belly button

it is 8 months after my gastric bypass.
i have lost 120 lbs and am very happy
today i woke up with my belly button red and an oozing liquid that has a foul smell.
has anyone experienced this?????

No, but it sounds like some kind of abscess or infection. You should get it checked out as soon as possible with your doctor.

Good luck.
Warmly,
Jackie

Yep, I occaisionally have that problem.  Mine is from the weight loss and now my bellybutton seems to be a 'deep hole'.  If I don't throughly dry it after bathing it will get red, oozie and very sore from the moisture just sitting in there.  I sometimes use a q-tip to dry it out. 

Try some antibiotic ointment in there... and keep it dry.

are you thinking about getting any plastic surgery to remove the excess skin?

No, most likely not....although I do have excess skin, my clothes cover it quite nicely and at my age it's not a priority for me....now a face lift is something I'd definitely be interested in...  I had my eyelids done last year and would love to have my face and neck done when I can afford it ....

Sounds like an infection from the deep cavernous BB.....Mine is so deep I can put my whole index finger in it!!  Antibiotic ointment will clear it up and make sure you put alcohol on a cotton ball and clean it good after every time you are in water....(wait for it to heal though the alcohol will burn!!).

this article may be of help:

The belly button or navel, or more technically the umbilicus, is basically a scar left over form childbirth. This site of the former connection between mother and fetus holds much fascination. Children find belly buttons funny, men and women both can find them sexy. Some people are inclined to piece them with various adornments. But occasionally the simple innocuous belly button can be the site of an embarrassing, often unpleasant smelling discharge.

Any bleeding or discharge from within belly button is almost always a sign of an infection. It is most likely a fungal infection. The belly button can be a dark moist, warm place, the ideal breeding ground for fungi. The most likely culprit for a fungal infection of the navel causing an unpleasant discharge is candida. But other fungi love belly buttons too. Yeast infections can also be the cause. Bacteria, like their other microbial cousins, like dark moist places, and a bacterial infection can also be the cause of a belly button discharge. A fungal infection in or around the belly button will be red and itchy similar to athletes foot. If you scratch it you can crate open wounds, this can be the source of any bleeding. The open sores caused by scratching also afford the opportunity for a secondary bacterial infection, which could account for a yellowish and smelly discharge.

Yep.  I hate it.

I clean it out with a mild soap like Neutrogena on Q-Tips and make sure to dry thoroughly.   Clears up in a couple of days.

could be a yeast infection. see your doctor and get some prescription cream.

Yup.  Mine was caused by yeast - lotrimin creams worked. 

I had panniculectomy yesterday, and this was one of the issues that helped with my insurance approval.  The surgeon gave me a new navel that shouldn't have this problem.  If you could potentially be seeking insurance coverage for this later - then document and/or go to your doctor so you can have a good recorded history of skin issues.

For me, things got worse in the summer, hope you can get it resolved soon.

Laura