Patient Testimonials
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Meet Bob
"As soon as I felt the pain, I knew what it was," says Bob, 57. "I felt a sharp pain in my left groin while jogging, and it reminded me of the pain I had on my right side 10 years ago." The pain on Bob’s right side ended up being an inguinal hernia , so he knew there "wasn’t any sense waiting to see the doctor," especially when the pain on his left side returned a few days later.
"I live a pretty active life," says Bob, a facilities manager for a major auto manufacturer. "I'm up and running around company buildings all day, and I also have a small patio and deck-building business on the side." Bob didn't want his pain to interfere with his daily activity, and he didn’t want to suffer unnecessarily, so he made an appointment with his doctor. Bob’s doctor confirmed his suspicion and diagnosed him with a second inguinal hernia. The doctor complimented Bob for taking action and scheduled hernia repair surgery.
"I wasn't nervous about the surgery because I thought I knew what to expect," says Bob, "but my recent surgery and recovery was actually much easier than it was 10 years ago." Bob was scheduled for early morning surgery and was able to go home the same day. "This time, as soon as the spinal anesthesia wore off, I felt fine and was able to go home the same day as my surgery. Ten years ago, I was in such pain that I was lifted into a gurney and taken to a hospital bed!"
The night after surgery, Bob found that lying flat in his bed was uncomfortable. To take pressure off of his healing incision, he spent the night sleeping in his easy chair. Bob's wife was amazed by how fast Bob recovered after his second surgery. She spent two days at home with him, although, Bob admits, "she didn't have to. I felt good enough to be on my own."
The day after surgery, Bob was working from home via phone and even took a walk around the block. Four days later, he was back at work. Ten days later, he returned to his doctor's office to get his staples removed. In the end, his whole recovery amounted to a long weekend relaxing at home. Bob credits his speedy recovery to the repair technique his doctor used during his recent surgery, the PROLENE* Polypropylene Hernia System. He says that his recent experience didn’t even resemble his first surgery: "I was amazed. This time, I didn't have any pain."
Bob's advice to those considering hernia repair surgery? "Do it! Don't hesitate. With the hernia solutions in place today, there's nothing to it."
Risks and Complications
All surgical procedures are associated with some risk. Talk to your surgeon prior to surgery about possible risks and complications.
"I wasn't nervous about the surgery because I thought I knew what to expect," says Bob, "but my recent surgery and recovery was actually much easier than it was 10 years ago." Bob was scheduled for early morning surgery and was able to go home the same day. "This time, as soon as the spinal anesthesia wore off, I felt fine and was able to go home the same day as my surgery. Ten years ago, I was in such pain that I was lifted into a gurney and taken to a hospital bed!"
The night after surgery, Bob found that lying flat in his bed was uncomfortable. To take pressure off of his healing incision, he spent the night sleeping in his easy chair. Bob's wife was amazed by how fast Bob recovered after his second surgery. She spent two days at home with him, although, Bob admits, "she didn't have to. I felt good enough to be on my own."
The day after surgery, Bob was working from home via phone and even took a walk around the block. Four days later, he was back at work. Ten days later, he returned to his doctor's office to get his staples removed. In the end, his whole recovery amounted to a long weekend relaxing at home. Bob credits his speedy recovery to the repair technique his doctor used during his recent surgery, the PROLENE* Polypropylene Hernia System. He says that his recent experience didn’t even resemble his first surgery: "I was amazed. This time, I didn't have any pain."
Bob's advice to those considering hernia repair surgery? "Do it! Don't hesitate. With the hernia solutions in place today, there's nothing to it."
Risks and Complications
All surgical procedures are associated with some risk. Talk to your surgeon prior to surgery about possible risks and complications.
Meet Jim
"My dad has had hernia repair surgery three times," says Jim, 51, "so when I felt a little bump at the bottom of my abdomen, I knew what was happening." Yet, Jim held off on surgery until he began to feel pain every time he bent over. "I was building a new addition on my barn, and I just couldn't ignore the pain any longer."
Jim learned from his doctor that he had two inguinal hernias, also called bilateral hernias. Before his repair surgery, the pain he felt made it almost impossible for him to get through his busy days. Jim runs a horse farm and is a qualified therapeutic instructor, teaching disabled children and adults to ride. An average day on the farm includes a lot of heavy lifting. "I put people up on horses, lift people in and out of wheelchairs, repair gates, and fix stalls."
When Jim finally decided to have his hernias repaired, he searched for the best doctors and hospitals in his area. A woman who visited his farm recommended her surgeon. “Believing in the doctor and the hospital made a big difference for me,” says Jim. "Was I nervous? Yes. I never had an operation before, so going to a hospital for surgery was a major event, but my doctor put me at ease."
Jim had repair surgery early in the morning and was home by noon. "I almost had no clue I even had surgery," admits Jim. His surgeon was able to repair both hernias at once through small incisions low on the groin. The scars were hardly noticeable. "After my surgery, I needed help for about three days," Jim remembers. "I did everything my doctor told me to do to help the healing process, including walking and using hot compresses. I took pain pills for the first few days, but I soon felt that I didn't really need them. Then I felt the normal itching and pulling the doctor told me to expect."
Jim was back to teaching six days after surgery and back to his normal farm routine four weeks later. "The mesh repair technique gives me confidence that my hernias won't recur. And the scar is hardly noticeable. I feel really good."
"I'm glad I had the surgery and feel relieved," says Jim."Now I can get back to what I do best, working with horses and giving kids and adults some additional quality in their lives."
