Hi ladies,
I am 8 days post lap and was just taking off my dressings from last night as the nurse at hospital had to take out some of my disolving stiches as it was really sore.
I took my dressing off my belly button (top pic) and it smelt quite bad, but she did clean it yesterday and then take the stiches out.
I was just wondering if these look normal to yours?
Thankyou for your help.
Xx
They do look at bit red, I would say - wait and see how they go now the stitches are out. I bought big plasters in superdrug and changed them every other day... Every time I changed the plaster I cleaned the area with diluted TCP, let it air dry then re-cover... When the edges have come together and dried out you can leave it uncovered and let your body take over. If they get more raised, start seeping gunk and/or feel warm to the touch go and see the nurse or gp as you might have an infection.
Thankyou! I wasn't only cleansing them with water before but not every day as when I got discharged from hospital they gave me no advice with regards to dressings. Before this it was crusty round the edges with pus but I cleaned it out. Should I put a dressing back on tonight? X
I would if you find yourself scratching absentmindedly... I was so I covered mine. Once they stop being itchy (skin knitting back together) you should be golden! 😊
Perfect! Thankyou!! I will keep a very good eye on it too 😊
I'm very OCD about things looking and smelling clean... The smell of TCP envokes feelings of cleanliness.. I use it whenever I have an angry spot or minor cuts.. I feel it's a bit like using antibacterial spray on surfaces.. You know that bacteria will be killed on contact... Crazy I know... I was perhaps a bit obsessive about it being clean but it has healed nicely for me - hopefully whatever scars i'm left with are minimal.
I'm very much the same! I'm no good with illness or germs.
I like everything to be deeply cleaned!
I have savlon spray would that be good for it or salt water?
Yes, I used the savlon spray after a while.. My hubby hates how TCP stinks out the whole house!!!
I forgot to ask! How soon after your lap could you drive?
Hahahaha good question... I drove two weeks post lap and regretted it, I was in agony after... I held off for another 2 weeks and tried again but I still got little niggles... I have a 16 year old car and the power steering isn't very light on it... Perhaps if I had a newer car with nice light power steering I would have been OK. My recovery pain wise has been very slow... I'm only now ready to go back to work on a part time basis... I had my lap done 11/12/15....
Hi Katy the belly button one does smell quiet a bit but if you are at all concerned get them checked.
Thankyou! Yes I took off the plaster and could smell it! Nice!
The nurse said they seemed fine yesterday but today they seemed a bit angry, and was crusty earlier, I'm assuming that could of been when she took out the stiches.
I will keep an eye on it xx
Oh my goodness, how bruised are you?!
I'm surprised the stitches were removed when you still have an obvious wound (for reference, I had a tiny hole that scabbed up & flaked off today, and two soluble stitches in the belly button (the scab is falling off that too) which are still in place.
(Mine was done same day as you, but was told to remove the dressings two days after the lap and not told to replace them... maybe mine had dried out and healed a bit quicker because the incisions were smaller?)
P.s. Does everyone go back so soon to be checked? I've not heard a thing from the hospital in regards to post op follow up 😕
Yours sound like they seem to be healing a lot quicker than mine! When k was discharged I had no nurse give me any advice on what to do with the dressings! That's one thing I would complain about how poorly my discharge from hospital was!
I'm not due to go back, but he surgeon will send a letter regarding his findings or lack of them then I will discuss this with my GP!
I'm still so bloody bloated too! Xx
My discharge felt like they couldn't wait to kick me out.
They had left iodine all over me, so I was trying to wipe that off in a bathroom with no light and get dressed before they barged in. I was half dressed when the registrar was telling me (quickly) what they'd found. I felt like I was a huge inconvenience to them. No sick note, no mention of who would see me and when, no thought as to what pain relief I would have at home, just advised to ask GP for a scan of my gallbladder. I was given a print out of aftercare advice, from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists that says dressings can be removed 24 hrs after the operation, not to worry about getting the scars wet but to pat them dry with clean tissue (nurse said 48 hrs).
I can't believe how badly these discharges are!
My other half had to go out and find someone to get me food, then he went out to get someone to take my canula out (at this point I was dressed and ready to go) then it took them an hour find my "discharge papers" ridiculous!!
Oh, at least I was offered a sandwich, which was unexpected (by which time I would've been ravenous if I hadn't have taken something of my own to eat).
Sounds like you had a rubbish experience too...
What paperwork did they give you? I got the aftercare printout, nothing else.
did you have to sign anything to be discharged? xx
They gave me a pink confirmation form which i signed before the surgery, a sick note and the discharge papers.
Well when I did finally get my food I had quite a feast of hummus and Pitta, roast chicken dinner and fruit salad. I only ate a small bit and the other half practically ate all of it! Haha xx
You were lucky to get food... They don't ask about dietry needs before so I was left with a packet of biscuits.. I'm a Lactose intolerant Vegetarian... I was offered a cheese sandwich!!! Ffs!!! I've learned my lesson.. Next time I'm going to ask my hubby to bring me some food.. I was absolutely starving... I didn't eat until I got home at around 6pm... I'd not eaten since 7pm the night before!!!
I forgot to ask! Are you able to drive yet?
I drove on Saturday and was ok (only six miles to health centre, comfy car adjusted, but then I do have a habit of overdoing things sometimes) but in the morning before I had taken any cocodamol, just a mefanamic acid. Did same trip on Monday but later in the day and regretted it a little, possibly having not had any cocodamol until after I got home.
I felt ok reversing and manouvering, was no problem looking over my shoulders and was safe to drive, albeit not the most comfy.
I was supposed to do a 30 minute drive tomorrow so just a bit concerned. I went out today and felt fine just put a pillow on my tummy. Suppose I have to give it a go sometime soon! After all the leaflet said nothing about not driving after apart from for 24 hours xx
Looking good. But if they are smelly let some air get too them as they might get sweaty and infected.
I used savlon on cotton pads everyday as my belly was smelly.
Then started getting itchy.
Drop of savlon in your bath water too. With no other bubble bath.
Don't fully emerge in bath water. Just kinda waft it over sores.
Remember to take it easy hun your body's recovering internally mine took a month.
Hugs xxxx
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