How long to dissolve stitches?: I had... - Endometriosis UK

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How long to dissolve stitches?

shukudai profile image
12 Replies

I had diagnose lap on 8/10 and I have 3 stitches on my belly button and 2 stitches lower bit. They told me that they were using dissolving stitches. It is 11th day today but the knots are still there very much. At pre-assessment they said if the stitches doesn't dissolve in 10 days go to GP nurse and get them out.

I am not sure if some bits are dissolved and if I wait long enough will those knots goes away.

Could you tell me how long does your stitches take to dissolve?

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shukudai profile image
shukudai
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12 Replies
hayls profile image
hayls

Hi

This type of disposable stitch rarely actually fully dissolve, I've always given up and had them taken out by about day 11-12 particularly as the wounss can get quite tight and angry if they stay in too long. If you're not too squimish and theres no sign of infection you can take then out yourself with one snip with a pair of scissors and tweezers (my husband takes them out for me - but he hasn't realised yet that il be getting him to do it again in the next few days!!) or go and see the nurse at you doctors surgery on Monday x

Impatient profile image
Impatient

You can take them out after a couple of weeks..but look after the wounds, or if you are happy too leave them there to dissolve then a couple of months should be enough.

Trim them back to skin level so they aren't sticking out and catching on clothes and stick a patch of micropore tape over the top to add a bit of a cushion of they are catching still.

I had quite a lot having lap holes and a laparotomy gash across the bikini line.

Took some out which were easy to tweek, others were rather too stuck in my to be pulled out so got left to diappear by themselves...which they did....eventually.

jkopec profile image
jkopec

Hi, it takes between 90-120 days for the absorbable stiches to be fully absorbed. If they irritatate you have them removed. If not - you can wait and they will disappear. X

Lilyloulou profile image
Lilyloulou

Hi my did not dissolve so I had them removed after about 16 days.

becca88 profile image
becca88

two of mine took 2 weeks, the other one took 3 weeks they said that was fine, and soon enough they went :)

cupcakegirl profile image
cupcakegirl

They can take months - I once had an accident where I nearly lost my arm, and they used dissolvable stitches inside my arm and non-dissolvable on the outside. Six months later, weird bits of thread started appearing sticking out of my scar - my body was rejecting them and they were only partially dissolved.

If they're not massively tight or growing over, I'd leave them - 11 days is nothing to worry about. If they're causing you problems, you could get them removed or snip them yourself (be sure to clean / sterilise the scissors first).

fedup33 profile image
fedup33

Hi my dissolving stitches had to be snipped off by a nurse at my 6 week post op check. They just weren't dissolving on the outside at all. They weren't really sore or anything and I wasn't sure if that was normal or not so I left them alone until I saw the surgeon 6 weeks after the op. He actually said to me "oh you poor thing" and shouted on the nurses who had them out in about 3 mins. I would go and see your gp or practice nurse to have them taken off.

mamfagirl34 profile image
mamfagirl34

A full 14 days after my Lap, 3 dissolvable stiches had fallen out :))x

shukudai profile image
shukudai

Thank you all. I think I need them out. I feel they are still tight and the sticking out bit is irritating me. I hope I can get a nurse appointment as it is very difficult in my area. I may have to think about doing myself. I asked my husband and he looked at me and said get an appointment!

I wish they use non dissolving one if the dissolving one is not dissolving and we have to get them removed anyway!

kyla78 profile image
kyla78

I got fed up and went to see the nurse at my g.p surgery she took them out

Aquitaine profile image
Aquitaine

Like lots of others here, I ended up taking mine out a couple of weeks after the laproscopy. Having said that, at least two of them fell out of their own accord - one because I was laughing too much....

Moggy-campbell profile image
Moggy-campbell

I had diagnostic lap, endometrial ablation, etc, etc 12 days ago. My stitches are not dissolving at all, I'm just healing around/over them. There's about 11 knots in the tummy button one..I'll end up as an outie!!  

Back to the nurse then. *sigh*! 

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