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Inguial Hernia? Next Step? Bay Area? Dr. Towfigh?
I have struggled with severe pelvic pain for four years-it has become quite acute. It started when I was 6 months pregnant with my second son, and I bent down and lifted up my 1.5 year old toddler and carried him up a hill. I went to the emergency room a day later due to severe pain, but got no real answers. The pain was severe but came and went for awhile and then became severe and almost constant about 2 years ago. It is in two specific spots on both sides of my pelvic muscle (where you engage your pelvic muscle in a sit-up) and is a stabbing pain that often causes referred pain down my pelvic muscle, into my groin, and into my hips-sometimes down my legs. It is worse when I twist, breathe out completely (as in coughing a very strong cough), get into a sit-up position, go from a sitting to a standing position, get out of bed, stand on my feet for awhile or am very active. The only thing that relieves pain a little is lying down-I often ice the area. The pain is worst in the afternoons/evenings, and best in the mornings, though it is always with me. In the evenings it is often debilitating. I have been put on meds for way to many “possible” issues including Intercystal Cystitis, Pelvic Congestion, and Endometriosis. I finally had exploratory surgery last April-they ended up doing a hystorectomy “in case” there was adenomyosis, but the pathology report does not show that real Endo or Adenomyosis was found-just “fibrous tissue.” I have finally been told that I have a suspected inguial hernia-. The surgeon who suspects this is an orthopedic surgeon and is going to look at my MRI in more detail, but says they don’t always show up on an MRI. What is my next step? I really want to see Dr. Shirin Towfigh in Beverly Hills but live in San Francisco. Is there someone I might see in the Bay Area who is highly recommended in the area of hernia detection and repair? Am I looking at another surgery or might physical therapy help me? The doctor has put me on Prendisone for pain, but just for a week. Was this a good route? If I do go to see Dr. Towfigh, has anybody had experience with staying in the area after surgery to recover? Thank you for all your thoughts.
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1 Reply
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Inguial Hernia? Next Step? Bay Area? Dr. Towfigh?
Thanks so much for your post.
It’s so amazing the number of women I see with hernias that have undergone hysterectomy or oophorectomy when their pain was due to the groin hernia.
Your symptoms are am certainly suggestive of a hernia. You need to be seen by a surgeon with interest in hernias who is able to listen to you, evaluate you with an open mind, examine you carefully. That surgeon specialist needs to review your films to make sure the interpretation is correct.
In the Bay Area, there are several great surgeons. Go to the America Hernia Society website and plug in CA as your state and you can see all who are interested in hernia. Try Dr Hobart Harris. At Kaiser, try Dr Rock Liu.
Unfortunately, there aren’t that many who particularly specialize in hernias or even women’s hernias.
If it doesn’t work out for you up North, I am happy to see you in consultation. Sheila is my office manager and she can help you with accommodations. Most patients can fly or drive back home the next day after surgery.
I invite others on this forum who have had surgery out of their local area to report their experience.
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