Easier recovery - c-section or hernia repair?

[ElphabaTheGreen]

I've had two c-sections and recovery wasn't pleasant but I was relatively mobile as soon as the anaesthesia wore off and back to driving three weeks after my second one.

I'm having three hernias (herniae?) repaired under GA tomorrow - umbilical plus two more directly above. They'll probably need to be stitched rather than mesh. A colleague at work is putting the fear of God into me, saying how her husband was utterly incapacitated for four weeks after having just one repaired with mesh (which is meant to be less painful, apparently) and I'm underestimating how much pain I'll be in.

Really? I would have thought c-sections were more major abdominal ops, plus I won't be up every hour of the night breastfeeding a newborn this time around. Surely it will be comparable if not easier or am I deluding myself?

Um...her husband may have been milking it?
My dh had the mesh repair last year and the first few days he was sore but after that it was manageable.

Well, my thoughts exactly. The nicest thing another colleague had to say about the husband is that he's a wet lettuce.

She's a tough-as-nails HCP herself, though, and gives malingerers very short shrift, so when she was asking me if my DH was taking two weeks off work to look after me, then looking doubtful when I said, 'Um. Hardly,' I was starting to wonder if I was in for a rude shock. I have made the c-section comparison to her, and responded jokingly to her tales of her husband's post-op woes with, 'Yeah but he's a man.' No dice. She just looks at me like I don't know what's coming.

My ageing father had a hernia op a couple of months ago. Normally he’s definitely at the whingeing-about-a-cold-as-if-he-has-pneumonia end of the spectrum. He was quite active quite quickly. Recovery seemed similar to c section. Lives alone and asked us to help with the odd thing (lifting shopping etc).

Hope it goes well!

I've had both - two c sections and I've recently had five hernias repaired all over my abdomen in one go! I had open surgery for one hernia, which was stitched, and mesh on the others. Recovery was fine (I have a high pain threshold though) however I was not allowed to lift for six weeks, which meant my husband had to take six weeks off work as I have a (heavy!) two year old who needs regular lifting. I took this advice very seriously as I also had one repaired last year and it recurred within months (stitches didn't hold when I started lifting my then one year old at six weeks post op). I found the pain very similar to my sections, it was uncomfortable to sleep for a few days and a while before I could sleep on my side, but fine other than that. I did react badly to the GA though.

Yes, I've been told 'nothing heavier than a kettle' for six weeks. I'm hoping my 5yo will be understanding...my 3yo is likely to get cross 😬

I'm really hoping to be back to driving and at work on light duties in two weeks (I usually have to move patients and patient handling equipment, beds etc at work so obviously none of that - I can stick to more administrative stuff). Do you think this is feasible?

You should be fine re the lifting then. Mine have been badly timed - my two year old is in the middle of the terrible twos and regularly gets up to no good which is why he needs so much lifting. I haven't been able to lift my four year old for a couple of years but she's been very understanding (and luckily she's well behaved so there's been no need!).

I'm not sure re the driving but they do advise to take it easy for a few weeks. My wound (open surgery) bled a lot last year after my first op and they blamed it on me doing too much (when I hadn't, I'd walked two minutes to/ from my husband's car!)! I'd wait and see how you feel as it's hard to predict. I was feeling fine by two weeks but didn't want to hinder my recovery so took it easy while my husband was off work.

Good luck, I hope it goes well and that you have a speedy recovery.

I meant to say I don't drive which is why I'm not sure re the driving,

If all goes smoothly then fairly quick recovery provided you don’t do too much. Take analgesia when needed and mobilise gently but regularly. Driving within 2 weeks might be a bit optimistic. I always say you will know when you can drive when you can imagine doing an emergency stop without wincing at the thought (in terms of your wound/abdo pain). Also check with your insurance company as most have set post op periods that they will not cover you. Good luck for tomorrow

So it turns out I had five hernias (now none). No wonder my abdomen felt like bubble wrap.

Following a similar trajectory to c-section pain so far - possibly slightly more discomfort, but I'm accepting all pain relief on offer (oramorph? Don't mind if I do!)

Suspecting work colleague might have a hefty blind spot when it comes to her DH...

Pleased all went well. Oramorph can be your best friend. Could be beneficial to ask Drs to px a gentle laxative just to ‘soften’ things as oramorph can constipate. Dried apricots are good too. You want that post op poo to be as easy as possible! Hope you have a quick recovery

Thanks for the great tip Leanin. Just waiting for the ward round and I shall submit my Movicol request! Will also get DH to pop to Tesco for apricots while I await my eviction notice.

I work in that type of ward...I’m all about the poo, tiz my life!!!