Nothing good about a hernia

[mikeofaustin]

Not to long ago, I fell backwards in a broken chair I was leaning on that caused an umbilical hernia. It's not nearly as bad as the photo's you see online, but enough to cause concern because the skin is a deep red color (possible strangulation). I don't have health insurance, but fortunately it's not going to be a whole lot of money (it's going to set me back quite a bit, but not homeless, yet). Has anyone ever experienced this type of hernia? How bad was it? I'm hoping they can do a simple IV sedation (morphine) so I won't have to be intubated (that part scares me the most). It's not protruding (an 'outtie'), but it's enough to cause concern because it is clearly there, and bright red (it's also not 'reducible'). It's also uncomfortable and tender when I sit forward to tie my shoe or bend backward to stretch. Standing too long is also not pleasant. Sitting in the wrong position also causes difficulty.
I'm feeling fine and daily bodily functions are no problem. I'm thinking it's probably just fatty tissue(?) and no small intestine yet. I'll start calling Monday to see how I can see a doctor without insurance. And of course, if I start having 'troubling signs', I'll head to the E.R.

Also, I don't qualify for any kind of aid because I'm "too rich". I have my primary car, and then my worktruck. So, anything after a primary car disqualifies you. Also, if you have more than 5K in the bank, you're also not applicable. I'm hoping that if I pay up front, I've heard, that they'll give you a substantial break. I talk to a financial councilor on Monday.

My biggest fear is intubation (general anesthesia). I'm much rather prefer an IV/morphine sedation.

(((I hate these 'life wakeup calls'))))

 

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[Felinepeachy]

You don't have to have general anesthesia for that surgery. You can ask for a spinal which will include a nice "cocktail" with IV, to relax you. Very easy surgery, you'll be fine.

And quit stressing about general anesthesia, it's WONDERFUL! I've had it 6 times and have never had a problem. If I have my choice, I prefer it.

 

[mikeofaustin]

You don't have to have general anesthesia for that surgery. You can ask for a spinal which will include a nice "cocktail" with IV, to relax you. Very easy surgery, you'll be fine.

And quit stressing about general anesthesia, it's WONDERFUL! I've had it 6 times and have never had a problem. If I have my choice, I prefer it.

I've read that with general anesthesia (intubation), there's about .5 percent 'awareness'. That scares me. I've read about the spinal, and it sounds better to me as well. I guess I'm just scared.

 

[Felinepeachy]

I worked in surgery as a surgical assistant in the Air Force. You aren't intubated until after you are under anesthesia. You won't know anything is going on whatsoever. You literally will feel like you blinked and next you know is you are waking up. The worst you may feel is soreness from the surgery site and maybe a mildly scratchy throat for a day or so. It is normally a very minor procedure and you go home the same day. You'll be okay.

When you have a spinal you are numb and don't "feel" pain but you are awake, although somewhat sedated. Having a spinal is just as good but personally I don't want to hear the sounds of surgery or feel pressure so the general anesthesia is always my choice, just knock me out and wake me up when I can leave. It's the best rest you will ever have

 

[mikeofaustin]

I worked in surgery as a surgical assistant in the Air Force. You aren't intubated until after you are under anesthesia. You won't know anything is going on whatsoever. You literally will feel like you blinked and next you know is you are waking up. The worst you may feel is soreness from the surgery site and maybe a mildly scratchy throat for a day or so. It is normally a very minor procedure and you go home the same day. You'll be okay.

