[Km8888]

I had non-mesh inguinal hernia repair 3 and a half weeks ago on the right side. (Performed by Dr. Brown, to whom I am so very thankful)

I am also 33 years old.

I don’t have testicle pain, however I do have some soreness in the lower right groin area, basically between where the incision is, and where the scrotum starts (basically the are where the hernia was when it used to pop out.
my spermatic cord also swells, I think related to how much physical activity I’ve had. It isn’t swollen in the morning, but by the evening it is sore and a little swollen.

I don’t believe the repair has failed because I haven’t felt anything that feels like the hernia used to feel, although the swelling in the spermatic cord is the same as it used to be.

I also occasionally get pinching-like sharp pain sensations at the site of the hernia repair itself, not intense, but enough to be felt.

We’ll see how it progresses.

As far as physical activity, I have resumed my lunch break walks (30 minutes at a brisk pace), and also started doing sets of pull-ups, which have not induced any pain or discomfort, however I am careful not to engage too much of my core, and I don’t jump up or down suddenly before or after the pull-ups. I gently lower myself to the ground.

[Km8888]

quote drtowfigh:

Trusses are helpful if you have pain from a protruding inguinal hernia. Wear it while lying flat in your back and after pushing the hernia back in.
There is no need or benefit to wear a truss if you don’t have pain or feeling of heaviness.
Wearing a truss does not cause any problems.

Dr. Towfigh,
Thank you for this advice. If I am laying down when I put the truss on, it seems to keep the hernia from “herniating” when I stand up.

[Km8888]

I am hoping that Dr. Brown can help fix my hernia without a mesh as well.
I have yet to meet with him, but it’s very encouraging to read other patients’ of his success stories.

Thank you guys for sharing!

[Km8888]

quote John Fortem:

On the same side, right? This is a sign of weakness, and it’s likely that you were born this way, with inguinal ring not properly closed off. And as we age, the risk of developing a hernia in this area only grows bigger. Especially if you are not even aware of your weakness.

I am convinced that doing certain exercises can aggravate the already weakened tissue and cause a hernia. I know what finally caused my tissue to give in and cause a bulge (which I later learned is called a hernia). I was doing an asymmetrical stretch of my abdomen and legs. At one point I just felt instant pain in the right side of my groin, it felt like a tear, like quickly pulling up a zipper. I could instantly see and feel a small bulge, less than an inch in diameter underneath the skin. It was painful in the beginning, as the hole was still small and the pressure was high. I asked Dr. Google what it was, and that’s when I learned it’s a hernia. I never went to a doctor for this until later in life when I decided to take care of it. Like most men I presume, I didn’t feel comfortable having a doctor examine my junk. I just dealt with it on my own for about 8 years. I had it repaired 2 months ago, without a mesh and without cutting the cremaster muscle.

If you have a hernia, I would recommend having it repaired. Don’t play the waiting game, even if it’s asymptomatic. You will have to do it sooner or later, and sooner is much better. Just make sure you do it as naturally as possible for best possible outcome. First and foremost, that means doing it without a mesh, at the hands of an highly experienced surgeon.

Yup, same side. My brother also had a hernia operation on the right side as an infant.
I also remember having “episodes” of strong, sharp pain in the right lower groin area while playing soccer as a kid (ages 7-12) that would go away in 2-5 minutes, similar to cramps, but always on the right side. Those went away during my teenage years. I don’t know if it was gaining weight, or not playing soccer as often after I moved to the US.

I lost a lot of weight over the last year and significantly increased my physical activity, including doing squats with weight at the gym, and squat-jumps without weights on my lunch breaks.
I believe this is what put me over the edge and brought back the hernia, or worsened it to where I now have symptoms and a bulge I can feel whenever I stand for more than 30 seconds.

I have a consultation scheduled for August 20th with Dr. Brown, who I now see actually posts on this forum, so hopefully sometime soon I can get the hernia repaired without mesh and it’s associated side-effects and dangers.

[Km8888]

I am as well.
I have one on order to be delivered this evening, and I’m hoping it can get me through the next month before my consultation. The first big test will be an all afternoon spent standing and walking for a concert this Saturday.
At least I should have Friday to test it out…

[Km8888]

quote John Fortem:

As someone who had an inguinal hernia repair done 2 months ago, I can agree on that. I had the “fake” (as some patients on this forum will suggest) Shouldice repair done in Germany, without steel sutures, without a mesh and without cutting the musculus cremaster. I’m a male in my 30s and I train 5 times a week (strength and conditioning), and I have not once had a problem with my testicle migrating up into the abdomen. And let me tell you, I should know what that feels like, because as a young teenager I used to play ping pong with that thing, my testicle would slide up into my abdomen and drop back out as if it was nothing! It’s only later in life that I got my hernia and that I learned that this is not exactly normal and something to consult a doctor about. It’s not something to laugh about and have fun with, that only aggravates the condition.

