I also had a foot of my colon removed in January due to having stage 1 cecum cancer. I wonder if some of that is scare tissue? I noticed my right ride is tad bigger than my left side. I was always super thin. But since my surgergy I gained about 10 pounds. My stomach is no longer flat .. I think some of that has to do with my body adjusting to the new and improved plumbing systems. It has been 8 months since my surgery, for four of those months I couldn't do a thing. So I gained weight.
Then I started very slowly to exercise again. And I feel a great deal of pulling on my right side. My surgeon says that is scar tissue. Plus I been babying my stomach. Which doesn't help it at all. I noticed I seem to retain extra water too. Exercising seems to help. I started swimming and doing exercises in a pool. That seems to help a great deal. Not sure if you have access to a pool? But try exercising in a pool. It has helped a lot to getting over babying of that area.
I had a tumor removed from the colon in July 2018, I now have the beer belly and the bulge on the right side of my mid-section Can you please tell me what exercises to do? I need help with this.
Hi! I had 3 surgeries this year, one to remove a tumor from my ileon and colon, one to have an ileostomy and one to reverse it. My belly suffered a great deal of scaring and healing. This holiday season I gained weight, but the form of my belly is strange, I look like I'm pregnant with a lower belly. If I touch it, it feels stiff in some areas and soft on others. Is this normal? If I lose weight and exercise will it have a more normal shape? should I worry about the stiff areas? thanks for your input!
@calite Welcome to connect.. I had 2 surgeries 3 yrs apart and i also have a lower belly. I never had. i used to be like a toothpick. I think some of mine now has been over protecting area and not using the muscles like I used too. Plus I gained weight too. I do not do a few hundred sit ups a week like I did prior either. So that has something to do with it too.
Now, Have you asked your Dr about stiff and soft areas? It could be some scar tissue you are feeling too.
I wish you the Best
Jackie
Hi! I had 3 surgeries this year, one to remove a tumor from my ileon and colon, one to have an ileostomy and one to reverse it. My belly suffered a great deal of scaring and healing. This holiday season I gained weight, but the form of my belly is strange, I look like I'm pregnant with a lower belly. If I touch it, it feels stiff in some areas and soft on others. Is this normal? If I lose weight and exercise will it have a more normal shape? should I worry about the stiff areas? thanks for your input!
Calite, how long ago were your surgeries? Have you talked with your surgical team about what to expect and recommended exercises or physical activities?
Hi! I had 3 surgeries this year, one to remove a tumor from my ileon and colon, one to have an ileostomy and one to reverse it. My belly suffered a great deal of scaring and healing. This holiday season I gained weight, but the form of my belly is strange, I look like I'm pregnant with a lower belly. If I touch it, it feels stiff in some areas and soft on others. Is this normal? If I lose weight and exercise will it have a more normal shape? should I worry about the stiff areas? thanks for your input!
@alamicday Welcome to connect. And to answer your question. My tummy after I had a foot of my colon removed is a bit bigger than before. It has been almost 3 yrs now since my surgery. Between gaining 15 pds and the loss of my muscle tone in that area, I have a small belly. Tomorrow starts another diet...Hoping in a few weeks i see a difference?
As long as you have no pain or strange feelings I think it is a bit normal. Others have posted about this before. But do check with your Dr just make sure it is not anything else?
Wishing you the best..
Jackie
I had the right side of my colon removed in February of this year. My stomach just seems to be getting bigger and shaped like an egg (as I call it). It looks like I’m pregnant. I am over weighted but this doesn’t look normal?
Welcome to Connect, @alamicday. I'm afraid there doesn't appear to be a definitive answer to this question. Have you spoken to you surgeon about your concerns? If something doesn't seem right, I encourage you to ask questions.
I had the right side of my colon removed in February of this year. My stomach just seems to be getting bigger and shaped like an egg (as I call it). It looks like I’m pregnant. I am over weighted but this doesn’t look normal?
Welcome to Connect, @nannytart.
There are a number of reasons that someone will experience abdominal swelling after surgery. Here are some explanations http://www.healthguideinfo.com/digestive-disorders/p118708/. But it has been 9 months since your surgery. Has you belly looked like this since surgery? Have you talked to your doctor about it?
