Hello and hope you are doing well.
As the lump appears to be ill defined and soft, its most likely a lipoma which is fat cell benign tumor. Any hernias through the rectus muscle, like an umbilical hernia, usually reduce in size on lying down and increase on coughing which raises the abdominal pressure. Hiatal hernia is the sliding of the stomach into the chest cavity through the opening in the diaphram, and cannot be palpated external. Only a consultation with your primary care physician can help diagnose.
Hope this helped and do keep us posted.
I've tried hard to determine what it is, but it just seems a bit high up, right under the sternum. It's basically where the solar plexis is. I'm phoning for an appointment tomorrow, but goodness knows when there will be a vacancy, our Doctors surgery is pretty busy lately. I've noticed now that it seems to feel pressurised after I eat and it feels like I'm really bloated. Perhaps a hernia could be the cause, maybe a hiatal hernia? I know the Doctor will send me for an x-ray which will likely be inconclusive and recommend an echo. I will then have to wait for one of those for weeks.
Wonder if it's a small hernia. In general they don't cause a lot of pain but they look weird. Definitely get it checked out.
I have a bulge in the skin somewhat higher than you describe, and it has been diagnosed as some sort of watery cyst from the bypass surgery. I'm having it drained, but I'm assured it isn't anything to worry about. It is not firm when I push it.
After my bypass surgery I had a bit of ligature left in my belly. The ligature was used to hold in the drain tubes, and my drains were exactly where you describe your problem. It caused a little infection, and was easily resolved. I doubt that is what you have, but mention it.
I'd have it checked, Ed. I don't know exactly the route of the aorta, and I have zero knowledge of how a weakened aorta presents itself, but lumps just beg to be checked. Let us know.
Sounds like a cyst, most "bad" things are firm. I wouldn't think you could feel anything on your internal organs through your diaphram. My guess would be a cyst that has formed between your skin, the sac around you abdominal area and abdominal muscles. That's pretty common.
Hope it works out.
Jon