Freaking out - feeling disfigured

So I got the go ahead earlier this week to remove the bandages over my incisions and just got the nerve to do it tonight. There were 4 spots to peel the coverings off of, I was tentative as this stuff was really sticky, and I'm a pull the band-aid off slowly kind of gal. I finally get them all off, and now I'm freaking out... the doctor sewed my belly button shut! I have no belly button!

I've lots of laps before and a nice little band of extra flesh in my belly button from all the scar tissue and my plan has alway been to one day put a piercing in it. Now... I just don't know what to do... I mean I have no belly button. There is a slight indent where my belly button used to be, but it's sewn shut. I really liked my doctor, the other incisions look great, but I can't get over the fact I've lost my belly button.

Emotionally I've handled this surgery fairly well until now. This has just pushed me over the edge. I don't think this was necessary or par for the course. I can't even put into words how much this is upsetting me. Hubby thinks it looks "fine" and that no one will ever notice as I don't tend to wear a lot of clothing that shows my belly button, but it's my body. This was never mentioned as a possibility. I'm not coping well at all.

WTH? Aw, geez, Tabfs, big (((((HUG))))). I'd be freaking out too, and I'm just saying if this was me, I'd be on the phone with my doc in the a.m. asking WHY that was necessary, and how can it be fixed? I don't wear stomach revealing clothing at all (one son and twin girls=tummy full of stretchmarks) but dang, that'd be too much for me to handle and I'd be having an emotional meltdown. I had the daVinci too, five incisions, the one near my belly button is centered right above it about 2.5 inches. Why in the world did the doc do that to your belly button? These incisions are small enough that it seems to me that there's lots of area to choose from, I know they might need to be in a particular area, but why right THROUGH your bb? I'm so sorry that this happened to you, I feel bad for you and can only imagine what you must be feeling. I'd be so angry too, that to fix it would mean another surgery, even if minor, and dang, it would probably be considered cosmetic too! NO WAY. I'd call my doc up and demand an explanation and what he intends to do to give me back my bb, and that I wasn't paying out of pocket for a 'cosmetic' fix. I just don't know, I'm feeling kind of nutty on your behalf, I can't even say "Maybe you'll come around and accept it", that's so awful, I'd want to kick someone's behind for saying that to me. It's wrong. I think your doc did a bad thing. Again, I feel horrible for you, that's all I can think to say. :-(

My vertical goes right up to my belly button but I had heard they go around it if they have to go higher... I would also want an explanation... I have a big knot at the bottom of mine and I asked the doctor about it.. He said it is a keloid and that it would cost as much to remove it as it did for the hyst.
So I now have a marble size knot by my pubic bone... The new me...

Just an FYI - I watched a daVinci procedure on-line after my hyster. One of the things the dr. doing the surgery said (he was doing it on-line for the benefit of other doctors in training) was that positioning of the various robotic arms is dependent on the length and width of the torso so it varies with each person. I don't know if this might have had something to do with the placement. My top incision is also right above the belly button.

Tabfs, I've got to see my doc who did my hyst today, and I intend to ask him about his knowledge of daVinci's being performed through the belly button, so that basically the end result of one of the incisions being the complete closure of a belly button, what his thoughts are on this and if he has ever seen/heard of it. I don't know what he'll tell me, but I do know this: One of the hypes of the daVinci procedure is that it is minimally invasive and that's supposed to translate into less scarring, among other benefits. I consider the loss of a belly button to be pretty darn scarring. You didn't have a long traditional incision procedure, which I have heard can and sometimes does run through the belly button. Also, the robot assist is always guided by the surgeon and doesn't make it's own decisions about where the cuts are going to go; it may calculate and make recommendations to the surgeon, but ultimately it's your doc who made that cut! I hope I get some news for you, I'll report back later.

Thank you all for your responses. I'm doing slightly better today, but still not happy about it. Seems this really isn't "normal".

Tabfs~
Hi Hun~
I am so so sorry this happened to you. I am sure he will do something to help you. I would be superangry too! You have been thru so much with this!! Please keep us posted on what he says. I am hoping it will a simple fix for you.

I will keep checking on you!

{{{{HUGE HUGS}}}}

Kristy

Hi Tabfs,

I went to see my doc yesterday and while there I asked him about sewing shut someone's belly button, why would that ever happen? He said that he knows that some surgeons do go through the belly button at times, and then he kept asking me if I was sure the belly button was completely sewed shut. I said I thought it was, that it was gone, sewed shut. He said that is not the usual, at most the belly button might be pulled over partially and sewed together, but not sewed shut completely. He said he thought it was important to ask the doctor why he/she had to do that.

Just wanted to pass this along to you. I hope you are doing okay.

((((HUGS))))

Tabfs,

I had LAVH and one of my 4 incisions was done directly through my belly button. Two of my incisions were glued shut and the one on my bikini line and the one in my bbutton were stitched and glued. They removed the bandaids at the hospital the day after my surgery and my belly button was an 'outty' and I wasn't happy about that. However, my swelly belly is gone and my bbutton is looking normal again. It is still 'gluey' inside and I can actually see pieces of stitching sticking out through the glue. Did they by any chance glue and stitch your bbutton? Maybe it's still gluey and once that's gone you will see your original bbutton. I'm so sorry, I'm just trying to think positive for you because I feel bad for your discovery.

Melissa

R you sure its not the crazy glue stuff they use??
mine had tons of it
they started my surgery laparscopic and ended SAH due to and enlarged uterus
and i had tons of glue the stiches seemed so much bigger than once the glue wore off
My belly button still has tons of glue stuff in it
Big Hugs
Have you called him yet?? i havent seen a post that says you did??
I had a scar i was very worried about too It was so indented i called it my quasimodo scar ( it was one off to the left of my belly button)i was so worried it would stay that way but once the stiches disolved it didnt