Abdomen Questions and Answers

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Question:

I had Lap RNY gastric bypass surgery 6/24/01. I am loosing weight at a steady gradual pace. I already have redundant skin from past dieting. I have hanging skin on my breasts,abdomen,upper arms and upper legs. When I attain my weight loss goal, I wish to speak with and meet a board certified plastic surgeon who will evaluate me and remove the redundant skin on my ever shrinking body. I am a registered nurse and I fully understand the risks involved. I desire a surgeon who will work with me to achieve a "normal" physical appearance. Thank you, Susan M. Stitt RN

Answer 1:

Dear Susan, It is important that you see a plastic surgeon who has quite a bit of experience with body lifts, as it is not the same as a tummy tuck, for example. Please let me know if you need further assistance Josh Korman, M.D. wwwkormanmd.com

Josh Korman, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Mountain View, CA

Answer 2:

I appreciate your concern. Any sort of body lifting procedure that you are considering should not be attempted until you have reached a "steady state". It may take you up to 6 months to a year for that to occur.

Question:

I am 21 and have always had normal cycles. on6/14/00 I had my normal cycle. On 6/25/00 I started to bleed again. The bleeding started light brown then bright red. It lasted 5 days. Could this have been a period? I am on no meds. Strong pains located in lower right abdomen through all bleeding. TTC for 5 months. m/c 12/01

Answer:

TTC? m/c? I don't know what you mean by this. You need to have a pregnancy test ASAP. If you are not pregnant, it is likely a hormonal issue.

Question:

I didn't see a Dermatology Specialty as an option when I submitted my question, so I picked the one that I thought was closest to it. My name is Cherice, and I am 26 years old. I figured you probably have dealt with women,especially new mothers, who want to get rid of their stretch marks after child birth. I recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl one month and a half ago,and I have looked profusely on the internet for answers to this problem. I have stretch marks on my stomach, buttocks and knees, and I want very badly for them to be gone forever. I can't stand another summer to pass me by unfulfilled because I am too embarassed to wear a swim suit to the beach or pool. They make me feel ashamed when I have sex with my husband of two years. I ordered an expensive product online that was guaranteed to work or they would refund my money. Needless to say, I'm expecting my money back pretty soon. I've also tried a cheaper, over the counter method--cocoa butter. I heard that it blends all unattractive marks and blemishes. I used it throughout the entirety of my pregnancy, but still received the stretch marks. A friend of mine told me that stretch marks are permanent, but I refuse to believe that. I know there has got to be something or some way to solve this problem suffered by so many people. Please help me. I am desperate for solutions, because I've run out of options.

Answer:

The basic problem with stretch marks is that represent permanent scarring of the dermis ( the deep layer of your skin). As with any deep scar, there is no magic cure except for cutting out the stretch marks, which is sometimes practical for the ones on your abdomen ( called atummy tuck); but for the rest, it is impractical.

Josh Korman, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Mountain View, CA

Question:

i would like to know about reducing the size of your stomach. not removing fat.but cutting away part of the stomach.

Answer:

Dear Ann, I take it that you mean stomach "stapling" for weight reduction in which case the above answer is correct. If you mean removing extra skin and fat from your abdomen, you need to visit with a plastic surgeon and obtain information on a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

I am a 30 year old women who has had two children. I used to weigh 252 pounds and I am now down to 170. The problem is all the SKIN. My abdomen, inner thigh, under arms just hang and jiggle. I went to a gym and my out thighs, calves, and arms(except for my "bat wings") are solid muscle. I have tried to loose more weight but I think I am at my low point, I cannot seem to loose anymore no matter what I do. My question to you is to know if there is anywhere like Medical schools where MD are training in PS to get the procedures I want done at a lower cost. I live in the Boston area, but I cannot afford to have all of my problems "fixed". Someone said that the schools with Dr's in training are cheaper, but I cannot seem to find anywhere....Could you help me. Let me know, thanks in advance for any help.

Answer:

Dear AnnMarie, Most major univerisities have plastic surgery training programs. There is a large one at Harvard (Brigham and Women's). The problem is that even in training hospitals, these type of procedures are not covered by insurance and the costs are high in the operating rooms in major hospitals. It may be less expensive for you to find a private plastic surgeon who has his own operating room and can help with your various procedures. Congratulations on the weight loss by the way.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

I am a 31 year old woman in good health, but have had lifetime struggles with my weight(except after a Gall Bladder Laporoscopic surgery/ The gall bladder problem was not a weight issue but was born with abnormal shape/ No changes in diet were made/After pregnancy, gained all weight back.) My eating habits and activity levels are good. The biggest problem with my body is an extremely protruding belly(I look 5 months pregnant). I have been considering a Deep Tummy Tuck. Recently, I had a minor physical for work. The Dr. asked if I had ever been diagnosed with a hernia. I have not, but, about twice a month, I do get a sharp pain in my lower abdomen, lasting about 20 seconds. Could this be a hernia and, if so, would a deep tummy tuck help or even take with this problem? What, exactly, is a hernia? Any help with these questions would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.

