Posible Hernia after gastric bypass

[Lynda486 788]

I had gastric Bypass in 2019. I have gained about 13 pounds back, but pretty happy overall. Last year when I was laying flat on the floor and went to sit up I felt the oddest sensation. It was a pain and pressure along with a knotty feeling protrusion that popped out in my stomach right below by right ribs. I was able to push it back in. I saw my gastric surgeon, who couldn't feel anything but sent me for a CT. The CT showed nothing. However, this protrusion has happened many times since. I even had my husband feel it last time to ensure I am not going crazy. Has anyone else had anything similar? What are your symptoms and what has been done for you? Any advice?

Thanks!

Lynda

[ms.sss 15,811]

i have one too! (i think).

tldr; ** warning this is long: skip to last paragraph if u short on time or bore easily lololozzzz **

mine pops out about 3 inches to the right (my right) of my belly button (about the size of a walnut)...always when im doing some fold over bend (like nose to knees), or bending the opposite way (like bridges), or some sort of sustained abdominal crunch (like boats).

it would hurt, but ive always been able to push it back in EXECEPT once when it stayed out for about 36 hours. i booked appt with doc to check it out , but by the time my appt came around, it popped back in. then of course, their examination of me was inconclusive (couldn't find evidence of one). he told me if it happens again, take a picture, mark it with pen and come in. this was in january this year. and of course it hasn't happened since. which is both annoying and a relief since it used to happen pretty regularly...at least once a month or so for about 5 years.

anyway, i did some reading and i have long SUSPECTED, based on its location and the timeline of its appearance, its an Incisional Hernia (yes i self-diagnosed myself ha). the location is about where one of the laparoscopic scars would have been had i not had a Tummy Tuck (my skin was yanked down so the skin scar is lower than before) AND i started getting it when my exercise efforts got more intense. i never concerned myself with it very much cuz it always popped back in. until that day it didn't. it was pretty painful. i had to keep pressure on it and bend over to provide some relief. i was so glad when it popped back in, but then upset i couldn't prove it was there, arg!

doc says hernias don't get better, they just get worse over time, so eventually ill likely need surgery if indeed i have one...which we can't prove cuz that sucker is staying out of sight these days.

but if/when it makes an appearance, the idea of keeping it "out" the entire time just to show my doctor sounds very unappealing to me! **shudder**

p.s. on a side note, Mr. theorizes that the reason my hernia has been hiding for so long (its been 5 months since ive had one...my longest stretch of not having one since it began) is because of my increased core exercise work. i've developed some abdominal muscle and strength the past several months, and he thinks that when engaged, my core is strong enough to keep the hernia in when i do those particular exercises. so he thinks if i really want to pop it out, i should do a fold over and not engage my abdominals closed, but actually use my strength to push it out! and im like NOPE! not doing that.

tldr; so...if u aren't squeamish like me, maybe you could try to push it out also so u can show ur doc? do you notice what things u are doing when it comes out? u could just keep doing those things...

Edited June 12, 2024 by ms.sss

[Lynda486 788]

I have thought of leaving it out, but like you said, ewww. Mine doesn't appear often either. I will take a picture next time and mark it. I believe mine is incisional also. I had an open sleeve in 1998 and a Tummy Tuck in 2000 and then by pass in 2019, so there are plenty of opportunities there! Hope you get some answers too!

[Born in Missouri 1,264]

I had an incarcerated umbilical hernia a year or so after my gastric bypass.

The hernia (protruding abdominal tissue) became trapped (incarcerated) and, so, could no longer be pushed back into the abdominal cavity. This reduced the blood supply to the section of my trapped intestine which was not only painful but would have resulted in tissue death if nothing was done.

Infection could have then spread throughout my abdominal cavity, causing a life-threatening situation.

I had emergency surgery to treat this problem. The surgeon used a mesh, I believe.

This was not something I was able to ignore. The pain was unrelenting. Nothing relieved it. I knew I had to go to the ER.

Edited September 5, 2024 by Missouri-Lee's Summit