Femoral Hernia (near my inguinal canal) Female 51 years very fit.

Hi

I had both an inguinal and femoral hernia on my right side! It wasn't

until I was 43 years old that I developed the small lump that was

the inguinal hernia. Both my mother and father had inguinal

hernias. The consultant believed that I actually had a femoral

hernia that was presenting as an inguinal and it wasn't until he

operated that he discovered that I had both! (I was only the 3rd

patient that he had come across with both!) He believed that the

femoral hernia may have been there for MANY years (since a horse riding accident when I was 18?!) I have always been very fit and

active with the occasional ache and pain but had I not had the

inguinal hernia, the femoral would never have been discovered, and I would have probably had serious circulatory problems when I

became pregnant (at the ripe old age of 43!) I did not have keyhole surgery for my repair (which is common for inguinal) but had

surgery under general anaesthetic. The femoral was stitched and

the inguinal had mesh put in place. I have since had a healthy

pregnancy and continue to be active without any problems. BTW

the first GP that I saw told me that I did not have a hernia and

actually wrote that in my notes!! 2 weeks later (for quickness my

employer paid for me to be treated privately - approx. £2,000) my

notes state double hernia repair!!!!! Hernias ARE common in

women despite what some doctors (in my case a female GP) think!

You mentioned that you have had Codeine. I was given this to

take after my hernia op. for pain relief - BIG MISTAKE!! Codeine

causes constipation which is the last thing you want after a hernia op. Don't know if any of what I've written is of any help to you but I hope that you get the treatment that you need.

Thank you for replying, it makes it all worthwhile. I am extremely glad that both your hernias havent caused you any problems and as you have had two types of hernia surgery it bodes well. The internet can be a blessing or a curse, especially when you find all the patients that have not had successful hernia operations. When you say you are active thought, are you still horse riding? I could imagine that lifting yourself up onto a horse would be quite strenuous.

So far I have paid £460.00 for the MRI scan, £150.00 for the consultant and £300 for ultrasound with BMI, still no diagnosis.

I also believe that I have had my hernia at whatever stage it is at for 3 years as I have had recurrent thrush which not matter what I do appears on a daily basis. I believe the hernia or weakness in my abdomen wall has caused an irritation in my vagina. I will never know until I have the operation.

My father has had a hernia but he was 70 and a man which is expected!

Thank you once again, any more comments please feel free.

I was back horse-riding straight after my 6 week check up!

Was it diagnosed by Ultrasound ? Was your private consultant 100% sure you had a hernia or was there still doubt?Or how was it dianosed and did you have the intestines poking through. You see mine has been described as a "small bulge" on my femoral canal and due to that description my Consultant isnt sure. Sometimes the intestines poke through then immediately return, showing no obvious hernia at the time of the Ultrasound or MRI. Also most hernias on women occur due to obesity or old age. Glad to hear you are horse riding, it shows there is life after a hernia.

No ultrasound required! Mine was a small squidgy lump which I could make more obvious by leaning backwards so that it poked out! I believe that I caused this inguinal hernia to happen by lifting a heavy, awkward to carry, mounting block! After the first GP told me that it wasn't a hernia (don't think she actually felt it - she never even asked me to cough!) I asked her what she thought it was! Her lame reply was ligament damage. I was off to a Pilates lesson the next day with a physiotherapist who by shear coincidence had had bilateral inguinal hernias herself during pregnancy! Unable to 'diagnose' a hernia as a physiotherapist but knowing from experience she told me to return to the GP and get a 2nd opinion. I then saw my usual GP and living in a rural farming area he had seen plenty of hernias during his career! The consultant (Mr Norman Binnie, Aberdeen) was able to diagnose it just by palpating but it wasn't until he operated that it became apparent that I had an inguinal and femoral. There was no fat in the area of my hernia so it wasn't difficult to feel the little lump! Old age and obesity definitely not the reasons in my case!!! ;o)

Thanks. To be fair Femoral/Inguinal hernias are difficult to diagnose especially in young fit women, other female symptoms can occur and that throws Doctors off in another direction. I am down South, not much countryside or rural pursuits take place here! Lucky for you some added input helped you get it diagnosed, but saying that complete incompetence by your first GP.

My bowels are certainly playing me up and I may have to resort to these protein shakes that bodybuilders take to get enough energy.

Anyway, I shall plough on. God knows what the hospital staff will think when I bring my heavy items to lift in the Ultrasound room. He hasnt referred me to a psychiatrist yet but maybe thats the next step!

Because femoral hernias and probably all hernias without a constant bulge/lump (not unusual) are difficult to diagnose without a GP, Consultant/Radiologist with considerable experience and knowledge I refer you to three articles I have found online which explain where things can go wrong in diagnosis. One from a gynea. who obviously sees women with hernias unnecessarily, the other two explain the problems with femoral hernias.

Type into google

"His and Hers Hernias: Pelvic pain culprit tough to diagnose in women"

article written 9.6.11 Huffington Post

Type in :

Laparoscopy Today : Hernias in women: Uncommon or Unrecognised?

article written 1.1.04

Lastly type in:

In women, hernias may be a hidden agony.

