Hernias

[cjwwalter]

It seems like a lot of ppl have post-op hernias. Why?

[kkhinkle]

Hernias very commonly form near scar tissue after any abdomenal surgery, particularly in the obese. I had a hernia repaired during my ds surgery that formed at the top of my hysterectomy incision from 3 years ago -- I didn't even know I had it.

[Kimberly123]

Weird, I just had a nighmare last night that I found out everyone thought I was pregnant. They didn't really even notice my weight loss. I had a hernia in my dream and hadn't realised it made me look pregnant!

Anyway, I am also curious when you get them? My stomach doesn't seem to be getting smaller as fast as I think it should. It can't still be swollen, how would you know if you had one? Maybe I am just losing weight differently than in the past. But still curious about hernias too - great topic.

K.

[Charmie]

Yes this is my greatest fear too - because i have started to do abdominal exercises and it hurts...and i'm wondering what it would feel like - a hernia?

Aimee

[Nimbus]

Hernias occur for different reasons. My mother's bf had a hernia that he sprouted in one day, BAM, huge! He has had quite a few abdominal surgeries for a few types of cancer, but the cause of his hernia was listed as muscle splitting.

The reason for most post-op DS hernias, as my doc explained to me on Monday, is a weakening of the abdominal wall near or on the incision line. I asked because I have a small buldge at the top of my incision that I thought was the start of a hernia. After he checked my belly he told me that there was some weakening in my lower belly but not in the area that the buldge was (btw it wasn't there when I was at the docs but it's back now figures) He told me that if I was going to develop a hernia it would be low on my incision line because that is where he felt the weakening. I worry about a hernia for a few reasons. The main one being I would like to wait till after I have children to have a TT... no sense fixing something I plan on breaking again anyway. But if I have a hernia that needs repair I would probably opt to do both at the same time. I really want to add some ab work to my excersise but I'm afraid of pushing the hernia fairy too far But ab work is good for your back and mine is pretty weak. Maybe I'll start really really slow.

BTW my buldge does not hurt... it feeld.. odd... but not painful in anyway. It' doesn't stick out of expand when I cough either... I'm a weirdo!

[cjwwalter]

Thanks, everyone for the information. It seems like any stomach surgery could result in a hernia. I'd didn't know that. I have an incision scar from just below my sternum to a few inches passed my navel. When I had that surgery no one said anything about getting a hernia later. I have a bulge the size of a grapefruit next to the incision. My surgeon is going to repair it when she does the DS. I was just wondering how common this was.

[Alison M]

I just had my 6-month follow-up appointment at which an incisional hernia was found. Bummer. Unlike some hernias, this one does not rear its alien head up from my flesh in an obvious bulge. Rather, my surgeon had to dig around in my gut (i.e., beneath my vertical lap incision) to find it.

It doesn't hurt, though now that I'm aware I have it, I think I probably can identify a little soreness when I cough or sneeze. Unless it becomes a problem down the line, I don't intend to do anything about it.

[AmyLizTN]

I had my six month follow up last week too and I figured Dr. H. would examine my belly but he didn't... so now I'm all thinking how do I know if I have a hernia? I won't be seeing him one on one anymore. Wish I had asked. Oh well. I'm sure my body will tell me if I have one and need to do something about it.