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Hidden Hernia questions from Ohio
I am a 44 year old woman who has been having LRQ pain for 6 months and am still without a diagnosis. I have had two pelvic ultrasounds, a CT scan, and a total of 12 appointments with my family doctor, gynecologists, and most recently a general surgeon. My family doctor suggested to me about a month and a half ago that I might have a hernia, but he was unable to feel it. The CT scan did not show a hernia, and the general surgeon I saw said that because he didn’t feel a hernia or see a bulge, he doesn’t think I have a hernia. He wants me to have a gall bladder scan, although I don’t think my symptoms are indicative of gall bladder trouble. My pain is always in the lower right quadrant, sometimes extending down into the top of my thigh and sometimes radiating around my side and into my lower right back. It is there every day, worse with more strenuous activity and worse after standing a long time or sitting on a hard surface for long. It hurts to bend over. It doesn’t seem to be food related whatsoever. I am also constipated and have been taking a magnesium supplement daily to stay regular for about the last two months. Coughing, sneezing, and laughing do not hurt, however whenever I have a gag reflex, it hurts. I had high hopes when I visited the general surgeon that he could pinpoint my problem, but his only two ideas were either gall bladder or a muscular strain. It doesn’t feel muscular to me, and it has been going on for 6 months, which seems like a long time for a muscular strain, especially given the fact that I have not even been exercising because it hurts to use the treadmill or do anything jarring.
I asked the general surgeon for an MRI, hoping that would show a hernia, but he said he didn’t think my insurance would want to cover it because there was not a good enough reason (since he doesn’t believe I have a hernia). So I agreed to do the gall bladder scan for now, and also have a referral in to a gastroenterologist.
Another thing that may or may not be related: I found out from the pelvic ultrasounds that I have a retroverted uterus with a 2 cm simple cyst behind the uterus. The uterus is also slightly enlarged, but not enough to warrant surgery, according to the gynecologist. He says this could not be causing the LRQ pain. I have never had children and have had no previous abdominal surgeries.
Here are my questions:
1. Do you think this sounds like a hidden hernia?
2. If so, can you recommend a hernia specialist in Ohio (or nearby) that specializes in hidden hernias in women? I really would like to find someone who would at least consider the possibility that this could be a hernia and be willing to do further tests to find out.
3. Could a hidden hernia be causing my constipation? (I was also diagnosed hypothyroid recently, so I thought that might be causing the constipation, but I think my thyroid medicine is adjusted now, so maybe the constipation is being caused by something else) -
5 Replies
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I just read this post, and I had never heard of a hip labral tear. I wonder if that is what I have? I had one surgeon tell me I have a small hernia and I had one surgeon tell me I have a groin strain. My pain is actually worse in the morning. The pain wakes me up in the mornings. Not a terrible pain but a discomfort in the inguinal area. I have a BM in the morning when I wake up and I am not constipated. I eat a lot of fiber. Sometimes I feel a tiny bit of possibly an ache ,maybe not, after a BM. I have been reading so much on symptoms for hernias that I’m not sure if I’m just looking for that.
My main pain us where I have a bone and a muscle (according to my primary doctor). by my leg crease and a bit where my public bone is. I feel the public bone pain when I touch that area not usually without touching it. I can’t believe I FORGOT to tell both surgeons that it aches like a sudden pull and lessens over time when I place my legs in cris cross position or indian style. Sometimes I can put my legs like that without pain and sometimes I can’t without eliciting some pain but it depends on how fast I do it and the angle. If it is a small angle it doesn’t hurt but larger angle hurts. If I move the leg fast into that cris cross position it hurts. If slow it doesn’t always hurt. Does that new hint HERNIA or STRAIN or HIP LABRAL TEAR? I just lifted my leg to put it in indian style and it hurt like a tiny stab in a very localized place.
