Jan 16, 2016

Since my RNY surgery, I've had a small lump above my belly button and below my breasts too the right.  Actually, I didn't notice it until after I'd lost about 100 pounds.  I noticed it would appear to pop out on occasion but eventuallywould  go away.  NOW however, it looks like a freakoid pregnancy!  And it now spreads across the top of stomach!  I have to be super careful with what I wear so that it's not as noticeable.  It's very tender.  If I have to sneeze, reach high, use the toilet, cough, or the cat jumps on me (and he always manages to jump there) -- OUCH!!!

My surgeon said it's not a hernia.  Don't worry about it.  That's when it was smaller, about the size of a golfball.  

Recently I had a physical by my PCP and he had me lie down and then attempt to sit up.  Well, I couldn't do it because it hurt too much. He feel the hard distended thing which is now the size of a baseball and when I tried to sit up, it ballooned out across the top of my stomach.  He said I definitely have a large hernia.

Has anyone else experienced this?  Where exactly is the pouch?  I know it's made out my small instestine, but to the left? to the right? Way up high? 

Please help me, somebody.

Hernia s do happen and need to b e fixed no matter w here they are what is your primary doing or referring you to? The biggest dang e r is if it becomes strangulated th a t is caught in the tear making the hernia. It does require some surgery and often a mesh piece is put over the area that is closed up. 

Thank you for replying, Karin.

My PCP explained that because it's a large hernia that I did not necessarily have it fixed.  He said if it was small then I would need to have surgery.  His explanation was that when the hernia's are large, the intestines (or whatever) can easily slide into and back out of it .  But when they're small, there is more of a risk of strangulation.  

Upon researching at home, I'm reading that it should be fixed also or it will continue to enlarge and may burst or become strangulated. So, what you're telling me agrees with what I've been researching.  My PCP offered to refer me to a specialist in that field if I wanted to pursue surgery, but I getting the impression that I shouldn't.  I think he's afraid for me to be opened back up again.  It would be my third open surgery and I can only guess that the body can only handle so much..?

My other "issue" is that I'm on Medicare and I don't think they'll cover this procedure.  There's a LOT they don't cover.

Oh, and I thought they did away with the meshes, no?  I see advertisements on T.V. all the time about lawyers asking if someone's had a mesh put in that they may be entitled to a settlement.  I don't understand how they can still be putting in meshes if the lawyers are so anxious to sue.

Well, thank you Karin for answering my question.  I tend to agree with you and will request that referral from my doctor.  I also have an iron deficiency causing anemia.  My doc's supposed to get back to me this week.

Thank you kindly,

Laura :)

Go to your RNY doctor and have him refer you to a surgeon.  You need to get it fixed.  I knew of a lady that had RNY and had a huge hernia and she had it repaired.   I wish you all the best.

Thank you, Cira S.! :)