Hi all,

I am almost 5 months PO. I am having this pain on the right side of my belly button. I think it may be a hernia. It started out with a very dull annoying feeling (like as if the button or waistband of your pants was bothering your stomach). By the weekend, it got worse. If I laughed, coughed or sneezed, I got this bad pain. Yesterday is got even worse. Now if I sneeze or cough, I get an excruciating pain and I feel something bulge/pop in my stomach (it's gross!). I called my surgeons office yesterday (as I'm not sure if it could be surgery related), and spoke to the nurse who didn't seem to think it was a big deal. So I left that conversation saying if it gets worse, I'll call my regular doctor. As I was driving home last night, I sneezed!? The pain was horrible...I felt the bulge/pop and it was downhill from there. I put a call into my regular doctor and have an appt. for tonight, although the rest of the night I was uncomfortable and debating a visit to the ER. I was in bed by 7:30!

Has anybody else experienced something like this?

It is a risk that you could develop a hernia after surgery.

Surgery or not, pain such as this that keeps getting worse needs to be investigated promptly. I’m a little surprised the nurse at the office wasn’t concerned, at least referring you to come in for a check really quickly or visit the ER if they were too busy.

In any case I hope you’ve gone to the ER at this point. Let us know what happens and I hope you feel better soon.

1 hour ago, JerseySleeved22 said:

Hi all,

I am almost 5 months PO. I am having this pain on the right side of my belly button. I think it may be a hernia. It started out with a very dull annoying feeling (like as if the button or waistband of your pants was bothering your stomach). By the weekend, it got worse. If I laughed, coughed or sneezed, I got this bad pain. Yesterday is got even worse. Now if I sneeze or cough, I get an excruciating pain and I feel something bulge/pop in my stomach (it's gross!). I called my surgeons office yesterday (as I'm not sure if it could be surgery related), and spoke to the nurse who didn't seem to think it was a big deal. So I left that conversation saying if it gets worse, I'll call my regular doctor. As I was driving home last night, I sneezed!? The pain was horrible...I felt the bulge/pop and it was downhill from there. I put a call into my regular doctor and have an appt. for tonight, although the rest of the night I was uncomfortable and debating a visit to the ER. I was in bed by 7:30!

Has anybody else experienced something like this?

Sounds like a hernia, is it anywhere near any of your incisions? Even if it's not... get in to see a doctor before things get worse!

I've got an umbilical hernia which was the initial reason I went to see my surgeon. All I was doing was standing up stretching with my arms outstretched above my head then for some reason I coughed mid stretch and I felt it pop. It bothered me the first few days but then I guess settled in. The Doc said it was because the fat in my belly was holding it in. Now that I'm losing weight it's really starting to bother me but they want me to lose more belly fat so there is no chance of it tearing again. When I stand/walk it drops and I can feel it in my belly button hole. The pain sort of feels like a belly ache but goes around my entire mid section front and back below the belly button. I was prescribed an abdominal binder to hold it in hopefully buying more time for me to lose more weight.

Try putting pressure on the spot you feel it and see if it relieves it. Just don't press so hard, it may cause more pain (did that the other night, not good). I was told hernias are common in this area for overweight people because of the stretch on the belly. Good luck and hope you feel better SOON.

**UPDATE**

I went to my family doctor who felt around and seemed to think that I just have a pulled abdominal muscle. I was not convinced. This does not feel like a muscle, I can tell you that much. He referred me to a surgeon for a second opinion. The surgeon felt all around and then he pushed in the belly button area and there it was!!! The pain!. He was very thorough and had me stand and lay down. Checked around other areas. The end result....he said it is an incisional hernia in the belly button. I do have to have surgery. He went over everything with me. Now the issue is...shouldn't I technically be discussing this with the bariatric surgeon who did my surgery (even though his nurse kinda blew me off)??? I will probably give them a call tomorrow and see what they say.

Hopefully when you call the nurse that blew you off answers. Think of something clever to say to her and be sure to bring it up with the surgeon when you speak to him face to face. Glad you got it figured out.

16 hours ago, JerseySleeved22 said:

**UPDATE**

I went to my family doctor who felt around and seemed to think that I just have a pulled abdominal muscle. I was not convinced. This does not feel like a muscle, I can tell you that much. He referred me to a surgeon for a second opinion. The surgeon felt all around and then he pushed in the belly button area and there it was!!! The pain!. He was very thorough and had me stand and lay down. Checked around other areas. The end result....he said it is an incisional hernia in the belly button. I do have to have surgery. He went over everything with me. Now the issue is...shouldn't I technically be discussing this with the bariatric surgeon who did my surgery (even though his nurse kinda blew me off)??? I will probably give them a call tomorrow and see what they say.

I'm sorry that you have to surgery again but hope that it resolves your pain. Good for you for sticking up for yourself and knowing your body.