I tried to search the archives for an answer to this, but was unsuccessful. So, here goes:
I feel like I have another umbilical (or other) hernia. I got one from my second pregnancy in 2004, had it repaired with mesh and then was pregnant again about a year after the repair. I am very short and tend to get very big in the belly area (duh, I know--but I mean HUGE). After I gave birth and shed the additional weight from the pregnancy, I seemed to have a similar "bulge" above my navel. Same symptoms, too--pain, but not unbearable; and bulging but fairly tight when standing, but lax when lying down. I've mentioned this to my primary care physician, but since it wasn't causing too much pain, she said not to worry about it.
Well...I guess I'm vain, because it is a very large bulge and it bothers me and even gets in the way of my daily life. I can't even see my navel! Plus, I'm now suffering from sleep apnea, which might not be a direct rsult, but it seems pretty suspicious to me :\
Any ideas? I'm wondering if I should have my PCP give me a referral so I can have it checked out by a surgeon. Probably my best bet, but I'm nervous that he's just say, "Nope--you're just kind of fat right there--can't do anything about it!" I guess it wouldn't be the end of the world, right?
From all that you describe I think that your suspicion of a hernia recurrence is probably correct. The intense pulling on a mesh patch above the navel from a distended/pregnant belly could have dislodged it or caused it to fail in some other way. Also, there is a connection between sleep apnea and the development of hernias. The stoppage of breathing multiple times a night results in intense diaphragmatic and intraabdominal pressure as one resumes breathing in a very sudden manner. Over time, this stretches the fascia/tissue in the abdominal area and weakens it. You would be well advised to get a referral from your primary MD to see a hernia specialist. Recurrent hernias can be a real challenge and only an experienced expert should be entrusted with this type of repair.
Good luck to you.
Jerry, You all state about sleep disorder ,with hernia, I have been having shortness of breath with fluid retension, doctor knows of this but waiting for red tape and SS. Reading this comment, I can be sitting on couch,or here at computer, and all of a sudden my whole body will go into a quick nerve shake thing. I am breathing at time but when this shake thing happens I all of a sudden go into a deep breath thing, it's wierd. It just happens when ever.
