Post hernia question

[Karen from Indiana]

Geez, is life ever going to get back to normal? Im sorry for not being around but I just dont have much computer time anymore. This year my husband has been home more than at work. He was scheduled on 1/30 to have hernia repair surgery for a very large inguinal hernia. Wellllll...on 1/28 he was very sick. Wouldnt go to dr. Next day I asked was he ready to go see dr and we called the surgeon thinking he possibly had strangulated the hernia or something even tho he was in pain on the opposite side. Well instead of having the hernia surgery on the 30th he had emergency appendectomy on the 29th!

All went ok but had to reschedule the other surgery because she wouldnt do them at the same time due to risk of infection from appendix. Two weeks later he gets the flu and is off work again. Then we finally get the hernia repair on 2/28. It was too large to do laproscopically so he had to be opened the old way.

Now, the question I have is, has anyone that has had this surgery had upper leg aching and pain afterwards? Is it common? Is it going to go away? He went back to work and it is causing him a lot of pain trying to do his job. Any info would be appreciated.

[slipnslide]

Karen,

I had left inguinal and spigelian hernia repairs in 2006, just three weeks after having had bone taken from my left iliac crest, as donor bone for my spine surgery. I have had chronic pain with the bundle of nerves that go through the inguinal canal. I have researched it to death and apparently it's not that rare to wind up with pain in the ilioinguinal nerve, genitofemoral nerve, & lateral femoral cutaneous nerve's following herniography, or donor site pain at the iliac crest.

I've had lateral thigh burning with pain just above the knee, pain stabbing into the left pubic area, and pain shooting down the left inner thigh. I had a pelvic/ CT when the pain first started and it showed swelling at the surgery sites for the herniography and donor bone. It was assumed that it could be scar tissue entrapping the nerves and "ticking them off". A little over a year ago I had a Radiofrequency Nerve Ablation (RF's) on them that worked great for a majority of the pain. I still had alot of the burning in the lateral thigh, but that was tolerable, along with occasional stabs in the abdomen & inner thigh, however, it was seldom enough for me to be able to ignore it. The RF's lasted about 6 months for me before I noticed the pains returning gradually at first, then back to full force. I just had the RF's repeated in Dec. '07, which didn't seem to work at all, so I had them repeated less than two weeks ago.

RF's might be an option for your hubby, if you can find a PM who does them. Has your husband been back to see his surgeon regarding the ongoing pain? He should go back to the surgeon and let him know what he is experiencing. I went back to my surgeon thinking I had another hernia, and it was the surgeon who referred me on to my PM for the RF's. Hopefully your husband's surgeon will refer him to a PM that he has used for RF's to treat this kind of problem.

As far as knowing if it will go away or not, nobody can answer that. Some people never have any problems, some wind up with pain for a short while, while others suffer for a very long time.:( The Rf's can give long lasting relief...and once the nerves start regenerating,and the pain returns, the procedure can be repeated. I've read that with each successful RF, the time before the pain returns is usually longer, if it returns at all!:)

Best wishes,

Kim

[Karen from Indiana]

Thank you for your reply. I have researched as well but just cant pinpoint anything that matches what he is experiencing. He goes back for his follow up this tuesday and is going to talk to her about it. Thanks for the info on the rf's at least if it doesnt go away we will have an idea what the next step will be!

[slipnslide]

Thank you for your reply. I have researched as well but just cant pinpoint anything that matches what he is experiencing. He goes back for his follow up this tuesday and is going to talk to her about it. Thanks for the info on the rf's at least if it doesnt go away we will have an idea what the next step will be!
Karen,

You didn't mention where his pain is, and what kind of pain...I'm just curious. Would you happen to know? Also, let us know what is said at his appt. Tues..

Best wishes,

Kim

[Karen from Indiana]

It is in his upper leg on the same side as the hernia was done. He says its a real bad aching pain. Says sometimes it shoots from below the incision down to almost the knee. I keep thinking maybe nerve pain but thought nerve pain was more of a sharp pain or pins and needles type. Not sure what he has going on!

[slipnslide]

It very well could be nerve pain. The pain I have down my front,inner left thigh starts in the groin area and goes to just above the knee, and it's a stabbing pain, but it doesn't just stab and go away, it stays there.....and increases with activity****ement. Hopefully you'll know more after tomorrow's appt.:)

Kim:)

[Karen from Indiana]

Went to dr today and she said something about the nerve being aggravated or something. She told us it was very common and to give it another 6 to 8 weeks or so and he shouldnt be experiencing any more leg pain. I hope shes right, it is really bothering him trying to work with it hurting like that.

[Nana4&cntn]

Karen,

I hope his pain lets up soon! The body is a strange group of stuff all stuck together:D I hope if it is the nerve pain it resolves soon. I am sorry this is do strange,but I am so tired and off to bed.

Tale care,
Kathy