When you have a spinal you are numb and don't "feel" pain but you are awake, although somewhat sedated. Having a spinal is just as good but personally I don't want to hear the sounds of surgery or feel pressure so the general anesthesia is always my choice, just knock me out and wake me up when I can leave. It's the best rest you will ever have

O.k. so help me understand the process... What I remember from my IV sedation (wisdom teeth, totally different from general), is they first give you laughing gas, make you count down from 20, then give you the morphine. After that, I was aware of everything but didn't care at all if they were to use a chainsaw on my mouth (something magical about that level of sedation I guess). But, with General, what do they do? Give you a knock out drug (pill/injection?). What kind of cocktail is that? I've read that it's important to let them know before hand how much you drink so they don't get you a lower dose than needed. So, after that, do they give you a muscle relaxer, or is it at the same time? I'm guessing, that the muscle relaxant is directly before the intubation as they need to monitor when they can insert and start cycling air for you. Then, after the surgery, they give you a muscle wakener(?) and have to pull the intubation tube and make sure your muscles will go back to breathing by themselves?

I'm a firm believer in drug/medical science, but I think it would help me to understand the order of operations (so to speak). AND, thank you very much for answering my questions. You can't always get this type of information on the net. I'm hoping my situation is small enough that it doesn't merit a general.... Plus, I think it might be cheaper...(?).

 

[mikeofaustin]

Thanks for the phone chat peachy. You've made me feel a whole lot better about this. Thank you very much.

 

[Felinepeachy]

You're welcome. You're okay Mike, don't stress.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

MikeofAustin,

You will be fine - women have been having babies with that spinal tap type of sedation, for years - which will keep you wide awake and pain free.

General anethesia (with and without intubation) has come a long way - as had most other types of anethesia.

Your biggest worry is when you get home - DON'T over due it. Let yourself heal - just because you feel good, doesn't mean that you should be lifting up the car, you know? If you give yourself time to heal, it will not only be good - it will be better - the body is a wonderful thing - it will make a few extra layers to protect you - if you let it.

So - good luck - and follow the doctor's orders!!!

Beth

 

[mikeofaustin]

MikeofAustin,

You will be fine - women have been having babies with that spinal tap type of sedation, for years - which will keep you wide awake and pain free.

General anethesia (with and without intubation) has come a long way - as had most other types of anethesia.

Your biggest worry is when you get home - DON'T over due it. Let yourself heal - just because you feel good, doesn't mean that you should be lifting up the car, you know? If you give yourself time to heal, it will not only be good - it will be better - the body is a wonderful thing - it will make a few extra layers to protect you - if you let it.

So - good luck - and follow the doctor's orders!!!

Beth

Thank you. I talked to Peachy tonight and she told me that it might not be a hernia, but instead a muscle tear (from falling backward). I'm hoping for the best. I'll investigate seeing a doctor on Monday and let everyone know what they say. My hope is that it's a tear and not a hernia. Peachy, with her medical background, really did make me feel a whole lot better about my predicament... even with the intubation procedure should it come to that (thanks again Peachy). What I have to do now, is limit my stomach muscle work and take it easy on them until I see a doc.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Well, a hernia is simply something inside of you that tries to (or successfully) pops out through muscle tears. They don't remove a hernia, they simply re-inforce the muscles.

Definitely have it looked at though - especially if you are just guessing.

Beth

 

[mikeofaustin]

Definitely have it looked at though - especially if you are just guessing.
Beth

Definitely!!! Thanks.

 

[FarmerChick]

when you go to the Dr. tomorrow I hope you get good answers! I hope you have the easiest possible problem!

take it slow and relax. and take care of yourself!


I had neck surgery about 15 years ago. bulging disc. my whole arm went numb and I couldn't hold anything in my hand, it would just fall out. And the soreness....oh wow. No way but surgery to fix this.....and like you....I am not one for 'surgery' lol
But I had no choice and after being scared out of my mind, I came thru fine, got fixed and haven't looked back. All is good.

as much as you are scared, as I was big time, sometimes we gotta do what we gotta do

but hang in there and go slow until you can find out what procedures etc. you might have to handle.
hope it all goes well for you!

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Farmerchick,

That's like me. I had an accident when I was about 10 - a horse fell on me, caught my left knee between a rock the the horse. Broke my kneecap.

