[mela414]

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

[mela414]

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

[mela414]

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

[mela414]

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

[mela414]

Glad that he respinded to you! That rare. I saw a surgeon yesterday who said that he didn’t see a her ja in the CT scan done in he ER last week. He also didn’t feel one. He said it was probably a strain and to give it another month and return if pain persists.
I am in so much pain. Abdominal pelvic and back I. Any sit too long. I can’t stand too long. The pain gets worse as the day goes on. I am all more constipated in spite of colace and senator. I’ve been on amoxicillin for a week for a sinus infection ( 2nd roundo and both times made me constipated. I take probiotics every night and watch what I eat. I have been eating smaller meals because of pain and throbbing after bowel movements. I’m so tired of this. I hope it got better but am having a lot of anxiety and fear over this dibiltsting pain.
mel

[mela414]

Thank you for your response. I wasnt able to get in sooner for dr Goodyear but they put me on he call list for a cancellations. The local hernia dr is on vacation until wed. they made me an appointment for that day. I also called the Vincera Institute as some else on this site recommended them. They are in Philadelphia a little over an hour from me. Dr Meyers doesn’t take my insurance but his young associate does. I am not sure if I will go there. It would be a 2 week wait anyway but they deal with a lot of core injuries and would be able to tell me if it’s that or hernia. They are going to call me back tomorrow after they speak with someone clinical.
The pain is so bad. I am wearing a support belt all day. The pain is in the front and going around to the back. This all starts when I sneezed! This is crazy! Can this be a sprain that it hurts so bad? I would hate to have another surgery but can’t stay like this. I am praying that it will get better but so far I am not even able to go out because of the intense pain! I can’t believe that I can’t get a doctor around here to see me. I don’t want to go back to my surgeon and hear him tell me I’m nuts. I need someone who knows how to diagnose to see me.
Mel

[mela414]

Went to the ER and it’s now 2:30am and the dr just came in to say CT scan was ok. He said it could be a sprain as he didn’t feel
or see any bulge but to follow up with the surgeon. So stressed and such pain. My belly is so swollen. It got that way more so after dinner and then drinking IV contrast. I don’t know what to think anymore. This all started after all that sneezing 10 days ago and just got worse every day.
Earlier today I started to get back lower back pain and front pain that I had to wear a support brace. The same neoprene one that I wore after my last surgery. Maybe the back pain was from not walking straight because of the pain. Going home now…not sure what tomorrow will bring or what I should do.

[mela414]

I have an appointment March 20th but definately can’t wait! I am in so much pain! Going to try to rest tonight and call his office tomorrow to see if he can take me ASAP…if not I will be stuck going back to my surgeon or find someone else that can take me right away!

[mela414]

I just spoke with dr goodyears office. They checked with him and he will see me for a consult next month.
Mel

[mela414]

I’m sorry you are having such a hard time. What are you feeling? Would you go back to Dr Goodyear?
Mel

[mela414]

Are you near dr Towfigh? Maybe you can consult with her.
Mel

[mela414]

Funny I am in his site right now. I contacted him last year and they wouldn’t see me because it was not yet a year since my 10/20/2016 hernia surgery. So, I consulted with someone else who told me to just have my initial surgeon remove the sutures that we’re causing me a problem. I did that 7/3/17. Sutures remived and nothing else out in. Doctor said it was small and I would heal
ok so he didn’t out anything. He just used disposable sutures. Oh well….so here I am now with problems again after a bad flu and sneezing!
I think they’ll see me now as it’s more than a year since the original surgery. I was just reading about tension free mesh used in the umbilical and Paraumbilical area.
I am sending them an email now through the website.
Thanks
Mel

[mela414]

Does anyone know a top hernia specialist in central NJ or even NYC? I would travel to NYC for a top doctor. I need to have this evaluated and don’t think I want to go back to the dr who did the previous surgeries.
Thanks
mel

[mela414]

Beenthere, sorry you are having a difficult time. Have you found someone yet?
mel

[mela414]

