Hernia after Surgery

sylvan75
sylvan75 Member Posts: 30
edited March 2014 in Kidney Cancer #1
I had a partial Nephrectomy back in Dec. 2009 since then I have had a bulge(swelling)on my right side where the surgery was done. At first I thought it was normal part of the process. Today I saw my Urologist and he said it was a Hernia. He explained although not common, because of the loose muscle due to the surgery it can become herniated. He said it mostly affects older men ( I am 65 years old) and although now it is mild, eventually I will need surgery to repair it. Anyone have this experience?

Comments

  • Lisa7610
    Lisa7610 Member Posts: 11
    Hard Swelling
    I am a 46 year old female. I had only a small portion of my right kidney removed with a grapefruit size cancer in March of 2009. The healthy kidney that was left behind, for no reason, died within the same year. I have had the hard swelled bulge ever since the surgery. It's very noticeable even with loose clothing . . . I look pregnant on my right side only. My surgeon says that it is not a hernia--that it is caused by the muscle not growing back together. Deep inside my body where the kidney is (not the scare or muscle) is always tender and sore. I probably won't be good at checking back at this site, so anyone is welcome to write to me at my e-mail address: LisaRenee7810@gmail.com. I'm anxious to write with others who have this same problem as well as anyone who thinks they can feel their kidneys!! Although my doctor doesn't agree, I am sure that I have been feeling my right kidney while it was dying--and even now that it is dead . . . and now I have recently been feeling the same things in the left kidney =/
  • ssprice1978
    ssprice1978 Member Posts: 4
    same thing here
    I had surgery in early 2007. I have the same hernia but on the left side. It sticks out about 3 or 4 inchesand is about the size of a soccerball. It is causing me pain at the bottom of my ribs, it is accually pushing my ribs out. Very painful. Also I have diverticilitous, since the surgery I have sharp pains from the bottom of the hernia all the way across my lower abdoman.
  • ssprice1978
    ssprice1978 Member Posts: 4
    Lisa7610 said:

    Hard Swelling
    I am a 46 year old female. I had only a small portion of my right kidney removed with a grapefruit size cancer in March of 2009. The healthy kidney that was left behind, for no reason, died within the same year. I have had the hard swelled bulge ever since the surgery. It's very noticeable even with loose clothing . . . I look pregnant on my right side only. My surgeon says that it is not a hernia--that it is caused by the muscle not growing back together. Deep inside my body where the kidney is (not the scare or muscle) is always tender and sore. I probably won't be good at checking back at this site, so anyone is welcome to write to me at my e-mail address: LisaRenee7810@gmail.com. I'm anxious to write with others who have this same problem as well as anyone who thinks they can feel their kidneys!! Although my doctor doesn't agree, I am sure that I have been feeling my right kidney while it was dying--and even now that it is dead . . . and now I have recently been feeling the same things in the left kidney =/

    hard swlling
    your email address doesn't work Lisa.
  • sylvan75
    sylvan75 Member Posts: 30

    same thing here
    I had surgery in early 2007. I have the same hernia but on the left side. It sticks out about 3 or 4 inchesand is about the size of a soccerball. It is causing me pain at the bottom of my ribs, it is accually pushing my ribs out. Very painful. Also I have diverticilitous, since the surgery I have sharp pains from the bottom of the hernia all the way across my lower abdoman.

    Hernia After Surgery
    Have you spoken to your Dr. about this? I was told if it starts to be painful or gets harder to seek attention right away. Mine is about the same size as yours and if anything I get a numb feeling on my side. I am scheduled to have it taken care of on 1/10. They will open the wound and insert a piece of mesh to correct the problem.

    Good Luck
  • ssprice1978
    ssprice1978 Member Posts: 4
    sylvan75 said:

    Hernia After Surgery
    Have you spoken to your Dr. about this? I was told if it starts to be painful or gets harder to seek attention right away. Mine is about the same size as yours and if anything I get a numb feeling on my side. I am scheduled to have it taken care of on 1/10. They will open the wound and insert a piece of mesh to correct the problem.

