Possible Hernia
Discussion
Ok, Im in my mid 20s....Okay- 27 to be fair.
Im of average weight etc... Decent level of fitness and currently playing 5s twice a week.
Also training for half marathon in May and also a 140 mile cycle with work that makes up one leg of our national John o groats to lands end cycle....
Anyway,
Started getting a bit of pain in my lower abdomen, Basically right in the middle at the waistline. Its painful when I run- but wears off a little once Im warmed up)
After exercise or when lying in bed its very sore. Cant sit up from lying down position without massive pain.
Feels a little bit like the pain/strain you would get after doing a really heavy workout.
Getting slightly worse over the last week and slightly bulging too.
whats your thoughts...abdominal strain or start of a Hernia?
Seeing doctor on Wednesday but have private medical care through work which I will use to get faster, better treatment if required.
Im of average weight etc... Decent level of fitness and currently playing 5s twice a week.
Also training for half marathon in May and also a 140 mile cycle with work that makes up one leg of our national John o groats to lands end cycle....
Anyway,
Started getting a bit of pain in my lower abdomen, Basically right in the middle at the waistline. Its painful when I run- but wears off a little once Im warmed up)
After exercise or when lying in bed its very sore. Cant sit up from lying down position without massive pain.
Feels a little bit like the pain/strain you would get after doing a really heavy workout.
Getting slightly worse over the last week and slightly bulging too.
whats your thoughts...abdominal strain or start of a Hernia?
Seeing doctor on Wednesday but have private medical care through work which I will use to get faster, better treatment if required.
I can't be a lot of help, except recount my recent experience.
I noticed a lump/bulge in my groin which I'd not noticed before. A week later it was still there so went to GP to get it checked out. As it disappeared when I lie down he's pretty confident it's a hernia. As its giving me no grief he said there's no immediate need for surgery or any treatment.
He said were he in my position he'd leave it as any surgery carries at least some risk so no point taking unnecessary risk. I'm to go back and request a consultation if I have any concerns be it next week or in ten years.
He said that if the hernia worsened/grew or caused any discomfort or pain I should get reevaluated ASAP.
I noticed a lump/bulge in my groin which I'd not noticed before. A week later it was still there so went to GP to get it checked out. As it disappeared when I lie down he's pretty confident it's a hernia. As its giving me no grief he said there's no immediate need for surgery or any treatment.
He said were he in my position he'd leave it as any surgery carries at least some risk so no point taking unnecessary risk. I'm to go back and request a consultation if I have any concerns be it next week or in ten years.
He said that if the hernia worsened/grew or caused any discomfort or pain I should get reevaluated ASAP.
Had my hernia fixed three weeks ago.
The main symptom of a hernia is a bulge/lump in your groin area which comes and goes. Mine was present when I had pain (as OP described) and disappeared when the pain went away (which happened when I lay down). As the OP's pain doesn't go away when he lies down I'd say probably not a hernia.
Must admit I'm surprised by the advice given to the guy above. My understanding (and what I was told a few times) is that a hernia will never get better and will only ever get worse. If it does get (very) bad it's possible for complications to mean you have to have emergency surgery within four hours or very bad things happen. My thinking was to get it fixed while it's small and easy to fix. You are going to need it fixed at some point, so get it down sooner rather then later. Just what I was told, obviously your doc knows best.
I was fairly happy that's what it was, it's easily treatable and has no long term complications, you're not going to be on pills for the rest of your life or anything.
The main symptom of a hernia is a bulge/lump in your groin area which comes and goes. Mine was present when I had pain (as OP described) and disappeared when the pain went away (which happened when I lay down). As the OP's pain doesn't go away when he lies down I'd say probably not a hernia.
Must admit I'm surprised by the advice given to the guy above. My understanding (and what I was told a few times) is that a hernia will never get better and will only ever get worse. If it does get (very) bad it's possible for complications to mean you have to have emergency surgery within four hours or very bad things happen. My thinking was to get it fixed while it's small and easy to fix. You are going to need it fixed at some point, so get it down sooner rather then later. Just what I was told, obviously your doc knows best.
I was fairly happy that's what it was, it's easily treatable and has no long term complications, you're not going to be on pills for the rest of your life or anything.
Edited by varsas on Tuesday 13th March 08:33
What repair did you have?
I mentioned this to a colleague and her husband had a repair, paid for privately. He's pretty dissatisfied with the outcome; I gather they used some kind of hi-tech gauze to retain the hernia. He says he can feel it 24/7 and it's not a nice feeling - no pain or proper discomfort, just 'a feeling'. That was a few years ago and he's still debating whether to get the other side done.
I remember my father having a repair in the mid-seventies - he was in agony for weeks. I rather hope it's moved on since then.
I mentioned this to a colleague and her husband had a repair, paid for privately. He's pretty dissatisfied with the outcome; I gather they used some kind of hi-tech gauze to retain the hernia. He says he can feel it 24/7 and it's not a nice feeling - no pain or proper discomfort, just 'a feeling'. That was a few years ago and he's still debating whether to get the other side done.
I remember my father having a repair in the mid-seventies - he was in agony for weeks. I rather hope it's moved on since then.
