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Do I Have a Hidden/Occult Hernia?
I am a 56 year old female suffering from abdominal pain, pressure, swelling, and bloating for the past 16 months. I have seen over a dozen doctors, had almost 20 procedures, and numerous labs. And I have no answers. I was perfectly healthy before this. I ate well, slept well, exercised 5-6 days a week, took no medications. Then on 3/23/15-out of the blue-I felt a sharp burning pain go across my abdomen right above my belly button. It only lasted for 15-20 seconds but it took my breath away. About 30 minutes later, my abdomen starting swelling. After another 30 minutes I could feel my abdomen swelling even more and I had to unbutton and unzip my pants. Since then I have had a terrible, gnawing feeling in the abdomen. I can only describe the pain as pieces of glass floating around in there or as someone touching my insides. It makes my skin crawl. The swelling on my abdomen has never gone done. My pain level ranges between 2-8. I never know from day to day how I will feel. Sometimes I have the pain and other times I have pressure that pushes down to the pelvic area. I have seen 3 gynecologists, 6 gastroenterologists, 1 endocrinologist, 1 infectious disease doctor, 1 orthopedist, 1 urologist and have been to the ER. I have had 5 ultrasounds, 1 ct scan, 1 mri, 1 thoracic mri, 2 hyda scans, 1 small bowel series, 1 colonoscopy, 1 endoscopy, 1 endoscopic ultrasound, 1 hysteroscopy, 1 cystoscopy, and a scan for an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The procedures show everything is normal. But I am not normal. I cannot stand for more than 40 minutes at a time. I cannot sit for more than 40 minutes. The only time I have relief is when I am lying down. Thank goodness I can sleep at night. I do have trouble bending over and also squatting down. When I do my pain level goes up and also I can feel some type of mass in there at the area where I am bending and it is very uncomfortable. I have asked 3 of my doctors if I might have a hernia. They all said no it would have shown up on the scans. Interestingly, any time I am examined or have a procedure, I am always lying down. Therefore, it’s not surprising that they find nothing. The conclusion is that my abdominal issues are not female related, they are not food or bowel movement related. There seems to be nothing wrong with my body structurally. But after reading articles about hidden/occult hernias, I am wondering if that is what I have? I asked 2 of my doctors and they had never heard of that type of hernia; only hiatal hernias. I would appreciate any insight into my symptoms and also any doctors here in the Houston area who might be able to help. Thanks!
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12 Replies
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Do I Have a Hidden/Occult Hernia?
Glad you are feeling better and healing ok. I hope your immunologist is able to give you some concrete answers. Sometimes it gets too confusing but hang in there.
All the best to you. Mel -
Do I Have a Hidden/Occult Hernia?
Hi Dr. Towfigh
I believe the bruising is at the injection site. The bruising may be caused by excessive swelling of the abdomen possibly being caused by intestinal angioedema. I have had a blood test done that shows I have low C1 esterase inhibitor function. Yesterday I saw an immunologist and had more blood work done for possible urticaria and angioedema. He has put me on antihistamines and an anti-inflammatory. Hopefully, this will help with the swelling and pressure. It will be interesting to see what we find out. I do believe that the hernia operation was a success. I do not have the bad, gnawing pain behind the belly button anymore. The recovery just took longer than I had expected. Thank you again for your wisdom and support. I think this message board does a great service to help patients find out answers and also to help others with similar symptoms find support. Thanks again! -
Do I Have a Hidden/Occult Hernia?
Hi Mela414,
Thank you so much for your concern and nice words. I hope you have a smooth, short recovery and are feeling better very soon. I think my abdominal issues are more than just the belly button hernia that I had. Yesterday I went to see an immunologist and had quite a lot of blood work done. I think I am going to find answers very soon. Overall, my hernia surgery was a success. The recovery just took longer than I expected. My pain behind the belly button has definitely gone away. Which is a very good thing. I am sure your surgery will be very successful and you will be back to normal soon. Again, thank you very much for replying to my post. -
Do I Have a Hidden/Occult Hernia?
Thanks for the information dr Towfigh. Today is 8 days post-op and am going to my surgeon for a check. I am still in significant pain and am somewhat concerned but I guess it’s still part of the surgical healing process.
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Do I Have a Hidden/Occult Hernia?
Of course everyone is different.
The vast majority of patients have resolution of pain during the recovery period. That is typically within the first 6 weeks and for sure by 3 months. We usually get concerned with pain lingering after 3 months, which can happen in a fraction of patients. -
Do I Have a Hidden/Occult Hernia?
