Hernia operation

[punch*drunk]

Who's had one?

What can I expect? How long in hospital, how much pain, how long recovery?

Anyone know what it would cost to have done privately without health insurance?

[chuk_77]

i had one moons ago.

I spent a week in hospital but that was because of a medical problem so couldnt go home the next day

Was in a heap of pain, but Im a huge sook. Really hurt to cough and get out of bed

Mine was done public but no waiting as i went through emergency 

[i-once-was-bump]

What sort of hernia?

I had an umbilical hernia op about 2 or 3 years ago and it was done at the same time as I had my gall bladder removed. It was all done with about 4 or 5 little cuts on my stomach.

The pain wasn't really anything to worry about, I didn't have any pain killers but as I had a very severe back problem the back pain was worse that any surgery pain so maybe I would have noticed more pain if I didn't have back pain at the time.. 

I was taking oxycontin for the back pain and the doctor forgot to write it up that is why I didn't have any pain relief after surgery and then everyone seemed to forget about me for a couple of days and then when they were going to move me from intensive care to the ward I asked if I could go straight home and I was allowed to so long as I had someone with me for at least a week.

[punch*drunk]

Thanks chuk.

My dad needs it done. He's been to emergency with the pain twice now, but they just tuck it back in and send him home 😞

Its quite uncomfortable and painful for him, he's finding it hard to walk around and with his dementia he cant always tell us when or where it hurts and how bad.

I was going to wait and go public, but 3 weeks on we havent even had an appointment yet. I cant let him continue to struggle, and I cant keep spending my nights in emergency only to have them send him home.

The stay in hospital concerns me though, last time he was in hospital over night he got quite distressed. I may have to stay in there with him.

Maybe because he lives in a nursing home they'd be able to discharge him sooner.

[punch*drunk]

inguinal hernia I think ts called. Its quite large and its dropping down into his goin making it hard for him to walk or sit.

The doctor showed him how to push it back up, but he wont remember that.

[i-once-was-bump]

punch that is terrible, I think sometimes they hope that dementia patients from NHs will forget about their health problems so that they don't need to operate on them. 

I was told the bigger the hernia the less likely it is to get strangulated so maybe they just don't think your father is bad enough for surgery.

Isn't anyone at the NH allowed to push it all back in?

Have you tried doing it for your father?

If you could try and if you failed then at least you could tell the hospital doctor that putting it back doesn't work for you or the sister at the NH.

[love*today]

Your kidding, this is disgusting! The poor bloke needs an operation now! Not shown how to push his guts back up into the right spot!

Our lucky country is slipping away.......I hope you can get your dad treated asap

[chuk_77]

they couldnt push mine back in, hence the surgery.

Can the nursing home help push the point somehow?

[cq_tech]

That's appalling treatment, punch, and until he has surgery, he runs the very real risk of developing a strangulated hernia, which is a life-threatening issue. The fact that he happens to live in a nursing home is completely irrelevant and he needs surgery ASAP.

I had a right-side inguinal hernia repaired a few years ago at Logan Hospital as a public patient. There was only a 4 week wait for the surgery, during which the surgeon made two small 2cm incisions through which he repaired the actual hernia, then sutured into place a small piece of mesh which is meant to prevent the problem from recurring.

The operation was carried out around 10am and I was discharged at around the same time the following day. Initially there was very little, if any, pain. However, once the hospital's drugs wore off, I must admit to suffering a fair bit of discomfort (as opposed to severe pain), but it was adequately controlled by Panadeine and had pretty much passed a week later.

Here's hoping that your dad's operation and recovery are every bit as quick and easy as mine was, and I just sincerely hope he doesn't have to wait much longer, that's all.

[nicnacs_4u]

Punchy {{{hugs}}} to you..I hope the Dr has explained to you why they keep sending your Dad home??