Genitofemoral nerve block for inguinodynia after inguinal hernia repair with mesh

Thank you for your response. I am not sure if I am having a diagnostic nerve block, but I think that is probably the case. My hospital admission form says I am having a Right lumbar L1 Nerve one Genito Femoral Nerve Blockade under CT?? I can't read the doctors writing properly and it could read US. You had yours by ultrasound, so I am guessing CT they can do the same thing. I should have asked more questions, but I have been overwhelmed with health issues in the last few months twisted bowel last September, then the hernia all within a month of each other and did not take everything in. It would have been great if my husband attended the appointment, but he is always away for business. The second party can listen and ask questions that I may have forgot. How are you going now with the permanent ablation? Was it a success? I am staying positive I can finish with this daily pain. Some days much wore than others. From what you say it gives me hope. Thanks again for your input.

Thank you for replying. My pain is pretty constant so who knows?? I'm sure I'll find out if the nerve block is a success. It may be mesh? Nerves trapped. My surgeon is pretty sure it's my Genito Femoral nerve. He did seem to pinpoint the spot in my groin, but the pain can radiate from there if I am very active. Even sitting, especially on a hard surface triggers the pain more. How are you coping and are you pain free now or still suffering. I hope not. Did you get a bulge again where the hernia is when the mesh failed? How did you know it failed and was it obvious? If mine failed I would be scared to even attempt to fix it after my inguinal hernia repair and the nightmare it is has been. My laparotomy and bowel resection has been easier to get over. Inguinal hernia repair is so common, but I was not informed of all the possible problems. Take care and let me know how you go.

I'm totally with you on your concerns. It was pretty obvious when it failed. Actually, my mesh was not a 100% success anyway as some air left in the pocket never resolved itself, so it always felt 'puffy' in the area. But when it failed it didn't hurt; I just felt a release of the tension the mesh had over the hernia rupture. Also, in my case I had some viscera desention into the scrotum, and that returned. Finally, the pain that the mesh was causing was suddenly relieved- kind of like unbuckling your belt.

As for pain I haven't had too bad. Last week I yanked some heavy furniture around and did a bunch of mopping. That was a mistake I'm paying for now.

Let's face it, the fear of bowel strangulation is constantly put into our heads when we try to learn about hernia. So naturally when my hernia starts acting up I start to freak out about that. In fact, out of all the negative experiences I've had with hernia, fear has by far been the worse. I can take pain if I know it's not going to kill, but the dread of writhing on the floor trying to call somebody to get to emergency surgery is too much for me. I'm going to beat it. Long long ago people died of things and nobody knew why. Now we're being told in what ways we might die and their probabilities all the time. Not only do I see a lack of compassion in medical info providers, but a deliberate strategy to scare us so that we'll buy their products and services. That's how marketing works, right?

Well, that's going off on a tagent but I'd like to start dialouges on all aspects of hernia. The pain, where it comes from, if you can't heal a hernia then how to try to make it managable, if you must get surgery what are your best choices, etc. And we know very little about the pain associated with hernias and the mesh, which has had some really serious and sad side effects in many people. I also want to know what nerves, muscles, and blood vessel are behind the different kinds of pain and what it means. But if you try to find studies on pain, surgeons aren't bothering with studies. They don't feel it's worth their time I guess. But we are not washing machines! We're humans. There is whole spectrum to hernia treatment that we have not begun to explore.

Finally, I personally don't know of anyone who died of bowel strangulation resulting from hernia or anything else. Do you? I've read about, I'm sure it happens, but I've never heard even anecdotes from people who knew people (i did hear of two emergency room traumas on forums, but they survived). On the other hand, I know people who have died of cancer and stroke, who have been struck down in car accidents. Obviously something is not right here- the poroprtions are far too high. Searching, I've found what I consider to be fact- most deaths from bowel strangulation are among the eledery and as a cause of death it is low.

Sorry to go off on a tagent. We have to know what we're up aganist. What's going on physiologically, the neurology, and the truth about living and coping with a hernia. Most of us do nothing because the only thing the medical community tells us is 'get it repaired.'

Bowel strangulation is not the only thing that can go wrong with leaving a hernia unfixed. I had mine (inguinal hernia) for twelve years before ever getting it fixed. There was no pain except after being on my legs without sitting, for a long time. I finally knew it had to be fixed when one morning things didn't feel right, and I wasn't peeing right. It tuned out, that my bladder slid through the hernia tear. That was when the doctors said it was time for that (the hernia) to go. over the years the tear (hernia) just gets bigger even though I can't feel it happening.

Great to hear your doing well. I think I may have self diagnosed myself. I will find out soon. I hope it can get fixed with nerve ablation. The nerve block will answer whether it's the GF nerve. My doctor seems to think that's the nerve causing my pain. Was your pain burning, stabbing and aching and increased with activity? There are a few nerves that could be damaged during inguinal hernia repair. Fingers crossed the doctors have nailed it this time and I'll be on the road to recovery and getting fit again. I have another procedure for my bladder a couple of days after nerve block. I think I'll be lying low and resting for a week or so. Two anaesthetic so close together. I have children and not much support so I'm hoping it all goes well. At least my husband will be back from overseas to help. I will let you know if the block works. Did you get instant relief after your diagnostic US procedure with lidnocaine? You good news story is giving me hope thanks again.

