Repair of recti diastasis to decrease back pain

Repair of recti diastasis to decrease back pain

by Sandra
(Miami, Fl)

I want to add to this discussion that some women are unable to strengthen their core stomach muscles simply by exercising. This medical problem is caused by child birth which most often damages these muscles beyond repair with simple exercises.

Such damage is medically documented. When a woman has a large baby or multiple births, the resulting muscle injury causes the recti abdominus (the two front vertical stomach muscles) to stretch beyond use. This is called recti diastasis and can be repaired only by surgery.

The surgery is often called a tummy tuck. Most women don't realize the medical necessity of this surgery. Most insurance companies won't even cover the surgery calling it cosmetic in nature. Without the surgery, the muscles remain slack and often continue to deteriorate. Any resulting back pain only worsens as the woman ages.

This information needs to be added to any discussion about protecting yourself from lower back pain. It is important that women be educated about this medical problem and not be made to feel that they are merely vain for wanting the repair surgery.

And finally, it is imperative that we fight the insurance industry in this country that refuses to pay for such medically necessary surgery. I would guess that such decisions were made by males who have never suffered from this muscle injury.

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Repair of recti diastasis to decrease back pain

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11 years of diastasis
by: Anonymous

I am the mother of 3 girls. The oldest is 11, youngest 1 month. I have had diastasis for 11 years and I can tell you it never gets better. I have been asked if I am expecting for 11 years! very hard on my self esteem. As far as back pain, wow do I hear that! I have horrible back pain and some days I cant even get upright. going to fight insurance company! if anyone has any good tactics let me know

been there, hopeful to be out of it
by: Anonymous

The insurance companies, unfortunately, will proabably never cover this surgery. The coverage is getting worse, not better. I had horrible back pain and have had a terrible diastasis after 3 children in 4 years. My youngest was 3 years old, and I realized that no matter how many marathons I could run, My abs will never heal. I had a full tummy tuck, as a woman of normal weight and fair strenghth, and paid out of pocket (painful!). I'm so very weak in the abs, but at the end of the day, I no longer look 6 mos pregnant. The scarring is stil great, but I'm hopeful it will get better.

The surgery is painful and expensive, but we've got to realize that noone is going to help us. We have to do this ourselves.

Any success with appeals?
by: LG

I am crying reading this....everything each of you has shared I am experiencing too and NO ONE understands how debilitating and painful this is. I am in the process of crafting a Level 1 appeal to my insurance company. I have spent hours upon hours researching this condition and trying to gather case study data to include along with photos of my severely distended abdomen (I am 5' 5", 111 pounds, 1 year post-delivery just this past weekend with twins and an almost 3 year old) to share with my insurer along with a detailed letter of how this injury, this defect as a result of pregnancy has negatively impacted nearly every part of my life. I am wondering if any of you have attempted to appeal your insurance co's intital denial of coverage for the abdominoplasty. If so, what did you include in your packet of info and beyond that, have any of you sought a conference call or in-person meeting with the medical directors making the decisions on this at your insurance company? Would love to hear insight you may have. Thanks and best to all of you.

i feel the same
by: Anonymous

first i want you scuse my english.i deliver my girl before 32 months,and feel like i deliver now.the almost 3 year i was doctor by doctor,but nothing,they smile in my face like i'am crazy woman.Or i'am liar.they never beleve me with this pain on the back and abdomen.now when i reading this testimony i cry ,and i know it's real.because the last time when i see my familiy doctor she told me,to see one doctor psihiatrist.maybe my pain it's just in my mind ,it's not real.can you beleve that?ok thank's girls,because i have to share my problems,and i hope somtimes i have the money to make this surgery.if i have some news i contact you.bye.

