Janet: there are probably a couple of reasons for protruding bellies, most of which are "normal". Just want to throw in my 2 cents. About 2.5 months after my surgery, I had a very strong burning sensation on my left lower abdomen. That lasted about 2 weeks, then I started to have stabbing pains with the burning pains. I looked down at my abdomen and noticed that my belly button was sort of on my right side of my abdomen and that my left side was protruding a little bit. Seemed strange and then my husband and I were on vacation in bed at night and I was laying on my back and I laughed. My left side of my abdomen ballooned up! Then, I realized that the burning and pains that I had for the past weeks were the opening of my ALIF scar and that I had an incisional hernia. I saw a general surgeon who did an office ultrasound and said the the entire 8 inches of my ALIF scar under the skin layer had opened. Bummer! I will probably have it repaired next late February or March.
Did you have an ALIF with your surgery? If so, lie on your back, take a deep breath and bear down like you might do with a bowel movement and see if the left side balloons up.
Susan.....and her menopausal pregnancy
Last edited by susancook; 11-05-2013 at 10:59 AM.
Reason: Never seem to get it right the first time....
Adult Onset Degenerative Scoliosis @65, 25* T & 36* L w/ 11.2 cm coronal balance; T kyphosis 90*; Severe disc degen T & L stenosis
2013: T3- S1 Fusion w/ ALIF L4-S1/XLIF L2-4, PSF T4-S1 2 surgeries
2014: Hernia @ ALIF repaired; Emergency screw removal Spinal Cord Injury T4,5 sec to PJK
2015: Revision Broken Bil T & L rods and no fusion: 2 revision surgeries; hardware P. Acnes infection
2016: Ant/Lat Lumbar diskectomy w/ 4 cages + BMP + harvested bone
2018: Removal L4,5 screw