Hernia surgery

MichaelaMarie
MichaelaMarie Member Posts: 163
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
Hi Bonnie. I just read your message about having had hernia surgery. I had hernia surgery in January. They said I had one hernia from all of my cat scans, but when they did the surgery, I had FIVE! They were incisional hernias, and they had to use pig's gut for the closure! I'm left with a strange looking "bundle" in the middle of my waist area. I've actually had a much worse time recovering from the hernia surgery than the original cancer surgery in July of 2004. Weird? I was up and at 'um in a week after the massive cancer surgery, but after four months with the hernia surgery, I'm feeling less tenderness. Odd, huh? Is the incisional hernia surgery normal from ovarian cancer surgery? So thrilled to hear about your numbers, Bonnie! You are such an inspiration! I'm so happy for you! Much care and love, MM

Comments

  • BonnieR
    BonnieR Member Posts: 1,526 Member
    #2
    Hi MM,

    I can totally relate. Not sure what they used for repairing mine, but I am left with a lopsided mass that sounds like your bundle. Sometimes when a new fellow is checking my abdomen at the U they ask if I have a hernia and I usually respond with ... Nope just a bad hernia repair. Maybe it is common to be left with this odd bundle.

    And yes unfortunately it is not unusual get the incisional hernias. I was told it was because we are on chemo right after surgery so the incisions don't heal as well as they should. Wish I would have known that in the beginning and I would have careful for a longer period of time. My recovery from the hernia seemed like a long time also but they did a second look at the same time and I thought that was why. But after hearing your story maybe not.

    Thanks for sharing. Prayers adn Hugs Bonnie
  • MichaelaMarie
    MichaelaMarie Member Posts: 163
    #3
    It sure does sound similar, Bonnie. I had always heard that a hernia surgery was "nothing." In fact, my surgeon did tell me that I could possibly go home the same night if I was up to it (I now think she was just amusing me). Anyway, my surgery was also for another look, and they did find a small tumor on the top of my small intestine, some on some of the lymph glands, and the tumor on my aoerta lymph gland was somewhat larger than it showed on the cat scan. But, the cat scans didn't show the other tumors that they found. My doctor doesn't believe that cat scans are that great, and now I don't either. The three months on Gemzar didn't work, so I just had my second Taxotere/Carboplatin yesterday. What I was going to tell you about the hernia surgery is that AFTER I had my surgery and wasn't doing that well, I researched hernia surgery on the internet, and found out that it is much more involved than "simple." In fact, I found that there is a hospital in Britain that only does hernia surgery. They say that they operate from the back, so that they have almost 100% success rate. My doctor told me that there is a 30% chance of recurrence with these hernia surgeries. I hate the sound of that, don't you? I don't know what I would do if it has to be redone. I know that I picked up my little two year old granddaughter much sooner than I should have......but I couldn't resist her holding up her arms saying: "Grandma, Grandma." By the way, my CA-125 had dropped from 249 to 175 after my first treatment with Taxotere/Carboplatin, so that was my first good news in over a year! And, again, I'm just thrilled about your recent good news!!!!! With joy and gratitude, MM

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