I hope you get some answers soon. It’s awful that you have gone through so much.
I just had right femoral hernia repair with mesh on Thursday. They also found a hernia under the belly button and took care of that. I think that was sutured but not sure. They then went into the abdomen to check for adhesions and found my bowel was stuck to my abdominal wall. They removed that along with some other adhesions.
It’s only been 4 days and of course I have surgical pain but of course am concerned about how long this will take to heal and if all will heal well. Only time will tell. I had some
concerns with leg swelling so called my surgeon and he said everything went well and that I should be fine. I guess they all have the same response. Hang in there. I hope everything will resolve itself with time. I’m not really sure what the actual healing time is it that is considered normal. Im new in dealing with a hernia repair and it’s all very confusing to me. I am hoping the doctor can chime in and give her opinion. Please take care of yourself. I hope you get some answers and feel better soon. -
Do I Have a Hidden/Occult Hernia?
The side bruise looks like site of an injection. Or perhaps bumped somewhere. Doubt it’s related to the operation.
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Do I Have a Hidden/Occult Hernia?
Hi Dr. Towfigh,
I was waiting until I had my 8 week follow up appointment to reply. The surgeon told me that the hernia is repaired and that the repair looks good. I am still having symptoms though. My entire abdomen is extremely swollen. It is extremely uncomfortable when I am walking. I think it is because my center of gravity has changed and it is just too much weight there in the abdomen. Today I am having pain and soreness at the belly button. When I looked at my belly button there is bruising again. It is red and blue inside the belly button and around the edges. Also, there is a bruise to the left of the belly button in the photo. The bruising went away 7 weeks after surgery. And when I saw the surgeon 2 weeks ago there was no bruising. Having the bruising coming back does not seem normal to me. I am attaching a photo. Why is this bruising occurring? Is this normal? Thanks.
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Do I Have a Hidden/Occult Hernia?
Certainly can be within normal limits.
Are you improved now? -
Do I Have a Hidden/Occult Hernia?
Hi Dr. Towfigh, After doing an online consultation with you I had hernia surgery 4 weeks ago. You had seen a belly button hernia on my MRI about 5mm and suggested surgery using sucher to close the hernia. The hernia was 1cm when the doctor went in so it was closed with mesh. I was told to return to normal activities the next day (but no lifting or bending) and that I could expect 3-4 days of pain and discomfort. I was not expecting so much bruising and soreness. It has been 4 weeks and I still have 5 bruises that are very deep purple in color around the belly button area. I have little sharp stabbing pains constantly. I have trouble sitting down and standing up. I am very uncomfortable walking from my car into the grocery store. It is like there is something weighing me down. I walk slower and slower. I have trouble sitting upright. I have to sit in a reclining position or just lie down on my back. As the day goes on my abdomen, especially the lower abdomen, swells up. At my 2 week follow up with the surgeon, he told me everything looked good and to give it 2-3 more weeks for the bruising, swelling, and pain to go away. He said it can take up to 8 weeks to heal. I wanted to ask if this all sounds normal 4 weeks after having open surgery to repair a belly button hernai with mesh. Thanks!
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Do I Have a Hidden/Occult Hernia?
Hi Dr. Towfigh,
Thank you so much for your reply. No, I have not had any surgeries of the abdomen. My pain is right above the belly button as you described. It is a very deep, gnawing pain: sometimes burning and sometimes a soreness. I also have pressure that pushes downward sometimes and it makes it very uncomfortable to walk. Is this also a symptom of a hernia?
Not one of my doctors actually read the films themselves. They only read the reports. I was told to bring in my cd to one of my gastro doctors. When I gave it to her, she chuckled and told me she could not read it. She always goes off the report.
I will look into the 2 doctors that you have recommended but I think I feel comfortable doing an online consultation with you and sending my records and images.
Thank you again for responding.
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Do I Have a Hidden/Occult Hernia?
Where exactly is your pain? It sounds like you very well may have a hernia. Have you had surgery of the abdomen? If not, the areas where hernias may exist are either at your belly button, a finger breadth above your belly button, or halfway between your belly button and your lower sternum.
Did your doctors look at the films themselves? Or just read the reports?
In Houston you can see Dr Charles Butler or Dr Brian Dunkin. You can also find other interested surgeons on http://americanherniasociety.org/find-a-hernia-specialist/
I am also happy to review your studies and images and give you my opinion if you wish to do an online consultation.
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