Yep...it's a hernia

Hissy_Fitz
Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
Just got back from the PCP's office. I have an incisional hernia (related to my surgery/incision), about the size of silver dollar.

Treatment is anti-inflammatory drugs, pain pills, and have it fixed surgically at some point. If it gets bigger there is a risk of it becoming strangulated - meaning a loop of bowel could get "caught" and lose its blood supply. Not a good thing.

My gyn/oncologist is out of town for another week and a half. I want to talk to him and see if I can wait until my maintenance is over and if he will go just take a quick look-see while the surgeon is fixing me. He (gyn/onc) does not do second look surgeries, but since they will be in the neighborhood anyway, I thought he might be willing.

All in all, I guess it's good news. Could be a lot worse, I guess. Thank God for small favors.

Carlene

Comments

  • froggy1
    froggy1 Member Posts: 205
    #2
    Wow
    Gosh Carlene,
    'Not sure if that is good news or bad news. At least you know where you stand.(???) Do you have to have surgery? I got the "benefit" of a free look-see when I had my bowel obstruction surgery in November. LOL
    'Too bad your regular Doc is out of town. It is my understanding that this can be a "common" event from the original surgery.
    Take care, Ginny
  • Hissy_Fitz
    Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
    #3
    froggy1 said:

    Wow
    Gosh Carlene,
    'Not sure if that is good news or bad news. At least you know where you stand.(???) Do you have to have surgery? I got the "benefit" of a free look-see when I had my bowel obstruction surgery in November. LOL
    'Too bad your regular Doc is out of town. It is my understanding that this can be a "common" event from the original surgery.
    Take care, Ginny

    I consider anything that's
    I consider anything that's not cancer "good news". LOL....

    Also, if I can get a "second look" from my gyn/onc out of it, I won't mind nearly as much.

    Surgery is recommended. If I don't have it repaired I will have to live with things like the pain and the weight restriction (nothing over 5 pounds) forever. And, of course, there is a chance it will get larger and "strangulate". If that happens, it's a much bigger deal.

    Carlene
  • msfanciful
    msfanciful Member Posts: 559
    #4
    Hello Carlene,
    Wow, I have
    Hello Carlene,

    Wow, I have been living with a hernia for a couple of years now.

    They keep telling me (from cat-scan results of course) that unless it just really becomes bothersome it is nothing to worry about because mine is of fatty tissue protruding? And not the actual bowel? I'll have to ask them to clarify that again.

    So once I finished my treatment, I figured it would give me a serious reason to work on my weight gain through all of this.

    It doesn't hurt or anything, but to me its a slight protrusion on the left side of my abdomen and it is a result of my surgery as well.

    I guess this is a common thing. But after everything I've gone through with the cancer, surgery, etc., it almost seems a bit vain for me to complain about. Lol!

    Eventually, if Lord willing and it looks like I'll be around for a while, I may have it repaired. I'm also not looking forward to any kind of surgery in the abdominal region either.

    Anyway, please let me know what your doctor will prescribe for yours please?


    Thanks,

    Sharon
  • Hissy_Fitz
    Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
    #5
    msfanciful said:

    Hello Carlene,
    Wow, I have
    Hello Carlene,

    Wow, I have been living with a hernia for a couple of years now.

    They keep telling me (from cat-scan results of course) that unless it just really becomes bothersome it is nothing to worry about because mine is of fatty tissue protruding? And not the actual bowel? I'll have to ask them to clarify that again.

    So once I finished my treatment, I figured it would give me a serious reason to work on my weight gain through all of this.

    It doesn't hurt or anything, but to me its a slight protrusion on the left side of my abdomen and it is a result of my surgery as well.

    I guess this is a common thing. But after everything I've gone through with the cancer, surgery, etc., it almost seems a bit vain for me to complain about. Lol!

    Eventually, if Lord willing and it looks like I'll be around for a while, I may have it repaired. I'm also not looking forward to any kind of surgery in the abdominal region either.

    Anyway, please let me know what your doctor will prescribe for yours please?


    Thanks,

    Sharon

    My PCP prescribed
    My PCP prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs and pain pills. Mine is a pretty large "protrusion". The actual hernia is about the size of a silver dollar, but the "lump" is grapefruit-sized and it varies from zero pain to OMG. Actually, it's never hurt really bad until today, after he finished poking on me.

    I never thought to ask about "fatty tissue". He just said "bowel", but I think they would have to do a scan, to know that for sure. Wouldn't you think?

    After 4 nine pound babies and 3 abdominal surgeries, I am so not worried about how my belly looks....LOL But maybe I can get the surgeon to throw in a free tummy tuck, while he's in the neighborhood!

    Carlene
  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    #6
    Hissy_Fitz said:

    My PCP prescribed
    My PCP prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs and pain pills. Mine is a pretty large "protrusion". The actual hernia is about the size of a silver dollar, but the "lump" is grapefruit-sized and it varies from zero pain to OMG. Actually, it's never hurt really bad until today, after he finished poking on me.

    I never thought to ask about "fatty tissue". He just said "bowel", but I think they would have to do a scan, to know that for sure. Wouldn't you think?

    After 4 nine pound babies and 3 abdominal surgeries, I am so not worried about how my belly looks....LOL But maybe I can get the surgeon to throw in a free tummy tuck, while he's in the neighborhood!

    Carlene

    hernia
    Hey Carlene, I'm glad you got to the bottom of this so quickly, and I agree with you, it is good news that it is not cancer related. I'm sorry that you may have to do another surgery, but hopefully it will be a very easy one.
    Take care!
    kathleen

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