[Josh V]

Hi Alephy,

Thank you so much for your post. Sorry to hear about your pain!
No, my pain is actually deeper, it’s a constant deep pain which originates from the left side mesh, down to my groin, up my entire left side, and wraps around to my lower back. I do have some sharp pain near the mesh, a little soreness in the upper abdomen. No restriction in movement. I’m beginning to wonder if the mesh has in fact failed.

What I cannot understand, is why, after a CT scan and MRI I’m being told there is nothing wrong, even though I’m clearly in so much pain.

[Josh V]

*Excuse the spelling/grammar. I’m unable to edit them!

[Josh V]

Hi Good intentions,

Thank you kindly for the information, I will certainly look into the mesh.
I apologise if the description of my surgery was not clear enough. I will try to elaborate below for the benefit of future sufferers who may benefit.

In 2012 I had testicular cancer, for which I had an orchiectomy in my right side folowed by 4 months of chemotherapy. Around 2014 I developed an inguinal hernia on my right side. By 2018 I developed a second inguinal hernia on my left side. In 2019 I had a bi-lateral TEP laparoscopic hernia repair for left and right direct inguinal hernias. My surgeon in a follow-up appointment told me that he had used two pieces of mesh on the right side becasue the hernia was so large.

Ever since the operation for the last almost 2 years, I have had pain on both sides, so much so that at it’s worst it would be debilitating. It would be at the location of the hernia mesh, and travel down to my groin, up the sides of my abdominal wall, as around my back. I was referred to another consultant who after examination said that it’s most likely that the mesh had no settled and was crumpled, hence causing the pain. He advised Ultrasound guided steroid injections. The injections if anything made the pain on my left side much, much worse. I suspect that I have less pain on my right most likely because of the nerve damage from the previous orchiectomy. Constant pain, the bruising (in the pictures), severe constipation have made life over the last 6 months unbearable. I am very fit and healthy and have spent most of my life lifting weights, running, hiking, yoga meditation etc. Also as a professinal (wind instrument) musician I gig almost every day. Right now, I’m unable to lift more than 3kg without lasting pain, playing my instrument for anything longer than 30mins leaves me in pain.

I had an MRI last week, I just spoke with my consultant who can’t find anything worng, but suspects that it could be scar tissue. He suggested that a further lapropscopic surgery may be necesary to remove scar tissue and if needed mesh. From the above above replies it certainly seems that I need to research more on the mesh, follow up on surgery notes and look for a specialist in London who may be able to help. For me, mesh removal would be a last resort.

Many Thanks!
Josh.

[Josh V]

Thank you so much for all the advice.
I had an MRI last week, and just spoke with my consultant, who said that they could not find anything wrong. I’m a little baffeld how I can be in such debilitating pain and they cannot find anything. He did say that it could be scar tissue which is causing the pain on my left hand side, and that it may be necessary for further laparoscopic surgery to remove the scar tissue.

To answer previous questions, the surgeon used two pieces of mesh on my right side becasue 10 years ago I had an orchiectomy (and chemo) for testicular cancer. Apparently, the hernia was so large that the surgeon overlapped two pieces of mesh. The tye of repair was tension free, using Parietex mesh. I don’t know if tacks were used.

If it is of any help, I’ve uploaded some images to Imgur.

https://imgur.com/a/FoKQVsv

I will search the forum again, and also keep you posted on developments. I will be having an in-person consultation in the coming weeks. If there are any specific questions I should be asking, please do let me know!

Many thanks for all the advice.
Josh.

Hernia Pain

[Josh V]

Hi Mitchtom6,

Thanks for the kind reply. Sorry, I will elaborate a little more.

I had TEPP lapropscopic bilateral hernia repair. Due to a previous orchiectomy on my right side (testicular cancer) I had two peices of mesh placed on the right. After the initial recovery I had a lot nerve pain on both sides which would become quite severe at times. The doctor who did the surgery did an MRI and said there was nothing wrong, and was refered to another doctor.

This second doctor did a physical exam and said it was most likely crumpled mesh on the left hand side, and suggested steroid injections.

I had ultrasound guided steroid injections in October, after which the pain were severely worse. Added to this I cannpt open my bowels, pain and a kind of bruising all the way up my left side this goes all around to my lower back. I have a constanst pain on my left at the side of the hernia mesh.

I don’t think at this point I want to go through mesh removal surgery, before finding out excatly what this could be, and why my condition was made so much worse by steroid injections. I have thought it was a Spigelian Hernia, mesh failure, or a ruptured epigastric nerve leading to clotted blood, but it’s been 6 months with no improvement. Perhaps if there are any speciaists in London that anyone could recommend, or if anyone has anything similar.

Many thanks.