Question:
I'm so pissed! 7 mos post op and now I have a hernia!
It is the size of a softball and at the top of my belly to the left of the incision.I really dont want to go through surgery again. Do you have to get all the same tests done? The ABG, and all that pulmonary testing , beforehand?What kind of "mesh" do they use? I have lost 70 lbs so far and am 30 lbs from goal.Although I would like a TT at the same time, I'm not sure insurance will cover it since the "draping" of skin is not that bad.How bad does it have to be, do you think?If there were an additional "bonus" like that to the hernia surgery,I wouldn't mind so much. — Stephanie H. (posted on August 18, 2002)
August 18, 2002
First of all...congrats on the awesome weight loss :)) Although I don't
have an answer to your question because I am pre-op I just wanted to say
that I too have a hernia like yours and it was caused from the birth of my
huge babies lol. Anyway I've been told by my surgeon that the hernia will
help me get insurance coverage for the TT after my loss if I wait to have
it repaired. Hope that helps a little. Take care hun and be well :))
— Suzanne F.
August 18, 2002
I too have a herina-Iam 6 months post-op and I am down 140 pounds. I too am
upset,because all the weight I have lost and now I have that sticking out
from my belly(my is almost the same place as yours) But my Doctor will not
even consider doing anything untill I'm close or at goal. So I guess I have
to quit worrying about it. As you said it may help us to get insurance to
pay for it and a TT at the same time-we can only hope !!!!!! Good Luck.
— gary B.
August 18, 2002
I don't understand why you are upset by this. Hernias are a known side
effect. Move on and accept all the new changes you have and remember you
can't get something for nothing. Thank God there is a surgery that can fix
this problem, you could have had a far worse complication.
— ladynpeaches
August 18, 2002
I wouldn't be pissed if I were you....this gives you the opportunity to get
at least a panni on the insurance company...They usually do a scar revision
with hernias and are much more likely to approve a panni or
abdomniplasty...If they don't approve both, you can do a piggy back, pay
the difference and save a lot of money on the hospital...etc.
— Laurie V.
August 18, 2002
Please note! Hernias occur to 30% of OPENS, almost never in LAPS. If your
pre op this can be a good thibng to consider....
— bob-haller
August 19, 2002
Hello, I just had a Panni and hernia repair on July 30th. My hernia was
about the size of a softball and on the upper part of my incision. My skin
didn't hang down too bad. I had no infections or rashes documented either.
My plastic surgeons office sent in a letter of medical necessity and the
insurance company approved (probably because of the hernia)Go to a
qualified Plastic surgeon and have him or her write a letter to your ins.
company. Good luck.
— Dawn H.
August 19, 2002
In response to Bob's note to Pre-Ops in this thread: Yes, hernias are more
common with open than lap, though they don't happen most of the time (sorry
that Stephanie got unlucky!). But lap is not without its own peculiar
complications, too. Get educated on the types of complications for both
procedures, and don't make the decision on "lap versus open"
based just on hernia stats (or scar sizes -- one longer with open, several
small with lap). Generally, a hernia is one of the least serious
complications you can have with this surgery, even though we'd all rather
skip it. Personally, I had a doc who only does open, and who candidly
admitted he does open exclusively because he found that lap takes longer
and produced more serious complications (for him). I liked him, but was
going to shop for docs further for more opinions until I saw on Discovery
Channel how lap is performed. I wanted no part of getting poked blindly
like that with long instruments (just my personal phobia ... I know they
"see" with their high-tech stuff, but it bugged me that I
couldn't see what they were doing as clearly as you can with open. As IF
I'd be doing the procedure, lol!) Pre-Op's, just pick an experienced
bariatric surgeon who feels very confident in whatever procedure he or she
likes to use and has used a *lot*.
— Suzy C.
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