    Good Luck

    Mesh
    Hi Slyvan, I have a stupid question. Why didn't they put the mesh in while they had us open? My doctor that did the surgery said nothing about having to come back open me up again. Mr so called doctor said nothing about it and would have to live with it. Let me know how it goes. I am talking about this with my primary phycian. You can email me at ssprice1978@yahoo.com.

    Good Luck
  • sylvan75
    sylvan75 Member Posts: 30

    Mesh
    Hi Slyvan, I have a stupid question. Why didn't they put the mesh in while they had us open? My doctor that did the surgery said nothing about having to come back open me up again. Mr so called doctor said nothing about it and would have to live with it. Let me know how it goes. I am talking about this with my primary phycian. You can email me at ssprice1978@yahoo.com.

    Good Luck

    Mesh
    I sent you an email, hope it helps
  • ssprice1978
    ssprice1978 Member Posts: 4
    sylvan75 said:

    Mesh
    I sent you an email, hope it helps

    mesh
    Hi Sylvan I didn't get the email. Try sending it to ssprice1978@yahoo.com. Thanks.
  • Jamie1.3cm
    Jamie1.3cm Member Posts: 188
    Lisa7610 said:

    Hard Swelling
    I am a 46 year old female. I had only a small portion of my right kidney removed with a grapefruit size cancer in March of 2009. The healthy kidney that was left behind, for no reason, died within the same year. I have had the hard swelled bulge ever since the surgery. It's very noticeable even with loose clothing . . . I look pregnant on my right side only. My surgeon says that it is not a hernia--that it is caused by the muscle not growing back together. Deep inside my body where the kidney is (not the scare or muscle) is always tender and sore. I probably won't be good at checking back at this site, so anyone is welcome to write to me at my e-mail address: LisaRenee7810@gmail.com. I'm anxious to write with others who have this same problem as well as anyone who thinks they can feel their kidneys!! Although my doctor doesn't agree, I am sure that I have been feeling my right kidney while it was dying--and even now that it is dead . . . and now I have recently been feeling the same things in the left kidney =/

    Hernias
    I'm new to kidney cancer, but unfortunately, I'm not new to hernias. I got a hernia after my appendectomy, and I got a hernia after the repair of that first hernia. Hernias don't always happen after surgery, which is why they don't always put in the mesh. Weight, previous meds, straining all contribute to whether or not a hernia will develop. An abdominal hernia can be officially diagnosed by a ct scan. Surgical repair is the only way it can be fixed. I'm just beginning to read about laproscopic hernia repair, but mine was an open repair. As is usual with open abdominal surgery, the recovery is a long, hard, painful one. And, as with me, there's no guarantee the hernia won't come back. Mine also sticks out my side, making me look like I'm pregnant on the side. It's very firm, nice hollow sound when you thump on it, painful if I'm on my feet for too long. I'm putting off surgery as long as I can since it's such a hard one. If laproscopic repair is an option for you, that cuts recovery time significantly.
  • Jamie1.3cm
    Jamie1.3cm Member Posts: 188

    mesh
    Hi Sylvan I didn't get the email. Try sending it to ssprice1978@yahoo.com. Thanks.

    hernia surgery
    Now my lovely urologist and my difficult colorectal surgeon are debating whether or not to try to do my nephrectomy and my hernia repair at the same time. On the one hand, one recovery, and let's be practical, one deductible. On the other hand, my c-r surgeon is very difficult to work with. And I'm not sure I want to make the whole process more stressful by combining the two surgeries. Any advice?
  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member

    hernia surgery
    Now my lovely urologist and my difficult colorectal surgeon are debating whether or not to try to do my nephrectomy and my hernia repair at the same time. On the one hand, one recovery, and let's be practical, one deductible. On the other hand, my c-r surgeon is very difficult to work with. And I'm not sure I want to make the whole process more stressful by combining the two surgeries. Any advice?

