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Pain left of belly button question



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Have a question that I hope someone has experience with:

My surgery was 12/31. No known complications, good recovery and meeting Protein and Fluid goals. I have 6 incisions -- 5 for the RNY and one above my navel for an umbilical hernia they found and repaired during surgery. All seem to have healed well. I've lost 45 lbs thus far.

My issue is some pain I feel on the left side about 2 to 3 inches from my belly button. The pain is quite sharp and sometimes burns. It's particularly noticeable if I bend over, lay on my side or strain my muscles during a BM. The odd part is that it feels quite similar to incision pain, but there's no incision there. I thought perhaps it was pain from a levonox injection in that area -- but it's been two weeks since any injection there. Oddly, it doesn't hurt to touch it. In fact, rubbing it makes it feel better.

Has anyone else experienced this or know if I should be concerned? Thanks in advance.

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Hi Kathryn, I had the same pain and I still have some. I also had the hiatal hernia repair. The incision by my belly button is still healing and I had my surgery 12/26.

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Hi Kathryn, I had the same pain. Try not to bend as much for a few days. I found that helped and I am not getting the pains anymore.

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I am 2 months out from RNY and get that discomfort in the same area.. Dr is not concerned.. I found a heating pad helps me ( and it is improving each week )

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Thanks everyone! It helps to know that others felt the same. I actually called the nurse today. She seemed completely unsurprised by my description, so I'm assuming it's within the range of normal.

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Thanks everyone! It helps to know that others felt the same. I actually called the nurse today. She seemed completely unsurprised by my description, so I'm assuming it's within the range of normal.

How is your pain. I'm almost 4 wks out and the same pain started 4 days ago. If I bend over it pinches the area and hurts all day. Its scary and I worry something is wrong.

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I can't express how bad the pain was -- it was difficult to bend or get up and down. It felt like a burning ripping pain. The nurse insisted that it was normal and from nerves repairing. She said it would go away almost magically. I was NOT convinced. However, it really did. One morning I woke up and it was totally gone. :-)

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Although we have several incisions most of the work done during surgery is through the left side. That's where the pain lasts the longest. Take it easy, take Tylenol if needed, use a heating pad - it'll gradually go away. If it worsens, talk to your doctor again.

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Absolutely Terry! However, I want to be clear that my searing pain was far removed from actual incision points. That's what threw me off. It was actually left of my navel -- and it hurt worse that any of my incisions!

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Absolutely Terry! However, I want to be clear that my searing pain was far removed from actual incision points. That's what threw me off. It was actually left of my navel -- and it hurt worse that any of my incisions!

I am having this exact problem. I actually cried the other night. It seems to stop and if I bend down to tie my shoe it pinches it and starts all over again. Weeks 1-3 post op I didn't have it and it's about 4" to the left of my belly button. No incision there. It tells like collected gas pocket that burns and sears

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I suggest you talk to your doctor about this, and tell your doctor if the pain increases. It's indeed normal, but not always. However, I would also recommend not to worry. There has been an incision near that spot. Rubbing and a little bit of heat should probably take care of it.

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I am having this kind of pain. I have felt it since day one after my RNY bypass 5 weeks ago. It was very very mild then. Just a burning feeling like I rubbed my incision. I was so surprised when I lifted my shirt and incision was there. It is now a bit worse. When I reach to my right like bending it hurts and sometimes when I lift my leg up. I pushed myself against a shopping cart the other day and thought I was going to pass out. It was sharp and burning. It is on MY right side of my belly button and out about 2 inches and when it felt like it was tearing or burning it went allthe way to my belly button. I paid out of pocket for surgery. I don't want to waste money going to doctor if I don't have to, I just don't know if I should wait or not on this.

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I have this same pain. At my 2 week check up it was just above my belly button. The doctor told me I should not worry about it as he did not fel anything abnormal. It seemed to go away. Then the same pain came back while bending twisting reaching. Only this time it was to the right of my belly. Again that went away. Today the pain started back up but this time just under my belly button. I guess next will be the left and then I will be done :) Being it has been just over 4 weeks since surgery, I assume my body is still healing and I may have moved wrong and irritated it.

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