New York Tiimes

If there are any women who would like to put down their experiences to help other women then please do, we need to make women more aware of something that doctors dont appear to have much knowledge about.

Hello

Thank you so much for posting all this fantastic information - I am so grateful!

I am however going slightly mental as I now seem to convince myself - and seem to have every symptom of every ailment going - but your discussion has rung so true to me - here is my story - I hope that it can help others as yours has me:

I havent felt 'right since having my second child in 2001 as for my build (petite) was rather a large baby for me. I had a fantastic water birth, despite going 15 days over due I had her in 1 hour 25 mins. I felt winded for 2 weeks after and couldnt stand straight. I had campalabacta (food poisioning) in 2002 and took a downwards spiral from there. I started to have bad constipation, (contraction like sheering pain when a stool passed through my bowel (arounf half an hour before I need the loo) trapped wind, weight loss, excruisiating tummy pain and felt like I hadn't had a complete bowel movement even though I had. My bowel felt swollen all the time. My periods were horrendous (lumpy and heavy) and sex was really really painful - to the point where my relationship broke down.

I was back and fourth to the doctors every week (being told it was IBS all the time) I was given so many meds and fibre tablets that didn't work. They then gave me lactulose - which I was practically drinking! I was left with an annoying sharp pain over the area where my right ovary would be - it would sting and feel like a deep cut - sometimes it would feel like I had a very small water balloon wobbling around which would vibrate whenever I walked, moved in bed, changed position, put my foot on the brake or changed gear in the car. When my partner returned we decided to seek help gyne wise and was referred for a lapaoscopy in 2005. They discovered that my tubes were swollen and blocked - however they left both my tubes in - but couldnt locate the pain. I was told it was a hormonal pain where my bowels would inflate and cause this problem. I was advised to take the mini pill Cerezett. The pain did go, and I felt well, although my bowels were still tender and sex was impossible. On the upside I didn't have a period for 5 years! :-) I was also taking 300mg of magnesium which did help with the constipation!

I had constant urinary infection symptoms (but no infection) like a squashed bladder feeling. I had an operation to take a biopsy of the urethra is 2010 - but this was negative!

I came off the pill 2010 as my partner and I decided we would like another child, and although we knew that my tubes were damaged and we would need help, possibly just help unblocking the tubes. After just 2 weeks after coming off the mini pill the dreaded right hand side groin pain returned - with avengance - but I started keeping a pain diary and it seemed to only occur when I was ovulating - but would last 2 weeks! I had low back pain and a funny pain under my ribs (like being heavily pregnant and baby's feet sitting there) Constant wind (top and bottom) and my right hip ached and radiated into my right leg and I have a numb big toe! I had to give up jogging and swimming :-(

I went to see a herbalist who said I had candida - most of my symptoms matched so I started an awful sugar free diet - which was impossible - I lasted 3 months (it changed nothing) I then started a complete elimination diet of brown rice and water - only introducing one thing each week - this came to nothing either (apart from tomatoes and chocolate) Just my luck!

After seeing my Gp numerous times and waiting for a referral to the fertility clinic in 2011 I was given a scan on my ovaries and had a Hysterosalpingham where they put dye through your tubes to see how damaged they were. Both were still blocked - but - they did say if we had the tubes removed it would increase our IVF chance to 40% - and that my right hand tube was 2 x bigger than it should be and near rupture and was the cause of all my symptoms and back pain, but most of all my right hand groin pain would go!

I couldnt get my tubes out quick enough - I wanted release from the horrid stinging pain, the bowel fullness, trapped wind, bloating, leg, hip and back pain. At last I would be pain free

After the op (bilateral salpingectomy) I felt pain free for 10 days (this must have been the pain killer supositry they give u) I was over the moon and booked an appointment with the IVF clinic (we would have to pay privately) However the pains returned just 2 weeks after the op - I was so deflated.

Back to the doctors i go to be told its IBS and to try this that and the other. How could IBS cause my numb toe and heavy leg? How could I pin point in my diary in 2 months time exactly when I would be getting the pain and how long it would last? That is not IBS! My period pain has become bad again where I am in bed for nearly 3 days unable to move - pins and needles in my right leg and heavy feeling - I feel like there is an elastic band around the top of my right leg. My periods are really heavy and my bowels are inflamed.

I can feel every single bowel movement and every bubble of air that passes through - I watch my diet and do not eat tomato's, chocolate and I limit my sugar religiously. I do not eat meat now either as it makes my stools too painful. I only drink water. I do not have milk or cheese!

My month: So with my 2 weeks of right groin pain, heavy numb leg, and a week of period pain with my right groin pain and heavy numb leg - i only have 1 week of the month where I actually feel okayish.

After begging my GP, so we can get started on the IVF, I asked to see a gastroenterologist. He examined me and my right hand side pain - I did the cough test (Hernia) - NOTHING THERE! But wondered why he did a hernia test because a hernia has never crossed my mind before! So he referred me for a colonoscopy.

