DEEP incision with lap RNY??

I had lap rny to minimize healing and scaring. But, to the left of my belly button there is one large incision with deep stitches! My skin is folded over and it looks like i should be able to fit my fist in there!!  I know thats where the surgeon did most of his work so I can accept that it may be a little bigger and more painful than the other incisions but I don't want my stomach to be deformed. I asked the nurse practitioner & the surgeon seperately & they both said once the stitches come out, swelling comes down & time passes it will even out. I just don't know if I believe it! It would feel so much better coming from someone else who has been through it. Did this happen to any of u? How long did it take to return to normal (if it ever did)?

I had Lap RNY also, but I only have small 1/2 inch scars. So I dont know why
yours would be so long.  Keep an eye on it dont let it get infected. I have to
believe that the doctor and nurse are telling you the truth. Nothing can be done
about it now. Heal up and deal with it later. I know your dissapointed.

Sorry

Dani

AUTUMN-if your info here is correct, you just had surgery 4/2. Your body has been thru MAJOR trauma, and the incision sites should still have some pretty major swelling. they may STILL have some swelling/bruising to do, before they heal up. Watch for uber redness/any "heat", and stinky drainage...

As for the particular site you described-yes, that IS the site the surgeon normally does "most" of the work. If you think about the "tools" used to actually DO the surgery, you can imagine how traumatic that could be to the body...

You are ABSOLUTELY right to be concerned, though-it shows you are being your OWN BEST ADVOCATE, and I think that is CRUTIAL, for each of us...

Uhem..now..as for your stomach going to be "deformed"...after you lose wt...and will probably have loose skin...you won't even be able to SEE the spot you are so concerned about now!

I've been a nurse over 30 yrs. I'd be more than happy to look at your wound, if you wanna text me a pic. Message me here and I'll send you my number..

Hang in there!!

Thank u both for your responses. I've been searching these boards for a few hours looking for someone else who had this outcome & so far nothing. I do understand that this particular incision needs to be larger due to the instruments that are being used. However, I don't understand why it would need to be SO much larger that it has left a deep indent. I can see the swelling that you're speaking of & that's completely understandable. I'm going to see if I can get a good picture of it while I'm still in the bed because moving around is uncomfortable right now. I'd like to save that pain for my next walk lol. Again, thank u both for your time.

You'll be fine.   I'm five years out and teach clinical evaluation to medical students....who look at my belly day in and out and most don't even see my scars.  It's easy to fixate on new things...particularly after WLS when your hormones are fluctuating and you can't use old coping mechanisms like eating.......but listen to the doctor and nurse practitioner who evaluated your incisions.  They have experience with all of this.   Keep it clean and dry.  You'll be fine.   : )

OMG you're alive.  Where have you been Missy, we have been worried about you.

Glad to see you back!!!!

I had a deep indent on 2 of my incisions. It went away.

I can't seem to post the pics. I will say that it looks a lot better today then it did when I originally looked at the incision & stitches yesterday. A lot more of it is swelling than I realized. Thank u all for helping me through my first "post-op freak out" lol. I know I have more to come. I've already been worried that I can consume more fluid than expected. But, I am starting to feel pain when I drink too much or too fast. It's a matter of getting used to new body signals & knowing the difference between the pain that is there from the surgery VS. the pain from over doing it.