“Why is my stomach bigger after hernia surgery?”

Recurrence or the novo. Surgical consultation.

Hi, Dr. Willkomm here. Your “stomach” will not be bigger after hernia surgery. If you feel that your abdominal girth is larger there can be many explanations for this. Your bowel function can temporarily slow due to anesthesia or postoperative pain medication. This will cause you to feel bloated and your clothes may feel tight for a while but should return to normal.

This may be residual abdominal fat or just anatomy issues with the hernia. Maintain body's BMI at 25. Consult Functional Medicine and Obesity Medicine if BMI over 27.