Hello,
I am a 42 year old female who had an extended tummy tuck, with muscle repair and incisional hernia repair with mesh four weeks ago today. The original incision that had the hernia was from my open gastric bypass which I had done almost four years ago. I have had a weight loss of almost 100 lbs and have had no complications at all besides the need for an iron transfusion a couple of times. The tummy tuck seems to have also gone great, I am healing very well, some swelling above my incision, but that's to be expected. I do however have a very firm lump that pops out near my belly button when I stand up, you can feel the firmness when I lay down as well, but it pops out the size of maybe a walnut when I stand up. When touched it is not exactly painful, but it feels a bit weird, tight, and i can feel the sensations all through my abdomen. When I asked my dr about it at my first post op visit at one week, he said that since my fascia was not in good shape.. and he sort of trailed off. So I am thinking it is either that old naval not quite matched up with new one.. since when i lay down it seems to be exactly aligned but then pops up above it when I get up. Or... it's where dr pulled the muscles together and also sewed up the fascia and bunched it up almost like a seam, hoping if thats the case that it will flatten some when the internal stitches disolve and swelling comes down entirely, or perhaps a new incisional hernia that has developed near new belly button.. any ideas? It is uncomfortable if i lean against another person or a countertop, and it is unsightly in my newly flatter tummy. Also, the dr did shave down the xiphoid process so it wouldnt protrude after the tummy tuck, in case that is relevant. But that is a few inches above i believe. If you have any ideas or if you think it might be fixable, I'd appreciate any input. I will see my surgeon on thursday. By the way, my original bypass surgeon is the one who did my latest surgery as well. He is very experienced. I hate that this lump is there!
Thanks so much in advance!
~Sue