HERNIA IT IS...

Thanks for your support, Leslie, and I hope you're right. I don't know about the rest of you but I'm hearing that in CT, lots of insurance companies are actively seeking ways to back out of insuring WLS. This trend started in Florida with Anthem and I've just heard recently that Anthem in CT will no longer cover WLS -- seems we all got in just under the wire on this and I don't know how this trend will implicate coverage of related medical issues -- like reconstructive surgery -- that's what it is for us, folks, not plastic surgery because it's really not about looks, its about quality of life. I can't WAIT to get this slab of belly removed! Thanks again, Leslie. Reenie

Well, this may sound crude, but WAY TO GO ON THE HERNIA! I mean, come on - you get a hernia and it's likely you get the TT in the deal, so that's not such a bad thing sometimes! Just incredible 177 is just wonderful Maureen! I am so happy for you! And just remember this when you start to fret over eating too much or the wrong thing. You are doing great and your setbacks are just in your head.....remember that!!! Dina

Alright, my darling Dinka, since I consider you the penultimate Voice of Reason on this Board, help me out with something...how in the hell can a TT be done at the same time a hernia is repaired??? Seems to me they will have to cut vertically to get at the hernia, which lies between the belly-button and the breast bone; the TT, I would think, will be dissected horizontally with a straight cut across and BELOW the belly-button. What's your thinking on this? I hear all the time that TT's and hernias are done at the same time but I can't for the life of me visualize it. And just to clarify, I have NOT lost 177 lbs. since surgery! I weighed 352 when I first consulted with my surgeon; the week prior to that I was 357 and had been at that weight for about 2-3 years, give or take 10 lbs. -- okay, give -- forget about the take. So please folks, no unnecessary pats on the back here! I've done what everyone else has done on this Board -- worked extremely hard, suffered setbacks, marveled at successes (I call them moments -- like when I went to get blood drawn and that metal arm cleared my belly for the first time in my life! I sat there stunned, my eyes welled up with tears, the technician looked at me like I was NUTS...I said, "Give me a second, I'm having a MOMENT." Anyway, just wanted to clarify. Be well, everyone, the sun is shining and spring is promising to be just around the corner...Reenie

ME? The voice of reason? Bwahahahahahah! I just have no problem letting my opinions run amok! I have wondered the same thing about the TT and hernia repair. I have 2 thoughts. One is that they go in vertically and horizontally so you end up with an anchor. The other is that they may go in horizontally and before they perform the tuck, they are able to go in under the skin to repair the hernia and then they cinch you up horizontally. I'm thinking it's more of the first though. As for the 177, I was referring to the weight you said you were. Still, all told you have lost 180 lbs total since your high. But I know how it goes, I consider my loss from the time I had surgery and not since my high. If I did it from my high, my total loss would be 126 instead of 113. Dina

ME TOO! i just had my consult with the surgeon and IT'S A BIG HERNIA FOR ME TOO! it's located inside(ish) of my belly button at the bottom of my incision line. he wants to wait 6 months to operate - to give me time to lose more weight so that i can have my tummy tuck at the same time! he said (as did my pcp) that this will probably get the TT approved by ins company... so i will NOT have a "hernia pity party"! good luck, don't worry, and don't lift anything (oh darn... i have to let my husband do most of the chores around the house... golly, i feel so bad about that -NOT) deb open RNY 3/5/04 -142

I am on that hernia bandwagon too. If my WLS doc fixes it she will do a panniculectomy but I will be stuck with a weird shape to my belly and no belly button. *as useless as they are I still want one*. If I hold out another few months I can get a plastic surgeon to repair the hernia and to an abdominoplasty for about a thousand more - and for another 1500 he will do my arms at the same time. I dont want to do this yet though as I am still 237 lbs - he says I have such an excessive amount of skin, especially on my arms, that it will put me under 200 from HERE if I get the procedures done. If I get really under 200 first I would be looking really good... maybe... -Sherrie

No belly button huh? Hmm... You can always draw one in with eyebrow pencil??? Just think... no more cleaning it out On a serious note.... Does the surgeon really think you have 37 lbs of excess skin? Wow! I was going to wait until I have children (we're trying now) before I started all the surgeries but I look so much like one of those big wrinkle dogs (shar pei) that I'm afraid the kids will come out screaming in horror. How long did your surgeon say to wait before having the excess removed? My surgeon said to wait 2 years but I dont know if I should wait that long -Janine

This might sound a little dumb but what does a hernia feel like? How did you guys find out if you had one by a follow up with the surgeon? Or was in visible and you went in?

Beth, I started notices little irritating twinges of pain around my bellybutton area, and the midriff. Nothing alarming just twinges and I'd think to myself, "What's that?" Just stared noticing the pain about 5 weeks ago; then, about a week ago, I woke up in the middle of the night and just started pressing around my belly -- don't even know why, but just did -- and felt a mass of something or other, thought it was muscle but it just didn't feel right. When I went to the doctor, he had me lay on the table on my back and then just pull up slightly as if I was doing a crunch sit-up, and up pops this bubble something or other around my belly and below my breastbone (at the bottom of my WLS incision). He said, "Oh, you have quite a large abdominal hernia." Hope that helps. Maureen

Dear Reenie: I just want to say congrats on the terrific loss. Just keep watching your calories and you'll lose more --just more slowly. You must feel and look great. Good luck with the hernia repair and I agree with Dina --it's a bonus so now your TT will be paid for. Louise