Multiple Hernias and Upcoming Surgeries: Seeking Advice and Sharing My Experience

So today I met with my surgeon about my hernia. She told me and showed me that I don't have one hernia, I have three. They are in the area of what I call my zipper, the scar I have left over from when they removed my large intestines. She told me it is going to be very painful for me when she fixes it. But the first surgery is my gallbladder, and she is going to do that one as well because she says where she positioned my relocated stoma is right near my gallbladder, and she will have to have an assistant hold my ostomy up while she goes in for the gallbladder. This can't be done until December though, and then one month has to pass between that surgery and my hernia surgery. Plus, she couldn't promise me I won't need additional hernia surgeries because she said you only get 70% of your strength back when you have abdominal surgery, and it weakens more and more as you have additional surgeries. Apparently, I have three holes in my abdominal wall. She will have to go in and stitch them closed and then put in one or maybe two meshes depending on how far apart the hernias are. In the meantime, I am not allowed to lift or press weights at the gym or use the leg press machine. She told me I can only use the bikes. I was wondering, as well as updating on my situation, if anyone else has had this many problems with regards to previous major abdominal surgery? I was told that it could become serious at any time between now and when it is fixed. She even told my mother if I have any kind of abdominal pain or my ostomy stops producing that she should rush me to the ER as soon as possible. I have had three surgeries in just under two years, and I am about to have two more. So are hernias going to just keep happening?

Frustrated with my day.

Lee

Well, seeing that an ostomy is considered a hernia technically, you always have a hernia. But yes, you are always prone to hernias. My original surgeon 25 years ago told me I should never lift more than 10 pounds for the rest of my life. Being a plumber and having 7 children, I did not listen very well and paid the price. I've had seven surgeries, all centered around hernias, and almost died of sepsis one time. This last surgery, I was the most cautious and waited 12 weeks to make sure I was healed. Well, I always wear the largest hernia belt I can get and lift very cautiously, but I still move water heaters, toilets, and lift my grandkids on a regular basis, and I have avoided hernias so far. (knock on wood)

Hi Lee,

Are hernias going to keep happening? Who knows, some seem more susceptible than others. I had two inguinal hernia surgeries with mesh long before my ostomy surgeries, and the surgeon told me they would be much stronger than they were before. I have had no trouble since then, but I don't lift heavy things anymore after the ostomy. I just find another way to do the job, and I use an elastic waistband during weight training, but I don't go crazy with it. As for abdominal pain or the stoma not producing, there is nothing unusual there; it's standard procedure for what would likely be a blockage, which can get serious if left for more than 24 hours.

Hi Lee. That's so frustrating! I understand because I also got a hernia soon after my colostomy from a relentless cough - but I feel like I was also lifting a lot of things, so it was probably a combination. And as Cplumber said, an ostomy is already technically a hernia! Luckily, I had my gallbladder out a few years ago, but it's just another surgery that weakened my abdomen along with the huge open emergency surgery incision I had to have during my recent Hartmann's procedure (and I'm about to have a reversal surgery). Great advice from the others...always watch what/how you lift, wear a hernia belt, etc.

What my surgeon had to say when I saw him a few weeks ago was that he's going to fix the hernia during my reversal on January 30th, but yes - I may have issues with it in the future. However, he feels if I keep walking daily and keep the weight off, and always watch what I lift, I am far less likely to have future issues. He won't be using mesh (maybe that is surgeon preference, or maybe it depends on how bad the hernia is - not sure). I asked about wearing the hernia belt - he said I can wear it or not, it was up to me. He didn't seem like a fan, but I do feel safer walking with one on.

Do follow your care team's instructions and go in if pain or no output, standard procedure for a blockage as Axl said! Wishing you the best with your upcoming surgeries!

Thanks everyone for the comments and advice. Before I knew that I should not, I was lifting 40 pounds at the gym and leg pressing 80. Now I wish I hadn't and had known that it can make a hernia worse. I have PT tomorrow for an ankle injury that is very slow in healing (happened at the beginning of June but still is painful) and I will have to tell them no more leg press machine. I wonder how they will react to that. I have been doing that as part of my therapy.

