[JKirby]

I talked to multiple doctors who told me that they would only do my inguinal repair under general. Their reasoning was that my abdomen would still be able to flex and move while I was sedated with local, and that could be disastrous in the middle of the surgery. However, I went with Dr.Brown and it was done under local with no issues. It can definitely be done under local with a competent doctor

[JKirby]

I was also very concerned about what I would do if there was a complication, and my family even more so. My surgery was on a Wednesday morning, and I left on the following Sunday morning. I did ask Dr.Brown about what could go wrong after I left, and he said that in all his years he had only had 1 patient where something came up that required help(fluid build up or something like that). My take away was that my repair was highly unlikely to have any complications. But I was just having an inguinal hernia repair, not mesh removal.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by  JKirby.

[JKirby]

It’s been a little over 6 weeks now since my surgery. Things are improving steadily. Only a slight discomfort when I sneeze or cough now, and I can do day to day activities without any pain at all. I’m exercising but not doing anything that stresses my core muscles. So far so good.

[JKirby]

It’s been 6 days now, and my recovery is going slow but steady. The surgery with Dr.Brown went well so far as I can tell, but it will be months before I can evaluate it’s success. I’ll just say that Dr. Brown and the staff of the surgical center were very professional. I have no regrets about choosing to travel to get a no mesh surgery there.
Some Random notes:
-after 6 days of healing, I can walk with mild pain, but I wouldn’t want to do anything else yet. Don’t expect to be running around in 3 days. Props to herniatalk member dog, he must heal very quickly.
-Every time I cough it is extremely painful. I can’t imagine the nightmare it would be to get sick right after this surgery. The days leading up to my surgery, it seemed like everyone I encountered had the sniffles. Even the receptionist at the surgery center! If I were to do it again, I might schedule a summer surgery just to reduce the chances of a post op cold.
-No less than 4 people interviewed me before my surgery, all asking if I had anything to eat or drink after 10 the night before(a big no no). I’ve read articles saying that this practice, especially where it comes to drinking water, is outdated and unnecessary. Anyway, it is still treated like a deal breaker for the surgery, so expect to get quizzed about it, multiple times.
-the general area Dr.Brown’s office and Surgery Center is in is pretty nice. I imagine most of the hotels in that area would be safe. I stayed at the Staybridge Suites hotel, and I recommend it. It’s a little pricey though.

[JKirby]

Congratulations! Keep us updated on your recovery

[JKirby]

I did look into Dr. Repta, but I think in this forum somewhere it mentions that he charges around $8000 for a hernia repair. For me it’s all out of pocket, so that’s a lot. I recently met with Dr.Jude Labarbera, because he mentions using the Desarda method on his website. My talk with him went well, he said that he does no mesh repairs weekly. The cost I quoted was $7300.00 total, tax included. Which is still quite a bit. Trying to decide between getting the procedure done locally, or go to California to have it done by Dr.Brown, who charges considerably less.

[JKirby]

quote Gab1949:

Hi JKirby,Sorry, you can ask in which city you live, I also have such problems.

I live in Phoenix, AZ

[JKirby]

I have a meeting tomorrow with a local surgeon that mentions that he uses the Desarda technique on his website. I was wondering if anyone had ideas or suggestions of the questions I should ask to figure out if he’s legitimately skilled at hernia repair. Of course I will ask how many he’s done and how often are there complications, but is there any other way to suss out if he’s genuine?

[JKirby]

I only know what I’ve been able to research, but I’ll throw in my 2 cents. If I were in your position, I would wait for Dr.Brown. However, that assumes you don’t have a job or home life that requires you to be on your feet, lifting things. I think if you are as careful as possible, you could stall for 6 weeks without making things worse. Some people go decades without getting their hernia repaired. I think it comes down to how long you are willing to have your entire life revolve around being cautious so that you don’t disturb your hernia. At some point, not exercising and worrying is going to get real old. If you are in a lot of pain and you keep getting swelling, etc., you have to do what you have to do. There are mesh surgeons that are talented and conscientious, find the one in your area and have that option ‘on deck’ if you have to go that route.

[JKirby]

For sure, everything I’ve looked at indicates that of all the issues mesh repair might have, hernia recurrence is not one of them. My take from everything I’ve read is that mesh usually works out fine, but when it doesn’t, it can be devastating for the patient. My feeling is that if I go with someone like Dr.Brown, maybe I could lower the likelihood of recurrence to the 5% range. All that being said, I could have the mesh done in my home town for free, versus a very difficult trip to San Jose, the logistics of which I still haven’t figured out.

[JKirby]

Thank you for your thoughtful reply. My family, my doctor, and the insurance company all want me to just go with the flow and get the mesh, but I’m definitely leaning towards going with Dr. Brown. As an Arizona resident, and he offers the best combination of good reviews, proximity, and affordability. Still, it’s very frustrating to pay for insurance all these years, and now, when I really need it, it’s worthless to me. I’ll contact them about reimbursement but I doubt they will work with me.