[andrew1982]

@Katherine. It was me. Muschaweck surgery including cutting GFN ruined my life. You can search my user name here and I also posted as Steve Smith in the Sports Hernia/Core Muscle Injury group on Facebook as I didn’t really want to post my medical history with my real name. In summary, after first hand experience and tons of research

– only get surgery if you absolutely need it
– don’t have your nerves touched, let alone cut. If you have nerve pain try other things first – blocks, pulsed radio frequency, etc
– minimal repair is misleading – it’s a big cut, nothing minimal about it
– surgeons don’t know for sure what the outcome of cutting the nerves are with the certainty they claim
– the course and function of the nerves isn’t as universal as the textbooks suggest and the claim that they are sensory branches and not responsible for motor function is simply untrue.

I’ve probably also been unlucky but I have come across others who have had this procedure and have done badly. PeterC who also posts here has had not a dissimilar procedure and I have similar symptoms to those he described in his last post.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 6 months ago by  andrew1982.

[andrew1982]

In London with muschaweck.

[andrew1982]

Hi Peter. I’ve got about 90% the exact same problems as you after my Muschaweck surgery. No strength at all on right side after GFN resection. I’m the same person that has posted in the Facebook group. It will be 2 years on Monday that my life was ruined and my daughters turned upside down. I’ve seen everyone but no one can even diagnose let alone suggest a fix. I wish you all the best.

[andrew1982]

Sounds really similar to me – I’m 16 weeks out – open, direct modified bassani with gin neurectomy and now living this nightmare. Hope you get a solution soon. What’s you surgeon saying about the pain?

• This reply was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by  andrew1982.

[andrew1982]

Hi @cshelter. How are you getting on now – any improvements with the pain?

[andrew1982]

Bump. Has anyone got any success stories they’d like to share?

[andrew1982]

Bump. Does anyone have any success stories to share?

[andrew1982]

Hi everyone. Tomorrow is 15 weeks post surgery. I have to say that the surgery is the single worse thing that ever happened to me in my entire life. In the hour that I was in theatre my life changed so dramatically I still am struggling to come to terms with it. The physical systems have caused me to be depressed, my 4 year old daughter now regularly cries as she knows I’m in pain, our relationship has changed and as a single dad that is devastating. I’m self-employed and this is looking very much like it’s going to destroy my businesses because I am unable to concentrate or even be there. I can’t believe that I’ve gone from being in the best shape of my life with no pain at all from my hernia to this.

I would really appreciate if anyone had any success stories they could share where they were suffering from chronic nerve related pain that eventually got better.

[andrew1982]

Thanks Dr.

[USER=”935″]drtowfigh[/USER] [USER=”2580″]DrBrown[/USER] my allodyna is particularly bad today. What are your views on whether allodyna is curable or not. I’m stressing curable rather than manageable.

[andrew1982]

[USER=”935″]drtowfigh[/USER] nerve block was:

2ml 1% lidocaine
4ml of levobupivacaine 2.5mg per mill
40mg of Kenalog

u/sound around the right distal IIN and IHN.

[andrew1982]

The IIN and IHN block provided some relief. The steroid has reduced the area affected but the most painful point remains constant as it has from almost immediately post surgery. I am still suffering from swelling that is mainly in the triangle above the penis/scrotum/groin crease. This can be brought on by standing or even lying and just rubbing the area around the incision where it remains over-sensitive.

I’ve never been so miserable in my life and my 4 year daughter has realised there is something wrong and is now regularly upset/crying because she doesn’t want daddy to have an ouchy. My very well known surgeon quoted me a less than 1 in 1000 chance of pain. On the day of my surgery they told me that I would have no pain the next day yet I’m now at 13 weeks, have had a nerve block with steroids and feeling like my life has been ruined. I would really urge anybody considering surgery who is not in pain and whose hernia is small/not causing problems to watch and wait rather than have surgery. I trusted my surgeon based on their reputation and even explained to them when I saw them that the hernia was not causing me any problems and the only reason I was getting it repaired was that I thought it was a routine operation/better to nip it in the bud before it got worse. I told them how active I was and that I needed to remain flexible and strong becuase of slipped discs and all I heard was reassurance that everything would be ok/ive done thousands of operations with no problems. I now can’t play with my daughter, exercise, etc . . . without pain.

