Hernia?

Anyone know how a hernia feels? In the last week, I've gotten a sharp pain about 4 inches from my bellybutton on my right. The best way to describe it is, it's like a hot knife going into my stomach. It's hard to pin down one or two movements that make it hurt....bending, standing up from sitting, lying on my side or getting up from it. I don't notice anything "pooching" out that didn't pooch out before, lol. I'd also thought I stressed a staple line..... Any ideas?

well if this was the main message board I guess you'd be getting SCREAMED at right now to call your doctor.. but your not asking them are you???... LOL seriously I don't know.. I have always had weird aches and pains and shoots knives in places.. even before WLS.. and everytime time I would go to the doc they would say some stupid ass **** and send me home with yet another pain pill. I hope someone else comes along with some good hints but please do call your doc just incase it is a staple line.. Theresa

I called him first...but being an impatient Diva, I didn't want to wait for him to get back to me! lol In fact, he finally called the office at 5:45, 5 minutes after I left last night! Ugh! I called him around 9:30 yesterday morning! So, I still haven't talked to him. And yes, I did post on the main board as well, because this board is sometimes absolutely dead.....again, the impatience thing! I'm cursed! BTW.....how YOU doin'?????? Sounds like Friday night was a hoot! Michele

Michelle, Girlfriend HOW ARE YOU? I have been meaning to call you! I feel so much better then I did 2 weeks ago. It's amazing....I have read also that Hernia's only happen to most people that have open, so i am sure by now you got an answer from your Dr. ? I had some pain around my belly button too.....but it was the nerve endings. It has since gone away and my stomach muscles have healed as well. How is your weight loss going and getting your food in? I had one bad expereince that was a big NO-NO and I think I learned my lesson..... well, hope to see you at the next get together or sometime soon in Portland. Hugs & Nadine

Hey there! Good news! It's not a hernia....doc calls it "radicular pain", meaning the nerve roots are bothering me. He said it will eventually go away, and to just take Motrin for a week or two to manage the pain. I read about your episode with the steak piece a couple of days ago. I had a similar thing last night....you'd think I would have learned from your post! I was going to eat a bit of baked chicken and some soft carrots. I think I blew it on my first bite....I went to my old eating habits and didn't chew it well enough. As soon as I took that first bite, I remembered to stop myself and really chew...too late! About 10 minutes later, I started feeling this awful pressure and getting a bit nauseous. Ugh! 5 minutes after that, lost everything I ate, but I felt MUCH better! Guess I'm still learning! Down 27 lbs in 1 month...I really wanted to hit 30, but it didn't happen. I've been swimming, but no deliberate excercise other than that....I think I need to step it up to get some more weight off! How are you doing? You look great! I can tell I've lost in my face and where my collar bone is (I can see it!). Kevin says he can tell in my legs...hmmmm, wonder where he's getting a glimpse of those since I don't show those puppies off! lol Hope to see you in person soon! Michele

Finally got in touch w/the doc....he doesn't think it's a hernia. He say's it called "radicular pain", meaning the nerve roots are being affected by the surgery. He told me to take Motrin 400mg, up to 4 x's a day and it should eventually go away on it's own. Yeah! No hernia!

Hi Michele When I've been recovering from other surgeries, I remember getting a sharp, unexplained pain at times. I thought it was just those pesky little nerve endings trying to heal, but then, I'm no doctor.......heck, I don't even play one on tv! Better to be safe than sorry, you should probably contact your doc. Take care.....Kathleen

I did call him....see previous response to Theresa, lol. I've just never felt anything like this before. And this is different from what I felt the few weeks after surgery. Also, I had surgery in my arm last fall and when those nerve endings were healing, I got what my doc called "zingers"...it felt like little bolts of electricty, he said it was my nerves in the wrist re-connecting. This doesn't feel anything like that! It is very painful and burning. Guess I'll just have to be patient (yeah, right!) and wait for the doc. Thanks for the input! Michele

Michele - If I recall correctly, I had something similar as well as some others and I think it was that it's the pulling from the internal incisions. I know you had lap but they still sew you up a little. One gal on my March board rolled over and moved too quickly one day (she had lap also) and pulled something. She thought she pulled something loose but what she had done was ended up pulling a muscle really badly. It caused her some pretty intense pain for quite awhile. I don't know for sure that is what you have but I would bet that might be it. Those who get the lap have less chance of a hernia than those of us who go open. I'd suspect your chances are slim, although not nonexsistent. Dina

I was wondering if I could have a hernia or something too. I don't have a PCP to call and can't get aftercare from my surgeon because he is way out of state and I am 3 years out. I get this EXCRUTIATING pain when I bend over or try to do sit ups. It feels like a muscle spasm caught in between two of my ribs. It doesn't bulge or anything. It lasts for a few minutes each time like a charlie horse and aches for a few minutes after after the spasm, then it feels bruised. I need to do sit ups but I can't. Does this sound familiar to anyone??? Any sugestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Tammy