hard lump at hernia repair/bellybutton

[jennamre]

hard lump is at the site of my umbilical hernia repair--4 years ago was done but have noticed hard bump
at site for quite some time...soreness but no pain.  dr used mesh and mentioned ''parachute'' type repair
but i don't know exact mesh used.  Could this just be scar tissue?  has been repaired twice; both times with
mesh, one open and one laproscope procedure.  Not large, just hard.  Feels like a lump but does NOT appear at all, i can feel it but can't see it bulge at all.  soreness only if i touch it alot.  Does not move around or go anywhere--very solid.  I read about recalls on Kugel patch but i have no idea if he used one.  Is hard and immobile if i stand up, if i lie down it is not detectable.  I know this sounds like a hernia but it doesn't feel like one, it feels like a hard bump.  The hernia was movable and would pop in and out. (original hernia)  This feels like a hard stationary lump. Is that what scar tissue feels like?  No outward signs of this but can be felt with two fingers if you press down.

[Boubalene]

Wondering what the doctor said.  I had a hernia repair with the mesh strip also.  I have a lump but it is because hernia came undone.  Hope you are OK

[jennamre]

thank you very much...i am having a  physical exam in July and I will ask the doctor to give it the once over.  Thanks for your help once again.

[boron]

When it appears again, ask a family member or someone to touch it, and ask him/her what was felt like.

If it doesn't grow, does not change the shape of abdominal wall, does not cause pain, and there is no red skin over it...I would leave it in peace. If something changes, catch the doc in the right time, so he can check it. Muscle nodule, small fibroma, cyst, anything what grows slowly, is not likely to be dangerous in any way.

[jennamre]

thanks for answering.....you asked if it's always there...the answer is NO.  In the evening
sometimes it's larger and after sleeping all night; in the morning it's barely noticeable.
It's hard and stable and when i cough it doesn't get larger, just a bit harder.  Today it's hardly
noticeable...it does not cause a visible lump...only a lump i can feel if i press in there.  It's
been there at least a year...surgery was 4 years ago.  I just don't understand why it's tiny
sometimes and larger other times.  And yes, sometimes it feels like a cramp when it's larger. (size of a nickel is largest, maybe even smaller).  I'm wondering if it changes due to my digestive changes during the day/night.  I have barely any muscle tone there...I had many ultrasounds originally showing hernia, then failed hernia operation and fatty hernia, then I had repeat surgery to fix it all (more mesh).  I had a very large stomach afterward that had to slowly drain...i forget the name...but all went well.  I had a procedure that tightened up my whole stomach area too--i mini tummy tuck and also navel re-formation, the surgeon tried to fix me up as best he could with laparoscope the second time.  I didn't expect all the work--I woke up and he told me he did everything to help my situation.  Nothing looks abnormal now, I'm flat...but this bump under the skin at top of navel can be felt.  It's been there maybe even longer than a year...it was cramping me yesterday and was at its largest yesterday and I thought I'd post.  Today, it's almost non-existent but still there in a smaller
way.  Sometimes it goes for days in it's ''small'' size (a large pea).  To be honest with you, it's noticeable more after I have eaten one or two meals.  hence, larger at night.  I am not a large person, I was born with poor stomach muscles and two pregnancies made it worse.
hence, umbilical hernia by mid 30's.  Thanks.

[boron]

Well, yes, it could be a scar tissue, or a fibroma - this is a benign tumor from the same type of tissue as scar is. I guess, ultrasound would show the nature of the bump. If it's not always there, it could be from a muscle cramp.