Question:
Has anyone experience Hernia repair,tummy tuck, around waist

I was 430lbs until Jan 2002 when I had an OPEN GB, I am over 2 years steady at 220 and feeling like a rock. Now, I need your help my Peeps. My initail surgeon, who conducted the awesome surgery will be placing the mesh and repairing the wall. Then, another will be conducting the tummy tuck along with the butt lift(whatever that term is called) all in one day. Can anyone relate, please let me know your views and your experiences! My OP Date is May 26th 2004 Mahalo and Aloooooooooooooooha! D Ecomm    — D E. (posted on May 11, 2004)

May 11, 2004
This is may not be very helpful as its more of a question. Why are you not using a PS who is qualified to fix the hernia his/herself? I had massive damage to my left side muscles and my PS stitched all the muscles back into place where they belonged, no mesh, just used the muscles and stitching. I guess I'm surprised that its taking two surgeons and a bunch of mesh to fix you when you're having a PS come in during the same surgery who is most likely going to be tightening those muscles anyhow. ????
   — Shelly S.

May 11, 2004
All I can tell you is how I experienced it. I had two hernias fixed with mesh and a TT all done at the same time. This proceedure was far more painful than my open RNY. I had two drains coming out of my pubic area. Was in the hospital for 3 days. My surgeon is very protective of his patients and monitors them closely in the hospital. The drains stayed in for 10 days. Some people that only have a TT say it was no big deal pain wise but I took many more Vicodin thru this experience than I did with the RNY. Maybe it was the hernias that were painful. I lived thru it. Was off work 2 weeks. I would do it again in a minute. Good luck to you!
   — MARSHA D.

May 12, 2004
I had 2 hernias repaired (with mesh) with my RNY Surgeon, than my PS came in and did my tummy tuck/belt lipectomy, breast lift and implants. Painful, yes....unbearable, no. I can honestly say that being nearly 200 lbs. less made recovery easier than with the RNY. It just seams as though being able to actually get around made the recover that much easier. I was in surgery for nearly 10 hours total and am very pleased with my results. I was off of work for 2 weeks, versus the 1 week with my open RNY. Vicodin will be your friend, no doubt about that! I was also in the hospital for a total of 3 days (I live a couple of hours away and they wanted to keep me for monitoring purposes). I also had the 2 drains coming out of the pubic area and that was the biggest issue. Mine were in for a long time, as they just kept draining (I want to say the second came out 5 weeks after surgery). Good Luck with your surgery! Just think of the fabulous results you will have!!!
   — Chloe S.

May 15, 2004
I'm with Shelly on this one, as I think better muscle sculpting and flattening can be done without mesh. Please know that the approach you are planning on is standard, there's nothing "wrong" with it. It is just my experience and opinion that using mesh makes it harder to flatten the muscles and using mesh raises the long-term complication rate (infection, extrusion, and recurrence). The last issues are well-described in the literature.
   — DrL