Hey guys, I think I may have a hernia. I’m gonna call the doctor tomorrow and set something up. I have just a weird, tender feeling, barely painful, on my low abs right below the waist (right side). Feels like it is somewhat bruised under the skin. And from what I can tell there is no lump, which is a good thing.
I’ve had this feeling since Sunday, which happened to be 5/3/1 squat day. I’m really hoping I don’t have it but I’ll keep you guys updated. How is the surgery itself? Do they knock you out?
been a while since I checked on here and I’m really grateful for all of the information! Thank you!!
I myself have felt fine the past month and a half. I worked my way up 3 weeks ago to a 1-rep max in dead, squat, bench, and push-press. I hit new PR’s and felt fantastic. Plus now I know my legit numbers to run a true 5/3/1 program. During this time there was no supposed “hernia” pain at all.
I know I always favor my lower right abdominal side because of surgery I had in that area to get my infected appendix out 3 years ago. THe scar tissue still remains and whenever I rub around that area, or feel its sore, I immediately think hernia, but then realize, shit relax, its just scar tissue, you’re fine.
I definitely can relate to the posts about what it is like post surgery. WHen I had my appendix out, I couldn’t do shit without severe pain for 3 weeks straight. That was when I realized how much your core actually is involved wih every movement you do.
I really look forward to any and all future stories of hernia experiences, plus any advice on how to avoid them besides the stupid don’t lift heavy and you’ll be fine shit. I’ve been doing a lot of ab work, but i’ve found that I should avoid ab training 2 days before my deadlift days. If I do abs on Monday then train deads on Wednesday, my abs feel on fire and very uncomfortable while doing the movement. It has really hindered my training if i do them prior to deads. Anyone else the same? Also, what might be the best movement to strengthen you lower abdominals to better avoid a potential hernia.
Thanks again guys. This is really beneficial stuff!!
There’s reverse crunches, all kinds of leg raises (you can do them weighted while hanging, or roman chair). Honestly these two should do the check if you use weight.
brown disaster, sorry for the surgery man. that sucks.
keep us all updated on your status, recovery, and what you’re doing to try and heal up as fast as possible!!
I know I read a study on here a while ago (shoulda saved the page, but didn’t) that said high dosages of BCAA tabs post surgery and on a regular basis helped one maintain a significant amount of muscle during an extended length of time of from weights. I’ll keep looking around here for it and post a link if I find it.
Recover soon browndisaster. I checked with my doc and I don’t have a hernia, I have a lower ab tear. It doesn’t hurt at all really unless my abs are stretched or I push the area in. But this little tear has me out of lifting for about 2 weeks. OK OK that’s nothing but I was in the middle of a damn good 5/3/1 cycle.
Had open hernia repair in November. Happened doing weighted trunk rotations I think. Long term recovery was not that bad IMO, but short term was a little rough. Just getting out of bed or off the couch was bad for a week or so. You don’t realize how much your abdominal muscles help with everything you do. I took off 6 weeks or so from lifting.
[quote]PB Andy wrote:
Recover soon browndisaster. I checked with my doc and I don’t have a hernia, I have a lower ab tear. It doesn’t hurt at all really unless my abs are stretched or I push the area in. But this little tear has me out of lifting for about 2 weeks. OK OK that’s nothing but I was in the middle of a damn good 5/3/1 cycle.[/quote]
That’s what the first surgeon told me back in February. He said I might have a small ab tear and that I should go light for a few weeks and take some anti-inflamatories. Keep an eye on it and if it persists have it checked again. Sometimes hernias take some time to fully present.
I’m finally going back in the gym Friday. I’m still developing my plan but I will likely warm-up cautiously, then maybe try one of the complexes featured here: Strength Training, Bodybuilding & Online Supplement Store - T NATION with just the bar then a few GHRs and 45 degree back raises (I could do these without pain pre-surgery). My short term goal is to just get moving again, not to get cardio or build any muscle. If this feels okay, maybe I’ll slowly increase the intensity over a few sessions so I can actually get some training benefit out of it.
If they used the mesh across your entire midsection you would never need to wear a suit or belt!
Great stories everyone I was going to start a similar thread. Never had a hernia but have known a few people with them, and getting old, starting to be a concern.
Went to a mansion house the other week in Wales and there was an enormous granite ball there so I thought I’d try and lift it despite having done ME squats and bench the days before … nearly dislocated shoulder, tore biceps and also got hernia-like pain although suspect it was more of a stitch.
Me = stupid for attempting a maximal lift with no warmup, bad sleep, partying the night before and recovering from previous workout. Any one of those injuries would have sucked.
I never want a hernia I think it is creepy. The weakness in the ab wall is due to a channel which is where your testees migrated from inside to the outside of your body as a baby. The thing popping out is intestines. This makes you a target in your sleep for nightfeeding zombies. All of the above keeps me up at night.
The surgery however, brilliant.
Note, two people I know got their hernia from COUGHING HARD.
[quote]skizac wrote:
If you think you might have a hernia, see a doctor! The last thing you want to do is make it worse. If you have any kind of lump or protrusion from your abdomen, DO NOT TRAIN with it.
