Removal of mesh after inguinal hernia repair.

Sorry for the late reply. I am taking Palexia (tapentadol 150mg/daily). I am still in pain most days though. I am a relatively fit woman, slim and active. Everyone I know says how good I look, but the internal pain is a nightmare.I am slowed down and activities totally restricted due to the pain. My life never been the same since my hernia repair with mesh and subsequent attempts to fix it. I think once the main 3 nerves in that area damaged it is hard to heal. I am not going to stop until I can find some answers to relieve this chronic groin pain I have been left with. Check out this link.

http://www.generalsurgerynews.com/In-the-News/Article/07-15/Surgeons-Tackle-Chronic-Pain-at-World-Hernia-Meeting/32966/ses=ogst

 

Thanks for sharing this info. On meds I did a trial of Buphrenorphine (Subutex NOT Suboxone) and then Methadone. Both work well, they are the most powerful pain meds and better for nerve pain..its just deciding you want to be on them pretty much for good, getting off is bad,.And you have to deal with severe constipation using other meds for that. You can be functional on them though.

I decided not to be on them and instead take Lyrica and Tianeptine (Stablon) anti-depressant. Occassionaly I take Nucynta but it is addictive.

Lorazepam helps with sleep and is a strong muscle relaxant.

RC, how has your experience with Hollis Law Firm been? My son is going through the same thing as you, and it's very sad to see what this has done to a formerly active and fit guy. The mesh companies get big bucks for this horrible "surgical device" while the surgeons slap this stuff on people without regard to negative life-changing consequences. Best of luck to you!

Sorry to hear that. It has been a nightmare for me. I am still in pain most days as I rarely get a good day now. Listen to your daughter and her husband and get another opinion. I had a hysterectomy and colon resection also due to a twisted bowel. The hernia repair with mesh and subsequent removal and neurectomy have been nothing short of a nightmare. I am still in hope this will get fixed. I am going to ask my GP about radio frequency ablation. Good luck, let me know how you go. It is always helpful to talk to others in the same/similar boat. 

 

May I ask where you live?

 

Bloomington, Indiana

 

Thank you. I am in Sydney, Australia. It is a shame we are all so far away from each other. A support network for people suffering would be a help.

Yes it would. I'm just glad to know that I'm not the only one suffering from this. That it's not in my head.

It certainly is not in your head. I can't really plan anything anymore, such as a holiday or just going out without the pain controlling my every decision and move. I have kids too, but we soldier on through the pain, don't we. Here's to a better year 2017 and many of us getting better. 

Hi all, I have been following the conversation and at points had some input into things, as some of you may know I have also had a right hand inguinial hernia mesh removal due to meshoma and infection of the mesh, I have also had a triple neurectomy of the illio inguinial, illio hypergrastic and branches of genital femoral.

Since my surgeries which is 4 todate over 2 yrs I have been studying and researching the groin area so muscles,nerves and the skeletal structures. This was all brought about as the removal and division of nerves has not been without its problems, as anybody who has had a mesh removal or is planning to have one, understands that alone is a major operation as the surgeon has to cut through the abdominal wall/muscles and the peal off the mesh leaving the muscle wall stripped and raw, this alone will take months to recover from and only time, anti inflammatories and physio will sort this.

The nerve division itself is something different as with any nerve they stem from the spinal cord out into branches, now when you have the nerve cut no one tell the spinal cord that a particular branch is cut and so it will keep firing, hence the pain. Surgeons will normally burry the nerve ending into fat which is not as conductive so in theory pain should be less but this isn't always the case. What you don't read and what you don't get told is that lucky people will be perfectly fine with nerve division but others won't be. This is due to a four factors that combine to almost create a perfect storm, the first is the fact the nerves that are cut are still firing so the impulse from the cut nerve is returning a lot quicker back to the spinal cord as the nerves shorter, which in turn forms a back up or overload at the branch connection to the spinal cord which causes pain, for this it's wise to seek a pyhsio who can work on opening the gaps in the vertebra and has a tens machine which they can work around the l2 and l3 sections of your back.

The next problems is that the branches of the nerves which are higher up than the division also become overloaded so you now have an increased or hypersensitive of the bowel, bladder or genitalia. This problem is also linked to the third problem of the actual end of the cut nerve, due to the trauma of the cut nerve our bodies reaction is to supply the area with sodium which is highly conductive thus making the pain worse, the added sodium in the area means that areas of the body which rely on sodium such as the bowel and bladder to keep a healthy ph balance now suffer causing bladder like infections and a stomach which is all over the place. Their is away you can combat both of these problems, the first being lidocaine patches 5mg which work at dispersion the sodium build up and making the cut nerves less conductive, the seconds a home remedy of adding half a teaspoon of

Bicorbonate of soda to a glass of water for a week to reset the ph levels in your stomach and bladder as they will have become acidic.

And finally the 4th problem is the actual trauma of the surgery and scar tissue, which will be significant and only time and help from a physio who has an ultrasound machine will help, if the scaring is chronic and serve a direct steroid injection into this will speed the process up.

I hope people have found this informative, over the next few months i am collating the info and experience I have had

So by now your probably thinking god it's never going to get better, but once you start to understand how ne

Hi Adele

I totally agree, a support network would be amazing.

Adam-

Thanks for this info. May I ask if your triple neurectomy was done open or lapoarscopic? I understand from specialists that the lap procedure creates far less scarring issues as there is not a cut through the old inscision area.

Also I have heard that a nerve block of the L1-L2 spine areas can help with this.

Thanks for your input Adam. Very informative. I will keep on trying whatever it takes. I am on pain killers, tapentadol (Palexia) 150 mg daily with limited benefit and have done physio, also a pain management psychologist. I am also taking alpha lipoic acid, Vitamins B1, B12 and magnesium as there is some research they may benefit nerves. It is only 4 months since my last op on the right groin area. 3 surgeries in the space of 10 months. I think time is likely a factor also and will keep you informed at 6 and 12 months if any improvements. Will ask my GP about the lidocaine patches again. He gave me lidocaine gel and cream and said the patches were too big for my area. He also recommended capsaicin cream, which iritated my skin and I only tried once, but may give that another go. What have you heard about RF and cryo ablation in relation the this specific nerve group? I have had the same surgery as you mesh removal and triple neurectomy of Illioinguinal, illiohypogastric and GF nerves. 

I find this forum keeps me in hope on the bad days things will improve..

Hi Adam, thanks for the info, very informative. I just sent quite a lengthy reply to your post, but for some reason it has not gone through and was sent for moderation? Likely because I mentioned certain vitamins and amino acids etc, that are said to be beneficial for nerve health. I hope it goes through. 

Sorry for the late response, started a new job.

The triple Neuroectomy was done at the same time as mesh removal so was done open, I had a further surgery at same sight so scaring is pretty bad internally but looks good on the outside due to the skills of the surgeon. I have heard of nerve block on the l2 and L1 but decided to see a chiropractor who easied the pressure that builds up in the spine

Hello Adam, did the chiropractor help. I had thought about tseeing one as my pain is often worse, quite severe from late afternoon towards the end of the day. The more active I am the pain gets worse. I am mostly pain free in the mornings. Thanks.

 

Thank you!!! Please keep sharing!  Sharing information and experiences is such a tremendous help. I only wish I had done my usual research on hernia surgery before my son went under the knife. But who knew? Hernia surgeries have been taking place for years without major problems. I'd advise anyone to do due diligence before ANY surgery. The implanted mesh has been a total nightmare for my formerly fit and healthy son. Thanks again.