Hole open up inside belly button

Tess145
on 6/15/12 12:51 pm - Senatobia, MS
Has anyone has their belly button open up on the inside not around the incisional rim?  I have a hole inside my belly button that opened up tonight about the size of a q-tip head.  I have already called my doctor and I am seeing him on Monday.  He told me not to put anything on it and keep it covered with gauze.  Has anyone else had this and what did you do?

 Tess

Starting Wt 306; Losing Wt 155; Goal Wt 145: Regain Wt 225; Current Wt 157
PS:  FDL Tummy Tuck, Hernia Repair 5/17/12, TT Revision, Butt and Thigh Lift 4/18/13
      

JustLookingToo
on 6/15/12 2:26 pm - AL
Sorry :(  Hope it's no big deal. When they took my dressings off at my first appointment on Tuesday, they pulled out a piece of gauze from my belly button that was almost two feet long. It was soaking wet with the same type of fluids I've been getting in my drain. The two girls who were working on me (a nurse and another girl) said "Wow, that's really draining" as they held the gauze up with tweezers. I guess there must be a pretty good opening in there somewhere for it to drain that much, so maybe there's supposed to be a hole under there somewhere before it's well-healed?? Not sure. I'm going to read about it and see if I can find anything. Try not to worry. 
    
JustLookingToo
on 6/15/12 2:31 pm - AL
 Here's a link where some doctors answer a question from someone who had the same thing happen. Sounds like it's no big deal if it's early, but this lady is two months out. Here's the link if you want to read it, though...http://www.realself.com/question/hole-in-belly-button-after-tummy-tuck
    
Tess145
on 6/15/12 11:50 pm - Senatobia, MS
Thanks so much!  I read the article and I think she has the same thing that I have but it sounds like the doctors were thinking that the rim around the BB opened up.  I guess this is just another step in this journey.  Hope you are still feeling well today.

 Tess

Starting Wt 306; Losing Wt 155; Goal Wt 145: Regain Wt 225; Current Wt 157
PS:  FDL Tummy Tuck, Hernia Repair 5/17/12, TT Revision, Butt and Thigh Lift 4/18/13
      

Lizzy25
on 6/17/12 8:34 am
The inside of my belly button split open, the opening was the size of a dime and went in pretty deep. This was probably 2 weeks after my TT. I was totally freaked out, but my doc just had me putting bacitracin on it twice a day and covering with gauze. It took quite a while to close fully, almost a month if I remember correctly. There is some additional scarring that occurred as a result but it healed up completely and doesn't look too bad. Since it was left to heal open and was literally gaping, my body had to fill in the gap with new tissue, which is why it took so long to heal. Just don't let it dry out, and keep it covered so that you don't get an infection. If yours is like mine and is kind of deep, it will take time to fill in. I believe I have pics in my album of my BB, if you friend me you can check them out. Good luck!
"The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution." -Bertrand Russell
5'9 HW: 297 GW: 160 CW: 161
dommiepa
on 6/17/12 10:19 am - Towanda, PA
lizzy, nice to see you posting again.

Yvonne.    To thine own self be true.     hw 432/ sw 352/ cw196.8/gw 200  RNY 8/11/10 Corsettrunkplasty & thigh lipo 5/16/2012.

                

JustLookingToo
on 6/19/12 10:31 pm - AL
Did you ever see the doc about your belly button? Hope it's better. I had my followup yesterday and STILL have these stupid drains, so I might as well do my best to forget about them until next Tuesday. I guess having them in is better than risking complications from pulling them too early.
    
Tess145
on 6/20/12 4:11 am - Senatobia, MS
I saw him yesterday and belly button crisis averted.  I have a long BB flap that is closed up most of the time but with the excess swelling it is making it appear as if it has a hole in the middle of it.  He say over time, it will completely pinch together on the inside and look like it should.  I am just glad that it was a false alarm.  Everything else is looking good.  Thank you for asking.  I know those drains are a pain but hopefully we will not have any seromas to worry about later.

 Tess

Starting Wt 306; Losing Wt 155; Goal Wt 145: Regain Wt 225; Current Wt 157
PS:  FDL Tummy Tuck, Hernia Repair 5/17/12, TT Revision, Butt and Thigh Lift 4/18/13
      

JustLookingToo
on 6/20/12 4:34 am - AL
 Well, I'm SO glad that it's not a big deal with the belly button. I don't know how so many people stay calm about complications, because I always panic when things don't go right. So far, so good, so I've been very luck with both of my recent surgeries. Yes, after they explained to me that people who have tubes pulled and are still building fluids need to come in once a week to have the fluid drained with a needle, I quit complaining about the tubes (at least, I quit complaining to THEM about it). I can deal with it another week, and maybe even two more weeks if I have to, but I'm NOT going to like it, lol. Glad you're ok, though!
    
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