Stomach after hernia surgery (Page 1)

Hi Laura

How are you feeling now?
Did you end up back in surgery?

Your stomach will be a little bloated after any operation in the abdominal area, but it should have went down by now.
Did you have mesh implanted during your hernia repair?

Hi there,

Five weeks ago I had bilateral inguinal hernia surgery , my stomach is bloated and and I had a flat stomach before, it is hard and when I breath does not do any movement.
I had mesh implants and I am very concerned. Since I had the hernia surgery my stomach just above my waist is getting bigger and my wound didn't heal very well, first there was lots of discharge, and been very painful and hard hv any feelings on the groin area.
I have asked the doctor and he said he doesn't know.
I don't know when I can be back to go to the gym and exercise and if I can do sit-ups to sort this bloated.
If anyone had the same problem, please get in touch, urgent need advise.
Is it going back to normal, or has anything gone wrong?

Thank you

Alex

I Have Had The same problem after my Dual Herina Surgery. my stomach is like 3-4 Times is normal size.
Always tired. Havent been able to work at all sience 08 , Cant Find a Laywer to take my case. Something is Very Wrong here , Paul, 314-775-7285

Hi Alex

I am so sorry you are one of the many people suffering from the latest mesh hernia repairs. Did you read the thread at the top of the forum on complications from hernia meshes? It is important to file an adverse event report with the FDA. They need to be aware of how many people are really suffering from the meshes.

As for your doctor not knowing what is going on, I'd suggest finding another doctor who can help, it will not be easy to find a doctor who will take this on. I am still in so much pain 24/7 no lie and still trying to find a doctor treat me, all they do is push us off to pain management, which for most is going to be lifetime problem. The pain is awful.

I would not recommend going to the gym until you know for sure what is going on.
These meshes are dangerous, not everyone has complications but many I've spoken to are in this situation, with chronic groin/abdominal pain, some have open wounds, nerve and/or muscle weakness.
There are doctors throughout the country investigating the meshes.
It is important to find out the type of mesh they implanted in you. Some have been recalled, even the ones not recalled are causing a lot of the same problems.

Feel free to pm or post here if you have more concerns. Again I really am sorry to hear you are going through this. I don't mean to discourage any more than you are but this is what I have been fighting with for sometime now and doing research on it.

I'm about to undergo hernia repair for 3 hernias, one is quite large and two smaller around the navel. What kind of mesh is safe? Is there one? What should I ask my surgeon about?

concerned...

I just had mesh surgery done 10 days ago and i am still in pain plus my stomach is bloated to the fullest and i have not had a bowel movement in 10 days! can anyone relate? thanks... hurtin in va!

i had mesh put in for my hernia repair 7mo.ago it hurt all this time now my hernia came back 100%bigger n the past 3wks i have so much abdominal pain and throwing up my lower part of stomache is hard and swollen im very scared it never hurt like this

I can relate to the swelling of the stomach area slightly above the incision and the swelling and the discomfort over the incision as well...

I had my mesh open surgery on left groin 2 months ago today and the doctor one month ago said I did not need to see him again. I made another appointment for today because it has been one month since then and I do not see any improvements at all.
It is a dull numb and swollen area. I weigh 135 lbs.. Tylenol does not help reduce anything and I can feel the pull/tightness of the area... Some days exercising just walking is enough but doesn't take the feeling away. I think these surgeons already know that you may slowly or never feel the ways you did before.

I have been told it takes upto a year in some cases to even feel better. From my experience.. I would say that it has ruined the quality of my life. I am depressed more now than ever and no one truly understands the discomfort unless they went through it...
It must still be healing because the scar tissue is still bumpy and it changes over time from one hard mass to another bumpy mass.

It feels very uncomfortable and at times you can feel the pinching and itchiness over the scar...

