Shelly, need your advice

My husband has the inguinial hernia that has descended to his scrotum. Before it started its descent, it would be uncomfortable and hurt if he moved around to much but he would relax and it would stop. Here lately it has been interferring with his bowel movements ( see "Update")
Lastnight it we extremely distended and had dropped further. The dr had told him as long as he could push it back up he was ok. Well he pushed it back in because he hasnt had a bowel movement and it seems like it was clogged there at the hernia. This morning he cannot have a bowel movement it is very firm in that section of intestines whereas before it was always soft and malleable. I have a call into the transplant nurse ( not sure if we have to go thru them for everything or not) but they are in a meeting until 9:30 and my husband is getting scared. He is wondering if pushing the hernia back up in place while he is laying down could have twisted that section of intestine causing him to be unable to have a bowel movement?
Therese

Micha  I hope your husband has seen a Dr. by now.  My husband had a similar problem with his hernia.  The first few times it came out I had to take him to the ER.  They really had trouble getting it back in.  Also it was very painful.  Now if it pops out we can usually get it back in.  But they did tell us if we couldn't get it back in to go to the ER ASAP.  I hope all is well.  Please let us know.

JoAnn

June17  We were told early on by Jerry's gastro Dr. that his liver could not handle anathesia(to lazy to look up spelling).  I guess when they put you under they use a lot and its very dangerous.  I'm sure Shelly can explain it better.  I don't seem to have much of a brain these days.  I wish there was pill to charge up my brain!!

JoAnn

Well I'm still alive after getting anesthesia for surgery on my foot. The podiotrist read all my info and talked with the anithiseologist. They both told me minimal anestisia is given and it would not affect the liver in any way. Surgery took about two hours. But I am healing well. What would I do if I get a liver transplant and can't walk. It will be a real waste. Best to give it to someone else. Anyway I am going in for surgery on my other foot in about a week. Then I will go to an otho. for my knees and back. ((I'm a mess)). When I was eveluated for transplant they told me NO SURGERY THAT IS NOT LIFE THREATENING. When I went in March they said I was stable and could go ahead an get a few of my other problems taken care of. ( GUESS YOU COULD SAY I GETTING AN OVERHAUL) . I have a question for anyone, may sound stupid but I'd like to know if there is any pain involved in the liver. So far I guess my prayers are being answered. At present time with lactulose and diet I am not as bad as others. Only brain fog , slurred speach. fear of sleeping at night because I sleep walk and I'm afraid I may go out or do something insaine when no one is awake to keep an eye on me.

Mischa, I am curious why they can't give him some Versed and then manipulate the hernia back up. He has to be able to move his bowels or he will encounter more serious problems. I know that you gave mag citrate but he may need to eat prunes on a daily basis too to keep the stool soft. I would definately persue manipulation of the hernia at least. The poor guy must be severly uncomfortable. As for the use of anesthesia-although it's a little complicated to explain I'll say that it is very difficult for liver disease patients to rid the body of anesthesia. There are possible complications for anyone (healthy people) to have surgery and anesthesia. Add to that risk that the individual has liver disease and as you know darn near every medication is processed thru the liver the potential for additional complications rises. However; surgery is still done on many liver patients and has to be decided by the primary Dr if the patient can tolerate it or not. They also evaluate the condition of the patient overall in determining if it can be tolerated so there are many factors involved. JoAnn- yes..........the liver is an organ and you can most certainly have pain in the liver and surrounding tissues. Some complain of right sided pain that radiates to their back, others have specific liver pain only on the right side. It depends on the degree of damage, pain thresholds, edema (swelling), and many other factors. But bottom line is yes the liver can be in pain.

Mischa  I just wanted to let you know that Jerry has had constipation problems also at times.  Even while taking his lactalose.  We started squeezing grapefruits and mixing the lactalose with the fresh squeezed grapefruit juice.  Made a big deferance.  I don't know that it would work for your husband but its worth a try.  We got the grapefruits at Sams and you can get a lot of juice out of one grapefruit.  Hope this helps.

JoAnn

JoAnn, I must hawve missed something...the Dr told you what?

Shelly  I pretty sure I have lost my mind.  What I meant is the Dr told me there is NO pain with cirrhosis!  That is the honest truth.  I remember thinking that can't be possible.  Isn't that crazy.

JoAn

JoAnn, the liver itself rarely causes pain BUT..................when the liver is acutely inflammed, irritated, and swollen the surface of the liver is painful to people. They often say that they have pain just slightly above where the liver is located. Medically it's described as "Right upper quadrant pain" which simply describes the location not the cause. Between the swelling and the irritation the pain increases as the symptoms become worse. In people with Hepatocellular Cancer the pain is often increased significantly as the cancer progresses. Normally, in stage 3 of liver disease patients really start complaining of pain and in some patients it is almost intolerable. It varies of course depending on several factors as I mentioned earlier. As the liver thickens from chirrosis it becomes more inflammed and swollen thus causing more pain. There are also other causes of the pain that may or maynot be related to liver disease such as gallstones. peptic ulcers and other things. I personnaly think alot of hep patients with chirrosis have infections and need antibiotics. Usually I've noticed that with antibiotic treatment many of them have decreased pain and more stamina.  Maybe I can use a little analogy, if I cut my finger then I will pain right? Is it the finger that hurts or the cut on the finger that hurts? It's the cut that caused the pain and not the finger itself. The finger is the location but the finger didn't hurt me the cut did. Does that make sense? Hope this helps a little to understand what is causing the pain.

JoAnn, I do understand your fear and your frustration. I wish I had some magic words that would make you feel better but I don't. Just continue to pursue every avenue available to him and keep the Dr's honest. You are doing a great job with your caregiving and you know the rule..................NEVER GIVE UP!

My dad has had a similar hernia for several months now and they won't fix it.  The specialist here said that they won't fix it for several reasons:

1.  Risk of infection
2.  Risk of serious bleeding complications during surgery
3.  When his ascites returns, like it always does, the repaired hernia is likely to come out again, or he will get another one.

The doctor explained that #3 is the most common occurance.  He said the only way they would fix the hernia is if he was in servere pain, or it was causing other complications.