who recently developed an umbilical hernia in need of surgery.
My surgery is scheduled for June 12th and I’m trying to do some research in the meantime to ease my mind prior to the surgery.
I have met with my hernia (general surgeon)and I also scheduled consults with two plastic surgeons who work with him. I am trying to decide whether or not to have a tummy-tuck at the same time as my hernia is repaired.
Has anyone on this forum had both surgeries completed at the same time? I’m frightened of a major recovery (similar to my C-section four years ago)but have terribly weak abs and lots of extra skin (and fat) around my navel and my C-section scar. I’m wondering what the best, and safest thing to do is.
Any suggestions are most welcome!
Many thanks,
Mama Meredith
Chicago area, IL
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