Lee

I had three hernias fixed with mesh. Two were ostomy sites and the other was umbilical. It was an open surgery. The surgery went well. Knowing they were fixed, I am very careful not to lift anything over 20 pounds. I either get help, ask someone else, or I just won't do it. Everything from groceries to laundry is better handled by making more trips than trying to lift it all at once because you can damage the surgery.
Listen to your doctor and always be aware that you have to stop yourself when thinking of lifting. I hate to say this, but I would think twice about what types of exercise you can safely do without causing damage.
I always feel a good pair of shoes is important as it affects our abdominal area when we walk on the ground.
I've found that Adidas slides are awesome or a good cushiony tennis shoe.
I am currently recovering from bronchitis and I'm feeling like all the hard coughing may have damaged something in there.

Yeah, I have heard coughing can further or create a hernia. They say when you cough, you should hold your ostomy/abdomen. Please take care with that cough. Some people say holding a pillow against your stomach can help as well. However, I know a pillow isn't always handy wherever you are.

Yeah, I was told to only use the bike at the gym, none of the other equipment. So I have been doing 7 miles on the bike and half a mile walking the indoor track. I do miss using the weight machines and leg press. I told my PT person that I am going to just have flabby arms. She tried to comfort me by saying it is only temporary. But what is temporary is hard to work back off. And muscles not used turn into jelly. I guess I am going to follow what I am supposed to do though. I don't want a more complicated surgery than it already has to be.

Lee

Maybe you can ask your trainer to give you some arm strengthening exercises that don't require lifting. Yes, this cough, ugh, I'm up coughing in my sleep. It's starting to settle down, but I just know something got blown in there, lol!
After my hernia surgery, I felt so much better, and so will you. It almost feels like you got a tummy tuck. Your bags will stay in better too! The only thing for me was they decided not to make a new stoma, and after surgery, I had to switch from a flat bag to a convex bag as my stoma went flush flat after. I was upset at first, but the convex works great, so it's all good and worth the hernias and blockages being gone. I think mine was the Sugar Baker method. I was in a study. They were trying two different ways to fix peristomal hernias and then checking all of us for two years to see which group had more recurrent hernias and which did not. They would not tell me which method I had, except that I had the Mercedes of hernia repairs. After the study was over, I was told it was the Sugar Baker that they had given me.

I don't have a trainer, but I could ask my PT if they know of anything I could be doing at the gym. I go to the gym every day, even weekends, and if I don't go for a scheduled reason, I walk outside a few miles. It's important to me, and not being able to use the weight machines I find distressing. I feel like a failure at the gym, like I know people aren't watching me or judging me for just doing the bikes, but I feel like they are watching me anyway. I am not getting a full body workout, so it is incomplete. I want to hurry up and get the hernia fixed so I can go back to my normal workouts. But it is going to be a while before the surgery because first, they have to remove my gallbladder, and then a month has to pass before I can get the hernias repaired. And then time after that to heal from surgery. So it will be months before I can go back to what I was working on at the gym.

Lee

You are doing a lot more than I am and many others are. You don't need to worry about them—they don't know your situation, and you are doing what you can and probably more. I'm applauding you for continuing and having a set workout. Keep that up!

Thank you for your support. I do look at others at the gym; that is why I think they are looking at me. I see people doing weights on machines at 80 and 120 pounds, and I think, "Man, they must be in good shape." And then I think, "Why can't I be like that?" Then, when I get off the bike at 7 miles and I am all sweaty because I go at 104 watts the whole time, I think, "What next?" and there is nothing. I have to go home then. I see my mom doing weights, and I have to come and tell her I am ready to go. "Are you done yet?" And she seems to be having a better workout than me. Yesterday, I walked the track in addition to the bike because it was something else I thought I could do. I am really pushing it with my still-healing sprained ankle, but there is some driving force behind me that wants me to do everything and all at once. Maybe I am obsessing. I just don't like to do anything half-assed.

Lee