Risks and Complications
All surgical procedures are associated with some risk. Talk to your surgeon prior to surgery about possible risks and complications.
When Jim finally decided to have his hernias repaired, he searched for the best doctors and hospitals in his area. A woman who visited his farm recommended her surgeon. “Believing in the doctor and the hospital made a big difference for me,” says Jim. "Was I nervous? Yes. I never had an operation before, so going to a hospital for surgery was a major event, but my doctor put me at ease."
Jim had repair surgery early in the morning and was home by noon. "I almost had no clue I even had surgery," admits Jim. His surgeon was able to repair both hernias at once through small incisions low on the groin. The scars were hardly noticeable. "After my surgery, I needed help for about three days," Jim remembers. "I did everything my doctor told me to do to help the healing process, including walking and using hot compresses. I took pain pills for the first few days, but I soon felt that I didn't really need them. Then I felt the normal itching and pulling the doctor told me to expect."
Jim was back to teaching six days after surgery and back to his normal farm routine four weeks later. "The mesh repair technique gives me confidence that my hernias won't recur. And the scar is hardly noticeable. I feel really good."
"I'm glad I had the surgery and feel relieved," says Jim."Now I can get back to what I do best, working with horses and giving kids and adults some additional quality in their lives."
Risks and Complications
All surgical procedures are associated with some risk. Talk to your surgeon prior to surgery about possible risks and complications.
Meet Jeff
Jeff, 41, first noticed a small lump in his groin when he and his family were preparing for a long-awaited ski trip in Colorado. He suspected he might have a hernia, but he decided to ignore the lump and go on the trip anyway. He was afraid his doctor would tell him to stay home.
Even after the ski trip, Jeff put off seeing his doctor. Like so many people who ignore their hernias, Jeff had learned to live with the painful bulge that got bigger and bigger as the day progressed. "I work in the office of an electric company," says Jeff, "so my days weren't that strenuous. I never could have kept going so long if I worked in the field."
Finally, Jeff had to admit that the hernia was interfering with his life. The growing bulge was now accompanied by a painful burning sensation. "I knew I couldn't do everything I wanted to do," he admits. "I had let it go too far and was finally willing to do whatever it took to get it fixed." Jeff's doctor told him that he had come in just in time. His hernia was in danger of becoming strangulated. "We scheduled tension-free repair surgery around my work schedule,"Jeff recalls. "I had it done right around the New Year’s holiday so that I’d have a few days off in addition to the days I was going to take off for recovery. I went in on a Thursday morning and was home that afternoon."
Like most people who undergo hernia repair surgery, Jeff had little idea of what to expect. "Everyone at the hospital was great. They made me feel really comfortable. The anesthesiologist even told me that he had had hernia surgery, and there was nothing to worry about."
Jeff remembers that it was painful to sit up in the recovery room, but a day later he was up and about."My wife and I even stopped in at a friend's New Years Eve party."
Jeff advises patients preparing for surgery to wear loose-fitting clothes and shoes without laces. "I wish I'd thought of that," he says. "The jeans I wore that day were a little too tight, and stepping up into our van to go home was a challenge."
"My children are nine and seven, so they were old enough to understand what was happening to me," says Jeff. "I showed them the bulge and explained what a hernia is. I told them that I was going to have to have it fixed so that I could remain active." The day before surgery, Jeff's in-laws picked up the kids and kept them through the weekend. "It was a great help because my wife was able to concentrate on helping me for a few days."
"My doctor warned me that I would get tired if I stayed at work too long the first week I went back," says Jeff. "He was right. After about five hours, I was exhausted. By the end of that first week, though, I was back on my old schedule."
Risks and Complications
All surgical procedures are associated with some risk. Talk to your surgeon prior to surgery about possible risks and complications.
Finally, Jeff had to admit that the hernia was interfering with his life. The growing bulge was now accompanied by a painful burning sensation. "I knew I couldn't do everything I wanted to do," he admits. "I had let it go too far and was finally willing to do whatever it took to get it fixed." Jeff's doctor told him that he had come in just in time. His hernia was in danger of becoming strangulated. "We scheduled tension-free repair surgery around my work schedule,"Jeff recalls. "I had it done right around the New Year’s holiday so that I’d have a few days off in addition to the days I was going to take off for recovery. I went in on a Thursday morning and was home that afternoon."
Like most people who undergo hernia repair surgery, Jeff had little idea of what to expect. "Everyone at the hospital was great. They made me feel really comfortable. The anesthesiologist even told me that he had had hernia surgery, and there was nothing to worry about."
Jeff remembers that it was painful to sit up in the recovery room, but a day later he was up and about."My wife and I even stopped in at a friend's New Years Eve party."
Jeff advises patients preparing for surgery to wear loose-fitting clothes and shoes without laces. "I wish I'd thought of that," he says. "The jeans I wore that day were a little too tight, and stepping up into our van to go home was a challenge."
"My children are nine and seven, so they were old enough to understand what was happening to me," says Jeff. "I showed them the bulge and explained what a hernia is. I told them that I was going to have to have it fixed so that I could remain active." The day before surgery, Jeff's in-laws picked up the kids and kept them through the weekend. "It was a great help because my wife was able to concentrate on helping me for a few days."
"My doctor warned me that I would get tired if I stayed at work too long the first week I went back," says Jeff. "He was right. After about five hours, I was exhausted. By the end of that first week, though, I was back on my old schedule."
Risks and Complications
All surgical procedures are associated with some risk. Talk to your surgeon prior to surgery about possible risks and complications.
