Soreness, pain throughout the abdomen after surgery is normal. It can occur away from the hernia itself as the mesh extends and is tacked in place beyond the area of the hernia. Pain will be worse with movement, changing positions from laying to seated to standing. Male patients may notice new pain in the testicle after surgery. This is normal and will go away over time.
Most of our patients take only tylenol and ibuprofen for pain management after surgery.
We recommend taking the following every 6 hours for the first few days after surgery as needed:
– 650mg to 1g of acetaminophen (Tylenol)
– 400mg to 600mg of ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin)
If you are experiencing significant pain that is preventing you from going on a walk or falling asleep, please call the office for a prescription for oxycodone. This medication will cause constipation, so we recommend the following:
– Fiber supplement (Citrucel or Benefiber)
– Stool softener (Colace, Senakot)
– Laxative only if unable to have a bowel movement for a few days (Milk of Magnesia)