LLQ Burning Pain (DS Related?)

[Parousia]

Note: This is probably not DS related, but I haven't had any answers going down other paths, so I'm wondering (Admins welcome to move to a more appropriate forum, if more appropriate).

The backstory: For about 2 weeks after I had my right Fallopian tube removed (along with a 4.5 inch diameter cyst) and hernia repair, I had very strange lower left quadrant abdominal pain. It was a burning pain and felt like a nerve was being pinched. I assumed it was caused by the surgery, despite being about 5.5 inches to the left of the laparotomy scar. Anyway, the pain resolved and the scar healed.

Now to the present: With the approval of my surgeon, I started wearing a corset last week for the first time (mainly to help with back pain, although the surgeon said it would help with supporting healing after the hernia repair as well). The corset has to go through a seasoning period, so I barely tightened it and wore it for 1h 30 on the first day. I felt a twinge of pain where I had experienced it before, but not enough to "click".

The next day I tightened the corset by about an inch, and wore it for 2h 30 (it should have been two hrs, but I lost track of time). Towards the end of that time I was experiencing a bit more pain than before, which was quite a bit worse after removing the corset.

The following day I was in a significant amount of pain, despite forgoing the corset altogether. It continued to worsen, and after phoning a medical helpline, was told it might be an abdominal hernia and I should get help within 4 hrs. It was late in the evening, so hubby took me to the ER and after several hours they admitted me to the surgical ward.

Over a couple of days I had x-rays, an ultrasound and blood tests, but didn't find anything. The surgeon there suggested it could be muscular (something about end point(?) of the muscle - not sure). Possibly damage from the surgery(?). He also said I was quite constipated (hospitals and oxycodone do that to me!) and that could be putting pressure on scar tissue from the surgery and causing the pain. They prescribed a Fleet enema, which resolved the constipation over that day and the next, but didn't help the pain at all. The surgeon seemed dubious about whether the corset could cause the problem, but yeah...it probably didn't cause it, but it clearly aggravated it!

Anyway, yesterday I was discharged with instructions to go to my GP if the pain hadn't resolved in a week, and get her (doctors always say 'him') to send me for a CT Scan to see if there was bowel involvement and to contact Peter Nottle (DS Surgeon) to see what he thinks.

So, my question is: does anybody have any experience with something like this? The pain is constant when I'm standing up, but eases when I lie down (it doesn't go away). It really does feel like nerve pain to me, but as there is no hernia, it's not from that. Could there be bowel involvement, even though it feels like it is in the abdominal wall/muscle? Could it be DS related?

PS Apologies for the length!

 

[southernlady]

When you had the CT scan, they did do it with contrast? Otherwise they wasted their time (and yours). We have to have a CT WITH contrast.

 

[JackieOnLine]

I have no idea but I hope they figure it out and fix it SOON.

 

[DianaCox]

You could have a Peterson's hernia - an INTERNAL hernia - which I'm not sure would be picked up by a non-contrast CT. Ask whether they did it with contrast.

 

[Terri]

I am echoing Jackie as I don't know either but hope you find out and are pain free soon.

 

[Parousia]

Thanks, everyone. They didn't do a CT scan when I was in hospital, for some reason. They said if the pain continues, I should get my GP (PCP) to organize one. Well, the pain has continued, so I have an appt with my GP tomorrow morning. I will make sure she orders a CT scan with contrast. Hopefully that will pick up whatever is going on. Thanks for mentioning the possibility of an internal hernia, @DianaCox. I will ask my doctor about that.

P.S. Apologies for the delay in responding. My 3 yr old has developed sudden deafness (partial) after being ill/feverish last weekend, so that has overridden any concerns about my own health, and pretty much been my focus over the last few days.

 

[Parousia]

I don't know if this is connected, but thought I should mention it in case: in addition to the pain described before, over the last 2 - 3 days I've had quite bad lower abdominal spasms/cramps and frequent BMs and gas (the latter unusual for me since my DS). But, much firmer stool than usual post-DS, and a fair amount of bright yellow fat/bile (sometimes without any stool). Could there be a connection? Seems unlikely, but the timing is odd.

 

[Larra]

I'm thinking you could still have an abdominal wall hernia even with all the tests you had done. Hernia's can be surprisingly hard to diagnose, esp if they are in an unusual location. They don't show up on routine x-rays unless they are causing an obstruction, and then it's the obstruction that shows up, not the hernia itself. And if the ultrasound was done with you lying down, whatever is moving into and out of the hernia probably dropped out by gravity and then the hernia defect would most likely not show up, if you have one.
but bottom line, I agree with everyone else that if you are still having this pain, a CT scan is the way to go.

And I hope your little one is ok!!

 

[Parousia]

Thanks, Larra.

 

[Parousia]

@4KidsAndaDog he's still having problems. I took him to the doctor this afternoon and she said there is fluid in his right eardrum, probably caused by a virus. He had a raised temperature and was vomiting last Saturday & Sunday, so that was probably when it happened. Anyway, she reckons it will clear up on its own and he should get his hearing back. If he's still having problems in 6 weeks, we need to take him back to see her. Hopefully he will be fine. It's just that despite having ear infections in the past, this is the first time he has lost his hearing, even temporarily.
Thanks for your concern .