I had an inguinal hernia repair when I was 19. I have no idea how I got it. I had to rest in bed for a week after surgery. But since then, I’ve gone on to squat and deadlift 650+ pounds raw. Occasionally I’ll feel a very slight tension in the area of my hernia scar, but I think I’m just feeling the scar tissue. I don’t have any pain in the area.
[/quote]
I had the same kind of hernia… tried out for and made SWAT with it though. Had it fixed once and then actually forced the intestine through the slit in the mesh that was cut for the artery. I personally have trained with them before but I wouldn’t call that the best decision ever. If you can push the lump in, you’re ok but should see a doctor. If the lump is hard and you can’t push it in and/or it’s painful, you should hustle yourself to the ER. When they get stuck and choked off like that it’s much worse in a hurry.
To those who are afraid to work out heavy after having hernia repairs: Don’t worry about it. Your abdominal wall should heal to full strength in time, unless you have some weird case and your doctor says otherwise. Just take your time and work up to heavy weights. Your abs will get stronger. Make sure you work them directly.
Yesterday was my first day back in the gym post surgery.
Everything went well, except that I was astonished at how much conditioning I had lost. The DOMS has set in hard, stairs suck today. I was expecting that though.
Well I am pretty sure I don’t have a hernia. No pain around my testes or anywhere else. I thought I could train through the small ab tear but I was wrong. I did ONE reverse lunge with a twist for a warm-up, and the area just overstretched so easily. It definitely feels like a tear so I’m gonna get a referral from my doctor, and he should give me a list of PTs. Hopefully some of them are ART-practitioners.
Went to a surgeon today and he told me i have an umbilical hernia. He said there is no rush to fix it right now, but that he will do it next week if I want. He said that I’ve had it my whole life.
He says it takes him 15-20min to complete the procedure, always using mesh.
[quote]Galvatron wrote:
I forgot to add a bit of post-surgery advice. You can block a sneeze by sticking your tongue up in front of your front teeth as far as you can. This will kill a sneeze even until the last possible second. Don’t know how to block a cough though, unfortunately…[/quote]
hahahaha…I forgot all about that . I didnt know about that trick when I had mine fixed…wish I had though . sneezing absolutely sucked .
funny story…about 8 or 9 days after surgery I get bored . so I grab a fishing rod and drive to the local river …figuring what could it hurt ? right ?
about a 100 yard walk from truck to river; no problem . so I’m fishing for about 20 minutes or so , and my nut sack starts burning . I start back for the truck , but the burning gets pretty intense . so I sit down on a rock or a log …bad thing to sit down on . the pain got so bad I thought I was gonna be spending the night right there . I think I laid in the grass for about 20 minutes before I got back up and hunch-backed it back to the truck.
I know this is old but I might as well post my experience so far.
I got mine done yesterday. First time on anesthesia woooohoo. Well wooohoo at least for the first few hours because later on when I came home I felt a bit sick from it, nothing horrible but a strong hangover.
My hernia was repaired with mesh and it was located on the right side of the groin between the upper thigh and the pelvis.
So far it’s hard to move around. Standing up from bed is a bit painful and I feel like an 80 year old when walking. It also seems like my bladder is still sleeping, the flow when urinating is not very strong although it got a lot better since yesterday when I could barely make my self pee.
Doctor said I should be able to start doing cardio in about two weeks and weights in about 4 weeks. He also told me to just use common sense and listen to my body in regards to pain, if it hurts then stop.
Overall I’m happy with my surgery. Now it’s only a matter of time until I’m squatting and dead-lifting heavy again(which I haven’t done since Jan 20 2010 when the hernia was born).
I was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia in October 2009 and had surgery in February 2010. Not sure if it was caused from lifting or not. Probably not since I’ve had an outtie all my life. Now I have an innie. 4 weeks after surgery I was cleared to do any physical activity I wanted, at my own discretion. I just started deadlifting this past Friday. Surgery was quick and painless…I had the mesh put in. The first week of recovery was frustrating. I couldn’t stand up straight, could only walk very slow and laying down and standing up took forever. I could only sleep on my back. Also, I recommend manning up and NOT taking any pain meds. Percocet is known for causing constipation and that’s what happened to me for a few days. I had to chug prune juice and eat a lot of fiber to get my digestion working again. The I took the biggest(and most satisfy) shit of my life…something you don’t want to do after hernia repair. If you have more questions for me, just ask.
[quote]ANIMAL M0THER wrote:
I was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia in October 2009 and had surgery in February 2010. Not sure if it was caused from lifting or not. Probably not since I’ve had an outtie all my life. Now I have an innie. 4 weeks after surgery I was cleared to do any physical activity I wanted, at my own discretion. I just started deadlifting this past Friday. Surgery was quick and painless…I had the mesh put in. The first week of recovery was frustrating. I couldn’t stand up straight, could only walk very slow and laying down and standing up took forever. I could only sleep on my back. Also, I recommend manning up and NOT taking any pain meds. Percocet is known for causing constipation and that’s what happened to me for a few days. I had to chug prune juice and eat a lot of fiber to get my digestion working again. The I took the biggest(and most satisfy) shit of my life…something you don’t want to do after hernia repair. If you have more questions for me, just ask.[/quote]
Thanks man.
How did your recovery period look like? like at how many weeks did you do certain things etc etc.
OK OK that’s nothing but I was in the middle of a damn good 5/3/1 cycle.