hernia repair scheduled

My hernia repair is scheduled for Tuesday, May 27th at 10:45am (Dr. Rita is doing the repair).  I'm still disappointed that I can't combine it with a panni removal, but I will be glad to get rid of this large "alien" that keeps popping up out of my belly (and be able to put some of the exercises back into my routine again that I have not been able to do the past few months).  Plus, I will be able to probably drop down one pants/skirt size without the hernia pushing my waist out! Hopefully, since I will be in "Onederland" by then (if this stinking 3-week stall ever breaks... I only have 5 pounds to go!), the recovery will be easier than from the open RNY and from my hysterectomy (also done while I was heavy... just not as heavy as for the RNY!)  I can;t even remember the last time I weight one-hundred-and... something. Lora

Wishing you lots of luck and speedy recovery Lora. I also have an alien baby syndrome...lovely huh? geesh. Fix one thing and along comes the bulge from he#).... Take good care of u and will be looking to hear from you soon!!! Carmen

Good luck Lora! I hope all goes well with your repair.  I too have an alien, but mine is at my midriff area left over from my lap gallbladder removal 10 years ago.  My RNY surgeon repaired it from the inside, but it broke through a few months after the repair and is bigger than ever now.  Before my RNY, he said it might not last because they use a mesh when done externally.  So now I have to plan to have it fixed when I am down to a more normal weight.  In the meantime, it is hanging out.  I am thinking about some kind of support for it so it doesn't look so gross!

I have an alien as well!  Jeez, did we all get abducted the same night?  I look like I'm about 4 1/2 months pregnant.  My sister didn't know I had a hernia until I showed her and she said wow I just thought you weren't loosing any  weight. I have to get mine repaired as well but Doc wants me to loose a little bit more so it doesn't come back.  Did you get one on the surgery site? Let me know, I'm scared it's gonna hurt; but my hernia actually hurts.  My tummy hurts a lot because of it. What's onederland?

Onderland is when you weigh in the 100's!! No more 200's!! I can not wait till I am to that point!!! Ciero I am glad you have it cheduled. I am sorry they will not combine them for you! That sucks!

Yeah, my hernia runs the entire length of the RNY incision and a little bit below it.  I knew that a hernia was more likely with open sugery, but, you know, you hope for the best... From what I have read, some people say the hernia repair is very painful and others say it isn't too bad.  I guess it depends on the indiviudal, the size of the hernia, and what they do to fix it. Both my surgeon and I had hoped to wait until early August to fix it (my RNY was at the very end of August last year, so I would be not quite a year out), but it is causing some discomfort and some physical limitations (and I have job-ending and insurance-ending issues to consider), so it's best for it to come out in May. Good luck with yours. Lora

To all with the alien syndrome...... I just had my hernia repaired last Thursday 4-17-08. I too was frustrated because even though I had dropped the weight I wanted to lose my profile didn't look it. my mid section kind of looked like a football. When they went in to repair my trocar hernia and close my Petersen gap they found 2 more hernias. One tiny one by my navel and a "large" one near an old C-section scar from before Gastric Bypass. As far as pain goes I would say compared to RNY recovery it's not as bad because I dont have that nausea but my stomach feels constantly sore.  I don't know how long it will take for the swelling to go down but I am hopeful that it will make a difference in how my mid section looks in the long run.  I hope this information was helpful. Good luck to you Lora and any others out there looking at having the alien extracted lol. 

What's going to be fun is staying overnight in the bariatric ward again in Kettering hospital.  I felt like Edith Ann sitting in the chairs.  It really said a lot about how far I'd come since the last time I was grateful that they made chairs that big.

Edith Ann... LOL.  (We're both showing our age, you know!) I wondered if that's the unit I would spend the night on.  I had forgotten about the oversized chairs... and beds!  Yeah, it will be a very different experience being there at 100-something (3 pounds to go!!!!) than at over 300! Just curious... did you have the same kind of abdominal swelling with the hernai reapir as with the original bypass? Lora

Not as bad, but I did have some swelling.  I wore my jammie pants home and for the next week.  After about 10 days, most of the swelling was down, at least enough to wear my work clothes again. One thing though.  They had me ordered to be on liquids only at first.  As soon as you realize that the liquids aren't making you nauseous, insist on real food.  It was 8pm and I was STARVING.  I had them scrounging the kitchen for food for me, and I was really wanting some good quality food.  You're only there for pain control, and by the next day it's pretty manageable.  Just beware of Toradol.  It's an NSAID, and they had it in my IV and it controlled the pain without leaving me loopy.  Me not having a pouch, asked if I could have it instead of vicodin when I got home (thinking ahead to avoid constipation).  I took it at  home and it was like speed to me.  My husband and son kept chasing me back to the couch.  I was very antsy with my boredom.