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inguinal hernia
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I know this has been discussed on other occasions, but I think my case might be unique. I have a left inguinal hernia, which I discovered through my MRI. I know an MRI is not the best way for determining this, but it is what I got. It is 12 to 14 mm in size and is not protruding or bulging. It definately is painfull though. I saw a general surgeon on Friday and he told me that he would not do surgery because he didn't think it would help the pain and could make it worse. I took from him that I was just going to have to live with it until it got worse, so I went out for ride on Sunday and I am feeling it today. It aches all the way into my left testicle. I don't think these things will heal themselves, but do I have to live with it? Anybody out there have one of these and not have surgery?
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Re: inguinal hernia [campyrick] [ In reply to ]
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I had one of those about 6 years ago freshman year of college. I was on the rowing team and noticed a little protrusion. I kept pushing it back in and doing practices for about 2 weeks until the pain/winter break made me go to the doc. Inguinal hernia and had surgery right away. 2 days recovery in bed, hardly any movement. next week a lot of walking and just easy movement. Went back to college a month after the surgery and started back training. I'm not sure why the doc said it wouldn't help, mine felt fine after about a year and I haven't had any more problems with it.

I would be careful though, they say if you get it on one side the probability it's on the other side is very high.
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Re: inguinal hernia [campyrick] [ In reply to ]
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Had one in high school. Not painful at all but doc did surgery and fixed it right up. No problems. You may want to get a second opinion re surgery.


Herston Roskind, PLC
Herston on Tennessee Family Law
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Re: inguinal hernia [campyrick] [ In reply to ]
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Need to fine out more specifically why he thinks surg won't help
and/or get another opinion. After surg you will be some sore and
stiff in the surg site(reminds me of Bill Cosbys routine about getting
a hernia repair something about he didn't know they were going to
sew his leg to his abd.) At 8 wks everything will be as strong as if
it were new.
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Re: inguinal hernia [campyrick] [ In reply to ]
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Ding , ding , ding .................."Come on down ! We have a winner ".

Hey Rick,

Hate to be the one saying yes , but ( for lack of a better term ) YES.
I hit an idiotic pedestrian Dec.26 08 crossing the road , saw me ran back the other way , I knicked his shoulder and went down , pretty hard.
Funniest thing , It took about 2-3 months to totally recall exactly what happened. Cruised to my LBS as it was 75 metres away from the accident location. They called my wife who took me to hospital.

To the point. I hyperextended apparently and severely strained the left adductor and left inguinal resulting in an inguinal tear and hernia. Additionally strained lower abdominals and severe concussion. Thank God for my Giro helmet at the time ( had to throw it after that of course ).
Anyway , after a night in hospital to monitor my incredibly advanced brain and generally ignoring my groin pain I was released the follwing afternoon. Visited my trusty physio , who analyzed and worked on me off and on for 3 months. She advised I go see a sports doc if it did not improve within 6-8 weeks from the time of the accident.
Looking back through my training log , I could not cycle for 2 months , spinning after 33 days , running after 37 days , swimming was immediate but with VERY gentle push offs and poor reach.
Running was the real problem. I recall the first 6-10 weeks of running were painful , unnatural and forced. I kept chipping away and 3 months after the accident I was running at +_80% of norm. After 6 months 90-95%. Now I am 99% but it does get sore on long runs (1h.45+) and fast/hard efforts. Not unbearable , but noticeable.
During IM Canada 8 months after the accident , it did hurt 25km's onwards in the run.

In retrospect , I should have gotten it correctly attended to and sorted immediately. I am sure it will come back to haunt me in later years.

I did a fair amount of research at the time and I believe I started a thread back then as well , also seeking advice. The general concensus was to avoid surgery if possible , get a 2nd or 3rd opinion and if necessary bite the bullet and get er' dun !

Good luck dude !

Terry

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream" - Les Brown
"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment" - Jim Rohn
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Re: inguinal hernia [campyrick] [ In reply to ]
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I had a RIGHT sided inguinal hernia repaired 10 years ago. The surgeon did it "open" (~4 inch incision/scar). Recovery was about 4-6 weeks before I could safely jog/run.

