Street Pedaler

For the past five weeks I've been battling some type of weird "stomach" ailment. I'm not sick but, after I eat or during my rides, I get severe abdominal cramping, nausea, and an additional "messy" symptom. My mileage has taken a beating because, after about 15 miles, it takes everything I have to stay on the saddle. I've done some 30 milers and one 40 miler but it has been NOT fun. I get to feeling absolutely horrible. The only bright side is that I've dropped nine pounds.

I kept thinking that it was a stomach or intestinal virus of some type. It would be pretty severe for a few days and then go away for a few days and then come back and go away... It was driving me nuts.

Finally went to see my MD this morning and while she was prodding my abdomen with her pointy li'l fingers noticed a huge bulge running from just below my Solar Plexus to just above my Navel. Hernia.

I have no idea how it happened, lol. Anyway, appt. made for an Ultra Sound and a Surgical Consult. She didn't say that I couldn't ride in the meantime so I'll just take it easy and do what I can do. Absolutely the LAST diagnosis that I expected. I was thinking she was gonna tell me that I'd acquired some strange alien parasite from visiting the Planetarium or something.

Ya just never know.

10 Wheels

Good move going to your doc.

vesteroid

Sorry to hear that, but look at the positive, it's not some alien parasite!

Street Pedaler

Wheels, I should've gone weeks ago but it would quit bothering me and I thought the "bug" was gone. Weird thing.

Vesteroid, I kinda wish it would have been the alien parasite thing. It would have made a WAY cooler Thread Title! lol

vesteroid

Yeah, I can picture the shriveled, dried, sort of green corpse, when the parasite got done with you.

I watched to many x-files as a kid.

Street Pedaler

HA! Man, I have a jersey that would have rocked that color, too. Dang.

chefisaac

That sucks. Please keep us updated.

GeoBigJon

Wow, good thing it was found and that it can be corrected, hopefully with ease.

Street Pedaler

Chef and Geo, thanks and will do.

kjmillig

Off topic: Street Pedaler, I just noticed your location. I spent 12 years total at BAFB and Haughton. Where are you?

Street Pedaler

KJ, I'm in Bossier just about three miles from Barksdale. I ride into Haughton regularly, though. When were you here?

yesthatsteve

I received the same diagnosis this afternoon. My doc told me to stay off the bike until 6 weeks after the surgery, starting today - we'll see if the surgeon has other ideas.

I also had to tell my six-year-old tonight that we have to drop out of the daddy-daughter dance at her recital in three weeks. I'm gonna be itchin' to get back on that saddle.

ThermionicScott 

Good thing it wasn't this:

Street Pedaler

Wow. 6 weeks is tough. I wasn't "told" to stay off the bike but I kind of have a feeling that she just forgot. Truth be told, I don't really feel up to doing so much, anyway. But, until I'm told different or it just gets impossible to do, I'll sneak a few rides in when I feel like I can.

Even tougher, though, is missing the daddy- daughter thing. That must have broken your heart as much as it did your daughter's. Hang in there and speedy recovery!

Street Pedaler

HA! Classic!! lolol

indyfabz

Look on the bright side: She didn't tell you you are pregnant.

yesthatsteve

My wife won't let me get on the bike since the doctor has banned it (me and my big mouth!). She wants to go with me to the surgery consult, I think in part to get a better picture of what's involved in the procedure, and in part to keep me from telling her the surgeon said it was OK to ride .

My daughter was bummed, but OK with it. We have a preview performance on Saturday afternoon, and I told her we'd do that one, but I wouldn't be strong enough to do the recital so soon after the surgery. The moves aren't difficult, and I lift her 43-lb weight only once in the whole routine. We've been practicing for two months without any problems, so a few more times at rehearsal tonight and the preview on Saturday won't make a difference.

Thanks for the wishes for a speedy recovery, and I hope you have the same!

funrover 

Quick recovery to you both!

Street Pedaler

Thank God because THAT offspring would have been even uglier than the alien thing! lol

My MD called me this afternoon and wants me to report to the ER. When she called me, though, I was at another hospital with my mom who was in the middle of a heart procedure. Short story long, I have clearance to wait until first thing tomorrow morning with the PROMISE that, if things get any worse this evening, I'll get over there ASAP. They're concerned over some of the symptoms I've been having and think that I may possibly have something on the verge of constricture. So... There's that.

Steve, good luck at your Consult. If ya want, we can use this as our Shared Hernia Thread. Bet they've never had one of those before!

yesthatsteve

Good luck with your surgery, and I hope your mom's doing well after her procedure.

"The Official BF Hernia Thread of 2012!" I like it!

Street Pedaler

It does have a certain Panache, doesn't it? I'm heading in in just a little bit. Check back in when I can. To everyone who's innards AREN'T falling out, have a good weekend and ride strong!

Street Pedaler

Latest update: Went to the ER as advised yesterday morning and was greatly encouraged by the fact that they didn't send me to the OR. I've got what's called a Ventral Hernia. They can get pretty serious and mine is, apparently, a pretty big one, but nothing requiring immediate action. I've got a couple of Scripts (One for nausea and one for pain- didn't get the pain med filled, though) and a list of "Warning Signs" to watch for which would indicate another trip to the ER.

I have instructions to call the Surgery Clinic Monday morning to set up a Consult and probably a little further testing and then we'll go from there. In the meantime, I'm getting ready to try to ride and see what happens in about an hour. I was told to just not push, take it easy, and listen to my body. In other words, just be careful.

Would have checked in yesterday but, in the commotion of getting my mom back home after her heart procedure and my own medical shenanigans, things got a little hectic and I just wasn't able to.

So there's that for now. Y'all have a great weekend! Ride strong and ride safe.

yesthatsteve

Good news it wasn't serious enough to require immediate surgery! We're two peas in a pod with large ventral hernias, though it sounds like yours may be a bit worse than mine. My surgery consult is Thursday.

Thanks for keeping us posted!

Street Pedaler

Called the Surgery Clinic this morning and they gave me a Consult appointment for July 24. My MD isn't happy with the delay and is trying to get it moved up. We'll see what happens.

In the meantime, I took my new friend, the hernia, out for my first ride since last Monday. After having seven days off the bike, my legs felt absolutely awesome. I'd promised to take it easy, though, so I kept the ride short at 17 miles and called it a day. Had no trouble with my abdomen during the ride and am only somewhat "crampy" now so, all in all, I'd have to call it a good day in spite of the short distance. I just tell myself that 17 miles is 17 miles more than I've ridden since last Monday. We take little victories wherever we can, I guess.

markdavid570

Oddly enough, I just had surgery to fix a ventral hernia about two months ago. It was only very minor, but still enough that it needed to be fixed. The surgeon fixed it with a mesh screen, so hopefully I won't have any more issues in the future. I made the big mistake of having the surgery on a Friday and then going back to work on Monday! Ugh...I was borderline worthless that week. BUT...once I rested enough, I started feeling better. I was able to start walking the dogs, running, and cycling again three weeks out from surgery. The surgeon recommended taking a daily multivitamin in addition to getting some more vitamin c (apparently that all helps the healing process), but the biggest thing he said to remember was to be careful when reaching for things (i.e. something that rolls to the back of the trunk and reaching to get it and not paying attention to the awkward position you're in). Anyway, I've been out riding and running again, and I can even get back to working out again...so all in all, I'm glad I had it fixed!

Good luck!