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recurrence or normal healing from multiple hernias
I am hoping some of you on this site might be able to relate and give me some advice. I am a 54 year female in good health, normal weight, no risk factors, who started having severe abdominal pain in October 2012. In summer 2013, an ultrasound showed two inguinal hernias (left) which were repaired in August last year. We were all surprised by the diagnosis as I had no groin swelling and the pain I was experiencing was mainly higher up, midway to my bellybutton, on the left side. Although the inguinal surgery completely took care of the partial bowel obstructions I was having, I soon noticed pain just above the inguinal scar area and also the old main mid-way pain in my left abdomen. The surgeon gave me a series of Kenalog shots to shrink the scar tissue, which I asked him to stop after two months when I noticed no pain reduction, and the tissue in my groin had atrophied quite a bit. My PCP helped me to follow up with another surgeon, after a CT scan showed an umbilical hernia, which was repaired by this other suregon in February. After a flu bug with a nasty cough in March, the inguinal area began to hurt again. My second suregon kindly checked it out manually, did not think it was a return of the inguinal hernias (no problems at all with the umbilical site), and and recommended ice and rest. After a month of that, there was no change, and I went to my PCP who put me on a 5-day regimen of Prednisone to see if inflammation might be a problem, but it has now been 3 weeks since that visit, and I see no change. If anything, the pain is now worse, my mid-abdomen pain is back along with the pain above the inguinal scar, and sleep is now also a problem. Prior to finding the hernias I underwent all kinds of procedures, and nothing else was found that could explain the pain. Normal blood work all the time. I am worried that there may be another hernia(s) and/or nerve issues in my abdomen.
Maybe this is just too soon to be expecting the pain to be gone after two surgeries, at my age. I am doing everything I can to get better…I exercise, gently, for 30 mins 6 days a week (walking or biking), don’t lift, push or pull anything heavy, wear a hernia brace when it’s really painful, use a TENS machine to help control the pain, eat right so I am never constipated, and meditate to try to deal with the pain naturally. I have been reading up on what causes multiple hernias, including about collagen metabolism problems. I know there isn’t evidence that supplements will help hernias, but I started taking collagen supplements this week, and added turmeric supplements, both of which can’t do any harm, I think, and may help.
I plan to see Dr. Towfigh as soon as possible, but I’d also appreciate any feedback from those of you with multiple hernias or recurrences or just long healing phases! Thanks!
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1 Reply
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recurrence or normal healing from multiple hernias
Hi
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