Riding with a hernia

[wongaga]

Old bloke has the great fortune of being diagnosed with an inguinal hernia, which should be fixed by surgery in the next few weeks.

Is there anyone out there who's travelled this particular path and can bless me with their learnings and wisdom as far as cycling is concerned?

Cheers (ouch), Graeme

[nathg]

Quite the timing, I had my 6 week post-op checkup today.

Inguinal hernia diagnosed back in May, 5 days after completing Port Macquarie half Ironman, although unsure if it was actually the cause or not. Surgery on 31st July. I was fairly active still before the surgery, running and riding but did scale it back with distance and intensity.

I had 3 weeks off the bike (first ride was 26/8). Have eased back into it, but last week lifted intensity with 2 midweek track sessions and then a few small hills to test out on Saturday’s ride.

There’s a little discomfort, which today I was assured was normal as it’s the “clips” holding the mesh in place breaking away and dissolving. This apparently can be expected for a few months. No pain though.

For context, I’m 32 and ride at least once a week usually with a couple of runs thrown in. Had no pain at all between finding the hernia and surgery. But more of a mental concern, just not wanting to make it worse before being operated on.

You’ll be right!

[wongaga]

Thanks for that. I probably won't do quite as well as you, because at 72 I've got an additional 40 years of decay and decrepitude to contend with. But here's hoping!

[baabaa]

Hmm - I had my left side "blow out" about four years back after helping my daughter move out of home. Have always been what I thought was fit and able to lift stuff without any issues but ended up in Canberra hospital who told me what it was and why. Inguinal hernia - never heard of it....Went to my doctor and then a surgeon and while not urgent he fitted me in for both sides op to be patched with mesh a week later.
The op and the recovery went well and got back into fitness stuff - long walks but no lifting - BUT after a month I had growing lower tummy discomfort. After some meals I found my belly would push out on the mesh. Was really was what I could call medium to high pain stuff so I changed my diet to more fibre which made it worse. This went on and on and got worse as the weeks went by. Back to the doctor and in time we sort of worked out that I had IBS so some foods made my belly bloat and then rub hard against the mesh.
So my best words are watch and know your diet and maybe try and avoid gassy foods for at least several weeks after. If you have any food allergies be extra careful. I am now full time low fodmap diet as I still get that stabbing pain if I have any gassy foods
Also something I wish my surgeon had mentioned, but best take a dose of stool softeners before the op as that first time to the dunny after the op for me was horrible
Hope it goes well

[nathg]

Also something I wish my surgeon had mentioned, but best take a dose of stool softeners before the op as that first time to the dunny after the op for me was horrible
Hope it goes well

Agree with this, but did they really not give you anything? I had powder for a week, the first time going to the loo was uncomfortable, but I imagine a lot worse had I not taken anything to help!

[wongaga]

Thanks for the feedback. I have just returned from a tentative 20km ride which turned out to be fine. Being bent over on the road bike kept enough pressure on the lower abdomen for it to feel quite stable.

Cheers, Graeme

[foo on patrol]

^^ ^^ Just don't over do it.

Foo

[tcdev]

Just this morning I had my 3-week inguinal hernia post-op check-up with the surgeon.

Despite complications (due to previous surgery over 50 years ago) he was able to complete via keyhole so recovery has been almost completely pain-free (I haven't taken as much as a single Panadol since leaving the hospital). He advised me today to slowly incorporate gentle exercise but isn't so keen on me getting back on the bike until 6 weeks. Pre-op he grudgingly conceded I could do low-resistance trainer work after 4 weeks, so I'm going to start that next week.

I suffered with the hernia for just over 12 months. Of all the activities - walking, running, soccer, cycling - all but cycling resulted initially in discomfort and then various level of pain after 15-30 minutes. Cycling was never a problem for me. I'm not going to go against my surgeon's advice, but it puzzled me why cycling would be considered risky during recovery given it all-but-alleviated the symptoms when I had it...

[nathg]

Over 6 months since my op, can report that I do get a little bit of discomfort/sensation in the area where the mesh is after a longer ride of 90+ km. No pain, just can feel it a little.
Perhaps tcdev that is why your surgeon is hesitant with cycling? Feedback from other patients?
No feeling after running, but to be fair my longest run since operation has only been 12km, and most runs just z2 or z3.