I had a unilateral inguinal hernia in my 20s and had to wait a long couple of years for an operation. Meanwhile I had watch eating gassy foods like beans and brassicas as digesting them could cause enormous pain in the region and nausea. I found that quick and careful manipulation of the area while lying on my back relieved things in an instant. Much later I learned that those symptoms indicated intestinal strangulation which was an emergency.
The op went without issue. I was surprised it was under general anaesthesia. It was open surgery and I don’t know if it was meshed or sutured. The after effects were something else however as despite following instructions to drink plenty of water and eat shall we say movement-promoting foods I became terribly constipated. I’d needed codeine for the first couple of days. After seven shitless days I was in sufficient agony that my housemate took me to A&E. I was shot up with morphine, oh the irony, and an X-ray was made. I’d have thought a diagnosis would be obvious without one. They were being cautious.
The doctor had a fine sense of humour. “See this? You’re full of S-H-1-T.” Yes, I’ve been told that before, I replied. “We’ll treat you with Fleet, to make you fleet of foot; and if you think that’s an amusing name, we used to use something called Golightly.”
Fleet duly applied shortly after, I was indeed fleet of foot as I made my way to the toilet. Impacted poo wasn’t what I thought as a hailstorm of hard pea-sized balls rained inside the stainless steel bowl.
They made me stay overnight. A middle aged man in the bed next to me asked me what I was in for. I’ve had an inguinal hernia op, I replied. “Is it your first?” he asked. What?? “I’ve just had my second one. Apparently it’s common to get a hernia on the other side later.”
So for the last 25 years I’ve been wary of any strain I might feel on the left side of my groin on lifting anything heavy (I avoid doing so as much as I can). So far, so good.
andrew d, I can’t imagine the joys of a bilateral hernia and attendant operation. You must be hugely relieved. I was told to do light duties only for six weeks after my op. Take care!