bump in my belly button

[Unregistered]

I have a large round bump in my belly button. It started as a hardness in the upper ring of my belly button, then started to form a round marble size bump in my belly button from the inside upper wall. It is slightly red and warmer than the rest of my tummy. It also has a slightly burning itchy pain and hurts when I bend over or sit down putting any pressure on it. I had a c-section about 3 weeks ago and have not done anything physically strenuous. I went to my ob-gyn, he pushed around on my belly and said he didn't think it was a hernia but said he didn't know what it was. He suggested putting hydrocortisone cream on it. Well, it doesn't help. I think it might be an abscess or cyst but I don't really know. But I still think its possible for it to be a hernia.
My question is has anyone had the same thing? If so what was it? I plan on going to a regular doctor about it and any extra info I can get would be helpful. Thanks

[Shula]

It could be a hernia. It could also be an infection. It could also be both (an infected herniated bit.)

Anything that turns red, painful, and warm, especially after giving birth, needs to be figured out.

My sister-in-law almost died from an infection after giving birth...it was a staph infection, and it got into her lung. She has an 8 inch scar where they opened her up to scrape all the infection and dying tissue out of her lung!

So while I hope whatever you have is minor (it probably is) don't leave it alone if it is getting worse, or not getting better. And if you start running a fever, don't wait for anything, go to the hospital. (I'm probably a bit over-concerned on this thing, but I almost lost my SIL over something like this, so I know how bad these kinds of "little things" can become.)

Write back with an update.

Shula

[Unregistered]

Well, I have an update. I was going to wait till today to see a doctor but I went in yesterday on mothers day to the immediate care place. I decided to go in because a liquid pocket formed over the now marble sized ball in my belly button. It was a yellowish color also.
Turns out I have a mysterious infection. The doctor I saw said he's never seen something like that before. He probed it and it popped so he took a culture to find out what exactly it is. I'll probably find out in a few days. But he gave me a shot of antibiotic in my rear and prescribed some antibiotic pills.
So if you get anything like this be sure to see a doctor.
The doctor said he didn't think it was associated with the c-section. Still have no clue were it came from though. My husband found a forum where some people had the same thing happen so I'm not alone. Funny thing is they all had c-sections also ranging from a few weeks before hand to a few years. Weird isn't it.

[mj999]

Hey did anything else come of this? did the doctors ever find out what it was? I have the same thing right now. I'm a male though so no c section. It's pretty much the same as you desrcibed and the liquid "phase" just started.

[lenymo]

I have the same thing, I am a male as well when I went to the doctor they didn't seem too concerned with it, they took a sample and ran some tests they have no idea what it is or on how to cure it...