The take home message here is two-fold:

1. Cutting the cremaster muscle contributes nothing in preventing hernia recurrence. If anything, it should be cut long before a hernia develops in the first place… which doesn’t help someone who already has a hernia, and when the repair is done right there is no reason to cut the muscle if you’re a skillful surgeon. I would argue that if the cremaster muscle contributes to hernia formation at all, then it does so in the very early years in life, and in cases where the internal inguinal ring is not properly closed (which is the primarily what we have in indirect hernia cases in males).

2. Migrating or traveling testicle is an early warning sign. It’s a sign that this person may develop hernia later in life and therefore it should be taken seriously. I strongly believe that if insightful and knowledgeable advice is given at this early stage, it may help someone prevent hernia development later in life, or at very least postpone it. Like many ailments, hernia develops cumulatively. But clinically, it only becomes a “hernia” once it’s too late to prevent it. That’s all the more reason to catch the early warning signs. After all, prevention is the best medicine! And finally, of course, if we ask the Shouldice clinic, any young person that presents with a traveling testicle should have the cremaster muscle cut… just in case! It tells you something about the medical community and especially the Shouldice clinic. But who knows, at this stage, cremaster cutting may even be effective.

Disclosure:
I am not a doctor. I am just an average John. I know just enough about the topic to get by. And then there is my own personal experience of course, which gives me some insights that average doctors don’t have. Then finally, there is that thing called common sense… which sadly is no longer as common as one might think.

Interesting… I’ve always been able to clench like I’m performing a kegel, and have my right testicle ascend upwards. Now I have a right inguinal hernia.

[Km8888]

quote Forest:

I had two doctors tell me to wait and go on with your life. However, I wish I had gotten it addressed earlier. My hernias are small (bilateral and umbilical), and were asymptomatic until recently. After doing research, I discovered that surgeon skill is most important in hernia repair outcome. You can choose your surgeon if you take action before they become symptomatic. However, if you wait until they become an emergency, then you probably cannot. Now I am just hoping my hernia doesn’t become an emergency before I get is repaired by hernia specialist. Trying to do everything I can to keep it “safe” until surgery.

That is a very good point. The surgeon I consulted with already supposedly has extensive experience with mesh surgeries in the VA, and the surgeon whose office she works in is likewise, so maybe they can be my “backup” if something happens before I can see Dr. Brown.

[Km8888]

quote Kablooey:

I’m relatively new to this forum. I’ve been reading thru the many posts for the last 2 months after a diagnosis of a indirect inguinal hernia thru ultrasound.

If your capable of waiting 5 weeks it would make sense to me to see Dr Brown considering that he’s close by and all of the amazing post-op testimonials on this forum.

However, in my non-expert opinion based on your previous symptoms of extreme constipation and testicular swelling you may want to have an emergency back-up plan just in case something happens: incarceration…

I’m currently on my 6th day of recovery from non-mesh hernia repair from what turned out to be a femoral hernia and removal of a inguinal lipoma by Dr. Kang at Gibbeum Hospital in Seoul, South Korea!

I can empathize with what your going thru completely! I just recently had to make the choice in going to Korea for surgery in early July or in late August with my wife when we were originally planning to go prior to discovering my hernia. It was late June and I just wanted to put this hernia past me and I feared having to go to the emergency room and having a mesh repair performed by a general surgeon with very little experience!

Kind Regards,

Thank you for the advice.
I am becoming very paranoid about every twinge or tingle I feel in that area, and my personal doctor’s unresponsiveness is very unfortunate. I sent a message with updates, including my concerns, and asking for guidance and advice last Friday, and still no response.
She had messaged me on the same app the previous week, so one would think she checks her messages there.

[Km8888]

quote Jnomesh:

Try to lessen anything that increases abdominal pressure-constipation (higher fiber diet), coughing (chronic etc), and squats etc.
Avoid lifting heavy objects especially those that require bending etc.
You should be more than fine until you get your appointment with dr. Brown.
Many have had great success with dr. Brown and the fact that he is in your backyard makes it a no brainer to wait for him to return and go with a non mesh repair in the hands of one of the few specialists that has mastered this type of surgery

Thank you. I’m trying to do all of the things you mentioned. Keep my diet very clean: veggies and meat, I stopped squats and other exercises, including walking during my lunch break for the moment, until I can figure out what I can do without aggravating the hernia, which is very disappointing, since it’s one of the things I look forward to every day.

I’m trying to get a hernia truss belt, but I went to 3 drug stores and a medical supply store without luck. I have one on order from Amazon, but it’s taking a while to deliver, probably due to “prime day”…

The more I research, the more I agree that I’m lucky that despite having to wait a month, there is actually a specialist in my area. It sounds like no-mesh repair specialists are very rare.

[Km8888]

Thank you both for your replies.

The worst part aren’t the symptoms, I only have some slight tightness/pressure and a little soreness. It’s the fact that I feel my whole life now revolves around this hernia and being worried about it.

The survey was eye-opening and further reinforces my preference for a non-mesh repair.
I’m going to look for a truss belt and see if that might help a little when I’m walking or standing.