The stomach bloating is small for me but it is real and it is there on that side where the hernia was...
Sometimes ..lately more often I can feel the discomfort near the balls on that side where the hernia was done...
I am truly sorry about all of these feelings...bot only for me but for everyone who has gone through this.
It took an otherwise healthy and active and thin 45 year old man like myself into a terribly lonley and do nothing summer in NJ

I only wish I had known all these feelings before..but then again everyone is different.
Truly sad .. I do not know if I ever will feel the same again and that in itself has forever remained in my brain from the minute i go to sleep to the minute I wake up...nothing but anxiety

I will let all know what the surgeon says today...they got payed and sent you on your way...but i am not going to be a number in the countless millions that have surgery and have minor complications. You must talk with your surgeon despite their lack of bedside manner...

Obviously the older you get the worse and longer it is to heal...and that is the worst part of the whole thing...the waiting!!!!

back in 2008 i had a liver transplant.a year and ahalf ago, i had an inguanal hernia repair with surgical mesh,everything seemed to go ok,really no complaints of side effects.but i am in constant discomfort and pain.no swelling or oozing,just mainly discomfort.it has changed my comfort and style of life.i get wore out just walking around the house. i also had a groin hernia repaird,without mesh,that still gives me discomfort, but not as bad as the mesh.the reason i got on the net is to see if anyone who has had this surgery,knows if it is alright to do situps? i am sorry for all you people that have gone through all these horror storys.good luck and god bless champ1950. through

hay you said you had hernia surgery on aug. 16 of 2010. I had hernia surgery on april 2nd 2012 here i am One month an 3 weeks later and my stomach is So blowted i never had a stomch i always been a thin guy im 40 years old. did ur pain go away did ur stomach go down. i thought for sure my belly would of went back to the way it was before surgery. im so upset with this.

I just had surgery aprul18 of this yr. I was ok for the 1st 2 weeks then the pain started. Now I cry myself to sleep BC it burns sooo bad. I had a cat scan done a couple of days ago ( I sure hope the surgeon left her surgical equipment BC this pain hurts so bad. Not only that, I am a bit bloated and it hurts even more when I suck my bally in ( to try to conceal the puffy belly). I'm telling you having this surgery was the worse decision I have ever made and I am a pretty tough girl . I had a little girl almost two yrs ago via c-section and let me tell you, the pain was nothing compared to what I'm going through now. I wish you the best of luck in your recovery :[

hay you said you had hernia surgery on aug. 16 of 2010. I had hernia surgery on april 2nd 2012 here i am One month an 3 weeks later and my stomach is So blowted i never had a stomch i always been a thin guy im 40 years old. did ur pain go away did ur stomach go down. i thought for sure my belly would of went back to the way it was before surgery. im so upset with this.

Hi i had a hernia op with mesh 2 months ago, the hernia scar has heeled alright......Its the rest!! under the scar is still very sore,numb and swollen. i've been back to the doctors every week since the op for different things, manly pain and swelling of my stomach. Even though my op was on my groin (just above pubic hair line) my stomach is getting bigger every day, been to the doctors and first they gave me anti inflammatorys, then a week later anti acid pills, now this week as well as the anti acid pills i've got to take medicine 4 times a day.......guess what......thats right its made no difference and my stomach is still getting bigger. Before the op i was flat stomached now ive got such a belly i can hardly do my jeans up not alone need a belt anymore!!! Not happy at all and the doctors just dont seem to care! been off work 7wks and cant see me going back next week due to the discomfort of the swelling as i do a manual job lifting and walking all day i won't last a hour not alone 8hrs! now on top of this i've got "man flu" and just wondering what else can go wrong???!!! anyone else suffered with this or knows what i can do to help get rid of the swelling please please please let me know. many thanks and good luck to every one going through this s**t, never thought it would take this long.

Did your stomach ever go back down flat? Just had hernia surgery 4wks ago and am experiencing the same swelling. I look pregnant and pre-surgery I had a flat stomach.

