Vert. vs. Horiz. incision - who gets swelly belly?

HI Ladies
Here's the question. . . there are a lot of us talking about "swelly belly" after an abdominal hyst. This morning I was just wondering about the whole deal, and how I always assumed that you HAD to get a "bikini cut" so that the scar faded quickly or else wasn't as noticeable, being that close to our pubic hair. Now it seems that I have this lovely little "shelf" bulging over the scar, and many of you have said that it never goes away! But, last year the secretary at my school had her TAH and the Dr. did a vertical incision. I thought that sounded awful, but I remember she came back to work wearing a tight little denim skirt. . .(I go back to teach on the 20th and the thought of anything tight still makes me cringe!)
So. . . I would like to hear from the vertical incision ladies as to WHY their Dr's did the incision this way, and IF they have swelly belly as well. . . .
Thanks!

I had a vertical incision because I have had 3 previous c-sections, so the scar was there already. I call it the zipper! I was lucky not to have a swelly belly (yet!)and I don't know if that is because it is vertical. I actually had more of a belly before surgery because I had a fooball sized fibroid. I am 3 weeks post op.

i had vertical due too grafefruit size fibriods and yes it looked likea huge zipper have still got abit of swell belly im 5 weeks its about 7inchs long not that pretty hoping looks better in time im 49 but if i was abit younger i would not have been too happy in swimwear i dont know if there is a different in recovery with this surgery

I had the bikini incision and my 'shelf' has all but disappeared! I have very little swelling now and I only notice that later in the evening when it's time for pj's to come out anyway. Give yourself time to mend. Some of us are more prone to swelling and others not.

Mar

Swelly belly is caused by inflammation.....or bloating.....of all the tissues/bowels after major abdominal surgery. The type of incision should have no effect on this.

I had a "bikini cut" for my hyst. Had a bad case of swelly belly, especially because I was packed with bigger and more fibroids than my surgeon had anticipated, and he had to stretch me open wide and dig around a lot in there. My surgery lasted longer than planned, as well.

My swelly belly is long gone. To this day,however, I have an overhang....or, shelf.....above my incision. It is extra skin that was once pulled tight from my fibroid swollen abdomen. After 2 years, the indentation of the incision is not quite as harsh, making the little shelf less noticeable.

It bothered me, at first. But, now I look at it with pride.......It is my badge of courage, so to speak.

.....................................s....Deb

I had a vertical incison due to a very large uterus due to fibroids.

I had minimal pain after surgery and took only Motrin for pain after the PCA pump was d/c'ed the morning after surgery. Never took a single Darvoct for pain that was prescribed for me after I came home.

I still get swelly belly that is worse by the end of the day.

I will be 6 months out on the 19th and still have a very tender spot to the left of my incison that I will see my Dr. about on Tuesday.

to all of you.

I had a vertical incission for a emergency csection. I also had a csection with the bikini incission 2 1/2 yrs later. I had previous Laprascopic surgeries where they just added to the end of my bikini csection scar. My LSO went right over it and then some. My preference is the bikini cut. I was only 19 when I had the vertical incission and my stomach was never the same. They have to cut thru all your abdominal muscles unlike with the bikini cut that is made below them pretty much. Not only that but my vertical incission ended up draining on its own so not it looks as if I have 2 belly buttons.