Question:
I have pain in my belly which is getting worse (about a week now) and it looks like

I have pain in my belly which is getting worse (about a week now) and it looks like I have a football-sized balloon in my stomach. It is dead center and the top of it is about 3 inches under my breasts, and stops right above my belly button. I have lost 72 pounds (at 192 now) and a week ago i swear this "bubble" was not there... the skin is sagging a lot but was actually pretty flat in that area. Now it almost looks like it is a really high, small pregnancy. When I press on the are in almost bounces a little. It is not soft like the rest of my abdomen. FYI: there is NO WAY I am pregnant. Any ideas? THANKS!    — kultgirl (posted on September 13, 2002)

September 13, 2002
You should see your doctor. Sounds like it could be a hernia. I'm almost 8 months out and 75# down. My doctor has me getting tests because I have some tenderness around my belly button. Sounds like yours is more severe. Good luck and take care of yourself.
   — Cathy B.

September 13, 2002
Would you believe I had hernia repair a month ago, but on my left side? I have a 22" incision (almost 2 years old) and I had a 9" hole repaired. Now this pain is in the middle. No kidding, I think my doctors think I am crazy, since I have been hypoglycemic lately and have been calling about that. I feel like the queen of all hypochondriacs, but before the hernia repair last month I was in pain for 2 months before they finally did they CT scan and saw the huge hernia. Now this!!?! There really is not enough therapy in the world some days, I swear.
   — kultgirl

September 13, 2002
Sounds like a Ventral Hernia. Lay down on the bed and put your hands over the area where the lump appears, and press down slightly. Cough or lift your head up off the bed like you are doing an abdominal crunch. Does it stick way up. When you relax does it go back down.? If the answer is yes, then this sounds like a ventral hernia. You must be careful because what it is is the abdominal contents pressing up through a separation in the abdominal muscles. The problems arises when they come up through and won't go back down....this is called an incarcerated hernia and can cause major problems. The intestines come up through the separation in the ab muscles and if they get caught (incarcerate), the circulation gets cut off and you can end up with dead bowel. I don't want to scare you because people can go around for years and years with a ventral hernia and it may never give rhwmproblems, but you should get it checked out. The really good thing is that insurance companies will pay for the hernia repair and usually a tummy tuck at the same time!
   — Lynette B.

September 15, 2002
Sounds like a herna. You need to go see your doctor!!!
   — Bambi C.