Dressing after Lap?

[x_b_x]

Hey everyone.

So I had my Lap Wednesday just gone, I am just wondering about dressing on the stitches however.

When I left the hospital they did not give me any instructions regarding do I clean the stitches or change the dressing over them, she gave me two plasters that was all but just handed them to me so I presumed I had to change them, I changed these plasters on Thursday as the ones they put on were a bit bloody so did not want them staying on.

After that I had no more plasters left, I found some surgical plasters in a box in which we had some left over from my partners surgery months ago so I have been using those as they were the same in which she gave me. But now I have ran out.

The wounds are oozing a little bit and still getting some blood on the plaster so I think I should be changing them every day I am not sure.

How long should I keep changing the plasters? When can I go without having plaster on and also what do you use to clean the wound with, I have been using some salt in boiling hot water as they did not advise what to do or I dont have a sheet or anything in which they gave me I am now unsure? Also the fact the stitching in my belling button is starting to look a little manky is worrying x

[lillyflower]

Hi I removed dressing after third day as was told to remove in bath, shower and then leave to air so it healed. It did look a little yucky but cleaned with salt water and make sure its completely dry after. If it goes really red and hot and looks infected call the ward for advice as may be infected. I just kept pjs on in bed so it was covered and I didn't catch it while asleep but was still sore until I had stitches out after 2 weeks and now its fine. Try and let it air as it will help it heal! Hope you are feeling a little better today too x

[x_b_x in reply to lillyflower]

hey thanks for the reply. I am going to nip into GP tomorrow get the sister to have a look just to check it over then will leave dressing of, just got a bit confused as wasnt told anything before I left hospital.

I am feeling a bit better still a bit emotionally down and confused but getting there, I am getting around fine trying not to stay in bed all day but not to do much either I am feeling good body wise its just my head that is worse at the moment and how I am feeling.

Going to go back to the GP week tuesday and say I want to see an actual endo specialist, if she cant refer me to one then I have found this private one in Birmingham which is near me and he is suppose to be really good at what he does and the best in the UK for endo and has treated 400 ladies in past 10 years with endo so I think it would be better if I spoke to an actual specialist rather then just a normal gyno.

Also thinking about coming of the pill for a few months, maybe that is why they never found anything as the first gyno I saw and my GP were so convinced its endo they told me to take my pill 3 months in a row no break till after 3 month so maybe that has had an affect and not making the endo as visible as it would be if I came of it for a while if that makes sense x

[lillyflower]

Hi that's good your getting about and feeling better, and I felt very emotional after op and have been told it a normal reaction and am now on nortriptyline to help with pain but as its also used as anti depressent I do feel my mood is better and feeling I can cope better so when you go to docs next week if you are still finding it hard in your mind ask for help as this has really helped the last few days. I think asking to be referred to specialist is good idea andyes anything that helps reduce endo would shrink it and therefore be harder to see to an untrained eye. I'm glad you are pushing forward and good luck for your appointment. It's good your getting around ok and getting rest don't over do it and enjoy a well earned rest. Keep thinking positive and it may take a bit longer than you hoped but hopefully the doctor will refer you and you'll get some answers soon xx

[Impatient]

a dap of TCP, or savlon after washing in salt water and before re-applying the new dressing should keep surface infections away. I used micropore tape to hold on bits of dressing cut to the right size and shape rather than plasters as it allowed for a bit of cushioning, especialy at the belly button hole.

[worth71]

After the second day I bathed mine with salt boiled water, dried them gently, I kept mine covered a bit longer as I have dogs and feared any loose hairs. My belly button and bikini line ones healed lovely, but the side one (the one I thought would heal the best) took longest, it is healed now but it still looks very purple red xx

[lorrainemax]

They told me that I wasn't allowed to shower for 2 days then to keep dressings on whilst in the shower and take them off and change them after-I spoke to my mother in law who is a nurse and she suggested keeping them covered for a week changing them after showering and then taking them off after a week but do the stitches catch on clothing? On my last op even though they were still dissolvable(whatever the word is) stitches they told me that I needed to have them out after a week and it was important not to have them in longer but this hospital just said to leave them. Hope you heal well and take it easy xx

[worth71 in reply to lorrainemax]

when i did take the dressings off my side stitches did catch on my clothing, and i think thats what caused it to get angry, it then went really red and green, luckily the day it came off i was just on my way to gp, the whole thing fell out, green gu and all, stitch too and i was left with a big hole there, made me feel quite queasy but gp said just keep it covered and bath it as i had, its healed now but still nothing like the other two xx

[lillyflower]

Hi I was told if stitches felt tight and sore after 2 weeks to go to doctors and have them removed so that's what I did. When the nurse cut them out she said they take 6 weeks to dissolve so she managed to remove most but a little was still in wound and buried under scar. A few days later I had a bath and noticed I could see a stitch which had gradually worked out from under scar so pulled it out with tweezers and once that was finally out it felt so much better. So if in a couple of weeks it feels really tight and sore ask gp nurse to remove them for you.

[lm330]

I think you should leave it for a few days and then wash it and change the dressings. I went to my local GPs to have a nurse do it caus i cant stand the sight of blood lol. but you can do it yourself. im not sure it should still be oozing though... maybe go along to GP and get it checked out and they can change it at the same time. The stitches should dissolve i think? it depends what kind they put in but mine went away by themselves. again if you go to the GP they can tell you caus i had no idea either. xxx