I saw the surgeon yesterday for my post op visit. It was 11 days since my surgery. There was still a small
awelling around the belly button. He said the pathology report showed fibrous tissue around the suture. I guess
that was the reaction I was having. He also felt the swelling and this time it definitely was a small seroma. It feels soft and squishy. If I contract my belly muscles near the belly button it pops out more. Really weird. Anyway, he attempt to drain it but only got the the tiniest about of fluid out. To me
it looked like 1 cc pinkish red liquid in the syringe. He said that it was probably multiloculated. He tried moving the needle around to different areas but nothing else came out. Today it looks a lot better but still
ibvious. He told me to wear a compression panty like a spanx. I am just praying it is NOT another hernia! Maybe I am just having anxiety. waiting it out. He said to return in4 months….unless there’s a problem. Oh well….I’m glad that pulling pain is gone!!! He gave me clearance to go in the pool so I am resting and swimming today!

Dr Towfigh….in case you are reading this… any thoughts? Once he removed the permanent sutures that were causing me pain he did not put any temporary sutures or mesh in. He said it healed ok. It was tiny to begin with and I had absolutely no pain before my surgery in this area. I k i.e. That hernias can recur and I hope he didn’t open a can a worms by removing something that didn’t bother me and I didn’t even know I had! He happens to fin this when he went in to repair my incarcerated femoral
hernia …… ughhhhhh

[mela414]

Raindrop. What is your next step ?

[mela414]

Day 6 post surgical. Still don’t feel the old pulling pain where the sutures were. They were probably tied too tight! My back is feeling the strain drom
nit being able to stand up straight completely yet. I’m still a little hunched. My IBS has acted up too so by last night I looked 8 months pregnant and also distorted from surgical swelling. Today. The bloating is better but I have to be careful. The swelling is obvious and looks a bit freakish. There is a swelling where the removed the sutures …..it almost looks like a small Hernia protruding. Ughhhh I’m sure its just the swelling. I just want I heal already and be done with this nightmare. I hope the end result looks good but more importantly the pain won’t come back.

[mela414]

Ok so I finally had the surgery on Monday July 3rd. The doctor removed 2 permanent sutures to the right of my belly button. There was also one on the left that he was not able to get to. He said my belly button would have collapsed. Right now I really don’t like the way my bellybutton looks anyway. He removed the sutures and did not place any dissolvable sutures. He said that everything looked fine. he closed my belly button with a glue suture. I know that everything is still very swollen and in time it will go down. But I really do hope that my bellybutton gets back to looking some sort of normal.
on the other hand, the pain issue is better. When I lean forward I no longer feel the pulling that I was having before. Each time I lean forward or lean back I expect to have pulling, tugging and pain …..but it’s not there. So I guess that’s a good thing! It’s only been four days but I’m very hopeful that the pulling will be so much better. I’m just hoping all of the swelling will go down and I’ll have my flat tummy back and my pretty little belly button. Although I know it’s not going to be the same.
Mel

[mela414]

I hope Dr Towfigh responds to you and can give you some insight. I’ve been down the pelvic pain road myself and had many surgeries for endometriosis and adhesions. I’ve also had PT for PFD and I have interstitial cystitis as well so I know the pain you are having is real. At the very least you should have had an MRI done and had it read by a hernia specialist. I suffered for 7 months last year with horrific pain that started after a terrible BM. I was told it was muscle spasm and had trigger point injections that made thrnoain worse. It also flared my IC. After much of my own research and going to so many doctors I thought it was a sports hernia. I demanded my Pelvic pain doctor order and MRI. It was negative other than bulging discs lower back. So, I had and epidural that did not help the pain. I finally went to a specialist in NYC and paid out of pocket fo a consult. He looked at the MRI and did a thorough exam and suspected a femoral hernia. He sent me to his hospital for the MRI with Valsalva maneuver and called me a few days later to confirm. He said he also thought it was incarcerated. Don’t stop searching for an answer until you get one even if it’s not one that you like. I hope you get to the bottom of this and will
have some relief.
Best wishes
mel

[mela414]

Maybe you are still healing and hearing some of the swelling when you press down. Have you had it checked? Do you think you are forming an infection?