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HELP…Reducible or Incarcerated? How to tell?
I may be being paranoid but since getting a hernia I find I’m checking it frequently.
I’m not sure if it’s got slightly bigger or if it’s because I have put a bit of weight on, 4 to 6 lbs. Not even sure it has got bigger or if it’s just fear.
But the main worry is…. I’m sure when I used to lie down the bulge went almost immediately, now it seems to take some seconds. Maybe up to 30 or so.
Is it still classed as reducible?
How long should it take to go down when lying down?
How do you know when it is incarcerated?
Any symptoms?
Im not getting any extra symptoms I’m aware of – can it be painless and incarcerated?
Any answers please, I’ll be grateful as it’s very worrying. Thanks
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11 Replies
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That’s brilliant and encouraging to hear. Was it a visible hernia bulge? Or just symptoms that made you decide?
I know exactly what you mean about affecting life, it’s like I have two me’s. The me before and the me after, it’s on my mind a lot and difficult to forget. Ive never had my trousers down so much when I just check it.
In recovery, have you had much pain? Any extra measures youve taken at all? Laxitives, ice packs?
Thanks
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Oh dear, you’re right I got the name wrong. Sorry Mike M,
Can I repeat and ask some questions to you Mike M…
What were symptoms? What made you finally get surgery? How’s recovery going? -
Thanks again Mark,
Can I just ask what symptoms did you have. I’m fairly fortunate in that I get a bit of aching, slight discomfort/pain but nothing too bad. Usually at end of day.I get a bit confused trying to remember where each poster has had surgery! Mind you I’m easily confused, I think yours was at Shouldice Canada? I take it that went well.
How long did you struggle on and wait before surgery?
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@William Bryant
I had similar concerns prior to my surgery except my symptoms were starting to enter into the moderate range+. The way I was able to resolve it was to lay on my right side all night when I slept. My hernia was left side direct*, large.
After I did that it almost completely resolved all symptoms unless I did something stupid that day.
I also visited two of the best hernia doctors in my area. Both doctors shook their heads and said it is extremely rare to get a strangulated or even incarcerated (non-reducible) hernia from their experience.
I was considering pulling the trigger on imaging if I was going to wait any longer. It does make you paranoid but fortunately (According to doctors) the dangerous situations are not very likely to happen if you are aware and careful.
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Thanks Mark, these hernias make you paranoid
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If it is returning to almost flat, and you have no other change in symptoms (pain, or anything else mentioned above), then it seems unlikely that there is any incarceration or cause for concern…maybe just some swelling?
That is just my non-professional opinion though, so I would suggest checking in with your doc if you think anything has significantly changed.
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Thanks Mark, I think it used to go flatter quicker on lying down.
Also I’m not sure if it goes as flat as it used to.
To be reducible does it have to go absolutely flat?
It’s pretty close to being flat!
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If your hernia is able to be reduced, then it is (by definition) not incarcerated. It doesn’t have to be reducible on its own when lying down…if it can be manually pushed back in (gently!), it is still considered reducible.
Often, it will reduce passively by lying down…sometimes people can reduce it themselves with gentle manipulation…sometimes the help of their doctor or surgeon might be needed to reduce it.
You may or may not have any pain with an incarcerated hernia. Pain is a possible symptom, but not a necessary one…and even a reducible hernia could be associated with some pain either right away or over time.
If you suspect incarceration, you should seek prompt medical attention to confirm, as it could be a medical emergency. Incarceration can also lead to strangulation (where blood flow is restricted or cut-off, or where there is organ obstruction), which is indeed a medical emergency. Symptoms can include more severe pain, swelling, and/or tenderness; nausea, vomiting, chills, sweats, etc.
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@William Bryant
My wife and I could not notice a bulge no matter how close or faraway we looked. However both Dr. Kang and Dr. Grischkan could tell right away without me saying anything to them. So although it must have been extremely subtle to the average eye it wasn’t to an experienced doctor.
Symptoms were the reason that I wanted to get it done. I choose Dr. Kang because I wanted to be back to normal without any complications or restrictions long term. Also there were bonuses with Dr. Kang’s method like lower tension than Shouldice and the fact it only repaired what was actually damaged. Finally Dr. Kang is the best open pure tissue repair surgeon in the world imho.
In terms of pain as per my review in the previous post my case was not the most extreme but was not minor either. I had a pretty nasty hernia I created in a short amount of time. It was the size of an egg and the surgical field was deep. I saw most people walk out of Dr. Kang’s office like it was nothing but I opted to get an extra pain shot for of the all the reasons stated. The first three days were painful but after the 4th day or so it wasn’t so bad and then once a week went by it was just a matter of me taking it easy. Overall the pain was pretty much what I imagined it would be with that type of surgical procedure.
They have you on the basics for the first few days (lax + minor pain killers) but I didn’t have any issues at all regarding any of that and I had two hernias fixed at the same time. Umbilical and the inguinal left side. The umbilical hernia was a joke compared to the inguinal. No pain whatsoever really from it. Umbilical just complicated things in the sense I was trying to be extra careful when using my core.
Extra measures were mostly self imposed in the form of being super careful even after two weeks. The first few days I still got up and moved as much as I could via walking even if it was just in the hotel and the room. I swear I walked about 5 miles in my room one day pacing back and forth.
I plan on stepping up my workout routine (specifically my core) at the 6th month mark but gradually.
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@William Bryant
Pressure and dull pain in the groin region was the primary issue I had off and on for the brief period I knew about or created the hernia in via coughing.
I went through with it because it was affecting my quality of life and ability to lift weights / workout was a major concern.
Recovery is going great. Dr. Kang is top notch. I am about 5 weeks from surgery and every week that goes by I am a little closer to “normal”. I plan on working out at the 6 month mark which is usually when the tissue has healed completely.
There are no restrictions after 2 weeks with Dr. Kang’s method but I am just taking it easy out of an abundance of caution and unjustified paranoia. LOL
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You’ll have to thank Mike M for that last reply 😉
As for me, I did indeed go to Shouldice Hospital…two inguinal repairs…one side was 30yrs ago, the other 18yrs ago. Both repairs were problem-free, with no chronic pain or any limitations on physical activity since then.
Memory is hazy, but one of them was trouble-free in terms of not having much pain and being easily reducible right up until the date of the repair, while I had some discomfort develop with the other one in the time leading up to surgery…some pain and it would take a bit longer to reduce when lying down, if I recall.
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