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Chronic Pain Post Left Inguinal Hernia Repair
Pain 6 months after a laparoscopic repair is either due to a hernia recurrence or a balling up of the mesh from it tearing away or both.
You need an MRI Pelvis without contrast to evaluate the area and the mesh to confirm that. That should be the first step.Some of your symptoms, however, are definitely not hernia-related. For example, hernia-related pain does not cause any pain below the level of the knee. If you have pain at the foot, for example, then that is from something else. Perhaps a back issue is causing that problem. Also, remember that hip problems can also mimic groin pain and should be included in the work up.
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3 Replies
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Chronic Pain Post Left Inguinal Hernia Repair
Standing MRI or supine MRI with valsalva are both good.
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Chronic Pain Post Left Inguinal Hernia Repair
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly!
So yikes! Both of those sound scary, especially since we were thinking the pain was just due to inflammation and/or scar tissue. I will reach out to him today about the imaging… hoping he is receptive! Does my position for that matter, like in standing vs supine?
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Chronic Pain Post Left Inguinal Hernia Repair
Dear. Dr. Towfigh,
First, thank you for creating this forum and for all of the helpful information found on the website. It finally makes me feel like there might be some hope.
I’m a 28 year old female (5’2″ 120 lb.), diagnosed with a left inguinal hernia when I was 25 y.o. and 6 months pregnant with my first son. I saw a surgeon by the name of Dr. Grischow in Columbus, OH. At this time it was a visible bulge and “text book†symptoms of burning and aching at the site. It was caused by some combination of all the vomiting (from pregnancy), heavy lifting (physical therapist on trauma unit), and constipation suffered during the first trimester. He said to follow-up after delivery of baby, but ideally would like to repair it after I was finished having children. This was October 2012, baby born end of Dec. 2012.
After delivery of my son, however, my husband and I moved from Ohio to Arkansas due to a job promotion. I followed up with a new surgeon at 12 weeks post pregnancy and at this time the hernia was now invisible/occult, but able to palpate in standing with multiple efforts to find it. That surgeon suggested repairing it if it was hurting me. Well, it was hurting, but sometimes. I decided to couple the recommendation with the first surgeon with this new surgeon and wait until I was done having children. This was April 2013.
In my effort to wait to repair it things became gradually much worse with my pain. The pinching pain began to increase. Numbness, a deep ache, pain during sex, difficulty sleeping, and unable to exercise. By the end of 2013 I was in so much pain it was excruciating just to hold my baby, carry a laundry basket, and go up stairs.
I went to a 3rd surgeon who specialized in laproscopic surgery by the name of Jefferey Bell in Fayetteville, AR. He obviously said it was time to repair it. I had laproscopic surgery to repair the left inguinal hernia and he also found a right inguinal hernia while in surgery and repaired that also. He used a lightweight mesh and that supposedly goes across my entire lower abdomen. Repaired end of Jan. 2014.
Recovery was longer than I wanted, but by April 2014 I had returned to exercise. Running was still painful at the site, but I was able to do a light mile warm-up. I was able to return to all lifting with weights. I was doing arms, abs, squats, legs, etc. Everything was going well, just struggled with running, but listened to my body and didn’t push it with the running.
In August 2014 things suddenly were much worse. It hurt to do things again and the deep ache, nerve pain, and pinching sensations returned. I wasn’t sure if it was because I had tried a new form of squats or increased my running distance in hopes of being able to do a 5k. I followed up with my surgeon, but everything was halted because we found out I was excepting baby number two.
Just delivered baby number two in May 2015. He is 8 weeks old now. There was lots of vomiting and constipation again this pregnancy, but overall the hernia pain is NOT as severe as it is when I am not pregnant?? The hernia hurt initially after delivery, but improved after a couple of weeks. The pain can subside with complete relief at times, but as soon as I try to increase any sort of activity it results in pain at the left inguinal hernia site (burning, pinching, deep and achy). There is also numbness into my thigh at bit and bottom of my foot. The right hernia that was repaired that was asymptomatic now also has days were it hurts as well. My surgeon is suggesting kenalog injections at the left hernia site, but I am hesitant because I am not sure if this simply is a short-term fix and not a long-term solution. The surgeon palpated in standing, but does not think hernia has recurred. He has admitted that he has not had to perform this procedure on many women, especially being so young and in childbearing years. Please help. 🙁
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