Fatty ridge above scar

Hello everyone

I wondered if anyone had experienced a fatty ridge about 2 inches above the scar area, around 5 inches long.

I had my TAH over three months ago and it seems to have been there from quite early on. I am overweight and have quite a big belly. It looks just like a ridge of fat or a little shelf has formed where the forceps would have held my stomach insision open for surgery. I do hope it goes away, infact I was worried it could be a hernia.

While I am on here I would really like to thank everyone who posts messages. Without this site I would be a total wreck!! The NHS in the UK just don't have the time to answer all our little worries. I wish everyone a speedy recovery.

Best Wishes

Anne

Hi there,

had the same worries and was told to check out previous postings by writing "shelf" in the search (top right hand section) on the hstersisters web site. You'll find alot of info for this subject. Myself, I call it my mantle! can't wait for it do go away or at least reduce.

I am 4.5 weeks out and my ridge is soooo not sexy - i was hoping that it would just go down - what is it? fat? scar tissue? skin?

I sure do hope it goes away

I've got the "shelf" going on the left side of my incision. Not attractive, but I suppose it's a small price to pay considering how much better I feel since surgery.

The ridge is only on the left side; the right hand side looks great. I, too, was worried about a hernia, but the doc said that in my case, the left side just healed deeper than the right. She said it will likely always be there, but massaging it may help some.

If it bothers you, it wouldn't hurt to ask the doc about it, just to be sure there's nothing to be worried about.

Two years after my surgery, I still have a tiny bit of that scar ridge on the left side of where my incision was. The right side is perfectly flat. The remaining ridge is extremely faint, I have to look very hard to see it. Patience, ladies, these things do mostly fade with time, just not as quickly as we would like.

I have a vertical incision, and a lump of fat about as large as my fist above the incision, When I stand. If this is what you are talking about, I have a feeling that the doctor anchored the top of the incision to something. muscle maybe? I'll have to ask.

I WILL say that it isn't there when I lay down, so I believe the doctor stitched something together, which would be in the right place when I lay, but when I stand the fat above it, falls toward gravity, and is caught o whatever is stitched together.

I to am quite heavy, so I have a lot of fat that shifts depending on how I am sitting or standing. Kitty

Hi Kitty

I am sure mine is fat too as I am overweight, but yours sounds quite large so it may be worth getting it checked out. Of course I have no experience of a vertical scar.

Hi Girls,

I spoke with another ob/gyn she said her opinion that when they did my surgery that they did not pull that fat pad down enough - thus leaving that ridge - I am a thin person so this ridge you can see with my suit skirts and bathing suits. She thought that it won't go back down very much - she suggested talking to a plastics person - just what I need another surgery!

I am going to try to find some either control top panties or some type of compression tape to try to reduce mine til I can see the plastics doc.

Joys of being a sister!

Julie/Michigan
TAH/BSO - endo IV & DPL (type of tumers)

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Piker53 I am going to try to find some either control top panties or some type of compression tape to try to reduce mine til I can see the plastics doc.

Try the Spanx or Assets (made by the same person, Assets are found at Target), they work wonderful and have been good for the swelly belly and tenderness for postop, I bought another two pairs this week, they'll be great when I go back to work.

thank you so much Kellnette - That sounds fabulous

JP