Hi Everyone,

I will try to make this as short as I can, but I need some assistance from anyone who is going through this. I had surgery 10 weeks ago tomorrow. For the last 8 of those 10 weeks, I've had a stabbing, ripping, burning pain on the left side between the left and center incisions that runs up and down. It runs from the waist band up to about an inch above the belly button, again, between the two incisions. There are times it's so sore that I can't move, bend, twist, get in the car and even clothes laying on the skin is extremely painful. It can go from excruciating (child birth was easier!) (and I have a high pain tolerance) to bearable, but never really goes away. You never know what will trigger it either to be excruciating. Yesterday I was standing still, went to fix the button on my pants (only my hands moved) and wham.. the pain was unreal.

I have been back to my surgeon about this about 4x.. he does NOT beleive me. Sent me for a CT scan and it was negative!! How could that be? So I went back again for a 5th time and he was VERY condesending to me and although I told him to please please be gentle when he pressed the area he was brutal. I've never been treated so roughly.. he kept pressing so hard my feet were coming off the table, I had tears in my eyes, I begged and begged him to stop and even tried to move his hands, but he kept on pressing and telling me to stop it...I could barely get off the table, driving home was a blur because the pain was so bad from what he had done. He told me he feels a lump so he thinks it's a Rectus Muscle Hematoma...when I asked him what that meant he smirked at me and said, bleeding.. Hematoma?? Like I was an idiot. He said sometimes it happens from the blood thinners. I asked how we fix it and he said well you really can't. I asked why after 8 weeks he is feeling it now and he said it happens. I don't know that sounded strange to me... He said the only way to be sure is for him to "OPEN me back up and put me under and take a look but if it is a hematoma, I have to live with it, there is nothing he can do"... agian, very smirky and condesending then he walked me out and said, "it's not an emergency, but you say it's "so bad it imapcts your life" so you decide when you want me to go in..."

I have never ever been treated like that. This is NOT the doctor I talked to so many times prior to my surgery, the doctor that had a great reputation, credentials and was so compassionate that I chose him over others... I tried to get a second bariatric opinion, but nobody will see me.. "Doctor's Code" apparently is more important than helping patients I've learned...So.. I went to my primary and he's sending me for an MRI to see if that shows anything but if not, I may have to go back in for more surgery to figure it out.. UGH...

Question is, has anyone else ever experienced a Rectus Muscle Hematoma or symptoms like this?? The weird thing is sometimes its fine, others it's not.. no warning either.. It's so stabbing that I often wondered if he left something in there, but of course that would have shown up on a CT!

If you have had this , what was the treatment? How long did it go on like this?? ANY info anyone can share will be so greatly appreciated... I'm so frustrated, upset and just at a loss...

I'd appreciate any insight you can share!

Thanks!

Mine is on the right but I have a small spigelian hernia on my left as well. The right was repaired because it was painful and larger... The left got better after weight loss but the right already had petrusion which was felt and it was painful to touch even a graze of my skin felt like fire.

I had a general surgeon repair mine and it was a simple procedure of placing a small mesh and sewing the muscle back together.

Now I do understand that you just had major surgery on your stomache on the left side so I would deal with a surgeon who is confident to working in that area. If you must use you bariatric surgeon always have someone with you when seeing him. Most drs work more professionally around more than just the patient.

I remember how painful it was so I wish you a speedy diagnosis and healing.

Ask lots of questions until you feel comfortable with the process.

I'm hoping all the best for you!