What about your 'core'? After I had stroke it affected all of my balance as well as the core. Do you have problems sitting independently in an upright position?

Yes. I have troubling laying down and walking too. How about you? Also, unable to bend over of lift over 5 pounds - no stairs, exercise, etc.

After almost 4 years everything is pretty good except my posture and when I sit I lean (slump) way over to the right...Did you have any kind of physical therapy???

Only rehab drs don't care after you leave even when ak for help & need it. I see chiropractor 2x a week now.

My boyfriend had his lower stomach muscles removed at 17 and used to fix his ankle that was seriously injured in a car accident. He is a big guy, but his stomach keeps getting bigger and bigger and dropping lower and lower. There is a scar where they operated and the skin goes in (almost looks like someones butt crack, but in the middle of his stomach). We are both trying to lose weight, but in the past 7 years he's put on at least 70 pounds or more (and I have too). I worry greatly about how this will affect him in old age. He can bench press over a few hundred pounds and is extremely strong, but he would die if he had to do a situp, and certain things will drop him in pain from it. Have you found any help yet? He's now 30.

No I have not found help on this matter yet. It's very frustrating.

My right side keeps extending outward too even though I'm not gaining weight - they think it's scar tissue and without abdominal muscles to stop them they keep growing me outward.

I wish you both luck in your weight lose goals. I believe losing some weight should help his condition a bit.

Hi, I recently had my lower ab removed for a surgery, It's very difficult for me to accept that emotionally. It's the only forum I found and speaking is a relief. Have all your abdominal muscles had been removed? I noticed that eating food high in calories make it worse as the section where the ab is removed, stucks out a bit. I haven't found any solution yet but I guess that having a sensible diet low in calories is a big help. I hope that plastic surgery can do something but I have to ask. I'm 25yo, male. (Sorry for the bad english)

Feat, Sorry for the delay on getting back to you! Wow, you are the only person that I know that has had any part of ab removed besides myself. I've been searching for years to find someone who has been through a similar experience. Yes, all my abdominal muscles have been removed. Tell me more about your high vs low calories experience. What foods do you avoid in high calories?

My ab area sticks out a lot!! I've been thinking about a consult with a dr regarding plastic surgery but scared as the reason I ended up like this is due to a doctor's mistake. Why did you lose your lower ab? What does it feel like to you?

When it all happened to me I was 25 years old.8 years ago. Living day to day with this is painful and hard. You have great English. PLEASE WRITE BACK!

I had my abdominal muscles removed in emergency surgery this past April. I had a colostomy 5 years ago and because of serious herniation in my abdomen, they opted to remove all the muscles.. It stinks. I have incredible intestinal pain and have to wear an abdominal wrap to try to hold everything in. Now the md says i need to be off the pain meds because I shouldnt have pain. Its hard to walk, to sit. If i lay on my side, I have to wait for everything to shift back before i sit up.. I cant find any information on this on the net. I dont think they know much about it and if there are mds out there that know, there arent a lot of them. I sympathise with all of you out there.. I know for me, i feel so alone..

I lost my lower ab because I had an accident. My leg was chopped off and large amounts of bone and tissue was missing, so the surgeons immediately needed some muscle to re-attach & save my leg. Foods high in protein help and low in carbs like meat, vegetables, eggs & milk. Avoided fruit, pasta and anything that contains sugar basically. I think it helps a lot. Well, the whole situations sucks really if you are concerned about your "image". I was in a good body shape before and now it feels a bit strange having my ab removed and my leg full of scars and bad shape condition. But I'm thankful for having my leg again and nothing worse happened, there are far more serious situations for many people out there struggling for life, so I try not to think about my condition a lot. All I have to say is "Keep walking..."

