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3 months post op from Hernia Repair...

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Nicole0519
Nicole0519

Last October, I ended up in the emergency room with horrible abdominal pain.  I ended up having appendicitis and gallstones.  They performed emergency surgery and removed my appendix and gallbladder.  I spent one night in the hospital.

 In January, I started having discomfort and noticed a bulge to the side of the largest incision from my surgery.  By early February, it had grown and was painful.  My surgeon sent me for a CT and I was diagnosed with ventral incisional hernia.

I had a laparoscopy hernia repair with mesh at the end of February.  It was the most painful thing I’ve ever endured.  I’ve had two c-sections, been in a head on collision at 60 MPH, been tased and pepper sprayed (former LEO), and a foot surgery and I would rather have gone through all of them the same day then ever have to go through hernia surgery again!

The pain meds after did not work for me, so I literally felt everything for the first 48 hours.  Immediately after surgery, it took almost 3 hours for them to find something to take the edge off for my husband to even be allowed to visit me.  

My surgeon kept saying I’d hit a turning point, where I’d wake up and just feel better.  It’s never happened.  I constantly feel pain in that area.  Any kind of movement just aggitates it.  About 6 weeks post op, I came down with a cough.  It lasted a good 5-6 weeks and I’m still not 100% over it.  I used to be able to apply slight pressure to the area and it helped and now I’m finding I’m having to push much deeper to get any relief.  I literally sneezed today and it brought me to tears.  

I have an appointment on Thursday.  I’ve reached out to the surgeon several times and he’s said big movements, coughs and sneezes will be painful for sometime.  But I hurt ALL THE TIME.  I literally feel like I’m being stabbed.  I can’t do anything.  I can’t get dressed without hurting.  I can’t play with my kids.  It’s changed how I do anything.  

Has anyone had a similar experience?  I’m terrified I’m going to have to have another surgery.  It is starting to cause me a lot of aniexty.  I just don’t think I can go through all that again.  I’m just really scared of what the surgeon may say Thursday.

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1 Reply

  • Lala54
    Lala54 Nicole0519

    Posted

    I’m so sorry for your pain . My story is not much better .At 51 I had inguinal hernia with a mesh plug which the surgeon neglected to tell me 3 yrs ago . Right away I knew something was wrong after a few follow up visits  the surgeon said just to wait and it would get better . Pain was out of control . Next visit surgeon had moved out of state . Went thru numerous rehab excersizes and live on Vicodin after going to  several visits no surgeon will touch me . I know something is wrong . Pain management has done several injections  to deaden the nerve he neglect to fix while I was in surgery . My quality of life has changed so much . I must work . On top of everything I had just become a widow so we are barely surviving. I believe the plug has come loose . I am at my wits end . All I can advise is to be firm . You know your body . I wish nothing but the best . But instead of taking one case at its value they give cookie cutter advice and do not listen to people . I am finally am going to a lawyer which I am against but can’t take it much longer . Best of luck to you . ❤️
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