Same thing Here , Best to Ya, Im Just starting to go out and look for another Dr. So I Can get better & go Kill my 1st one for what he did to me.
Im So uncomphy all the time now , My stomach is like 4X what it was befor my surgury back in 08,
Hollar , Paul , 314-775-paul

I am so sorry to hear this
I too have scar healing ok now 3.5 months oust op
I also have larger stomach above the side of the operation
And it never went down nor did the surgeon care
I went backnto my pcp and he told me it will take time
As far as the incision
Still bumpy underneath the subcutaneous tissue as they use monocryl stitches which take months to dissolve in the subcutaneous fat
I have to say this isnall very uncomfortable and the site where the patch is is a dull chronic numbing pain
Unsaid before likennow that I do not feel the same nor do I expect to

Youmare still early in your recovery and you may need more time
I went and had ct scan and nothing is abnormal
I think the area under the incision is the real problem now as scar tissue is forming and it will be hard as a rock and for a long time
I know
The scar insured and bumpy irregularly as a result of the body not wanting to dissolve the stitches

I will post more later
I feel your pain man
It has really wrecked me
Keep on it
And forget the pain blockers
We need to go to Penn hernia center in pa
USA
Look them up

I am getting nervous reading this. My stepdad had a hernia surgery (groin) two weeks ago and has such severe stomach swelling. It's unbelieveable how big his belly is! He's also experiencing a "burning" pain at the top of his stomach - left side - the side of the hernia. When he called, the nurse said it's just part of the healing process. Has anyone else ever had this kind of burning pain?

Thank you.

I had it 2 months ago and the burning pain is awful..I have to sleep on my back, can't turn over, I can't get up, I scream from the pain, and yes my stomach is huge...

I wish I didn't. Have the surgery. I too cry myself to sleep BC of the pain. When I called the nurse, I too explained it like a burning feeling. I thought they thought I was crazy. It used to feel as if someone was putting a lit match up to my skin BC it was a short fast pain, mow it is a constant burning feel. I am a mom and I have no one to help me pick my baby up. What am I supposed to do? Just 4 days ago I went in to have a CAT scan done to see what the problem is. It hurts so much to lay down, sneeze, fought, sit in a car, pull up pants,suck my stomach in (from trying to hide the swelling( , yell, talk loud,pick something up from the ground.

if they used the mesh in your surgery like they did mine, the burning pain seems to be coming from pulling the "tacks" out of where they put them in to hold the mesh. I had it in a minor way for a few days then made the mistake of bending over and it almost felt like I had electrocuted myself in the stomach........ almost 3 weeks now and I still have the burning pain and look pregnant which Im hoping goes away soon... getting sorta sick of the jokes

I had inguinal surgery with 5 inch incision with mesh in May 2011. It is now July 2nd It seems to heal quite well. I have always been thin. You could see every muscle in my stomach. Now my stomach is bloated. Just like mentioned above post. My wife and daughter laugh and say I look pregnant. I too have a weird pain in my upper stomach almost into the chest area. Only occurs on occasion, I also am suffering from mild heart burn (acid reflux) first time ever. I'll try to keep everyone posted on my out come. I'm hoping this will come back to normal with time. I'm puzzeled that I don't see an explanation anywhere.
Pickle63

Hi there. Im 27 y.o athletic built male.
I had bilateral inguinial hernia repair 20 days ago. Had no complications, and everything is healing good. Only one thing I'm concerned about is that "pregnant" like, hard lower abdomen. I had flat stomach with good abs definition before hernia. will it reduce with time, or when i start working out again will it help?

I had this surgery 2 weeks ago still swollen in pelvic rgion and i het tais stinging pain on lest side

Hi. I had umbilical hernia surgery two weeks ago and ever since I have been extremely bloated and uncomfortable. Sometimes I've even been in a lot of pain - feels like really bad gas pains, particularly on my right side. Not only am I bloated and look about four months pregnant, but my stomach has taken on an odd shape. I always had a little baby bump after having two children, but my belly was so much flatter pre-op. I went to the dr, she ordered x-rays, says i have some air pockets and that I need to give it a couple more weeks. I'm worried that I'm never going to look the way I did before the surgery. Anyone else have a similar experience, and if so, did it ever go back to norma??????

