r/Hernia

I am 1 week post op (open mesh with 25 tacks). Is it ok to squat down to get things down low (Asian squat style, knees bent, but low). It doesn’t hurt too much to do so and I can’t figure out how to pick things up without pain otherwise. It seems like it mainly uses leg muscles I feel like, not so much abs…

Hi there,

I had a suture repair of an umbilical hernia 3 days ago and am recovering at home.

I'm noticing I have tingly, restless legs and feet with a slightly numb sensation now and I am wondering if anyone else has experienced this? I am also a little dizzy still and It's making me quite nervous.

Small inguinal hernia (39M) — conflicting advice on mesh vs. non-mesh repair. Looking for input.

I was recently diagnosed with a left inguinal hernia — small, about the size of a dime, based on a physical exam. I'm 39M, lean, healthy, and have never had surgery before.

I've consulted two hernia surgeons in the US, plus gotten informal input from a couple of surgeons in India. The opinions are conflicting:

• Surgeon #1 (US): Says my body type is suitable for either mesh or non-mesh (tissue-based) repair, and he's comfortable doing either based on my preference. He claims the success and recurrence rates for non-mesh repair are essentially the same as mesh. I'm not entirely sure if he's basing this on outcomes specific to Shouldice Hospital in Canada (the gold standard for tissue repair) versus mesh outcomes worldwide, or if he's speaking more generally. (To clarify — he is not affiliated with Shouldice; he's a surgeon in Texas.)
• Surgeon #2 (US): Strongly recommends mesh. He said that outside of Shouldice Hospital in Canada specifically, no other surgeon/center has demonstrated non-mesh success rates comparable to mesh repair, and that non-mesh outcomes are generally lower elsewhere.
• Surgeons in India: Also lean toward recommending mesh, citing high success rates.
• Anecdotal input: Family members (including my mom) who had mesh repairs 10–15 years ago have had zero complications and encourage me to just go with mesh.

Given the small size of my hernia and otherwise good health, I'm trying to figure out the right path — whether it's worth pursuing a tissue-based repair (potentially traveling to Shouldice or a center with strong non-mesh outcomes), or just going with mesh given how established and widely successful it is.

Has anyone here navigated a similar decision? Would love to hear from people who chose non-mesh (especially outside Shouldice) or mesh, and how it's held up for you.

Things are going much better than I could have hoped. I actually had a vasovagel reaction in the recovery room before I woke up, and so came to with a crowd around me (they apparently had to call a code). But that was the only drama.

Worst pain so far- when they ripped the IV tape off of my hairy arm. This hurt 10x more than anything else associated with the surgery.

Difficulties- for the first two days, including the day of the surgery, it was less painful to stand and shuffle around than to sit or lay down. Engaging my core muscles hurt, not at the mesh site as much, but at the incision sites. Laying down required (and still requires if I want to avoid dull pain), laying down sideways and using my arms to get myself where I need to be. I was able to shower within 24 hours of the surgery, was walking a lot, and didn't have too much pain unless I was sitting down, laying down, or standing up.

The bathroom was kind of difficult. Urinating wasn't too bad after the anesthesia wore off, and I took it very easy with the narcotic pain meds. I started taking docusate sodium (200mg daily), the day of surgery. I also take 500 mg of magnesium glycinate daily, and was about to take a stimulant laxative but my body moved too fast. Took a BM two days after surgery without any difficulty, and today (with mild effort, no pain involved) absolutely destroyed the plumbing. Now I'm in no pain as I sit here, only feel anything if I'm moving the wrong way.

Best practices:

1. Walk and stand more than sit and lay down, if you can. Any pain I've felt has typically come as I'm moving between laying/sitting/standing positions. I can feel the mesh sometimes, but it's not bad especially as I've learned how to move with it.

2. Start laxatives/stool softener right away, don't wait at all. I was lucky not to need a laxative, but I was told to use one anyway to limit any straining and you may want to do the same.

