Question:
I'm so pissed! 7 mos post op and now I have a hernia!

It is the size of a softball and at the top of my belly to the left of the incision.I really dont want to go through surgery again. Do you have to get all the same tests done? The ABG, and all that pulmonary testing , beforehand?What kind of "mesh" do they use? I have lost 70 lbs so far and am 30 lbs from goal.Although I would like a TT at the same time, I'm not sure insurance will cover it since the "draping" of skin is not that bad.How bad does it have to be, do you think?If there were an additional "bonus" like that to the hernia surgery,I wouldn't mind so much.    — Stephanie H. (posted on August 18, 2002)

August 18, 2002
First of all...congrats on the awesome weight loss :)) Although I don't have an answer to your question because I am pre-op I just wanted to say that I too have a hernia like yours and it was caused from the birth of my huge babies lol. Anyway I've been told by my surgeon that the hernia will help me get insurance coverage for the TT after my loss if I wait to have it repaired. Hope that helps a little. Take care hun and be well :))
   — Suzanne F.

August 18, 2002
I too have a herina-Iam 6 months post-op and I am down 140 pounds. I too am upset,because all the weight I have lost and now I have that sticking out from my belly(my is almost the same place as yours) But my Doctor will not even consider doing anything untill I'm close or at goal. So I guess I have to quit worrying about it. As you said it may help us to get insurance to pay for it and a TT at the same time-we can only hope !!!!!! Good Luck.
   — gary B.

August 18, 2002
I don't understand why you are upset by this. Hernias are a known side effect. Move on and accept all the new changes you have and remember you can't get something for nothing. Thank God there is a surgery that can fix this problem, you could have had a far worse complication.
   — ladynpeaches

August 18, 2002
I wouldn't be pissed if I were you....this gives you the opportunity to get at least a panni on the insurance company...They usually do a scar revision with hernias and are much more likely to approve a panni or abdomniplasty...If they don't approve both, you can do a piggy back, pay the difference and save a lot of money on the hospital...etc.
   — Laurie V.

August 18, 2002
Please note! Hernias occur to 30% of OPENS, almost never in LAPS. If your pre op this can be a good thibng to consider....
   — bob-haller

August 19, 2002
Hello, I just had a Panni and hernia repair on July 30th. My hernia was about the size of a softball and on the upper part of my incision. My skin didn't hang down too bad. I had no infections or rashes documented either. My plastic surgeons office sent in a letter of medical necessity and the insurance company approved (probably because of the hernia)Go to a qualified Plastic surgeon and have him or her write a letter to your ins. company. Good luck.
   — Dawn H.

August 19, 2002
In response to Bob's note to Pre-Ops in this thread: Yes, hernias are more common with open than lap, though they don't happen most of the time (sorry that Stephanie got unlucky!). But lap is not without its own peculiar complications, too. Get educated on the types of complications for both procedures, and don't make the decision on "lap versus open" based just on hernia stats (or scar sizes -- one longer with open, several small with lap). Generally, a hernia is one of the least serious complications you can have with this surgery, even though we'd all rather skip it. Personally, I had a doc who only does open, and who candidly admitted he does open exclusively because he found that lap takes longer and produced more serious complications (for him). I liked him, but was going to shop for docs further for more opinions until I saw on Discovery Channel how lap is performed. I wanted no part of getting poked blindly like that with long instruments (just my personal phobia ... I know they "see" with their high-tech stuff, but it bugged me that I couldn't see what they were doing as clearly as you can with open. As IF I'd be doing the procedure, lol!) Pre-Op's, just pick an experienced bariatric surgeon who feels very confident in whatever procedure he or she likes to use and has used a *lot*.
   — Suzy C.