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Hernia with Autoimmune Disorders
Hello everyone,
I’m a 31-year-old male living in Toronto, Canada, and I was recently diagnosed with a left indirect inguinal hernia just a week ago. My doctor has recommended that I consult a surgeon about the possibility of surgery, as this condition might be significantly impacting my daily life. Before I meet with the surgeon, I’m trying to weigh the risks and benefits of hernia repair to better understand my options.
My medical history is somewhat complex. In 2018, I was diagnosed with ulcerative proctitis, which eventually resolved after two years. In 2021, I was diagnosed with idiopathic chronic anterior uveitis, for which I was prescribed corticosteroid eye drops for a year. After that, I switched to Methotrexate for two years to manage inflammation and have been off the medication for the past two months.
Around the same time I began dealing with anterior uveitis, I started experiencing stabbing abdominal pain about once a month. This pain would typically begin 10 to 20 minutes after getting out of bed and would only subside if I lay down. Sometimes it lasted for an hour, while other times it lingered all day. Due to my history with anterior uveitis and ulcerative proctitis, I underwent a colonoscopy, which revealed nothing unusual. My doctor thought the pain might be constipation and recommended I take Metamucil, which I tried and then stopped after a significantly based episode of abdominal pain.
Additionally, around the same time as the onset of uveitis symptoms, I noticed an enlargement in the left part of my scrotum. This enlargement would not be present when I woke up but would appear shortly after showering. Interestingly, I found that the enlargement was absent on days I experienced abdominal pain. After an ultrasound, I was told the enlargement was due to a hydrocele, which was expected to resolve on its own, but it never did.
Recently, I’ve been experiencing minor groin pain, along with a noticeable increase in the frequency of my abdominal pain, which now occurs 1-2 times per week. Following a recent ultrasound, I was diagnosed with a medium-sized left indirect inguinal hernia. My doctor believes that the abdominal pain maybe potentially due to my bowel becoming obstructed when the contents of my hernia gets stuck and fails to descend fully.
I’m now in the process of evaluating whether to proceed with hernia surgery and which surgical method would be best for me based on a risk benefit analysis. On days when I’m not experiencing abdominal pain, I can live my life normally without any issues. However, on painful days, I find myself lying down for most of the day, which has affected my ability to go into the office and has interrupted vacations.
Assuming that the surgeon agrees that the abdominal pain is the result of the hernia, should I consider surgery to address the hernia given my medical history? If so, should I consider a tissue based or a mesh based surgery?
Any insights or experiences you could share regarding hernia surgery, especially considering my medical background, would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
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1 Reply
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One option is to make an appointment with the Shouldice Hernia Hospital in Toronto. They specialize in hernia treatment and offer a free initial consultation. They should be able to provide feedback as to how to address your hernia given your autoimmune issues.
shouldice.com
Welcome to Shouldice Hernia Hospital, The Global Leader in Non-Mesh Hernia Repair.
For over 70 years, we have been the only licensed hospital in the world dedicated to repairing hernias. More than 98% of our cases are performed with our natural tissue technique...without the use of mesh.
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