Bilateral Shouldice with Dr. Conze

[Oceanic]

3 Month Update

I’m pleased to report things have continued in a positive direction, the scars and healing ridge are ever so slightly softer and more comfortable now. I still have no pain whatsoever and when I stretch there is barely any tightness felt.

I sometimes forget I’ve had surgery and think about it less and less but still get the occasional twinge and sensation which is be be expected, tissue is still remodeling but it’s in no way painful. Will update again at the 6 month point unless anything changes significantly.

I have No regrets on getting the surgery and although it was a tough first few weeks the experience and skill of Dr. Conze has proved itself with how I feel now and the likely end result.

[Watchful]

Dr. Conze is wise. The attitude of my surgeon regarding pain after surgery was the opposite. He told me that it was rare to have significant pain after hernia surgery, and having this indicated an increased likelihood of getting chronic pain. Fortunately, I did improve eventually, but it took 8 months to go from what I considered an unacceptable level of symptoms to acceptable.

[Oceanic]

Hi Spinotza I’m glad my thread has helped you, if you are comfortbale laying down that is a good sign according to my surgeon, I was in a lot of discomfort walking any distance and even standing for prolonged periods but it sorted itself out, the first week was the worst and then slowly I could walk further each day and the discomfort diminshed, its still vey early days for you so don’t despair, just give it some time, you will be in a lot better place in a week, then 2 weeks more improvements then a month even more, and the healing will still continue for a year or more, its a marathon not a race recovering form major surgery like this. Stay positive. I’m at about 2.5 months post surgery and still feeling changes happening.

[spinotza]

Congratulations on making so much progress after such a difficult surgery.
It was very useful for me to read your journe beause I am day 1 after my own bilateral hernia surgery, this time with mesh. It’s crazy how difficult it is to walk right now even though i feel no pain lying down but so the early days are.

[William Bryant]

Thanks Oceanics. All sounding good

[Oceanic]

2 Month Update

I’m a few days past the 2 month point now and the improvements still continue, the tightness from the stretching and stitching of muscle is getting noticebaly less. I can barely feel the right side and there’s still a bit of tightness on the left but defintely less than a month ago..

Again it’s not pain just a sensation I can feel, it doesn’t bother me. Even the slight electrical shock feelings from the nerves healing has completely stopped now.

The only slight discomfort is from the actual incisions themsleves as the scars are now fairly hard and will be for quite a few months before the skins softens again. I’ve had surgery before so this is no surprise and to be expected.

Overall I’m very happy with the result as the pain I was in before the surgery was quite unpleasant.

Life is slowly getting back to normal. I picked up a 30kg bag the other day and there was no pain or wierd sensation.

I’ll post again at the 3 month point.

[William Bryant]

Brilliant Oceanic. I was only thinking last night hope we hear from you so thanks for taking the time.

Glad it’s calmed down. It does take time.

[Oceanic]

1 Month Update

Well a bit more time & healing has yielded great results, I can now stand and walk for as long as I like. There is some residual tightness on the left side but to be expected from a double Shouldice procedure, but I’m confident it will loosen as the tissues remodel over the coming months, it may also be from the hardness/inflexibilty of the scars too which I know will also soften with some more time.

I have no pain now so can report this looks like it has been a success hopefully.

I’ll update again in another month.

[pinto]

That’s great news Oceanic and handsome scaring. You take care fella.

[Oceanic]

Incisions at 3 weeks post surgery, already significantly better

[Oceanic]

[Oceanic]

Charismatic would probably have been a better adjective to use

I’m fairly hairy to be fair, the incisions are 6cm above the base of my Penis if that helps you comprare the location to yours.

• This reply was modified 11 months ago by  Oceanic.

[pinto]

Oceanic, btw, I forgot to say thanks for the imaging pic above. It’s helpful for many of us I’m sure. It made me think how placement of incisions are made. Yours seems much higher than mine or maybe you’re a hairy devil. 🙂 If you don’t mind could you tell us about your doc being “enigmatic”?

[Oceanic]

@ Pinto, the left side Hernia I didn’t know about but suspected due to testicle pain on that side, it was found at the consultation the day before the surgery, both with Ultrasound and a physical examination, there was no lump though

@ Watchful, Yes the Dr said he has seen this before. He thinks as soon as the swelling goes down it will resolve, he said 1-4 weeks post surgery should do it, I’m not even at 2 weeks yet. What are your tips if it doesn’t go away? PM me if you like but it may help others who read this thread in years to come if they have the same situation.

• This reply was modified 11 months ago by  Oceanic.

[Watchful]

Oceanic,

It’s a reasonable explanation. Did he say if he had encountered cases with the same post-surgery symptom before?

In the original Shouldice procedure this nerve is resected along with the cremaster. That would prevent this problem, although that’s not the main reason for this resection.

If this doesn’t improve or go away, I can give you some further information (beyond the lifting trick that I suggested) based on my personal experience, but hopefully it will just go away.

[pinto]

Oceanic, impressive. Not only were both direct but you flew home in just a few days. Great achievement. Was the second one found just before surgery or during?

[Oceanic]

Thanks Jack, there are some understandably very traumatised people on here who skew the reality of getting this surgery, if you find a good hernia specialist the odds of getting an excellent happy result are hugely in your favour.

[Jack2021]

Thanks for your posts Oceanic and for sharing your experience so openly, I really appreciate it.

I’m also UK based and posted about Dr Conze and the other surgeons in Germany, along with the very limited surgeon options in the UK early on in my research, probably a couple of years ago now. From speaking with them all apart from Dr Wiese, Dr Conze was my preferred option.

I’ve been watchful waiting since, so it’s great to hear about a first hand experience with Dr Conze. I just wish that he wasn’t more than double the price of the other German surgeons, but having worked with Dr Muschaweck in the past, they seem to share a similar price structure.

While it’s important to interrogate the data, there seems to be a lot of unnecessary arguing and overly critical hair-splitting pickiness on the Hernia Talk website these days, which I think will be putting people off from using/posting on the site, which is a shame, as it’s such a fantastic resource. I signposted someone to HT in the hope that they’d post about their tissue repair experience, but they said all the arguing put them off and declined to, so I’m glad you’ve posted your experience and look forward to further updates.

Wishing you a speedy recovery,

Jack

[William Bryant]

Ah yes fluid. Could be that. I had fluid and swelling near the bin hernia flesh wound. Have heard fluid build up is common post hernia repairs.

Brings a new meaning to The sock down the pants trick. (Not that I’m sure rock stars really did that).

[Oceanic]

Dr. Conze kindly got back to Me this morning by email and as expcted he has just been busy at a Hernia conference, he still thinks the problem is swelling fluid around the inguinal canal putting a stretch on the genitofemoral nerve when I stand up. He’s confident when the swelling subsides things will resolve and I tend to agree after the testicle lifting revelation that gives near complete relief. I’m now walking comfortably with a pair of socks wedged under my balls in some supportive underwear.

Who would have thought the answer to my salvation was a pair of socks!