Healed fine - you know kids - but, as I got older, started to get this crunching noise in my leg - and pain, pain, pain. Finally, in 1990, it got so bad that I would step down and "look mom, no leg", and I would crash to the ground". Finally went to an orthopedic surgeon who took tests and found out that when I broke my kneecap, it was like in a "star" pattern, and each little finger had grown deposits, effectively sawing the ligaments as they passed over my knee. Surgery, and only surgery - was gonna fix it. Since I was black and blue from falling down, I decided to let him operate.

I had this soft cast on from my thigh to almost my ankle - but I never really had that much pain (just trouble going down the stairs). Looking back now (hindsight being 20-20) if I had know that surgery would have done such great things, I would have done it 20 years earlier. I could NOT believe the difference - had to take off work for 4 months - so, we went to Alaska from May until September. The doc gave me exercises to do - which I did faithfully, and within 10 days, the cast was off, just had an ace bandage, and got an appointment for September for him to follow up and see if I could go back to work - (I was mechanic at the time at work, and they did not want me to come back until I was 100% and could run the big trucks - big, hard heavy clutches) and it was supposed to last 10 years. Its 2011, and it is just now starting to act up again. So, I got my money's worth, without a doubt. And, it was all done through four little holes, one on each side of my knee cap.



Beth

 

[Dano Sverige]

I suffer from Crohns disease (severe irritable bowel syndrome) and have had 2 op's upto now. One to remove 2 inches and another to repair a burst in the bowel. I detest op's, but needs must sometimes. Nothing to it really mate, a quick jab in the arm...and away you go!
The trick is to get into the mindset that that jab will just take you straight out, which it will anyhow lol, but helps if you contribute and try to relax as much as possible and accept the situation. Soon as they say "ok we'll start now mr .......... Small prick in the arm", you'll feel your forearm go cold upto about your elbow maybe.....and then you'll wake up, and it's all over!

Had other op's for Gall bladder removal and testicular cancer. none of them were pretty lol. Trust me, the main problem is after you wake and the first time you try to walk and think they must have amputated your legs and gave you two false ones!

Your's shouldn't be that extreme Mike. Just a little "nip & tuck" i'm guessing. It's always scary and nobody enjoys these kind of things, but you'll be just fine mate.

 

[FarmerChick]

LOL Mrs. O
I hear you on 'waiting' I waited until everything fell out of my hand and if I KNEW the great results that would happen from this surgery....I would have done it earlier. I guess we wait cause 'we scared' LOL

 

[thrillathahunt]

Mike, sorry to hear about your hernia, but it is not as bad as you are thinking. I just had mine fixed 3 weeks ago (inguinal hernia). Maybe my experience can put your mind at ease.
It was an outpatient procedure. In the hospital at 7AM and out by 3. They will prepare you,hook you up to an IV (anti-biotics) then soon after will add something to make you go to sleep. They told me the surgery would last about an hour (to attach a special webbing under the muscle).

When I woke up in recovery I was feeling just as before I went in. Actually it was as if I just closed my eyes for a moment and woke up. They did give me Morphine and was feeling NO pain. I was in the recovery room for a while, talked to the doctor who said everything went great. They said that as soon as I urinated I could go home. (Sometimes guys with this surgery can't pee afterwards and they have to use a catheter) Not the case with me though. They gave me a prescription for pain pills which I took for about three days, and a few ibuprophen after that and now everything is great.

Don't worry about it, you will be fine! Sorry you don't have insurance though, by the time I get all the bills it's going to be about $9,000. I'm sure they will work with you though about payment.

