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Joined: Dec 2001
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The second and third post op days were the worst form me. Takes 24 hours for the anesthisia to completely wear off. I've had two hernia repairs (one on each side). Stay off the Vicodin if you can. Bad constipation which doesn't go well with a recent hernia repair.  No one ever died from pain.
Do or do not. There is no try.
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Starting to finally get a little sore, especially painful when sitting up. Yeah, not a big fan of vicodin for that reason, especially in this particular operation. Suddenly I'm craving prunes 
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Good luck and patience... What will you do in the meantime ?
Usually hernia come from a bad elevation move is not it ? The case for me, not blocking enough the belt to use the legs raising even not heavy things with the back not straight..
Regards
Professional of the profession.
Foo Foo specialist
I wish to add some kind and sensitive phrase but nothing comes to mind.!
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Joined: Jul 2008
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Glad it went well! Things don't always work out as planned but a surgeon has to tailor the operation to the actual intraoperative scenario.
Take it easy and hope you'll be back to work in no time! :-)
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Thanks, Isaac and Electone and everyone. It probably came from a lifetime of lifting heavy things, as well as the inherent weak spots in the abdominal wall. I moved pianos for many years before I was a full time tech. I recently helped one of my clients reposition her Mason and Hamlin BB, the heaviest 7 foot piano ever made, in my estimation. Poor decision making skills on my part....  But I didn't notice the hernia until one day when I was playing catch with my son. I'll be on line a fair amount, playing the piano, walking, watching the super bowl, all the things I don't have time to do when I'm working on pianos! It's kind of nice to get a break. I don't take enough time off when I'm healthy, just because I'm afraid of forced time off like this. So I'm going to try to enjoy it as much as I can.
Last edited by Dave Stahl; 01/30/13 07:45 PM.
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Easy on the vicodin Dave, or we will start calling you House.
Piano Technician
George Brown College /85
Niagara Region
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Pain is actually not good for you--- unfortunately, I have had plenty of experience with this. The idea that "No one ever died from pain," is simply not true. Of course, over-doing it with narcotics is not good either. My experience with surgery at Kaiser was, that they wanted me--- told me straight up--- to take sufficient medication to control the post-op pain (working with the doc to find the right dosage); particularly, they wanted me to participate fully in a pretty aggressive program of physical therapy very soon after the surgery. They had me at it well before I left the hospital, and for quite awhile afterward.
It was challenging, but good--- they know what makes you get well faster. There is enough suffering in life without borrowing it unnecessarily. Some discomfort is to be expected; that is not the same thing as real post-op pain.
Glad it went well, Dave--- you were out before I knew you were in. My best wishes for your recovery.
Clef
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Vicodin contains synthetic codeine. One of the side effects of codeine is constipation that can be countered with probiotics. Dave you should be able to find this product or similar in the US. Maybe best to use the pills instead of the fermented milk solution as that would not be so pleasant to consume. Sour milk is what it amounts to. http://www.biokplus.com/
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Joined: Dec 2001
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Oh, one other thing, ice packs. They work great (for local pain control, not constipation  ).
Last edited by Ralph; 01/31/13 10:53 AM.
Do or do not. There is no try.
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An ice pack is good. Walking is good. It's being in a static position for a great length of time that causes things to stiffen up. As far as de-constipators, I've got a magnesium supplement called "Calm," as well as the prescribed stool softener. Dan, I'll check out your recommendation should I be put in a tight spot....
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Joined: Dec 2001
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So............. How's it hanging, or, you know, how you doing?
Do or do not. There is no try.
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Hi Ralph. Recovery has been faster than I expected. Follow up appointment was good, bodily functions are functioning functionally. It's still slightly painful to lie down or to get out of bed, but not like the first week.
I only took the Vicodin a few times, but the risk of binding up the innards was scarier than a little pain from the wound.... I've been walking every day, yesterday in the hills near my home.
Yesterday I did a trial tuning on my own piano, a Mason AA. The only physical difficulty with that was hoisting the lid! It's a heavy sucker. I plan to tune a piano for a school today, and possibly another. I'll resume a normal schedule today.
It was actually good to have a week where I couldn't do much. I caught up on my reading, did my taxes, and played a little music.
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Glad to hear you on the road Dave.....
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Excellent! Your on the mend. It's all down hill from here, or up hill, or, well, you know what I mean.
Do or do not. There is no try.
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I think it's part of approaching the "over the hill" thingy...
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Thanks, gentlemen. Next week, it's back on the bike, which is always an uphill struggle. The downhill part is easy!
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Great news Dave on your recovery. I have had 4 hernia surgeries since 1985. Maybe some of the things I have learned will help you.
If you need to cough or sneeze, keep your legs slightly bent and bend your body at the waist. Or, cross you legs sitting or standing.
Also keep your bowels loose, or the strain will start the whole thing again.
I have learned to use my upper body more and my legs less.
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My hernia surgery was two weeks ago, on the 17th. Tomorrow is my follow-up with the surgeon and I'm hoping for a good report. I was told that I'm in pretty good shape for my age...I'm 63 and I swam 1/2 mile a day all summer long. I was allowed to walk up and down stairs right away. I am a middle school music teacher, and just went back to school this week, 10 days after the surgery. Glad to be back...there's only so much TV a person can watch while lying on the couch. I tuned two easy uprights this week, but it will be a long time before I can pull a grand action. I transferred my tuning tools to a messenger bag, which hangs from my shoulder, instead of something I have to carry in my hand. I carry only the most essential tools, and leave everything else in the car. Now I have to get used to having others carry things for me, and not doing the usual household tasks and repairs I used to do; that will be the hardest part for me.
Last edited by Greg the Piano Tuner; 10/02/14 02:21 PM.
Vose grand, 1909
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It is the way to go.  I've had both ways done. If you like a lot of pain, do it the other way.  If you don't, then find a good doctor that does it the Shouldice method way. But, while they may "claim to do it" they may not actually do it so, you'll have to do your own homework on it. Again, I can say thanks again to Sparky Biff for giving me that information to begin with. And, walk walk walk which you already do a lot of anyway Dave. You will be back to work in no time flat. in fact, that doctor told me that I could (believe it or not) go back to work at my normal level pretty much right away. I didn't quite feel up to doing that and so I didn't but, like I said, within a few days, I was working at my normal pace again and without much pain too. I tell you what? It beats being laid up and miserable for 2 weeks any day! Walking helps tremendously. You will be truely amazed at how much LESS pain you have doing the Shouldice method and then following their directions which was walking 2 hours every day. I walked 15 minutes at a time until I got my 2 hours in the first couple of days. I traveled to Ohio to have it done. The next day, I drove home with the wife. 8 hour drive from there to here. I personally know nothing about hernias or various methods of dealing with them, but I was pleasantly surprised when a friend of mine well into his eighties had a hernia operations and said he had virtually no pain afterward. I don't know what type of hernia he had or what the surgical technique was, but perhaps it is the one suggested by Jerry Groot.
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Had one at 18 took 3 weeks without raising anything heavy.
BTW I recall clearly it was due to bad posture (back not straight, not using legs, not even raising something very heavy)
Professional of the profession.
Foo Foo specialist
I wish to add some kind and sensitive phrase but nothing comes to mind.!
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