Hernia/tucking question/issue?

[bimini1]

Well I just returned from the physician after a growing bulge appear near the groin. He told me inguinal hernia. Has anyone dealt with this? I was afraid it could have developed because of tucking. I am afraid tucking will aggravate it even after surgery.
I was not comfortable telling him what I had been doing, lol.

Any doctor's or medical folks here to weigh in on this, or someone who has experienced hernia is appreciated.
thanks!

[CynthiaD]

I had a double hernia fixed several years ago, and I tuck every day with no problems.

I'm not a doctor, but I doubt that your tucking had anything to do with your hernia. I've gotten the impression that it's mostly something you're just born with.

[AllieSF]

I also had a double hernia repaired laporascopically back in the early 90's. I have never had a problem since then. I think that you could try tucking to see if it bothers you until you have the hernia repaired. As to what caused it, it could have been anything from heavy lifting, over exertion while exercising, an awkward body movement, severe and chronic coughing (probably the cause of mine), or something else. I am no doctor but I doubt that tucking would have caused it.

I think you should just think about what answers you want and then create questions that you can ask your doctor without letting the cat out of the bag. Can you wear tight fitting compression athletic clothing, for example. The operation may put you out of action for awhile, for work a few days, for tucking maybe longer. It took me a week of recovery before I went back to work, where others went back just a few days after the operation, which is an out patient procedure with you going home the same day. Just make sure you have some frozen bags of corn and peas to help you through the first few days. Good luck.

[Sarasometimes]

I had one for many years and couldn't tuck now that it is repaired laproscopically with mesh, I can finally tuck!! Be sure he/she is a good surgeon and follow their instructions post surgery and all should be good. I was fotunate i didn't even need the pain meds post surgery.

[bimini1]

Thanks y'all. Damned shame here I am with a medical condition and all I can think about is wow, are my tucking days over? It's not painful but has been getting progressively larger over about a 3 month time frame. I thought it was swollen lymph nodes associated with a bacterial skin rash I had down there but nooooooo.....hernia.

It just occurred to me hernia is already associated with male anatomy of how the testicles are arranged in our anatomy and in my mind I made the next logical step, which is, if am am doing something that alters the natural scheme of things down there could it have contributed to this condition.

[AllieSF]

Actually the term "hernia" is used for both males and females. Why don't they call the female version "HERnia" and the male one "HISnia"? Then we could crossdress with HERnia's too!!

[Kandi Robbins]

I had a double hernia, required surgery for the insertion of a mesh abdominal wall. I haven't had an issue since, but it laid me up for a while. It wasn't fun holding everything inside whenever I coughed.

[AllieSF]

Coughing and laughing are very painful right after that. My brother would call me up and then tell me jokes to make me laugh. I can truly say I laughed till I hurt since every laugh and giggle hurt!

[Diane Smith]

A zillion things can cause or aggravate an inguinal hernia. It is just one of the weak points of the human anatomy that fails from time to time. In my case, I have often wondered if wearing tight corsets contributed to mine. But there have been no further problems since I had it repaired with dacron mesh in 2001, and I still tightlace regularly. Mine was only on the right side, and my surgeon at the time said there was a slightly elevated risk that if I'd had one repaired, I might need to have the other side fixed in the future. But so far, knock on wood, no problems on the left.

I've never tucked myself but from what I understand of the anatomy, I don't think there's enough force involved to have much of an effect on the development of a hernia. They arise from really large or repeated episodes of strain on the muscular wall of the groin.

- Diane

[~Katelyn~]

I know the feeling just had an umbilical hernia surgery earlier today. I'm just starting recovery right now. I don't think tucking was the cause of yours or tucking would give you any trouble. The only thing for me is just to recover so I can start dressing again.

[erickka]

I had mine repaired about 6 years ago. It was so bad that it almost ruptured, and that would not have been good. I have no problems staying tucked for 8 hours at a time. Follow your doctor's post surgery instructions and you should be good as new!

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Bimini:hugs:, My first concern would be to get that hernia repaired ASAP . ~~...:daydreaming:...

[Sarasometimes]

I waited 20 years to get mine done and in hindsight that wan't the best route. Of course my success is due to a good surgeon and follow their instructions. Get up as soon as possible and move about. i couldn't do much with the weight lifting restrictions but i walked around for miles and that i think helped in my recovery. Everyone recovery is a bit different but this work for me, good luck!

[Cheryl James]

Double hernia surgery two weeks ago for me. I was worried about the hernia's relationship to tucking, as well. The surgeon told me that these things happen and nothing that I did caused to occur. I did not ask about tucking, of course. I am back doing everything that I was doing prior to the surgery. Dressing and tucking will have to wait until March, though. How interesting that this topic came up at a time when I had the same questions.