Me too!
by: Michele

It has been 3 years since I had my almost 9 lbs. daugther, Sofia. I am also torn in my abs and very upset by the sight/feeling of this missing part. I was two weeks overdue and think that I was allowed to go to long. . .I am not even 5" tall! I workout three to four times a week and have a decent diet. . .but nothing, nothing ever changes in my stomach area. In fact, in the past three years I have lost more tightness in my abs and experience the same problem with looking several months pregnant, simply by taking a bite of food or a sip of water!! And I also feel not "put together" since I can never feel my core strength, no matter how hard I work. Glad to know this is a common problem and that others feel insurance should pay some or all of these expenses. . .they have enough money!!

diastasis
by: Anonymous

I had 2 pregnancies 2 years apart and my last baby was 9 pounds. I did not gain to much weight but maybe because I am 5 feet 1 inches tall my abdomen got destroyed. I have a 5 inches "gap" (diastasis) on my abdominus recti muscle. My daughter is 4 months old and I still look 5 months pregnant. I am going to see a surgeon this month to see if there is anything that I can do under my insurance. I will try to get them to pay for the repair because it is a medical problem. I have horrible lower back pain and I am currently on Physical Therapy and using of an abdominal binder.

Heather...have you had your surgery yet?
by: Melanie

Heather! I have the EXACT issues as you. Have you had your surgery yet? Has it helped??? I would love any feedback you might have!

Diastasis
by: Anonymous

I agree!! I have Diastasis, and I'm so angry that insurance will not cover this. I have been online reading countless testimonies of woman with this condition. It is a necessity.......I don't feel put together! I feel like I have no support. I do Pilates 4 times a week, but it never feels "right". I have lower back pain also!! How can we fight the insurance companies about this cause??

Diastasis Recti
by: Heather

Hi. I just had to comment on this. I have been diagnosed with Diastasis Recti. I have 2 children... a 2 yr old and an 8 month old. The back to back pregnancies is what caused this condition in me. I am 5'6" and have lost most of the baby weight and am down to 140lbs. My abdomen is distended to the size of a six-month pregnant woman and is completely disproportiate to the rest of my body, making wearing clothing nearly impossible. Aside from the self-esteem issues that go along with this condition (walking around looking pregnant when you are not), the health issues are a serious matter. The surgeon described it as a 'huge gap' between my ab muscles that can ONLY be fixed by surgery, which I am having this summer. It was quite a shock to me to find out that the insurance company will not pay for this surgery (in part or in full) because they claim that this condition is benign and causes no health problems....they feel the surgery is only done on people to improve their appeearance.

I wish the insurance executives who make these decisions could visit my bedroom when I wake up each morning in such back pain that I can barely get out of bed. I wish they could see me cringe in pain every time I have to pick up my children or the stroller. I wish they could see my upset at how I cannot do activities that I always have done because I fear something hitting my abdomen-where there are no muscles covering my organs which are protruding outward. If this condition happened to their wives or daughters and they could see first hand the health effect it has on a person, perhaps then they would deem the repair as being 'medically necessary'.

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Submitted by: Heather

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Hi. I just had to comment on this. I have been diagnosed with Diastasis Recti. I have 2 children... a 2 yr old and an 8 month old. The back to back pregnancies is what caused this condition in me. I am 5'6" and have lost most of the baby weight and am down to 140lbs. My abdomen is distended to the size of a six-month pregnant woman and is completely disproportiate to the rest of my body, making wearing clothing nearly impossible. Aside from the self-esteem issues that go along with this condition (walking around looking pregnant when you are not), the health issues are a serious matter. The surgeon described it as a 'huge gap' between my ab muscles that can ONLY be fixed by surgery, which I am having this summer. It was quite a shock to me to find out that the insurance company will not pay for this surgery (in part or in full) because they claim that this condition is benign and causes no health problems....they feel the surgery is only done on people to improve their appeearance. I wish the insurance executives who make these decisions could visit my bedroom when I wake up each morning in such back pain that I can barely get out of bed. I wish they could see me cringe in pain every time I have to pick up my children or the stroller. I wish they could see my upset at how I cannot do activities that I always have done because I fear something hitting my abdomen-where there are no muscles covering my organs which are protruding outward. If this condition happened to their wives or daughters and they could see first hand the health effect it has on a person, perhaps then they would deem the repair as being 'medically necessary'.

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