Hi there, had my block Friday, I had relief too, but wore offf after a couple of hours or so. Too early to tell if it's helped yet as I've been trying to take it easy. So less activity = less pain. I know it may take a few sessions to get relief and find the right nerve, which I hope they did first time around. It will be such a relief to know this can be dealt with. I need to have a good talk to the surgeon and ask more questions. I'm having another surgery tomorrow for something else hydrodistention, cytoscopy, biopsy and ablation for possible Interstitial Cystitis, so need to make follow up appointment with pain surgeon who did the block. My urologist told me it's a painful procedure so not looking forward to the after affects. Hopefully I'm lucky and it's not that bad. I just want my health back. On the outside I look fit and healthy. You can't see the inside problems and pain. Will let you know how I get on with it all. Thanks for listening and I hope you are still pain free.

Did you have several ablation procedures or just the one?

It was my first one. So only the one. I believe it can take several procedures. How many did you have and if so how far between each one? I only had it on Friday and been quite active Saturday as I had to do grocery shop pushing heavy trolley and driving. Today busy cooking breakfast for my family and ouch, same pain as before the block so lying down now. Still have to administration work too as we run our own business, not enough rest maybe. Do you know if it takes a few days to kick in and will settle down. The nerve could be irritated from the needl, the pain is right near one of the injection sites. I had one in my back not an issue and two in my groin. It's my right side groin lower mons pubis giving me pain. I suppose it's trial and error? Patience is needed, I will take my panadeine forte, but pain meds don't really do much. I'd wish I could just numb it, rather it numb than this gnawing ache and stabbing and burning. My hernia wasn't very painful, but I had quite a bulge as I'm thin and had small bowel loops poking through so really no choice but to operate. Last September I had an emergency laparotomy hemicolectomy for a twisted bowel. It did a 720 degree twist cecal volvulus and I could have died. So I have been very lucky and did not end up with a stoma bag also. The hernia was brought on by the large mass of diseased bowel in my pelvis, it was huge the blood supply had cut off because of the twist and it was dead bowel. Put pressure on my muscle wall and ended up with inguinal hernia too. The hernia has given me more grief than the twisted bowel which was a huge operation eith a huge cut down the middle of my belly. If can overcome the merve damage from the hernia repair I will be one happy lady and so will my husband and kids as it interferes with daily life a lot of the time. The doctor who did the repair doesn't really care. I got a second opinion and was referred to pain specialist. So the saga continues. Sorry for giving you so much information. Your feedback has been very helpful and I'm still keeping positive it can be fixed. Thanks again

Hello, is this your 10th repair of your hernia? You poor thing.

I had three nerve blocks with lidocaine, mostly done as a diagnostic procedure. Then I had the one permanent ablation with the pulsed radiation. It doesn't feel as good as the lidocaine did at it's best, but it is permanent, and that's been great. Throughout the course of a normal day, My leg feels 100%. It only hurts when I really exert it, and that's rare because I don't need to do that. Sometimes I just like to push the limits of the envelope to test it.

Looks like I am in for a few procedures also. I am not even sure if the surgeon only did the diagnostic test or rhe radio frequency abation. The nurse mentioned the later when I as in recovery. Will be calling his office tomorrow morning to ask lots of questions and make a follow up appointment. He seemed very confident he can help me, I do not want more surgery and being opened up for neurectomy and to trim mesh. How long did you have to wait inbtween procedures?

I had a very good hernia repair from my hospital's chief surgeon. She screens all surgical procedures, and assigns the surgeons who will do them. She picks and choose which ones she'll do herself. Mine was done very well, two days after Christmas three years ago. It took a couple of years before they finally permanently did the nerve block. Actually, that was because the neurosurgeons said my leg pain was caused by my bad back. and the general surgeons believed it was because of the hernia scar. Those two factions are were at odds over how they dealt with me. I had a pain management specialist who played both sides of the fence, finally do that nerve block.

My hernia repair and scar are stable and healed up well. I will keep up with the pain specialist and nerve blocks and ablation. He does have a good reputation. Need to keep strong and perservere. You seem to have had good results, but it takes time. There are three nerves that could be the culprits, genito femoral, ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric. My dr seems to think it is the GF.

Hello ctrix1. I had the diagnostic nerve block done on 11/3/16. Had relief for a few hours after the procedure then when the numbing affect of anaesthetic wore off it was back. It also seems worse now, I rang the Doctors rooms and was told this can happen. I am seeing him tomorrow. Dr is suggesting a nerve stimulator from medtronics, but i'm not keen on this as it will require more surgery, looks invasive and is only temporary. I want a permanent solution to this pain. From research it looks like pulsed radiofrequency ablation (PRF) has promising results, My Doctor is shying away from this, so this doesn't give me too much confidence. Maybe time for second or third opinions, I am not rushing into anything until I am confident with the Doctor. Will survive on pain medication and Lyrica for now, even though they don't really do anything, can take the edge off. My GP has increased my dose of lyrica from 150mg per day to 225mg and will see if this helps. It will take a couple of weeks to see if it helps, can only try.