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Inguinal hernia

PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 6:16 pm
by Diego Sahagún
I'd like to know if anyone have this problem and how do you do for big or long efforts. I'd also like to know what's possible to do in sports with or without passing surgery. Proffesional comments are welcome too

Re: Inguinal hernia

PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 6:59 pm
by chugach mtn boy
Hi Diego. I had the unpleasant surprise of discovering this problem last June.

The risk is that it will become strangulated, which is a medical emergency. This is a small risk and one worth taking for many people, since they can deal with the emergency if it arises. In my case (and maybe yours), I am quite often in a situation where I could NOT get help quickly in a medical emergency. And so I decided to have it fixed by surgery.

I had ordinary, open repair surgery with mesh. I felt wonderful the day after surgery and engaged in normal activities. This was a big mistake (too much too soon), and I paid for it in misery for about 10 days thereafter. But the recovery was rapid after that. 8 weeks after the operation, I was able to climb 2000 meters up a 4000m peak, and descend, all in a single day, with no pain or ill effects. I was also able to carry heavy packs at that point. So I would say 8 weeks to essentially full recovery.

The only aftereffect that lasted more than 8 weeks was numbness along the distribution of the ileoinguinal nerve (which mostly serves the inner upper thigh, not a very important area). In my case, this went back to normal after 4 or 5 months.

Buena suerte!

Re: Inguinal hernia

PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 7:13 pm
by Diego Sahagún
chugach passed surgery but... Is there any SPer having inguinal hernia :?: What's the real risk of strangulations :?: What do you do for avoiding them :?:

Wikipedia shows a significant risk (10-12%) of post herniorraphy pain syndrome.

BTW, thanks a lot for your answer chugach. I much appreciate it

Re: Inguinal hernia

PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 7:44 pm
by chugach mtn boy
Chronic pain is the big worry, Diego. I was very concerned about this, because it can ruin your life. My surgeon had an incidence of 6 people with major lingering pain out of 400 repair surgeries; in all 6 cases the pain was relieved in a second surgery after 6 months.

To reduce this risk, some surgeons deliberately cut the ilioinguinal nerve as part of the repair surgery. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15619492 My surgeon did not because he felt the above complication rate was acceptable.

Re: Inguinal hernia

PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 8:23 pm
by Diego Sahagún
So did you have big pain chugach :?:

Re: Inguinal hernia

PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 8:59 pm
by chugach mtn boy
Diego Sahagún wrote:So did you have big pain chugach :?:

Hmmm. Before the surgery, no--I had quite a big bulge in my abdomen, but it didn't hurt. After the surgery, well, a lot of pain for about 10 days as I mentioned, especially when sneezing :o :o :o , or, umm, if my underwear got too tight in the wrong way ...

After that, it would ache sometimes in a special kind of way, right down near the bottom of the pelvis, maybe like being poked there with a blunt knitting needle. For me this was serious pain, but only occasional, and it would go away in a couple of minutes. All this reduced week by week and soon it was completely gone.

Don't overlook this thread: http://www.summitpost.org/phpBB3/hernia-t52038.html

Re: Inguinal hernia

PostPosted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 11:59 am
by Diego Sahagún
Nope :)

Even I'm not living with a hernia. They are two different types of hernias: post788488.html?hilit=slipped%20disc#p788488

Re: Inguinal hernia

PostPosted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 5:56 pm
by Diego Sahagún
Thanks for your experiences and site zodis, they both are welcome. I still don't know what to do, if passing surgery in a few months or keep that fucking hernia with me. Surgery has been ordered but I still have many doubts about the procedures

Re: Inguinal hernia

PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 5:46 pm
by Diego Sahagún
Even I'm worried because of the death risk if strangulation:

https://mospace.umsystem.edu/xmlui/bits ... sequence=1

Re: Inguinal hernia

PostPosted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:10 am
by Diego Sahagún
Diego Sahagún wrote:Thanks for your experiences and site zodis, they both are welcome. I still don't know what to do, if passing surgery in a few months or keep that fucking hernia with me. Surgery has been ordered but I still have many doubts about the procedures

I've already passed surgery having big pain when walking a few strides in the first day. Any advices on postoperative cares :?:

Re: Inguinal hernia

PostPosted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 1:52 am
by chugach mtn boy
Plan to be miserable for 2 weeks. Then, if you feel a little better after 1 week, you can be pleasantly surprised.

Re: Inguinal hernia

PostPosted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 2:02 am
by brichardsson
i had one, and it was not pleasant before or after.

i needed emergency surgery (i blew mine out mountain biking). the surgery was a piece of cake; i was only out for a few hours and home that day. the recovery, however, was brutal. i didn't know there was a pain syndrome associated with it; i just assumed it was normal. after surgery, i literally thought i would have been better off living with the pre-op pain. i was on crutches for about three weeks, and sore for about two months.

Re: Inguinal hernia

PostPosted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 3:18 am
by Sierra Ledge Rat
Inguinal hernias will continue to enlarge until you bite the bullet and get it fixed.

No lifting or straining for a good long time after the surgery to get good healing.

The surgery is temporary, no one has figured out a permanent fix. Generally figure on getting the hernia repaired again every 7 to 10 years.

Re: Inguinal hernia

PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 11:43 am
by Diego Sahagún
Now I'm like a turtle, walking step by step...

Re: Inguinal hernia

PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 1:51 pm
by brichardsson
Diego Sahagún wrote:Now I'm like a turtle, walking step by step...


whatever you do, don't cough.