Since then I developed one on the LEFT side and it slowly started to cause trouble. Like you, it never really looked huge and it did not protrude all the way down in the scrotum, but it did hurt. I would notice that the pain was worse after exertion -- surgeon thought I was slowly tearing away at the fascial layers and making it larger on a microscopic level. It all peaked once day while doing run intervals and I became horribly nauseated from the pain and I called it quits. In hindsight I think it was that visceral/stretch pain of the abdominal wall and intestinal lining that was making me so miserable.

Went to see the surgeon in his office, he was not that impressed but he could feel the hernia sac (albeit small) so agreed to repair it laprascopically -- as opposed to "open" as my right side was done 10 years ago.

Surgery was March 24th.

Went back to work on March 29th (light duty really).

First jog and swim were on April 1st.

April 10th -- sprint distance triathlon.

April 11th -- Gulf Coast Half Marathon.

April 18th -- NOLA 70.3

The only problem now is that I feel out of shape compared to my training buddies as I was laid up about 10 days before the surgery occurred (didn't want to repeat the run interval episode) and then another week after the repair. The events I have done since then have been about 70% effort I would estimate. I go into them knowing I will not be having a PR day and I just enjoy racing.

Beyond that, none of the pain I was feeling before, just a little wince every now and again as the patch is settling into place and the like.
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Re: inguinal hernia [campyrick] [ In reply to ]
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Get a 2nd opinion, and go for the surgery. I had what I thought was a right side inguinal tear. Turned out I had a small one developing on the left as well. Went in, had them done, and I was racing within 2 months again. One thing, if you have open, which I had to do because it was bilateral, make sure to kneed the scar tissue. I didn't, and I still get minor discomfort on one side, but it was still totally worth it. Good luck...!
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Re: inguinal hernia [campyrick] [ In reply to ]
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I'd get a 2nd. I had two docs tell me I had an inguinal hernia. Went to a doc friend of a friend who is in sports med. He said no hernia and that my psoas muscles had knotted up where they attach to the hip. Shots directly in them to loosen them up, one week rest, and I was back at it pAin free. Never had an MRI though even though both docs wanted to do one. Glad I didn't because it would have been mostly out of pocket.
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Re: inguinal hernia [campyrick] [ In reply to ]
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I had a bilateral and the surgeon fixed it through laparoscopic surgery. I was on the trainer in a week, riding outside in two weeks, and running in three.

So be done with 'general' surgeons. You don't have a general problem, you have a specific problem. The older general surgeon in our small town told me he didn't know how to do the new techniques and that I wouldn't be able to exercise at all for 6 weeks. so it was worth the drive to find someone with more recent training (can't see the scars four years later).

My wife had the same experience when getting some lumps removed from her wonderful bosom. The general surgeon was content to leave a 4 inch rail road on her chest. The specialist left a scar so small I can't find it (and believe me I'm looking)
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Re: inguinal hernia [campyrick] [ In reply to ]
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I'm 18 months post-surgery, still have numbness, and still have a "tugging" when I bike, which was the only symptom I ever had. My doc said I "had" to have surgery because my intestines could get trapped. My friend's doctor let her avoid surgery for 6 years until it got the size of a golf ball, she had no symptoms. We both complain that we still have a numbness and it's be well over a year. Maybe your doctor is just delaying the surgery. my doctor let me go because "I have a marathon to do" 6 months later he said "you need to do this"
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Re: inguinal hernia [RunaroundS] [ In reply to ]
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Some Doctors are advising against surgery due to post operation mesh complications. Check out http://www.herniabible.com Lots of good info as surgery is not always the answer.

USAT L2 TriAUS L2 UC Irvine head coach "The human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art."
Leonardo da Vinci
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Re: inguinal hernia [wonder bread] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:

So be done with 'general' surgeons. You don't have a general problem, you have a specific problem.


All (or at least the vast majority) of surgeons who do hernia repairs are general surgeons. That term describes the residency they go through (as opposed to neurosurgery, ortho surgery etc.) Almost all surgeons who do hernias, abdominal surgery, breast surgery undergo general surgery training, then some choose to specialize. The key is to go to someone who does a lot of the surgery you need, regardless of how they describe themselves. I agree with the other point that an older community surgeon may not know the newer procedures that being said, experience goes a long ways...
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