Hernia Post Surgery? - Excruciating Pain!

Hi All!

I am currently 6 month post op and am wondering if I may have developed a hernia.  I should start by saying that I am 21 weeks pregnant. My birth control patch totally failed right after surgery and...well....here we are, pregnant with baby #5, which has been confirmed as a little BOY!  We are doing wonderfully nutrition wise! Baby is growing right on track, all of my vitamin and minerals are being checked monthly and they are fabulous. I'm still loosing weight, albeit it much slower.

My question is about hernias after surgery. Obviously I am very high risk for this as there is a lot more going on in my belly right now!

Two weeks in a row now I have ended up at labor and delivery in excruciating pain!! The worst pain I have EVER experience (and I birthed TWINS naturally!!!). While this pain is occurring there is a big bulge that can be felt above my belly button.  The OB was confused as to what this was as he said baby should not even be that high in my belly yet.  They wrote it off as a fibroid tumor that is growing as baby grows.  I am not buying this diagnosis....why can this bulge only be felt while I am in such terrible agony?? Like right now I have no pain and you can not feel any bulges whatsoever.  It's very odd!!

Has anyone ever had a hernia after surgery?? What were the symptoms?? It seems the terrible pain lasts for anywhere from 6-9 hours and then it lets up and the bulge disappears. Can hernias go in and out like that!!?? 

I have a call in to TWH and I'm going to demand that I see Dr.Jackson.  I believe this is surgery related and NOT baby related so the high risk fetal medicine clinic has no clue what they are talking about.

Anyone with any experiences they could share would be awesome.

Thanks!!

Just heard back from TWH and the nurse thinks it is VERY suspicious of a hernia.  She wants me to completely bypass my high risk obstetrician and head right to TWH ER next time it happens.  She said hernias CAN go in and out, which makes sense why the big lump can only be felt when I am in excruciating pain.  They will call me tomorrow with an urgent appt. to see my surgeon and we'll go from there.  The risk to leaving this is that it can pinch off tissue and stop the blood supply which becomes a medical emergency.  I feel much better now that I have some possible explanations. :-)

I would GO to the emergency at TWH. I had a bowel obstruction, not a hernia, and it was more painful than giving birth for sure. Waiting to hear back isn't something you want to do right now, especially with the baby in your belly. Get it checked out now. 

See that's the problem....the nurse said the only way to diagnose it is to have a CT Scan (which they WON'T do right now because I'm pregnant.....well, unless it was absolutely urgent) or for the Dr to physically see me while the hernia is popped out.  Right now it's fine and I feel great...no pain....but I'm just waiting to move the wrong way and feel that awful pain coming on. As soon as I feel it, I will be in the car making the 1.5 hr trip there! :)

Sucks for sure! ....but at least baby is doing fantastic. :)

Ah I see now. OK. Keep us posted if you do have to go in. Take care!