Looks like my hernia op' hasn't worked. Anyone else had an op' that went wrong?

[Accy cyclist]

I thought about posting this on the personal matters section but i know some posters don't post on there so i'm assuming they don't look at the threads on there. I read Shaun's "Please Read" message on Personal Matters and decided to post on here hoping that if some have had a similar experience they could offer help or advice. Not just hernia operations,but any op' that didn't work, or where they wished they hadn't had it done. Anyway,back to the point of this thread. I went into hospital on Friday for a right inguino scrotal hernia operation. I've had the hernia for about 8 years. Yes i know i should've had it sorted out years ago but i'm very squeamish about operations down below and decided to bite the bullet after the pain and discomfort got unbearable. The operation didn't go too well. They gave me a spinal anesthetic which didn't work completely. The anesthetist kept insisting that by now i shouldn't be able to feel anything,yet i could lift my legs and feel the needle she was prodding me with. They eventually gave me sedation. I came round about 20 minutes before the op' ended. I could feel the surgeon still at work. He told me that the hernia was so bad that it took some effort to get the gauze in. He also said i'd had my maximum morphine dose and they couldn't give me anymore. It was a very uncomfortable painful experience. After the op' the pain went,so much so that i haven't had to take a painkiller at all, I was glad it'd been sorted and was looking forward to a life without that thing down below causing pain,discomfort and embarrassment. I followed all their instructions about after care. They told me not to cycle for 3 weeks,though walking was ok. Late on Sunday evening i felt a burning sensation down below. Then yesterday morning i woke to a shock. I felt down below and could feel the hernia was back! I was distraught. I went(limped)down to the doctors,asking to see her asap. She examined me and told me it looked like something had gone wrong and she was referring me back to the consultant. Last night i was in agony. Not when i sat still but when i got up to walk. The burning sensation was unbearable, I went to bed then woke up this morning to look down below. I'm black and blue with bruising. At least the burning sensation has gone. I'm worried. I don't want another operation. If they say the gauze is stable and wont cause harm i'll just leave it and get on with what i've been left with. If they say it has to come out then so be it. The question is have any of you had such an operation that went wrong or didn't work for you?
Thanks for reading my long post and mods,if you think this is more of a personal matters issue please feel free to move it there,but i hope you leave it here so i can get more feedback. Thanks once again.

 

[Lonestar]

Christ this sounds awful.Hope you get it sorted asap.

 

[roadrash]

I had a discectomy, facetectomy and spinal fusion two years ago, although the surgeon says everything went according to plan, I have never got the relief that was expected, I am now worse than before the op as the fusion puts more strain on the vertabrae and discs immediately above it, so from my point of view the op didn't work,
as for your bruising , I would say a certain amount of bruising and swelling is to be expected . how long do you have to wait to see the consultant again, hope you get it sorted quickly.

 

[Accy cyclist]

how long do you have to wait to see the consultant again, hope you get it sorted quickly.

She said it'd be this week though if it gets worse i should go to A&E asap.

 

[roadrash]

fingers crossed

 

[numbnuts]

Sorry to hear that I would go to A&E and get it sorted, best of luck

 

[Bazzer]

I think if the burning sensation comes back I'd get your backside down to A&E.

 

[roadrash]

I think if the burning sensation comes back I'd get your backside down to A&E.

I thinkd he would need to take more than just his backside

 

[Drago]

First operation to repair my busted elbow didn't go wrong as such, but wasn't a complete success and they had to delve in a second time. Its still not right but they won't go in a third time as the injury is adjacent to the ulnar nerve and each op is introducing new scar tissue to the site and aggravating the nerve.

 

[I like Skol]

I had a double hernia op many years ago, one just above/to the side of the groin and the other at my belly button (I don't know the medical terms for these). To be honest, I thought it had all gone wrong too because it was painful with a capital P, especially the lower one where the lumps and bumps felt like I had ruptured something. I was upset because I had gone from a problem that barely existed to being in a right old mess.

After ringing the hospital I was told to get to A&E to be checked out. I was in disbelief when I was told the lumps were just swelling due to the incisions and stitching and the pain was normal.

They were right and eventually after quite a few years I got to the position where it doesn't bother me anymore although it did ache/pull for a long time.

I was young, just turned 30, and I guess at your age it won't be any easier. Get checked out but it might not be a failed op.

 

[fossyant]

A&E if it's that painful. I ended up there after two ops in the gents area. Go get it checked out properly.

 

[fossyant]

You can often feel much worse after an op. It quite often takes over a year or more for it to settle down and be better than before the op.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I think if the burning sensation comes back I'd get your backside down to A&E.

Yes i think that'd indicate a lack of blood supply? With it moving around the supply could be on/off maybe?

 

[Accy cyclist]

I had a double hernia op many years ago, one just above/to the side of the groin and the other at my belly button (I don't know the medical terms for these). To be honest, I thought it had all gone wrong too because it was painful with a capital P, especially the lower one where the lumps and bumps felt like I had ruptured something. I was upset because I had gone from a problem that barely existed to being in a right old mess.

After ringing the hospital I was told to get to A&E to be checked out. I was in disbelief when I was told the lumps were just swelling due to the incisions and stitching and the pain was normal.

They were right and eventually after quite a few years I got to the position where it doesn't bother me anymore although it did ache/pull for a long time.

I was young, just turned 30, and I guess at your age it won't be any easier. Get checked out but it might not be a failed op.

I've just checked it again. The bruising has actually increased in the last hour. The scar where they put the gauze through is itching like mad. I'm bruised all round the front of my pelvic region and parts of my scrotum. I'm scared to go out n case that burning comes back while i'm out. Serious question. If it does and i can't walk,would i be ok in dialing 999 for an ambulance? I'm thinking of lack of blood supply and things.

 

[I like Skol]

Oh, and whatever you do, don't laugh!

At the same time I had my op, my wife managed to hurt her back/neck and was walking around like Frankenstein wearing a spinal board. Picture the scene when it came time to go to bed that night. There we were, both fit young kids, just turned 30, trying to climb the stairs. She was stiffly rocking from leg to leg, trying not to jar her back or turn her head too much. I was clinging to the banister, grimacing with pain, desperate not to use the leg muscles on my left side for fear of the pain that resulted with my wife obviously trying to help me upstairs but unable to due to her condition. We looked at each other and the absurdity and hopelessness of the situation just struck us both at the same time and we started laughing. This was disastrous because she immediately cried out in pain as the laughing shook her spine and I yelped due to the uncontrolled use of my stomach muscles. This only made us laugh more, it was utter carnage as we both experienced the most painful fit of the giggles you can ever imagine. I just clung grimly to the wreckage and when the laughter and pain finally subsided I had tears streaming down my face, sweat dripping from my tortured body and was convinced I had burst my stitches with all the laughing.

Like I said, don't laugh, it isn't funny!