How many days off work needed after laparoscopic hernia surgery?

For a desk job, most patients return to work in 5-7 days after laparoscopic hernia repair. Some people are back at 3-4 days if they feel comfortable.

Timeline: Day 1-2 rest at home. Day 3-5 light movement around the house. Day 5-7 return to desk work. Week 3-4 return to driving. Week 6 return to gym and heavy lifting.

Avoid lifting anything over 5kg for 4 weeks. The mesh needs 6 weeks to fully integrate.

I was back at my desk job in 5 days after laparoscopic hernia surgery. The first 2 days were uncomfortable but after that it was quite manageable. Just avoid sitting for too long without breaks.

My husband had the surgery on Friday and was back at his IT job Monday morning working from home. By the following week he was commuting to office. Listen to your body though.