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Thread: Abdominal hernia....

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Missouri
    Posts
    584

    Default Abdominal hernia....

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    My surgery last year caused a hernia centered around my bellybutton. Does anyone know if using a belt would prevent it from getting worse?

    Surgeon says it's 100% certain that it will get worse without surgery.

    I started lifting again a few weeks ago and have no pain or discomfort.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
    Location
    Carmel, IN
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    558

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    Been there several month ago my friend:

    Belly button squeaks/squishes after deadlifts?
    8-week surgery recovery log (no lifting)

    Basically:
    - Tried a belt, it didn't appear to help.
    - I got surgery, got it fixed, and don't regret it for a second.
    - Lifting didn't cause your hernia, but it will get worse, and if you lift, it will get worse more quickly.
    - You can ignore it, but you run the risk of having to have an "emergency" repair. That means you go to an ER and don't choose your surgeon - that's a bad thing.
    - I researched and picked my surgeon based on their complication rates, and got a very good one. Recovery for me was far easier than I had anticipated.

    -->Adam

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Missouri
    Posts
    584

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    Thank you for the quick reply. I guess I'll stop lifting and call the surgeon tomorrow. I was just getting back to a good routine.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    STL, MO
    Posts
    158

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    I had the mesh repair done last year. I think you'll be back at it in a week or two.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
    Location
    Carmel, IN
    Posts
    558

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    My suggestion would be to research your surgeon and not just instantly go with whomever your PCP recommends. I found this site helpful, and used it to help pick mine:

    Surgeon Scorecard | ProPublica

    Hernia surgery isn't listed, but go for laproscopic galbladder removal - that will get you folks that are good with laproscopic surgery.

    -->Adam

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Posts
    19

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    I'm resurrecting this thread because I'm going to have my first major surgery in about 6 weeks. I figure you guys already commenting are the ones I want to hear from. I am on the mend from my second case of diverticulitis in just under 4 weeks. I had a small abscess this time around, and apparently my sigmoid colon is in shit shape. Pun intended. My surgeon has recommended partial colectomy in 6 weeks with primary reanastomosis (no colostomy!!!). Anyway, this is my first (hopefully only) abdominal surgery. I've had tons of patients with ventral hernias and don't want to join that club. Most can blame their hernias on morbid obesity, but I know that bracing for squats and deadlifts puts huge pressure in the belly.

    You guys that have had abdominal surgery do anything special to avoid this? Abdominal binder under the lifting belt, or any other protective devices? I just don't want to be wondering/worrying about if today is hernia day every time I step up to squat or deadlift.

    I was clear with my surgeon that strength training is important to me and that my goals include squats and deadlifts at 2-3x my bodyweight. He told me that I'd have a few half centimeter incisions for instruments and a small incision (4-5 cm) to pull the resected section out through. We talked about taking some extra time to do a multilayer closure. I've done lots of Cesarean deliveries myself, and what he's planning is just about everything that can be done to ensure fascial integrity.

    Guess I'm just a little nervous about this and what it could mean going forward. The timing also sucks. I'm a month into NLP and have added over 100 pounds to my squat. This will mean a complete reset for me. I've probably got another week before my belly will feel well enough to lift. I'll probably be looking at a 10% reset and get about 5 weeks to push ahead unless I have another episode in the mean time. Then I'll have surgery and have to take 2 months off. Pretty bummed about it, and not sure whether to try and continue strength gains while I wait for surgery or just take it easy and maintain what I've got. I'm sure that increased strength and mass will help with faster recovery. I'm also sure that it'll be hard to find motivation knowing that I'm going to lose most of it when I'm out for 2 months.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    North Texas
    Posts
    54,748

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    Quote Originally Posted by Brandon Hurlburt View Post
    He told me that I'd have a few half centimeter incisions for instruments and a small incision (4-5 cm) to pull the resected section out through. We talked about taking some extra time to do a multilayer closure.
    Where will this incision be?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Posts
    19

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    I'm assuming you're asking about the big one. He pointed towards my right lower quadrant. Like an old school appendectomy incision. I was assured that there would be nothing midline other than the usual periumbilical trochar for the 5mm incisions.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    North Texas
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    54,748

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    If you're concerned about the integrity of the incision, have them mesh it. Either way, 2 months off is silly. Maybe 2 weeks.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Posts
    19

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    starting strength coach development program
    Will discuss a prophylactic mesh with my surgeon. After a brief search, I’ve only found studies on prophylactic mesh involving midline laparotomy, but they’re all positive other than one study done on bariatric patients. I’m not a member of that population, so it’s definitely worth strong consideration. Thanks for the idea.

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