wound care

[AlistairD]

hi. It’s been 4 weeks now since my bypass surgery. All is going fine. When is it ok to use soap and water on my chest wound or have a bath? Up to now I have been rinsing in shower and patting dry. It is healing fine.

[Happyrosie]

I don’t really know, Alistair, but as you haven’t had a reply I will post here my immediate thought when I first read your post, which was “why didn’t your cardiac nurse give you some advice?”. Certainly my husband was given cardiac rehab and this sort of thing was covered. Can you not give her a ring?

[Catwifie]

Yes! I'm a retired District Nurse. Your skin should be well healed by now. Seek nursing help if wound raw or weeping at all though. Better to shower than soak in the bath

[devonian186]

I would be very cautious about a bath as there can be considerable strains in getting in, but especially getting out.

You should have received at the least some guidance notes when leaving hospital.

[Dyllibobs]

Hi Alistair, glad you're doing well & scar healing ok. I was given a booklet on what I could/couldn't do for 8 weeks. I know I had to wait a few weeks to bathe but can't remember how many (it was only July 😆) I would ring the Cardiac nurse/depth to be on the safe side.

[BicuspidBloke]

I think the advice was three months but I'm now 15 months and still not bathed. For the shower I still don't let the water directly on to the scar (just above and let it cascade down). But don't be like me - check with a Heart Failure Nurse.