Inguinal Hernia
Posted , 3 users are following.
I had an inguinal hernia repaired 2 years ago in 2014. About January of 2016 I was finding the area to have some discomfort and as well as I was having muscle spasms. I saw my family doctor who did an ultrasound and confirmed there was a tear in the mesh and that some fatty tissue had been trapped. He refered me to a surgeon who comfirmed the findings and booked me for surgey. In May 2016 the pain came on full force. After many trips to the ER/Family Doctor and many tests from xrays to ultra sounds to a CT Scan done. All the imaging results confirmed the origianl findings. The day of my surgey they put me under and went in with a camera and as the surgeon said once I was in recovery everything "looked perfect" and there was nothing to fix. Yet the pain in the area is still extremely painful and now I am left with more questions than answers. Has anyone else had something similar to this or know of anything that maybe mimics the pain/symptoms of a hernia.
0 likes, 10 replies
ctrix1 mike_47305
Posted
Hi Mike, I just googled your question " what can mimic an inguinal hernia?" And I found two posibilities. swollen groin lymph nodes, and testicular torsion. I'm not really sure what that might mean, but it sounds like it could be painful. It then went on to say that a CT scan might reveal a cause. Sorry I couldn't be of more help. My inguinal hernia never had any pain for the 12 years I had it. The only time I had pain was the two or three weeks following the procedure while it was healing
mike_47305 ctrix1
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ctrix1 mike_47305
Posted
A trapped nerve could be another possibility. I'm currently (and always will be) dealing with that situation with the hernia I had, although with me, the scar tissue wrapped around a nerve that goes to my leg, and every year I get an RFA (radio frequency ablation) nerve block for that. basically they microwave the nerve to deaden it, then over time, about a year, the nerve slowly heals and transmits pain. You may need to talk to a pain management specialist. Usually they're neurosurgeons.
mike_47305 ctrix1
Posted
I will be asking to be referred to a neuro surgeon. My wife likes that's idea. Sorry to hear you are dealing with nerve pain. Hopefully you find some sort of relief. How are you managing pain or daily life with it? Do you find yourself being limited to certain tasks?
ctrix1 mike_47305
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Their nerve block procedure gives me very good relief. My type of pain is more of an uncomfortable sensation. For me, it's like when you hit your "funny bone" on your elbow . . . that burning, tingling, numb feeling? Well, that's my leg 24/7. I can still function with it, and after a while, I can tune it out and not think of it so much. The nerve block lasts me about 10 months, and feels great. Like nothing's wrong, but slowly that feeling starts to come back till they burn the nerve again. They prefer to do it like this because they believe that if they kill the nerve all the way, It may leave my leg with a permanently numb feeling that they won't be able to get rid of. Like trading one bad sensation for another bad one. We're going to leave well enough alone, and just do it this way every year. It only takes about half an hour. my leg is completely numb for a couple of hours from the local anesthetic, and when that wears off, my leg is great for most of another year.
RuinedByMesh mike_47305
Posted
Hi Mike. Sorry about your pain. I also had an inguinal hernia "repair" in 2014 for a small hernia on the left side.. Four weeks after my surgery I got severe stabbing pain in my left groin. The worst pain subsided over a few hours and the rest of the pain subsided the next week. This happend a few times the next year, other than that pretty much pain free. 14 months after my surgery I got this severe stabbing pain again, and it only got worse. Tried to do some stretching, and I felt something tear in my left groin and lower left abdomen. My pain went out of control after that, and was sent to the hospital and later had a new surgery. Still in pain.. I think the only thing that can give me my life back is mesh removal, but that is a complicated surgery and can cause severe complications.. Was your first surgery lap or removal?
RuinedByMesh
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mike_47305 RuinedByMesh
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First surgey was open with mesh placed. The second surgey was done laparoscopically. They only went in with the camera to see what was going on. After "Everything looked perfect" they just stitched me up
RuinedByMesh mike_47305
Posted
Based on your symptoms, it's obvious that everything aint perfect. They did see a tear in the mesh on ultrasound and CT, but the surgeon couldnt see it when he did a lap? How does a perfect mesh look like inside a human body? A mesh that shrink with 50% is normal, and would probably look "perfect" for a surgeon, but can still cause severe pain for many patients.
mike_47305 RuinedByMesh
Posted
O I agree. I know have the joy of dealing with 2 types of pain right now. From what was explained to me from all the imagings snd examinations (at the ER and from my family doctor) was that there was a tear in the mesh and that some fatty tissue was stuck. It wasn't very big they said the size of a quater maybe. Yet they couldn't figure out why my pain was and is so severe. I also asked my surgeon when he came to see me before I was discharged that ok why are all these imaging tools see something there yet too you it looks perfect. He kind of of just shurgged it off and left.