4 weeks post op - horrid pain under belly button

[jen898]

I'm planning to call my Dr. in the morning but I'm wondering if anyone has experienced anything like this and of course, hoping it's normal :).  I had my laparotomy 4 weeks ago tomorrow.  It was supposed to be a laproscopy so I do have the 1 inch incision from my belly button down where they originally inserted the camera.  I've been feeling pretty good until yesterday.  Woke up and could barely walk.  My cysts were on the right ovary, this pain feels on the left and for a while I kept thinking pulled muscle, although I'm not sure how I could have done that since I'm not lifting anything yet.

So of course I keep feeling around trying to figure out exactly where the pain is coming from and finally today, felt a little right under my belly button and just about passed out so that's definitely where it's coming from (that incision)  and radiating to the left.  Is this in any way normal for recovery?  There's also a tiny piece of string hanging out of the bottom of that incision which I've figured out is fairly normal.  

[jen898]

Thanks, the thought of more months of pain doesn't sound like too much fun!  I saw my Dr. today, she says I've got a lot of internal bruising and things have not healed up as well as she would have liked.  She did remove the stitch that was sticking out, thankfully as it was driving me nuts.  So I guess I'm back to resting more.  It's just amazing my laparatomy incision is healed so great and the belly button incision is just not healing.  Crazy.

[ireneo]

The area under my belly button was tender for a long time, still is if my cat steps on it just right and it's been 9 months. I had just the laparoscopy but I had a lot of bruising below the belly button so I know they were really digging around in there. The first few months that area was extremely tender, no elastic pants, no pressure, no touching really.

As for the stitches, I gradually worked mine out after the first week. In the shower I would feel a stitch and gently pull on it. If it didn't give, I'd leave it there. Eventually the gentle tug was enough to slide it out and so I got rid of them that way rather than take the chance of them irritating the tissues long after I was healed.

Talk to your doctor. They may want to check you and may remove that lone stitch.

[jen898]

Thanks, Yeah, the string threw me for a bit.  Everything I've found on it says it's fairly normal and is just the internal stitches, one working itself out and it should eventually disolve.  Very wierd though.  It doesn't feel warm and no fever, just pain.  I'm not liking this at all, I was feeling so much better than even before the surgery and now I'm back to being unable to walk standing straight.  Not fun.  

[Silvara]

Ow!  I didn't have anything like that.  Does the area feel warm at all?  Any fever or chills?  A string from your incision?  After a month?

I'm glad you're calling your Dr in the morning.  Let us know what he says.