By the time, I go to sleep I get comfortable quickly and fall asleep without pain especially if my legs are straight while I lay on my back but lately sleeping my sides has been fine too. No women in my family have ever had hernias. So. i don’t know what to think anymore. I’m just not used to not being able to pull heavy doors or carry backpacks or put force on the leg where the pain is. Going up the stairs brings some pain. Some days it does not. And, lately I realized I step hard when I walk and I run a little bit to get to my phone, answer the door, get things in general all day long, so not being able to is really making me frustrated. Ice and heat help reduce the pain whenever I get it. Heat works quicker.
Reading that an MRA is best for a labral tear (I just looked that up), a dynamic MRI being best for an occult hernia, and that sometimes they produce false positives is also adding to the confusion. I read on here many people go on for years before they get an accurate diagnosis, and I would like to get pregnant in another 2 years, so I would like to somehow get help getting to the bottom of this. I am worried about getting pregnant and aggravating the health problem. Not sure what is the next step I should take if this pain doesn’t resolves in another few months.
Before I thought of it as an abdominal pain and these past few days I have been calling it a leg pain because my leg movement and pressure on my leg seems to trigger it more than anything else. Leaning down doesn’t bother me unless I bend my legs or stretch them too much to bend down. coughing and sneezing cause no pain.
I hope with these new leg hints I can get a little more resolution. Thank you so much.
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Hidden Hernia questions from Ohio
Wonderful to hear you got the diagnosis and treatment to cure you of your pain.
Endometriosis, hip labral tear, hernia–they all share similar symptoms. This is just a short list.
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Hidden Hernia questions from Ohio
I thought I would update this since it has been a long time since I posted. I had laparoscopic surgery last month and have been diagnosed with endometriosis, which explains all of my symptoms (pain in LRQ, back pain, and constipation). The endometriosis is in my right side and on my uterus and bowel. I had my right ovary and fallopian tube removed because it was all bound together with endometriosis and adhesions and was stuck in place (the ovary is very sensitive so this was probably the pain that felt like a hernia to me). In addition, my uterus is adhered to my bowel so I will have another upcoming surgery to separate those and remove the endometriosis growing on my bowel.
It turns out I did not have a hernia at all, but the symptoms were very similar. It took me about 10 months to get diagnosed. It seems that endometriosis is another one of those “hidden” diseases that few doctors are able to diagnose. I finally got the right diagnosis when I went to a new gynecologist after being through what seemed like every diagnostic test known to man!
Thank you to those of you who read my original post and took the time to respond. I wanted to let you know what was going on and also help other women who may be struggling to get a diagnosis to realize that you have to keep trying and don’t give up!
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Hidden Hernia questions from Ohio
Hi Tricia
I hope you don’t mind me chiming in! I am not a doctor but a patient who was where you are now. I’m glad you found this forum sooner than I did.
Firstly, Let me say don’t give up listen to your body! Nobody knows it Better than you.
I was where you are now and for two and a half years I had many radiologic test, and many doctors finding nothing and telling me nothing wrong and to go to pain management. I didn’t give up I knew something was wrong and I found this forum. Dr Towfigh read my post as she did yours and the best thing I did was send all my reports and radiologic test I to her online consultation!!
She has learned to read the scans because of all the false reports and YES she found not one but three hernias. Bilateral inguinal and a right femoral hernia. She recommended doctors near me to do the surgery with advice. Because of her expertise and the trust I found in her I wanted her to do the surgery. In August of 2015 I flew to California had the surgery flew home the next day and I’m happy to say I have my life back.
Hence if you cannot get a diagnose it is well worth her online consultation.
Good luck and I hope you are better soon!
Sorry so lengthy, but I wanted you to know she can be trusted to help with your diagnose if you truly have a hernia! -
Hidden Hernia questions from Ohio
1. Yes yes yes
2. Dr Ajita Prabhu at Cleveland Clinic
3. Constipation may be contributing to your herniaYou’re very smart and are right on with all of your assessments. I’m very impressed.
Read this article: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/25141884/
If you wish, I can re-read your films and review your history via online communication. Then I can give you a recommendation for care closer to home. You have such a classic presentation for a hidden hernia. You have many excellent hernia surgeons in Ohio. Go to http://www.beverlyhillsherniacenter.com for Online Consultation
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