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Mesh Problem?
I haven’t been on in a while but had an incarcerated femoral hernia surgery October 20, 2016. While they did the surgery they found a small umbilical hernia. The femoral hernia was repaired with mesh. The umbilical hernia was sutured using Ethibond permanent green sutures. I started to have a pulling sensation along with swelling and the umbilical site right away. At first they said it was a seroma and tried to drain it. Nothing come out upon aspiration. They said to give it time to reabsorb. it became very painful and little bumps where the sutures were pushing out to the surface were showing. Anytime I leaned forward or back I had pain and pulling. Eventually, after seeing another surgeon for consult it was decided I was having suture rejection and needed to get them out. I suffered for 9 months and when they were removed it was like I was liberated! I finally felt better. I still had some sort of pain where the femoral hernia was removed but continued to give it time. I made sure I did not have forceful bowel movements as that is what got me into trouble in the first place with the femoral hernia. It took 7 months of going to various doctors to realize it was an incarcerated femoral hernia.
Fast forward to last winter I started to have pain again after a bad flu and a sneezing fit. After sneezing I felt pain in my abdomen that worsened over the next few days. The pain was tremendous and landed me in the ER. After a CT scan and MRI they said it wasn’t hernia but to see my hernia specialist. I went to someone affiliated with the local hospital ….not the original surgeon. He said he thought it was an abdominal sprain and to give it 4-6 weeks to heal. Sure enough it started to feel better about 5 weeks later. I’ve had pain on and off in that area for the past year but nothing as bad as the time I wound up in the ER. So here I am again experiencing abdominal/pelvic/stomach pain.
My IBS has flared up too but it’s never been this bad. I also have interstitial cystitis but got that checked and am watching my diet and voiding ok. Could this be PFD? The pain is so bad I can’t walk it’s going to my lower back muscles. I have stabbing in the lower right which is where the hernia was but is also a spot that can be troublesome for IBS. About 2 months ago my neurologist tried me on a preventive migraine medication which has been giving me nasty side effects. These injections for migraines are very and the true side effects profile is really not complete but the one thing that has troubled me is the severe constipation that comes with these preventive injections. I will not be taking these injections again. Could this have flared up something with this hernia repair? could this be a mesh issue. The pain is stabbing in the lower right but spreading out all over my gut and abdomen. Everything is hard. I did take a Bentyl to see if it would relax the gut but it has not helped. In the past it helped a bit. My husband gave me a Toradol Injection which is a strong anti inflammatory that I have on hand for sever migraine pain just to see if it would calm it down. No help yet and its only been 2 hours.
I think this may warrant a ride to the ER…but I hate going because I hate drinking the contrast stuff for the CT Scan.
I think it need a top hernia specialist to really review this for me! This feels as bad as when I had the hernia.
Are there any doctors in the NYC, NJ area? Perhaps it’s time for Dr Towfigh to review my records, I don’t know what to do. This is way to painful to be IBS!
Thanks,
Mel -
7 Replies
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Back to square one. Pain horrific and now after a bowel
movement I have throbbing swelling and anal burning spreading up the perineum to the vagina! This is crazy. I can’t sit for long periods of time and actually just started using a donut. I went to the gastroenterologist who referred me for physical therapy for PFD, discussed a good bowel regimen with stool softeners and occasional use of Antispasmodics. I’ve been keeping away from them because my IBS seems ok. I don’t have that sort of cramping.
I went to physical therapy and she started biofeedback placing sensors on the back end and having me contract and relax. It flared up the pain big time and hour after doing it!!! I waited a week, it simmered down and I went again. Same thing happened but pain worse!!! I am still recovering from physical therapy six days ago. In the meantime I finally had an appointment with a Urogynecologist. He took an extensive history and a complete internal and extra exam. I relayed to him that I feel as though I have incomplete evacuation and I feel that I’m not voiding the same way. I told him that I have a week thin strain. The pain after a bowel movement is pretty bad and that’s when the burning starts. He feels that it is a nerve problem and could be a pudendal neuralgia stemming from the lower back or just chronic pelvic inflammation. I went for an MRI today and I’m waiting for results.Can all of this come from the hernia surgery? Can it be Inflaming the pudenal nerve? I think he’s leaning towards sending me to pain management for some sort of lumber epidural. I had this done three years ago prior to my hernia surgery and it did not help. My hernia surgery did help all my pain temporarily. Now it seems everything is worse than it was before.
I know I need a hernia consult just to set things straight but I’m having difficulty in making appointments due to my husband’s relapse of leukemia. He will be in New York City for treatment in two weeks and perhaps I can see someone in New York. I am in such bad pain that I’m not even certain that I could make it with him to the hospital for his treatment. I need to figure this out! The sad thing is that Waiting for a consult appointment as a new patient takes forever. I had to wait three months to get an appointment see this Urogynecologist and called every week begging to go in sooner. I have another urogyn consult next week that I have been waiting for 3 months as well. I need to get to the bottom of this. I just need to know what to treat! It seems everything got worse since the hernia.
PT made it worse. I hope it’s not pudendal neuralgia. I hear it is so hard to treat
mel -
Thank you Dr. Towfigh. hi I appreciate you responding and yes I realize it is Dr. Brian Jacobs. I Actually corresponded with him a little over year ago via email. That’s what I was having problems with suture rejection Around the umbilical hernia and he referred me to someone in New Jersey. I did see that doctor that he suggested I go back to my original surgeon And have him remove the permanent sutures. I had that done nine months after my original surgery and I felt immediate relief. This is a different type of pain. But Dr. Brian Jacob responded quickly and Was very professional. It will definitely be worth an appointment in person for a consultation with him. Thank You.
Best regards
Mel -
Generally speaking, it’s possible for a CTs can to be interpreted as negative. Dr BRIAN Jacobs can help you figure this out.
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So I wound up in the ER last week. The pain was unbearable. They gave me Bentyl to relax the gut and iv fluids. Then sent me for ct scan with oral contrast an IV contrast.
The results were negative. Thy did not see a hernia. No blockage or appendix or gallbladder issues. No tumor.
The ER doctor thought it was a reaction or side effect to the migraine preventative injection-Ajovi which has a half life of 31 to 39 days. He said to take the Bentyl follow up with my Gastro doctor and give it time. I have been doing all of that and actually saw my Gastro yesterday who said it’s probably IBS. I’m taking the meds and no better. I also watch my diet. The doctor and her associate also recommended medical marijuana to relax the Gut. I tried that yesterday not really helping.
The pain after a very smooth and soft bowel movement is horrific. It throbs and stabs all day. My abdomen becomes tight and distended. I’m not sure what is going on but at this point will probably set up an appointment in New York City for a consult with Dr. Mark Jacobs.
I will probably have to wait for this medication to get out of my system. maybe the pain will subside. But I’m basically bedbound.
can you have a negative CT scan and still have an issue with hernia or mesh? Something is not right
Mel
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[USER=”1605″]mela414[/USER] sounds complex. I’m happy to review your situation and help you reach a cohesive assessment of what’s going on and a plan Of care.
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Yes. I see a nutrionist and have down food allergy testing and eat a very simple plain dietnof foods that I can tolerate.
I’m in the ER now. Then is pretty bad -
Dr Brian Jacob is a well regarded hernia surgeon in NYC, surely there are many others too
Dr Towfigh is able to do online consultations if you can not make it to the Los Angeles area
Just out of curiosity, have you tried an elimination diet for your IBS?
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