Question: I have a bulge on the right side of my stomach just to the right of my belly button. I told my doctor, but he doesn't seem to be bothered as much as I am. My hands are swollen, and that doesn't concern him either. Also, I have gained from 133 to 151 pounds in two years, which is highly unusual for me.
I think it may be time to switch doctors. I only started going to him last June, mainly for a pap smear and a blood test to check on my lupus.
Dr. Hibberd's Answer:
I agree with you. If your doctor didn't understand how important the hernia of your abdominal wall was to you, it is time to find someone who understands how much a nuisance they can be. The correction is surgical, so obtain a referral to a surgeon for evaluation not only for repair, but also to be sure nothing else is there such as a lipoma (fat tumor) that also is easy to remove.
The swelling of your hands with a history of lupus suggests to me that a rheumatology consultation may also be in order. First, though, you may want to select a new primary physician since that may save you a visit to a rheumatologist.