    This has to be your decision
    Jamie1.3cm,

    As an RCC survivor I have tried to give support and comfort to those diagnosed with RCC and facing surgery. However unless someone has experienced the unique dilemma you are facing I believe that you and you alone must make this decision with your doctors and that it would be inapropriate for myself or others unless we faced a similar situation to give you advise. Best wishes on whatever decision YOU choose.

    Icemantoo
  • Jamie1.3cm
    Jamie1.3cm Member Posts: 188
    icemantoo said:

    This has to be your decision
    Jamie1.3cm,

    As an RCC survivor I have tried to give support and comfort to those diagnosed with RCC and facing surgery. However unless someone has experienced the unique dilemma you are facing I believe that you and you alone must make this decision with your doctors and that it would be inapropriate for myself or others unless we faced a similar situation to give you advise. Best wishes on whatever decision YOU choose.

    Icemantoo

    My decision
    Yea, you're right. And I need to remember that if they try to pressure me into something I don't feel ready for. At this point, the hernia is just cosmetic, but the kidney has to go.
  • jgrove
    jgrove Member Posts: 5
    sylvan75 said:

    Hernia After Surgery
    Have you spoken to your Dr. about this? I was told if it starts to be painful or gets harder to seek attention right away. Mine is about the same size as yours and if anything I get a numb feeling on my side. I am scheduled to have it taken care of on 1/10. They will open the wound and insert a piece of mesh to correct the problem.

    Good Luck

    Hernia After Surgery
    Hi Sylvan,

    I Had a right partial neph. on September of 2010. Still going through the healling process. I have also noticed a bulge on my right side. My surg. did not mention any solution to removing the bulge. I will need to go to my Primary Care Doctor and get his opinion.

    Did you get the surgery you mentioned on 1/10/2011? If so, how did it go?
    Any further info. on the need for operation to correct the bulge would be appreciated.
  • Johnnyb
    Johnnyb Member Posts: 17
    Hernia they seem to be common after having kidney removed
    I have to see a Surgeon again. My Kidney was removed in August of 2010 so far so good but now I have a Hernia were they made the incision to remove the kidney in the belly button area. Looks like a grape fruit sticking out. As anyone else had this happen.
  • Ed J
    Ed J Member Posts: 34
    Johnnyb said:

    Hernia they seem to be common after having kidney removed
    I have to see a Surgeon again. My Kidney was removed in August of 2010 so far so good but now I have a Hernia were they made the incision to remove the kidney in the belly button area. Looks like a grape fruit sticking out. As anyone else had this happen.

    Side Hernia

    Yep, me too.  I wear a brace (binder) but not always. It really helps with the discomfort.

  • Ed J
    Ed J Member Posts: 34
    I have the same thing. I wear

    I have the same thing. I wear a binder (corset type thing) that works well with the discomfort of ribs rubbing agaimst tissue.

  • Ed J
    Ed J Member Posts: 34

    Hernias
    I'm new to kidney cancer, but unfortunately, I'm not new to hernias. I got a hernia after my appendectomy, and I got a hernia after the repair of that first hernia. Hernias don't always happen after surgery, which is why they don't always put in the mesh. Weight, previous meds, straining all contribute to whether or not a hernia will develop. An abdominal hernia can be officially diagnosed by a ct scan. Surgical repair is the only way it can be fixed. I'm just beginning to read about laproscopic hernia repair, but mine was an open repair. As is usual with open abdominal surgery, the recovery is a long, hard, painful one. And, as with me, there's no guarantee the hernia won't come back. Mine also sticks out my side, making me look like I'm pregnant on the side. It's very firm, nice hollow sound when you thump on it, painful if I'm on my feet for too long. I'm putting off surgery as long as I can since it's such a hard one. If laproscopic repair is an option for you, that cuts recovery time significantly.

    Side Hernia

    I have the same thing. A fist size hernia on my left side that can be uncomfortable at times.  My doctor gave me a brace (a kind of corset) that helps a great deal.  If you do get one make sure you get fitted correctly as the braces or binders range from 4 inches to 10 inches wide.