[Krisi]

I had a hernia and needed my gall bladder removed (not related). They fixed both at the same time. Not related to tucking.

If tucking hurts, don't do it. Otherwise, it's OK.

[Brandie.n]

I had the same hernia in the same spot i waited until i recovered befor i dressed again.i didnt wear anything tight pantyhose tights or leggings.When the pain subsided i started wearing the tight fitting clothes and eased back into tucking.Never had a problem since.

[Barbara Jo]

I had the same type of inguinal hernia which is just a small weak area of the muscle wall in that area which causes the bulge
The bulge is your intestines that the weak muscles are failing to keep in place .
In extreme cases, intestinal strangulation can take place which is serious .

Anyway , is is not caused by tucking. :)

The good new is, it's a routine , relatively simple repair and most hospitals now do it as an out patient, provided you have someone to drive you home.
There was minimal pain after surgery and recovery to get mostly back to normal was only few weeks .
I had mine repaired about a year ago and there is hardly a scar.

So, there is no reason not to have it repaired .
However, until you have it repaird, be careful how you lift something heavy as heavy lifting can aggravate it and make it worse.

[rocval2001]

Funny you should mention it - I just had a double inguinal hernia on the 16th. I do not think tucking causes the hernia since it is a tear in the wall. The most common is a strain of some sort. The operation to repair is not all that bad. The first couple of days could be rough - But you get better quickly.

[Barbara Jo]

BTW, Mine was not that bad and i had it for years ..... until i finally got around to having it repaired.

Also females can get it also but not as common as males because males do more strenuous work and heavy lifting which seems to cause it.
Other studies suggest that it may result from weak muscle in that area at birth that result in a hernia later in life and is somewhat hereditary.

[bimini1]

These replies have been very reassuring. I meet with the surgeon tomorrow and will go from there. I talked to my mom and she is pretty sure I had one at birth that the dr massaged back in somehow. Maybe it's finally coming home to roost.
I dressed once since the diagnosis and didn't tuck for the first time in years. To be honest it felt pretty odd. It was more physically comfortable but I somehow felt less femme.

[Laura912]

So the medical opinion is that it is not caused by tucking. It really relates to a weakness in the fascia and abdominal musculature that,with increased intra-abdominal pressure, causes the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity) to bulge through the opening. Sometimes bowel or other contents can be in the bulge also know as the sac. Generally simple surgery but can recur. Conclusion? Keep on tucking.

[Teresa]

Bimini,
I recall the day my hernia happened, it felt I'd been kicked by a horse, it hurt so much ! Eventually I had it repaired under a local anesthetic , something I'd never do again.

It wasn't caused by tucking but more likely from carrying my heavy photo equipment . I did ask if it was possible to perform the full tuck after hernia in the sticky section but never got a reply. it hasn't made any difference how I tuck at the moment , I just use a medium control pantie , which keeps things out of sight

[bimini1]

3 weeks post op. Good recovery. Thanks for support. Dressed for first time since double laparoscopic last night. Did not tuck. Felt good but when you're used to having a nice smooth tuck it's not the same. Eventually I will try tucking again later but don't want to take any chances.

[Barbara Jo]

Great bimini1 :)

[JennykBailey]

I had a double hernia a few years ago. It was partly an age thing exacerbated by doing the London to Brighton bike ride.

[kathy chelan]

I had a right inguinal hernia surgery way back in 1972. I know it happened because of moving furniture with only the help of 2 or 3 of the girlfriends of my housemates at the time..we had been house band at one club for 8 months.. and were going on a summer tour in the Great Lakes area....the guys had already split Tucson and the furniture had mostly been donated to us by my parents who lived in southern NM. Slowly over the next three months I started having pain when I hit high notes on the trumpet and eventually it ached all the time. Surgery fixed it very well. 8 more years full time musician. Then a career in warehouse and inventory positions......Now all these years later---because of pushing non-starting cars by (?) hand (?) quite a bit in my second marriage I now have at age 69 a baby left inguinal hernia and also a baby ventral hernia in my belly. ...THOSE WERE DIAGNOSED IN 2002 OR 2003 AND I HAVE BEEN VERY CAREFUL AND THEY HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY WORSE. And I have always tucked with no problems whatsoever all these years. I do anticipate surgery will happen sometime and my doc says it has to be two different sessions. Oh well. After that I plan to get back in shape on the horn, last played seriously 16 years ago.