[andrew1982]

Hi Dr – the genital branch was cut – I have the report: “genital branch: a pale tube like structure. 34 x 2mm. All taken. Unremarkable nerve with adipose tissue.” I was also told that ilioinguinal was carefully mobilised and preserved. I wish I could just feel better – this is unbearable.

[andrew1982]

Am not sure on volumes Dr – I will find out and report back.

Is it common that wearing clothes with elastic waist bands can trigger the nerve pain in the groin area even though this is a good inch or 2 above the scar? Strangely, when I am not wearing any clothes the pain is far less. When I wear jeans (ie – not consistently tight all the way around the waist) there is more pain and when I wear a tracksuit or shorts with elastic waist the pain is worst. It is so pronounced that I am sat I’m my car typing this wearing gym gear and my groin is sore to touch. When I pull the waist band away from my stomach/waist, the pain is far less. The other thing to mention is that the pain is touch induced – if I don’t touch the area there is some pressure/strange sensation but to cause pain/discomfort, I need to touch the groin.

[andrew1982]

Another question – I’ve asked my consultant about repeated block(s) but their suggestion is to wait 3 months before a 2nd block. I’ve read that repeated blocks every 2 weeks can “cure” the problem. Could [USER=”935″]drtowfigh[/USER] [USER=”2580″]DrBrown[/USER] please advise on this too?

[andrew1982]

My latest reply was unapproved – could one of the admins please post. Thanks

[andrew1982]

happy new year everyone.

​​​​​​​[USER=”2580″]DrBrown[/USER] [USER=”935″]drtowfigh[/USER]

I had a nerve block with steroid (kenalog) of the IIN and IHN – the block worked as the skin went numb. I had some pain relief within the first 15 minutes – I could still feel some discomfort in the painful areas but not as pronounced – a definite improvement. 2 hours later, the pain below the incision is back to the previous level whilst the skin above the incision remains numb. I didn’t have any injections directly into the painful area, the block was done higher up. Obviously the steroid will take some days to kick in.

Do you have any thoughts on the pain returning so quickly? I was expecting the block to last up to 8 hours.

[andrew1982]

Hi [USER=”2580″]DrBrown[/USER]

All I have is what I reported in post 1 (surgical) and post 18 (imaging).

It’s such a raw, awful, gnawing/burning/stabbing pain. Lying down and opening hips helps almost completely relieve the pain as does not wearing any clothes. Sitting and any sort of elastic waistband makes things worse.

With hindsight, I think the pain was there from the moment I came our of surgery but I couldnt tell as there was so much dressing over the entire area – I remember it felt strange through the dressing and that is similar to what it feels like now if I am wearing layers of clothes.

I’m hoping to get an injection in 5 days to see if that clams things.

Does anyone have any stories of people who had this sort of pain that resolved? My biggest fear is that nothing can be done – I certainly cannot live like this.
​​​​​​

[andrew1982]

Thanks Goodintentions

[USER=”2580″]DrBrown[/USER] [USER=”935″]drtowfigh[/USER] I would really appreciate if you could share any success stories of people who got better past 3 months with similar condition to me. Yesterday marked 12 weeks and I am still feeling awful. My life has been turned upside down and I am showing signs of depression. I have a young daughter and doing anything with her is such a struggle because of this constant pain in my groin. I can honestly say I don’t think I have felt anywhere near as low in my entire life.

​

[andrew1982]

Does anyone have anything to add?

[andrew1982]

[USER=”2580″]DrBrown[/USER] [USER=”935″]drtowfigh[/USER]

the burning pain/allodynia is now slightly worse, broadly across illioinguinal distribution. The pain is set off by touch mainly but moving is also uncomfortable. I did a lot of walking yesterday and wonder if this has anything to do with it. I’ll be at 11 weeks post operative tomorrow and there really hasnt been much improvement. I’m really worried about the pain becoming centralised or never improving and am struggling to cope mentally. If anybody has a suggestion/view/example of someone who had similar issues and recovered that would be much appreciated. I still can’t believe I’ve gone from being in the best shape of my life to this :(:(:(