After having 16 abdominal surgeries, it has left me with my right side muscle detracted. I have a extended abdomen. It hurts when I bend, sit & even more when I eat of drink too much. My CAT scan shows that my stomach, liver & colon is being pushed through my rib cage. When my colon is full everything is pushing into each other. When I try to bend, my ribs pinch down on whatever is in the way. One of my scars have a red bruise that is appearing. I have gone to Shands hospital & the Mayo Clinic. They both tell me that there is nothing they can do. I have to live with it. I just wanted to share my story with you.

Like you, I've had a hard time finding others who have had their abs removed surgically. Mine were removed a year ago due to an abdominal tumour. I had my outer abdominal wall ined with a new product, Aloderm. Used mostly in dentistry, the surgeon requested an unusually large piece to reinforce my abdomen. It works a lot like traditional mesh but seems to work for those of us who can't tolerate it. I am currently regaining strength and life style. I was a half marathon runner and I am slowly working my way back to that. Currently at 5.5 km. The surgeon has not placed any restrictions on me except what my body simply can't do. Ab work is definitely an issue but most activity, within reason is doable. I have a small distention of my abdomen, but it is easily concealed with appropriate clothing. The emotional side of the story is difficult, as for all of you. But I feel myself lucky to be as well as I am. Keep looking there is help out there. Find a good surgeon and do some research. Best wishes to all of you.

I'm sorry to post on a thread that hasn't been posted on in a while, but everything here seems to hit home with me.

A year ago I was in an accident with a drunk driver and every muscle in my stomach was destroyed in the wreck. The only thing that holds things in place is a single muscle flap and some mesh. It's very difficult to accept how things are always going to look and feel different, but there are a few things that seem to be helping. Most of those things have been mentioned here, having a good low-calorie/fat diet and walking as much as you can within safe limits.

As far as mentally coping goes, this is a much trickier issue to tackle. I've never been one to speak about my problems with others, but it is a solution that works for some people. Personally, acknowledging that something serious has happened and that you are surviving it can give you the strength to cope. Try viewing what you have as something unique and the more you involve yourself in with normal activities and overcome those things, well, it is just all the more respectable and great.

I don't know if any of this was helpful, but it's my two cents. :-)

Thanks! Every few cents helps doesn't it! Walking has been good to me as well. It not only gives me some sense of control over my physicality but emotionally it helps put things in perspective. It allows me to focus on what is really important in life and the fact that I am still here is a big one.

I am currently building up the courage to return to work. I've been off for two years in recovery. I need to return to work to return to those normal activities you talked about. But it sure is scary after all this time.

I'm a 36 yr old female. I have 5 children and have had 5 surgeries. Due to the pregnancies and surgeries all my abdominal muscles have been riped to pieces. I've been told I basically have no abdominal muscles and reconstruction would be almost pointless, not to mention very expensive because insurances will not pay for it, as they feel its cosmetic.

My stomach always hurts. I don't know what life without pain is any more and I refuse to constantly pop pills because I have kids to take care of, so I suffer through it. I can say this, fatty foods will hurt you. I have to eat as if i had the gastric by-pass surgery (I did not have that surgery). This is because this diet has a person eating very little through out the day instead of eating larger meals. Its not an easy diet to follow, but it is a pain-free one. If anyone wants to try it just research "Gastric by-pass surgery diet", follow that with variations because obviously if we didn't actually have that surgery we aren't going to entirely live as if we did.

Next thing is walking. I hate walking because I'm always in pain, and being on my feet makes it worse, but if you can manage to walk around the same time every day you will help your bowels, which helps move food along quicker instead of food staying in the bowel creating painful gas that encourages bloating. Walking is so important.

I did end up having surgery. The same as a person would for a hernia repair. They put a HUGE net in my diaphragm to prevent my intestines and origins from protruding too far outward. This surgery has its own issues, but does help keep things pushed back. I would only recommend this surgery to those that can not live in their current situation.

Like many of you I have tried to find support groups and information for this as well and spent many years researching the topic and ways to feel better. The best thing for this is proper diet and whatever exercise we can tolerate. It's a long and seemingly lonely road.