3. Take low doses of narcotics- these cause constipation, and can mask pain too much. I want to let my body tell me what's hurting and what's not. Taking 400mg of Ibuprofen three times daily has been perfect.

4. Collagen and protein (yes, I know collagen IS a protein!). I have a great grass fed beef collagen I use in protein shakes. I'm taking 20g a day.

5. Accept help from family/friends/etc- church people have been coming over daily with food, and my mother stayed with me the first couple of days. I don't really need the food and could have done this on my own, but it's been great to have community behind me.

6. Keep yourself intellectually active- I got some work done, even though I'm off, and I'm helping with church admin functions as I recover. Simple desk stuff. Definitely don't lift!!!

Good luck to all of you!!!

Know my intended audience is going to be small, but figure I’ll try. I’m an avid shooter and licensed concealed carry. Was wondering if there’s anyone out there who’s had this surgery and in similiar position and what they did/use for CC and how long after? I’m 4 days out post surgery and so sore in my lower right and left quadrants right where my IWB holster would sit. I know I’ll probably need to use an OWB holster for a while, but trying to see if anyone may have gone through this and if you have any tips/progress stories? Just throwing it out there….

Hi, I’m a 28 year old male. I’m healthy and live an active lifestyle and work as a performer.
I just wanted to check in with you all as I’m considering going to Dr Kang in South Korea and pay out of my own pocket to get my bilateral inguinal hernia repaired. I’ve read some of the reviews on here and it’s all positive.

Is there anyone else that’s gone through Dr Kang’s surgery and would you recommend this or is shouldice just as good? I know the incisions, recurrence and complication rates are different between the two but Dr Kang just seems so superior.

I’m having a hard time deciding if it’s really worth traveling across the globe and paying the extra money. My argument is that in the end, it’s my health and the rest of my life that matters.

For those with umbilical hernia robotic repair when did or have you ever healed enough to not even feel the sting or discomfort from the mesh when moving in certain positions. I don't feel any severe pain but I can feel the tug when getting up from lying down. My surgery was July 1st so I don't expect that feeling to go away anytime soon I'm just curious. Other than that I feel better without the stomach binder.

I don’t know if thats the proper terminology but I feel like I have 2 extra balls in my sack.I’ve had the hernia in my pubic area forever but it has never done this.Im sure this will require surgery..anyone else had this happen? I can literally look at my sack and see bulges on the sides..it looks disgusting 😭

Hi all! I had a laparoscopic, robot-assisted surgery to repair my severe umbilical hernia and diastasis recti 10 weeks ago. (3 c-sections, last one in June 2025.)

Last night, I noticed a sort of hard ridge in my upper abdomen, mid-line. I don't recall having it before, and it feels ever so slightly tender when I press on it. The surgeon did say I would have a ridge for up to 3 months, but I thought he was referring to the one just above my navel.

I'm concerned I may have opened something up from the DR repair or given myself an epigastric hernia based on the location.

Has anyone else had this happen to them? I'm hoping for someone to say this is completely normal! 🤞🫤

INFO: I believe moving my co-sleeping one-year-old from one side of me to the other in the middle of the night or sitting up while holding her may have contributed to this. (Poor form while lifting caused strain... Haven't started PT yet.)

GTA / Ontario laparoscopic hernia surgeon with shorter wait times? Looking for real experiences

My partner has CT-confirmed suspected small hernia(s), but it’s not clearly palpable on exam. Shouldice assessed him and referred him out for laparoscopic repair.

He’s now on a 12–18 month waitlist for a well-known laparoscopic hernia surgeon in the GTA, but his anxiety around this is becoming significant and we’re trying to understand real-world options in Ontario.

Main question: Are there laparoscopic hernia surgeons or hospital programs in the GTA/Ontario with shorter wait times or faster pathways?