Answer:

Dear C.C., A hernia is a loss of the ability of the abdominal wall to hold back the contents of the abdomen through an actual hole in a structure. They commonly occur at the weakest areas but, in your case, can occur on the front of the abdomen. Hernias and weak areas that have spread with time (diastasis) can be readily repaired at the time of tummy tuck procedures, especially those planned to involve the deep muscle work that you mention. It is important for your surgeon to appreciate an actual hernia before the procedure so that, if necessary, he/she has the correct type of material present to fix it if it is very large.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

Hello, I am a 34years old female. I would like to do plastic surgery or liposuction. I do not know the difference of this. Kindly explain this. How much the cost take this surgery. I want to do hip & stomach portion. thanks.

Answer:

Dear Meena, Liposuction is a type of plastic surgery. I think that what you are asking is if you need liposuction or a tummy tuck. The factors which enter into that decision are the amount of fat present, the condition of your skin and the condition of the muscle supporting the abdomen. You should visit with a plastic surgeon in order to determine if liposuction is a good procedure for you or if you need the more extensive surgery. Liposuction costs about $2000 per paired area of the body (like the outer thighs) and a tummy tuck can cost from $4000 to $8000 depending upon what is required to be performed.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

I am a 36 year old mother of two and am currently attending college. The birth of my second child has distorted my lower abdomen with stretch marks and a huge excess of skin. I have no elasticity in that area. I have been told that my muscles were seperated and no amount of stomach exercises will help that lower area. I am an avid dancer and fanatical about exercise and it has made no difference! From what I understand I would be a good candidate for a tummy tuck and liposuction. There is however a problem of finances. My credit is bad and I am a full time student who gets by on financial aid and student loans. How can I get financing with no permanent job? I don't know where to turn. This has ruined my life, I don't let my partner see me unclothed and I can never show my stomach. Is there SOME type of system where plastic surgeons take on cases for free? I know doctors are affiliated with certain programs or teaching facilities do certain medical procedures at no cost. I don't know what to do. I will never have another child again and I dread living the rest of my life like this. Can tou please help me?

Answer:

Dear Suzanne, Many of us perform a great many procedures for free or for minimal charge, however, your problem is cosmetic, no matter how severely it affects your everyday life. You will have to work through a financing company and try to get the funds in that way. There are no surgeons who will perform cosmetic procedures for free.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

I have always had prolonged menstual bleeding. Over the past year, I have had pap smears continually come back showing atypical cells. Finally, the last two came back normal. At the same time, my OB-GYN expressed concern about my periods lasting 8-12 days each month. This was nothing new to me since my teenage years. (I am now in my late 20's.) My OB-GYN did two vaginal ultrasounds in Oct. and Nov. of last year. He did not find anything abnormal except that it appeared that I only have one ovary (right side). But, since I carried my 2-year-old son to term, he did not feel this was a problem. In January, He went ahead and did a D&C and hysteroscopy just to be sure that there were no uterine problems causing the bleeding, and no problems showed up except that my uterus seems to have a mixture of cells (like a tree that has both buds and dead leaves at the same time). Since December, however, I have been having nausea, bloating, pelvic pressure, and gas almost all the time. Usually this is all worse the week before, during, and after my period. Also, I have a small knot in the lower right half of my abdomen that swells and becomes very sore the week of and after my period. My OB-GYN said it was a lymph node, but my internist does not believe this. My internist has scheduled another vaginal ultrasound for next month. I am worried that I may have some type of female or other disorder that may not be detectable through the tests I have undergone. What types of disorders/problems could this be? Thanks for your time. Callie

Answer:

It sounds like all the right things have been done to this point. I would also recommend either a repeat pelvic sonogram of the pelvis to detect adnexal/ovarian masses and definitively locate the one ovary not seen. It would be difficult to come to a conclusion until this information is available. Good luck

Question:

I recently underwent abdominal surgery, because I was having intense lower abdominal pain. It was first suspected to be appendicitis, but once the surgeon actually got in, he said it was a hemorrhagic ovarian cyst that had ruptured, leaving a pocket of blood in my abdomen. He suctioned that out, and also took out my appendix. I'm 15 years old, and this was my first problem of this sort. I'm wondering if I will be prone to these cysts. Will they be a recurring thing? What can be done to prevent them? Should I know anything else about them? Any answer would be appreciated.

Answer:

It probably won't occur again. If it does, they will be able to observe you as the appendix no longer is present.

Question:

I found out that I don't have gardnerella anymore, but I now have a yeast infection. I am a week late for my period, and I was wondering if this yeast infection could cause me to miss my period. Also, a couple of months ago, I was diagnosed with normal follicle ovarian cysts, which were present during and 2 weeks after my periods. I have been having pain in my abdomen for about a week and a half now, and I'm scheduled to get a transvag done on the 23rd. I was also wondering if the presence of cysts could cause me to miss my period. Please respond as soon as you can. Thank-You, Jennifer Wilson

Answer:

Certain types of cysts can cause missed periods. You need a blood pregnancy test and and examination by a gynecologist.

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