5.5 months after left inguinal hernia repair laparoscopic with mesh still having left sided abdominal pressure bulging sensation nausea and groin pain
30 years old male. Had laparoscopic left inguinal hernia repair with mesh in early December and I’m now about 5.5 months out still struggling physically and mentally trying to understand what’s going on.
Idk if I messed something up. I went back to work 3 weeks after I was operated on. I have a job that’s manual labor but it’s on the light side though I was still lifting going about my normal routine. I felt fine the 3 weeks after I returned from work, so idk if I aggregated something lifting heavy or what.
Since late January / early February I’ve been dealing with symptoms that fluctuate constantly. Everything has been on the left side. Some days I feel close to normal and other days I feel like something is seriously wrong again.
Main symptoms have been:
left lower abdominal pain and pressure
groin and pubic area pain/sensitivity
occasional left testicle discomfort
intermittent nausea that seems to come from the sensation in my left lower abdomen
burning or “paper cut” sensations near the groin/lower abdomen
weird nerve sensations into my pelvis and legs
a bulging/ballooning feeling in my left mid to low abdomen beneath and around the surgery scar
gas/fullness/pressure feelings that seem to move around left abdomen
trouble staying asleep because I wake up anxious or uncomfortable from the sensations
The hardest part is nobody seems to have answers. I’ve had CT scans, ER visits, follow ups, surgeon appointments, etc. and my surgeon basically told me he doesn’t think it’s the repair itself and isn’t sure why I’m still feeling this way.
The inconsistency is what really messes with me mentally. I can feel mostly okay for hours or even a day and then symptoms suddenly flare again. It’s made me spiral reading about mesh complications, nerve pain, adhesions, chronic pain, GI issues, occult hernias, and everything else online.
I guess I’m asking:
has anyone had symptoms this long after laparoscopic inguinal repair?
did it eventually calm down with time?
did anyone have symptoms that turned out NOT to be mesh complications?
At this point I just want my normal life back. Before surgery I was active, running, swimming, working out normally, and now I feel hyperaware of every sensation in my body.