We’re especially looking for:

• Specific surgeon names people were actually seen/operated by
• Faster-access hospitals (UHN, St. Michael’s, Sunnybrook, Humber River, Mount Sinai, North York General, Trillium, William Osler, etc.)
• Real wait time experiences for laparoscopic hernia repair
• Ways people actually moved up waitlists (cancellations, urgency reassessment, second referrals, switching surgeons/hospitals)

If you’ve been through this system in Ontario, any practical experience would really help.

Hi -- I have an umbilical hernia that is going to be repaired in a few weeks using mesh. My surgeon has yet to tell me if it's going to be an open or laparoscopic procedure but I think it will probably be the latter.

My question is about what to expect post-surgery. I had a total hysterectomy (robotic) a few years ago and my recovery wasn't bad. A couple of days of moderate pain and then just discomfort after that for a week or two. (I can't do opioids so will be relying mostly on Tylenol for pain management).

I'm hoping that the hernia repair will be the same. I'm also wondering about activity restrictions. I know that lifting more than 10 lbs is not permitted but am unsure what else I won't be able to do. Bending from the waist? I have cats so I am bending over several times a day to feed them and do litterbox duty. I can't really squat due to having a new artificial knee that I'm still breaking in.

Any info/advice from folks who have been there done that would be most welcome. Thank you.

Hi there everyone, I was recently diagnosed with a inguinal hernia on my right side. I came across it after having some other health issues and was referred to have the area checked out by my urologist. After an ultrasound and confirmation from him he sent me to see a Dr who specializes in the department of surgery. Primarily invasive gastrointestinal surgery & endocrine surgical oncology. After seeing one of the Medical residents he made me perform the cough test and showed me the location of the hernia. I was unable to feel the same " buldge " that he did but basically confirmed that it is there and the only way for it to be fixed is surgery.

He then expressed where the concerns potentially may lie in getting it repaired. First he made very clear that there is a possibility at at least 10% if not higher that there will be some type of nerve pain / numbness / lost feeling that may never return. He said it can range from here and there, to it being constant. He also warned about the potential to affect sexual simulation and pleasure. Stating that because of the nerve damage potentially I could lose some sensation and or nerves in that area. He also expressed the potential issues of blood flow to the penis as well after the surgery due to the scar tissue and what not forming in the area.

Now my main point and reason for the post and question is im looking to see from anyone who has had their inguinal hernia repaired what method and technique did you go with and how and what have your results been? Numbness? Pain? Lost of sensation? tightness? I am extremely worried about the outcome of having it done and having something long term or for the rest of my life happen. Seemingly there are pros to Laparoscopic like faster recovery, faster return to being active and what not but my main concerns and main worries are not so much about how long it will take me to get back on my feet, or to feel normal again. Shouldice seems to have a lot of postive things about it and the clinic is not far from me It is another option but I am also worried about it too. It is seemingly these daunting long term quality of life aspects that I am worried about and would like to be able to choose and procedure that is going to heal best, and leave me with the least amount of complications.

Any stories, information, experiences, anything you have id love to hear from you and get some knowledge for myself before exploring more in the near future with my family doctor. Thanks.

Had pain in my scrotum for months leading up to me finding out I had a right inguinal hernia. Had surgery 8 weeks ago. Felt pain free after 3 weeks. Doctor's only instructions were no heavy lifting for 4 weeks. 6.5 week post op, I lift something pretty heavy at work. Felt fine. Woke up the next day and pain is back in the scrotum, groin, and right abdomen. Pain is very dull, nothing too extreme. Been icing and taking Advil/Tylenol for 1.5 weeks now.

Have a follow up with surgeon next week.

Robotic with mesh. One side.

I'm feeling pretty good, worst part so far was trying to piss at the hospital so I could get out, and hands down worst pain was ripping the tape off my hairy arm at the IV site. I'm spending lots of time slowly pacing around my apartment, standing feels better than sitting down. Not taking the narcotics for now, may take one at night.

So far, not too bad. Nine hours post op and pain is pretty minimal, maybe 3/10.