Reply To: Had my surgery done finally – Shouldice

[Watchful]

Merry Christmas, Chuck.

It’s true that most don’t have significant issues after inguinal hernia repair, but many do based on the studies that I’ve seen. Looks like well over 10% have at least some long-term pain, discomfort, numbness, paresthesias, etc.

I agree that a hernia that’s too bothersome or that’s increasing in size should be treated, but at this point you don’t even know for sure that you have a hernia, and you have no bulge. I also get pain after certain activities which feels like hernia pain after my Shouldice procedure, but I don’t suspect a recurrence. The same type of pain can be caused by a hernia and by groin surgery.

You have to focus on what you have now, not what you had before. You can’t go back in time and change how you treated it. Also, you don’t know how alternative approaches would have turned out – there’s really no point in torturing yourself about your past decision.

If your current pain is bothering you too much, my advice would be to try to get it diagnosed by the best specialist you can find as mentioned above. Don’t put the cart before the horse. What’s your alternative? Would you really want another hernia surgery done without even knowing that you have a hernia? You may end up with the same pain plus complications from another surgery. See what you learn from diagnosis, and then decide on next steps.