Hi @maroney, welcome to Connect. While I'm sure it feels like a long time, four months may not be long time for such major surgery, especially since it is your second surgery. What did you surgeon or symptom nurse manager tell you to expect with regards to swelling and recovery?
Did the swelling eventually go down after your first surgery? Do you have a colostomy?
Welcome to Connect, @nannytart.
There are a number of reasons that someone will experience abdominal swelling after surgery. Here are some explanations http://www.healthguideinfo.com/digestive-disorders/p118708/. But it has been 9 months since your surgery. Has you belly looked like this since surgery? Have you talked to your doctor about it?
Welcome to Connect, @nannytart.
There are a number of reasons that someone will experience abdominal swelling after surgery. Here are some explanations http://www.healthguideinfo.com/digestive-disorders/p118708/. But it has been 9 months since your surgery. Has you belly looked like this since surgery? Have you talked to your doctor about it?
I had rt & lt hemicolectomy 6months apart. it's now 4 months after left removal, and my belly is bigger thanbefore. clothes don't fit, fell "full", fell miserable most of time. will it ever go down?? I have trapped gas, can not move it!
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I had a tumor removed from the colon in July 2018, I now have the beer belly and the bulge on the right side of my mid-section Can you please tell me what exercises to do? I need help with this.
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3 Reactions@calite Welcome to connect.. I had 2 surgeries 3 yrs apart and i also have a lower belly. I never had. i used to be like a toothpick. I think some of mine now has been over protecting area and not using the muscles like I used too. Plus I gained weight too. I do not do a few hundred sit ups a week like I did prior either. So that has something to do with it too.
Now, Have you asked your Dr about stiff and soft areas? It could be some scar tissue you are feeling too.
I wish you the Best
Jackie
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2 ReactionsHi @calite, You'll notice that I moved your message about surgery scarring and belly shape post colorectal cancer surgery to this existing discussion:
- Stomach like a beer belly after colon cancer surgery https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/colon-cancer-22c04d/
I did this so you can meet @nannytart @travelgirl @starrlight @maroney @alamicday and others talking about post surgical effects.
Calite, how long ago were your surgeries? Have you talked with your surgical team about what to expect and recommended exercises or physical activities?
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3 ReactionsHi! I had 3 surgeries this year, one to remove a tumor from my ileon and colon, one to have an ileostomy and one to reverse it. My belly suffered a great deal of scaring and healing. This holiday season I gained weight, but the form of my belly is strange, I look like I'm pregnant with a lower belly. If I touch it, it feels stiff in some areas and soft on others. Is this normal? If I lose weight and exercise will it have a more normal shape? should I worry about the stiff areas? thanks for your input!
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3 Reactions@alamicday Welcome to connect. And to answer your question. My tummy after I had a foot of my colon removed is a bit bigger than before. It has been almost 3 yrs now since my surgery. Between gaining 15 pds and the loss of my muscle tone in that area, I have a small belly. Tomorrow starts another diet...Hoping in a few weeks i see a difference?
As long as you have no pain or strange feelings I think it is a bit normal. Others have posted about this before. But do check with your Dr just make sure it is not anything else?
Wishing you the best..
Jackie
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3 ReactionsWelcome to Connect, @alamicday. I'm afraid there doesn't appear to be a definitive answer to this question. Have you spoken to you surgeon about your concerns? If something doesn't seem right, I encourage you to ask questions.
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2 ReactionsI had the right side of my colon removed in February of this year. My stomach just seems to be getting bigger and shaped like an egg (as I call it). It looks like I’m pregnant. I am over weighted but this doesn’t look normal?
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1 ReactionHi @maroney, welcome to Connect. While I'm sure it feels like a long time, four months may not be long time for such major surgery, especially since it is your second surgery. What did you surgeon or symptom nurse manager tell you to expect with regards to swelling and recovery?
Did the swelling eventually go down after your first surgery? Do you have a colostomy?
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1 ReactionI feel the same way! cannot wait for a reply from someone.
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1 ReactionI had rt & lt hemicolectomy 6months apart. it's now 4 months after left removal, and my belly is bigger thanbefore. clothes don't fit, fell "full", fell miserable most of time. will it ever go down?? I have trapped gas, can not move it!
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Hug
2 Reactions