For those who care, my incision is healing GREAT

Cicerogirl, The PhD
Version
on 9/14/11 10:53 am, edited 9/13/11 10:53 pm - OH

A couple fo people have sent me PMs, so I thought I would update everyone. Yesterday was 2 weeks since my exploratory surgery, and not only is there no necrosis (which I was so worried about having a repeat experience with), but the incision looks GREAT. There is not even any pinkness to it, and if it were not for the few small areas of scabbing and glue that remain (and the bruises that have not yet absorbed fully) you would never know that it was a fresh incision!

I still have some pain and swelling, and am obviously still restricted on activity because of the size of the incision, but I am now only taking the pain meds first thing in the morning and before bed (so I do not wake myself in pain when rolling over).

I really appreciate all the prayers, positive energy, and words of support regarding my fear of having to deal with necrosis again.

Lora

14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained

You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.

Nessy2976
on 9/14/11 11:02 am - MD

RNY on 08/17/11

So glad you are doing well. So are you all fixed up now? Did they find what was the problem and correct it? I read your post when you first got home, but I forget everything you said. Not sure they even knew yet. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers!!

"Patience is bitter, but the fruit can be sweet."

Cicerogirl, The PhD
Version
on 9/14/11 11:19 am - OH

RNY on 08/27/07

Yes, the problem should be fixed. The surgeon found that a large amount of adhesions had pinned the intestine ot the abdominal wall in one spot and then was also causing the intestine to "grow into" the bottom edge of the mesh that had been put in when I had my hernia repair. It took her a long time to remove the adhesions and free the intestine from the mesh, and then she removed the large piece of mesh in order to keep it from happening again.

Lora

14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained

You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.

YankeeRose
on 9/14/11 12:30 pm - Meadville, PA

RNY on 06/21/11

What happens to the hernia repair if they remove the mesh? Just curious cuz i have a hernia that will need repaired in the future. Also, so glad to hear that you are recovering well. I am glad your surgeon was able to correct the problem. There was a woman at my WLS support group last night that said when she woke up from surgery she had a sleeve instead of an RNY because the surgeon said she had so many adhesions he could not free her intestines to do the RNY. I guess he got her husbands permission to change the surgery type 2 hrs into the surgery. This really surprised me because he is my surgeon too and it took him 4 hrs to do my surgery due to adhesions and scar tissue plus a large hernia but he was still able to do the RNY on me.

Tammy
Luck 'o the Irish
HW399/SW362/CW219/GW130
*37 lbs were lost pre-op

rbb825
on 9/14/11 2:09 pm - Suffern, NY

RNY on 10/27/08

That is terrible - he left her full of adhesions? I know it can be quite tedious to do but if that amount of adhesions are left in, it can be quite dangerous. If the intestines grow into the abdominal wall, severe pain will set in and they can also kink up and cause obstructions since they cant move freely. I have heard of women in severe cases of intestinal adhesions end up with intestinal endometriosis and that is really serious.

YankeeRose
on 9/15/11 12:02 am - Meadville, PA

RNY on 06/21/11

I don't know if he removed any/all of adhesions or the details. She just said he could not do the RNY on her due to the adhesions and he could not free her intestines. I am not sure if they were attached to the abdominal wall. This really surprised me because he is a very skilled and detailed surgeon. Like I said, in my case he took 4+ hrs to cut away all of my adhesions and the go around my hernia. And this was all done lap. He told my mother he would have considered the surgery a failure if he had to open me up to do the RNY because he is a lap surgeon. Maybe there is more to her story and I just didn't get all of the info.

Tammy
Luck 'o the Irish
HW399/SW362/CW219/GW130
*37 lbs were lost pre-op

Cicerogirl, The PhD
Version
on 9/15/11 12:00 am - OH

RNY on 08/27/07

Wow, I would be VERY unhappy if my surgeon ahd found so many adhesions and then just LEFT them and changed my surgery type!

As far as the hernia repair, the hernia was repaired by suturing it the standard way... the mesh was then added as a precaution against recurrence since the herniated area was so large (which might happen if I gained a significant amount of weight back).

Lora

14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained

You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.