Hernia!

Hey guys, I had my surgery in November 2004 and have went from weighing 295 to 192!!! I feel so great! But I had to have hernia surgery last thursday. It was supposed to be a same day surgery and then I could go home that day but I ended up having to stay overnight. He found out my hernia was the size of my whole incision and my whole large intestine was poking out. Pretty gross huh? I'm feeling a little better, mostly been laying around on the couch. Supposed to see him tomorrow to have the drainage tube removed. Has anyone else had problems with hernias since surgery? Its an awful thing.

Hi, I have developed 2 hernias and they really show thru my clothes It makes me so self conscious...even more so than when I was really overweight prior to surgery. My doctor wants to wait at least a year before he operates unless it becomes an emergency. I have some really rough days with it but nothing warranting a trip to the ER. I am hoping to have the surgery done after the holidays. I am thinking mine might be similiar to yours in that one is right near my incision and my incision scar is really wide because it opened up after surgery. My other hernia is right under my sternum. I believe I developed both of these from bouts with bronchitis after surgery and the really extreme coughing is what opened up my abdominal cavity. What symptoms were you having to have surgery so soon?? I knew I had the hernias about 2-3 months after surgery and so far am about 9 months out. The good thing for me is that when I have the hernias repaired...I get a "tummy tuck" sorta thing in the process

Hey Stacy! I'm so sorry to hear you have developed not one but two hernias. Mine was the entire length of the incision but we didn't realize that until he opened me up. My scar was wide too, it opened up in two places after gastric bypass. But it will look better now that he has restitched it. I wasn't having any major symptoms. I could just tell it was getting bigger over time and some days it would give me discomfort. I really noticed it after my vacation and I decided to go ahead and do something about it. And I'm glad I did, the surgeon told my mother after I had surgery that he didn't know how I wasn't in constant pain. I mean it was my whole large intestine that had broken through. I kinda figured I had a hernia around 5 months out. I wasn't having any major pain but I figured I'd go ahead and take care of it before it got out of control. Even though I'm only 3 days postop I can already tell my stomach is tighter and flatter. He put a plastic mesh screen thing in my stomach. Hopefully another one won't come about. Thats the best method he said to prevent reoccurence. I just won't be able to lift anything over 5 pounds for a long while. It hurts so much to cough right now but I'm starting to get around a little better. Pain meds are my best friends right now!! Hopefully he will take out the drainage tube tomorrow, I'm so sick of that thing.

Jessica: I had to have a major henia repair too. Mine was on 6 July 05. I really didn't want too, but was afraid not to since I was hurting and it was affecting my ability to exercise. Thank God I did. My intestine was tramped inside the hernia sack in four different places. The doctor told me it was a good thing I had the surgery, because I was in grave danger. Don't you just hate those drainage tubes. I am six and half weeks out from this last surgery. Boy, it seems like I am having a harder time with recover or I'm recovering better and just plan want to get back to normal. I have lost 114 pounds since by gastric by-pass. I would do it again, my life gets better and better. But I want more, I want those last 80 pounds. The hernia surgery has slowed me down again, but I know if I am patient the weight will start coming down again. Be careful and let that hernia repair take hold, and you can walk, walk, walk. May God watch over all of us and my you have a speedy recovery. Pam Hastings 327/213/135 Goal

Jessica: I had to have a major henia repair too. Mine was on 6 July 05. I really didn't want too, but was afraid not to since I was hurting and it was affecting my ability to exercise. Thank God I did. My intestine was tramped inside the hernia sack in four different places. The doctor told me it was a good thing I had the surgery, because I was in grave danger. Don't you just hate those drainage tubes. I am six and half weeks out from this last surgery. Boy, it seems like I am having a harder time with recover or I'm recovering better and just plan want to get back to normal. I have lost 114 pounds since by gastric by-pass. I would do it again, my life gets better and better. But I want more, I want those last 80 pounds. The hernia surgery has slowed me down again, but I know if I am patient the weight will start coming down again. Be careful and let that hernia repair take hold, and you can walk, walk, walk. May God watch over all of us and my you have a speedy recovery. Pam Hastings 327/213/135 Goal