I had my colonoscopy 2 weeks ago - I had a bad reaction to the sedative and pain killer which made me really sick - and I had to have double to pain killer just so he could insert the camera - he only got as far as the sigmoid colon (about 6 inches up from the anus) where he discovered bowel loops. But this is on the left - my worse pain is on the right. He mentioned Crohn's? - I have googled that too - but i do not have bleeding from the bowel, but have most of the other symptoms! As u do... haha!

I was then referred for a Barium meal X-ray which i had yesterday - the lady that came to look at me after my x-ray had been done said she was going to do a live moving x-ray - she pushed my right hand side exactly where the pain is and said there is nothing there! But to wait until my consultant has seen the resuts - but all looks normal to her (the witch)

I know I have loop in my bowel as when the stool passes through the sigmoid colon i am on the floor doing my contractions breathing as if I am about to give birth - however she could not see this loop either

I know I am jumping to conclusions and diagnosing myself - and i should probably wait until I hear from the consultant again, but I did wonder if my right hand side pain is a hernia (only becuase he did the cough test) and like everyone else I assumed it wasnt because I do not have a lump there. I was moving a heavy bed the other day and felt it pop out and I had to sit down and hold my side until the pain eased!

I have a bowel movement every day now due to diet and I do take Threelac probiotic which had really helped with the wind etc - but I just wish this bloody right hand groin pain would go! I feel so tired all the time because it drags me down. I know I have 6 days left until my next painful episode! I always have this groin pain (10 years now) - the back pain and leg pain is more recent (within the last 2 years)

Reading about all your symptoms today I wonder whether this is what I should get my consultant to look into?

Sorry for the novel x

And thank you for sharing x

This is all getting a bit confusing as "Femoral hernia (near my inguinal........ was my first post to patient co uk.

Since then I have written another one "Right groin pain, or Left groin pain or both.......... this has been put under:

Conditions F - Femoral hernia (Some other comments from women) not many but worth reading.

and

Conditions H - Herniae, if you put in "Conditions H - Herniae - List of Discussions" and then go to "Right groin pain, or left groin pain". There you will see the majority of discussions on Femoral Hernia. As well as me (Wacky) there is wackytwinsister, Sanga and Liznew, just so you know you are on the right site.

So please if you want to add anything about Femoral hernia, give your story please post on Herniae, Right groin pain, or Left groin pain etc. so we can keep it all together. Gemeroo, if you could do this too then that would be great.

I had an emergency femoral hernia op 2 weeks ago after 3 weeks of agony aaand only being given anti biotics for a urine infection Have also a prolapsed bladder.As Ihave had IBS for years, and recently when having colonoscopy for polyps was told I have diverticulosis as well you can imagine I get a lot of stomach pains anyway.

Now have been in a lot of pains and am trying to sort out constipation problems. I did not have a bowel movment for 5 days after op and needed stong medicine Hopefully will be better when sorted as going on holiday soon to Tukey-----fingers crossed.

Sorry but do not have a lot of faith in doctors surgeries now as keep seeing different doctors so no ongoing discussions.

By the way i am 72 years old. Good luck Ann A

Has any of you ladies considered endometriosis as a diagnosis? I had considerable pain in my pelvis, shooting pains in legs, rotten periods and felt very bloated. The doctors kept telling me it was a urine infection, then an ovarian cyst, then ibs. All scans and tests reported nothing serious. After begging for a laparoscopy, they discovered endometriosis implants all over my pelvis. My colon and uterus were stuck to the pelvic walls. My consultant thinks she couldn't get all the endometriosis out and I am awaiting further surgery to remove my ovaries and tubes. It will be a hysterectomy after that if the pain doesn't improve.

So if you're still suffering pain and can't get a diagnosis, push for an exploratory operation. Once you get a confirmed diagnosis, the treatment options open up. Doctors can't diagnose what they can't see but they went in and saw the damage in my pelvis!

I am another active woman who has just had a hernia. It was inguinal not femoral, but I really couldn't make up my mind whether to have the op or not. The US operator wasn't sure or wouldn't say if I had one, and no-one really convinced me I did. 8 months wait in the queue, and it wasn't really troubling me. In the end I went, making sure before going I had done all the heavy work, lifting trees, hedge cutting etc! Well - if I make it worse - they are going to repair me. I am 75, and lucky I can do all these things. I also walk 12m once or twice a week. I was repaired by darn method, open surgery, no mesh, and straight after the operation was pleased to have full flexibility. After 3 days I felt I could have done a sedentary job, and was pleased with recovery. Remember the stool softener, as you really don't want that problem. The surface wound took much longer than I expected to heal properly, probably due to my age, but 3 months after the op, I am back to normal activity. No more trees to lift, I did it all before! Went for a 12 mile walk with 2500 ft of climbing at the weekend, and have handled petrol hedge-cutting and strimming etc, with no problems. I think the surgeon was very skilled, and I am glad I had it done now, not when I am even older.