hi. i had hernia sugery 7 weeks ago..same problems i look like im pregnant its hard...and the gas pains too!!my surgeon said that most of that is just me...im sorry but i was not this big before surgery...also said i could still have air and fluid in there...i also hear noises in my stomach when i bend over..it souds like popping noises...my stomach is also very numb...and im having back pain in my lower left back..my clothes roll right off my belly,,i was so embarresed to go back to work last week because how big my stomach is...i dont know what to do

I just found out from my doctor that I have a hernia. My stomach is huge and I look pregnant. He said he can do a tummy tuck and repair the hernia at the same time. I have three kids so my abdomen muscles were already separated from having them and then I got this hernia. I'm sorry you are having so many problems with your recovery--was a tummy tuck/abdominoplasty ever recommended to you as well? I hope I'm making the right decision. Hope you feel better!

I had hernia surgery around Thanksgiving 2010. My stomach to this day (4/4/11) is still big and its very hard from the scar tissue, which I can feel. It looks like an alien being in me. When I eat, it bloats so big. Is there something wrong

i had a mesh installed called Prolene onmy left lower side after a 14 year old botched vertical C-Section. Now in 2011 it doesnt bother me as bad but after pooping sometimes theres real pain there. Im a tough woman but now I have bad bloating right above my navel and I look like Im pregnant . The pulling feelings and pain is leaving my mesh area. it takes a couple years and hope u have a good surgeon! Mine wouldnt help me a year later when I was suffering so bad he said I wasn't his patient anymore. What???? Im 51 and hanging in there good luck everyone these doctors scare me and my stomach has really slowed my life down. I have a hard know too right above my navel where the pain is. Whats wrong??

I had my double hernia surgery with mesh inserts in Nov. 2010. The areas that had the hernias once again have turned hard. The MD told me your body automatically fills these empty spots with water. It is just what the body does. I am wondering if there is any hope as far as getting these bulges down as far as exercise and diet--they haven`t worked yet.

I feel very sad for everyone because i have 2 hernia operations,3 yrs ago and my stomach still looks like i'm pregnant, there is no pain but i;m tired of people asking when i'm due. thank vickie

What a frightening thread.

i had hernia repair in 2008 and my stomach is hard as a rock and i look like i have been pregnant for ever, my stomach hurts right through to my back i am going to call cosmetic surgeon to see what can be done and am trying to loose weight and i just can not get it off.i also had a blockage in my small intestine and still nothing has been done. the doctor just keep saying to me you have to loose the weight before we can do!

I had a bowel resection and hernia repair in October 2010.... all went very well felt great looked better and healed faster than did I with a previous bowel surgery in 2008 which was the start of the hernias. Over the past 2 months I have bloated and hardend but have no pain just tightness in my normal clothing, is this normal or a possible problem?

I had my umbilical hernia repaired with mesh on a Friday afternoon, about 10 months ago. The op took less than 30mins, and 30mins later I had eaten a sandwich, drunk a cup of tea and walked out of the hospital carrying my overnight bag.I went back to work on the Monday, and It has never given me a problem since. Not every op turns into a horror story. I am now waiting for a repair on my stomach muscles that have parted.

I had henia surgery, 14 years ago, never was told the effect it would have on me. My abs was flat, before ,now after the surgery, I have this bloated stomach that I cannot seem to ge rid of, execising is not working I am sorry that I had the surgery.

I feel the same way. My stomach is huge and I am not even pregnant. People kept telling me to do the surgery because it would be best to do it to avoid other issues in the future but my advice to someone deciding to do it is to avoid getting the surgery. I had it done 2 years ago and I am just starting to be able to do a sit-up. It still hurts if someone even touches in on my stomach. Feels like a doctor left a knife in my stomach or something. Last time I say the doctor--about six months after the surgery, they told me that there was another hernia. So I went against even doing it again. My stomach hurts me so bad every few months but I deal with it for the moment.