 

[bigscoop]

Piece of cake.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Farmerchick,

I think its even more stupid (for me) because I've been in the medical field for ages, and was pretty sure it was going to be better.
I think doctors and nurses and others in the medical field are the WORST patients. For me, I'm not the best patient (the exception was having extra time in the hospital after childbirth - I did like that-long story) - but, I hate to be off my feet. I'm just not good at sitting still. Never have been - and it was always some excuse - I was always going for my next promotion at work (I wanted to be a mechanic, but, you have to go through 4 promotions to get to be one) and then it was our yearly trips. (gold prospecting). I saved all my vacation every year so that we could have long vacations, and I used my flex benefits to buy more vacation time - so, it was always something. The pain - actually, not being able to sleep because of the pain - was the final factor. Sometimes, you get used to pain - and don't realize how bad it is until it isn't there anymore.
(falling down didn't help the matter any either). I thought maybe it was just my generation - cause my brother-in-law waited on HIS hand till everything about fell out, too - even though he depends on his hands for living (guitar player). He waited until that hand wouldn't do what he wanted it to do before he did anything - but, I'm pretty sure he was a bit scared that he wouldn't be able to play again after the surgery - but, he not only got his mojo back - he's back to playing lead all the time. (man, that sucker can play - I am soooo jealous).

Thrillathahunt,

I'm just gonna have to tell you what I told Mike - the biggest "pain" is to make sure you let that baby heal. The muscle will come together and weave its little self onto that patch and grow back and be stronger than it was before - as long as you let it.......so, be good. You don't need to do anything important enough to NOT take the time to let that completely heal. (I speak from personal experiences, here, not just as a nurse - I felt great after they removed my gallbladder, and, honestly, I didn't think I really did too much, but, I ended up with an adhesion, and that just ain't what you want and it was my own danged fault - and yes, I knew that could happen).

So, behave until you are 100% - according to doctor's advice and real time - and you will do great.

Beth

 

[mikeofaustin]

I suffer from Crohns disease (severe irritable bowel syndrome) and have had 2 op's upto now. One to remove 2 inches and another to repair a burst in the bowel. I detest op's, but needs must sometimes. Nothing to it really mate, a quick jab in the arm...and away you go!
The trick is to get into the mindset that that jab will just take you straight out, which it will anyhow lol, but helps if you contribute and try to relax as much as possible and accept the situation. Soon as they say "ok we'll start now mr .......... Small prick in the arm", you'll feel your forearm go cold upto about your elbow maybe.....and then you'll wake up, and it's all over!

Had other op's for Gall bladder removal and testicular cancer. none of them were pretty lol. Trust me, the main problem is after you wake and the first time you try to walk and think they must have amputated your legs and gave you two false ones!

Your's shouldn't be that extreme Mike. Just a little "nip & tuck" i'm guessing. It's always scary and nobody enjoys these kind of things, but you'll be just fine mate.

Thanks Dano. For some reason, I've gotten into the mindset that any scalpel work on outer tissues (the skin and fat, and right up until to the muscle tissue) somehow just doesn't make me feel worried. I've told peachy that I've actually suitured myself up before (in fact many times) with sewing thread s(I'm a many of many talents, and sometimes, working with wood, cars, etc, gives wounds). Being a ex-hunter also gives you a little respect for the simpleness of the anatomy as well. But of course this surgery, it won't be that simply. They'll have to dig down to the muscle tissue and actually beyond that if it warrants). But what scares me, is the actually fact that I will not be able to talk to anyone and me being 'not in control' of my surrounding. I've long be a fan of the old saying, "if you want something done right, do it yourself". So, without me "being there" during the operation, makes me worry. The fear that keeps coming up is that I'll be aware when they start cycling air for me, and I won't "agree" on the cycling of the air and feel suffocated. In fact, I would much rather a local and morphine-cocktail.... but... again, since I've spoken to peaches, she has made me feel a lot better about it.

 

[dirtyJohn]

I was looking into this awhile ago for the same thing. I just decided to live with it unless it got worse but it actually got better. These people are setup for people without insurance and are very reasonable in their prices. They are located in Las Vegas and it looks like a nice facility and hernia surgery seem to be one of their main procedures. Won't hurt to give them a call http://www.noinsurancesurgery.com/.
Here's also a video of their place from a news story
Good Luck
HH
John