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Inguinal Hernia Mesh Repair, Blow out! One Year On

Posted , 4 users are following.

LaoDing
LaoDing

I previously wrote about my mesh experience one year on. Now, after moving to China with a heavy suitcase, my repair failed. Needless to say, I am very frightened and dissappionted.

I have read that recurrance rates for second surgeries are abysmal- around 50%. I have no money or insurance, and I am in China. I'm not exactly keen on the thought of surgery right now. 

My instestine (or fatty tissue) has descended into testicale sack (scrotal hernia), which makes for a very yucky and vulnerable feeling. The sac is not overly bloated or engorged in appearance, and in the mornings the tissue ascends back in the body.

I have a lot of other issues and details I would like to add but the main thing I want to stress is that I was never too keen on surgery in the first place and really considered natural healing (therapy and maintenance might be a better term), but my friends really pushed me hard toward the mesh and frightened, I gave in.

What I'd like to know is what happens when the mesh has failed and the hernia has returned? Is it OK just to leave the implant in and go back to watch and wait and start a new physical therapy program? With failure rates of 50% and declining thereafter, I cannot see any sense at all to repeatedly traumatizing the body with surgery. However, I have not found information on people with mesh failures who leave the mesh in.

My attitude now is that unless the condition becomes massive or causes severe pain, I don't particularly feel like messing with it. For now I just want to learn how to live with a gummy testicle sack without feeling depressed all the time.

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • shirley133
    shirley133 LaoDing

    Posted

    Dear LaoDing, you poor thing I had mesh a year ago for an incisional hernia, it is still intact as far as I know but not good.  I  have not heard of anyone who offers a good second repair.  Just hang in there and do your best.  Hernia horrid condition.  Take care
  • colin95803
    colin95803 LaoDing

    Posted

    What a big nuisance for you!  It seems to me that your hernia repair was not done properly in the first place.  If your hernia has returned and descends into the scrotum then it does need attention; it will not heal up on its own. To avoid operation the only way to manage it is with a truss (hernia support) which you will have to wear during the day to prevent the hernia descending.  In the long term this is cumbersome and uncomfortable (I used one for about a year before operation).  I believe the only real solution is further surgery but you need to chose a surgeon with experience.  I reckon keyhole surgery will not be the answer given your current symptoms and you will need a full operation to do the job.  Don't frighten yourself with statistics, see an expert if you can.  Good luck.
    • LaoDing
      LaoDing colin95803

      Posted

      Thanks for the advice. My feeling is that I tried surgery and it didn't work and I am very reluctant to go on the surgeon's bed again with such a dismal prognosis for second surgery failure. I don't know about trusses- I will look into that, and I do eventually want to find a doctor I trust. But that cannot be soon given my living situation. At this point, there are only two things that would make me seek surgery: emergency from strangulation or gross enlargement of the sack. I know that hernias do not 'go away on their own' but somehow people have been living with them for thousands of years. From all that I'm reading, etther way a hernia is going to affect your life and I wonder in a lot of cases if the 'cure' isn't worse than the problem. 

      I will say this: nochalantly thinking that you just get a mesh put in and carry on as usual is foolish. I don't think, in principle, that the procedure is not a good one. But you have to be aware of the pain it may cause and  if you don't tone your abdomen up you could end up with failures like mine. You are still susceptible to the weakness in the area and have to carry with lifting, etc. I would say that getting the mesh the first time was probably the smart thing to do, though I was not educated by the doctor on how to live with it. I would say you better have quite a good reason for going in for surgery twice. Surgeryi is quite hard on the body- you may suffer nerve damage or even lose a testicel. You have to risk complications with only a 50% success rate, all else being equal. So as you say, if you do it, it better be by someone good. I suppose for the rest of my life I won't dare lift heavy things or do any crazy thrashing excercise, just yoga, tai chi, and slow dancing. lol

  • Raul50
    Raul50 LaoDing

    Posted

    Hi Lao Ding, how are you these days? I'm Raul, 50 years old.  I have a  hernia recurrence with two lumps and lots of pain, barely walk at end of the day and it is really freaking me out. We have here precary conditions of the health public system, and I depend upon it to solve my problem.

    Did you make new surgery repair? How do a person know if the instestine is estrangulated enough before that put life at risk? Is it possible a displaced mesh rip the intestine? If so, is there enough time to save the life? I know, I know... I should ask the doctor and I did but it also didn't lead further cause they don't believe that it is the case I am in. I just wonder if it is needed to reach this point to get the attention needed to find out what is happening;

    Frankly I fear from complications cause I've through too many doctors and they've said different opinions about what is go in on under the skin. Mostly have said to me that "that everything seems right after that physical exam of pressing air in and touch the area. The last one told me that the mesh is displaced and that there is  100% change the hernia is back. Seriously, I'm lost in all of it. All I know is that I have two protuberances that hurt as hell as I walk or keep standing up also keep me out of work appropriately. Emergency attendances only have give me Buscopan and Voltaren and send me back home.

    Would you help me with your own experience? What has worked for you? There is a chance to have my life back to nearly normal. Thank your for your supporting and for taking time to my desperate situation. Raul.

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