Hernia Surgery Question

Just for future reference, an endoscopy cannot diagnose a hernia... all it can do is look inside your pouch/intestines... and a hernia is a tear in the muscle wall.  The only ways to diagnose a hernia is via a physical exam (if it is large enough), a scan (but small ones might not show up), or surgery.

I don't mean this to be snarky, but I am really surprised that YOU were surprised by having had a surgery! I think you already know that you should not have just said "oh, ok" when you talked to the surgeon's office.  Did you not read the surgical release that they had you sign?  By law, it has to be very specific about what they are going to do.  Did you not speak with the surgeon before the procedure?

Obviously you cannot change the past, but in the future you should be more assertive about understanding your own health care.  It is obvious that your surgeon isn't providing you with much information, so in your future dealings with him, you are going to need to be more assertive about asking questions and demanding information.

My hernia was large and the hernia repair was done open (and hurt like hell fro weeks!), so my experience won't help you.  I hope you heal quickly, though.  With a lap surgery (where placing one of the incisions near, or in,  the belly button is very common, BTW) and small repairs it shouldn't take long.

Hang in there.

Lora

Edited to add: I just noticed that you are in Canada, so my comment about the surgical consent may not apply to you. In the US, the consent form that you sign before ANY procedure has to specifically state what is going to be done.

I agree with being informed and all that goes with it. Normally I am over informed if anything and even my mother said how out of character this is for me. I have several other medical things going on right now unrelated to RNY. I was released from hospital, went to my moms to sleep for 8 hours, then had to go to another doctor to have several areas on my right hand cut out and biopsied. So I also have stitches on my fingers/hand etc, and my only conclusion is my brain is just in a fog lately. When my surgery date was bumped up, I just put one foot in front of the other and moved forward. I DO however realize what an air head move it was....but I have no reasonable excuse really. Somehow I just let it happen.  I am willing to accept judgement...I earned it, lol.

As for a release form....I signed a release saying that the risks of Anesthesia were discussed with me...which they were. I did not see him before the surgery or after. I did see him in his office a couple of weeks before when I first mentioned the pain. The specific word "hernia" was never said to me. It was said like "your intestines might be kinking". I know that an endoscopy can't see or repair a hernia....but the pain discussed  along with the sharp gas type pains was upper right flank pain....WHICH is when a possible endoscopy was mentioned. Something like......might be an ulcer, blah, blah, blah....adhesion's, blah, blah, blah....scar tissue from previous gallbladder removal...followed by a "Ya, don't worry. We'll go ahead and have a look and fix whatever is going on". So MY brain thought "have a look" meant endoscopy. I dunno...I have no idea wth happened...but now I am here and it is momentarily unpleasant

But thanks for the reply and the well wishes

I had three hernias repaired last October and have been in constant pain since. The pain is localized and causes nausea, discomfort and pain when I drink or swollow. Bloating also happens when I eat so I am careful with my food choices. After countless scans, scopes and an MRI I will have exploratory surgery for a suspected Petersens space hernia in 2 weeks. 

This will be my 7th abdominal surgery and the hernia repair has been by far the most painful and longest to recover fronm. I hope you heal well and that this pain you have is due to swelling and not another internal hernia. Good luck! 

Oh no! Good luck, I hope this one fixes everything for you. Think positive and try to get lots of rest. I will be sending you good vibes