Ugh, I need to have surgery for a hernia.

[Deep13]

It's inguinal variety. It's outpatient, laproscopic. Anyone else have this done? Besides being off my feet for a few days, what can I expect? I guess they use a mesh to shore-up the damage. It will be in June.

[ZoltarSpeaks]

1. No big deal

You get primed with a nice soothing IV beforehand. Then you're wheeled into the operating room and onto the table where they cover your legs with nice warm packs. They hook you up and ask you to count backward from 100, and it seems like somewhere around 85 you wake up and you're done. Finally it's back into the recovery room for a delicious meal of Sprite and crackers.

Just in case your doctor doesn't forewarn you, be prepared for some potentially strong pain when the local anesthetic wears off in the night. It would have been no big deal if I had known it was coming, but "a little pain" did not describe what I had.

Good luck.

[grasswire]

3. did that many years ago, but did not have general anesthetic

Stayed awake with a local, heard the docs joking about the bikini line, etc.

No biggie at all. Don't remember any pain.

[Deep13]

4. I was knocked out a couple times before.

The first time, I remembered being wheeled into the operating room and thinking it looked like a really clean garage and that was it. The second time, I remember them adding whatever knock out drug they were using to the IV line and that was it.

[Archae]

2. I did, about 3 years ago.

Just bing bam and it was done, they put in some sort of mesh.

Haven't had any trouble down there since.

[LaurenG]

5. I had one when I was 4. :) I thought it was painful for a few hours post op

and I was surprised I didn't want to walk upright for a day or two. That's all I remember and things now a days are much easier.

You'll do fine, best wishes for a successful procedure and speedy recovery.

[Old Troop]

6. I'm having very old mortar fragments removed at the end of the month

and the docs expect to be able to finally fix the hernia caused by them.