Hernia?
I haven't ever heard of a stomach/pouch hernia. I have an incisional hernia, right next to my pouch. The only symptom I have is an abdominal bulge. Once in a while it gets a little "pinch" feeling, but that goes away if I change position or massage it back in to place. It will have to be repaired eventually, but the surgeon left it up to me as to "when" (as long is it doesn't become strangulated of course...then you will not mistake the symptoms...escutiating pain).
I am not a health care professional of any kind. I too had a hernia - 2 actually that were finally repaired 2 weeks ago. I too had the symptoms you described, but at the time I was bulging off and on I had not been diagnosed with a hernia even though I was certain that was the issue. Last May I would up in emergency surgery with a small bowel obstruction. The most painful experience. I had read about them, but the pain is indescribable. Mine hit in a second...no warning...no workup to the pain. I was sitting down eating one minute and doubled over unable to walk a second later. Keep a close eye on that. In hindsight the thing I was most grateful for was it happened at home because the year prior I was bulging often and was out of town every 4 days due to a death in the family. That put me in areas with no hospital or clinic...in the middle of nowhere. Before you travel out of the country, etc., make certain the pinching you are describing is not worsening. The day before my obstruction, mine bulged 3 times, and I told my family I was going to have to find a solution for the issue. The next day I had the obstruction.
Much depends on the location of the hernia. Most incisional hernias are upper abdominal, and have very little risk of intestinal strangulation. A bowel obstruction is a different thing entirely. Mine was repaired after about 3 yrs (husband's health issues delayed my surgery). Repair was done laparoscopically, I was in the hospital overnight, and on lifting restrictions for 4-6 weeks.