Yes, I believe it is a gauze of some kind.
Like I said, three weeks since it was done, so only half way through the recovery period.
Almost no pain at all, the boxes of painkillers they gave me where untouched.
I do still have a bit of pain, I reckon they bruised/irritated my inguarnal (sp?) nerve as it's like the inside of the top of my leg is sensitive, like bad sun burn or something. I hope/believe this will improve but it might take a while. Irritating rather then painful.
Can't say I can feel the gauze itself, unless I poke around the area the lump used to be. I wouldn't really know yet because the scar itself still hurts (if I bend/stretch in the wrong way, I have to be careful tying my shoes, putting on socks etc) so I won't know.
What I would say is that I was starting to have problems with my hernia, it was starting to impact on my life so it did need fixing. I could have lived with it if I had to.
Like I said, three weeks since it was done, so only half way through the recovery period.
Almost no pain at all, the boxes of painkillers they gave me where untouched.
I do still have a bit of pain, I reckon they bruised/irritated my inguarnal (sp?) nerve as it's like the inside of the top of my leg is sensitive, like bad sun burn or something. I hope/believe this will improve but it might take a while. Irritating rather then painful.
Can't say I can feel the gauze itself, unless I poke around the area the lump used to be. I wouldn't really know yet because the scar itself still hurts (if I bend/stretch in the wrong way, I have to be careful tying my shoes, putting on socks etc) so I won't know.
What I would say is that I was starting to have problems with my hernia, it was starting to impact on my life so it did need fixing. I could have lived with it if I had to.
Edited by varsas on Tuesday 13th March 10:20
Bulge in groin, disappears when led flat is typical sign. Pain in the middle waist area sounds more like muscle strain.
Anyway, just to let you youngsters know how things have changed in the UK.
I was diagnosed with a rupture (hernia to you) - I was a teenager, it was 1968 and I was given the option of having op in normal 'civvy' hospital, ie waiting months, or a much quicker route by having it done in a RAF hospital.
I chose the RAF hospital - RAF Princess Alexandra Hospital at RAF Wroughton, Wiltshire.
In those days it not only provided full hospital services to the Armed Forces personnel, their families but also to the local civilian population - I was outside Wiltshire in Oxfordshire, but that didn't matter.
Op was no problem. The difference then to now is I was in hospital for FOURTEEN DAYS!
What is it now, bugger off home the same day almost?
What I recall most was the fourteenth day, Julie Driscoll was on Top of the Pops in the rest room and they said I could go home.
I got home early evening and walked (hobbled) a quarter of a mile with all my mates to the local... I was famished, just needed a pint of beer so bad. No alcohol in RAF hospitals, not allowed, but smoking was! Think it was the opposite in civvy hospitals.
Times... how they change.
Oh, just to add, how did I get the hernia? Being young and bloody stupid, lifting heavy lead ingots above my head.
'Bust a gut' means exactly that!
The mention by one poster about 'living with it', I was given the option of a 'truss'. Oh my god, no thanks! Many used to wear them, sprung metal band around the waist that held the 'bulge' in.
My scar after all these years still shows. Some of the patients in the hospital at the time joked that it looked like the surgeon used a hacksaw to open me up! Must admit it was/is not neat!
Anyway, just to let you youngsters know how things have changed in the UK.
I was diagnosed with a rupture (hernia to you) - I was a teenager, it was 1968 and I was given the option of having op in normal 'civvy' hospital, ie waiting months, or a much quicker route by having it done in a RAF hospital.
I chose the RAF hospital - RAF Princess Alexandra Hospital at RAF Wroughton, Wiltshire.
In those days it not only provided full hospital services to the Armed Forces personnel, their families but also to the local civilian population - I was outside Wiltshire in Oxfordshire, but that didn't matter.
Op was no problem. The difference then to now is I was in hospital for FOURTEEN DAYS!
What is it now, bugger off home the same day almost?
What I recall most was the fourteenth day, Julie Driscoll was on Top of the Pops in the rest room and they said I could go home.
I got home early evening and walked (hobbled) a quarter of a mile with all my mates to the local... I was famished, just needed a pint of beer so bad. No alcohol in RAF hospitals, not allowed, but smoking was! Think it was the opposite in civvy hospitals.
Times... how they change.
Oh, just to add, how did I get the hernia? Being young and bloody stupid, lifting heavy lead ingots above my head.
'Bust a gut' means exactly that!
The mention by one poster about 'living with it', I was given the option of a 'truss'. Oh my god, no thanks! Many used to wear them, sprung metal band around the waist that held the 'bulge' in.
My scar after all these years still shows. Some of the patients in the hospital at the time joked that it looked like the surgeon used a hacksaw to open me up! Must admit it was/is not neat!
Edited by dandarez on Tuesday 13th March 11:15
Thanks for that, I was happy with the treatment I got and consider myself lucky we have the NHS, modern techniques etc. As a contrast, yes, I walked out of the hospital about 5 hours after I entered (and about 2 of those was spent waiting/talking to various doctors etc). I was back at work after two weeks, and easily walked my usual 4 mile running route after about 10 days! I had pain in my abdomen with mine, although I understand that's not usual.
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