Hernia?

[Eden]

It could also be an infected hair follicle or other type of abcess (these can occur at any time - no matter how much saddle time you have in). Sometimes they can be just hard little (or big!) lumps for a time until they finally come to a head to drain. Sometimes they are painful/warm to the touch - sometimes not. Not a nice option - but you can usually treat them at home and unless they are really nasty they don't require surgery.

[KnottedYet]

I had a groin hernia. When I coughed, the guts pushed out thru the hernia and made a mushy swelling. I could push them back in so the groin was flat, cough, and they'd swell out again. Pretty gross.

Hernias should be checked immediately, due to the possibility of strangulating your intestines.

Nowadays hernia repair is outpatient surgery. When I had it (and I had a bad one) it was inpatient, and I was on limited activities for about 2 weeks, then gentle activities after that.

Call the doc TODAY and describe your situation. Strangulated intestines or enlarging the hernia if you have one is really not a cool thing. (I waited too long and ended up with a monster-sized hernia)

[Pax]

...Nowadays hernia repair is outpatient surgery. When I had it (and I had a bad one) it was inpatient, and I was on limited activities for about 2 weeks, then gentle activities after that.

Good to hear! I have an abdominal one that is close to popping but hasn't yet (they found it on an internal pic when they were yanking my gallbladder). My dad had one repaired ten years ago and it took weeks for him to recover...I'm tickled to hear they've improved the surgery.

[Kitsune06]

I always wonder how bike tourers (say, cross-country, etc) manage if they get one of those (The infected follicles... not hernias). I'm no sissy and I think they're debilitating...

[mary9761]

If you think at all that it may be a hernia, have it checked IMMEDIATELY!! They are definitely not something to let go. I'd rather end up being embarassed and being told that it was just an infected hair follicle (fill in the blank) than to have let it go, be a hernia and have it strangulate, painful AND dangerous! Keep us up to date Jeni please

[TrekJeni]

Doctor's appointment is 10:15 tomorrow morning. I'm now almost postive it's a hernia. It's much too deep to be a hair follicle. I'm hoping my doctor takes pity on me and we take a "wait and see" approach (after confirming that it's not going to kill me! ) as I'm smack dab in the middle of race season and it looks like surgery would have me off the bike for up to SIX weeks!

Jeni
with a bump down "there"

[mtbdarby]

Alright Jeni I've waited patiently - what did the doctor say?????

[TrekJeni]

Alright Jeni I've waited patiently - what did the doctor say?????

General Practictioner had no idea what it was but did rule out of hernia. Her first thought was prolapsed cervix due to its location. After palpating the area she "thinks" it's a cyst on one of my glands down there. I have an appointment with a gyno next week. Saga continues but she did say that since it doesn't affect my riding, to keep riding!

Jeni

Thanks for thinking about me.

[TrekJeni]

Aha! After dragging out the A&P book again, I have no figured out what I have. My doctor mentioned it and I told her to write it down but then she didn't so I forgot what she had said until I was staring at my Anatomy book turned to the section on Women's Reproductive System. It's the Bartholin Gland. Says they ususally grow slowly, usually are painless, can get as big as an orange!

Let's hope it doesn't grow to the size of an orange before next week when I see the gyno! I'd have a hell of a time riding my bike this weekend, if so!