How can I clean belly button after lap?

[NJG_98]

Hi everyone

2 days post op, I had a shower last night and changed my dressings as nurse said I could, today I've had them on all day but the corner started peeling so thought I'd take the dressing off and let some air get to them.. bottom incision just above my bikini line is healing really nice but my belly button is full of dried blood and my gosh the whole tummy is itching like mad!

Left dressings off so some air can get to it but I have no idea how I'm meant to clean the belly button? I don't want to start poking and prodding and cause more problems so I've just sort of let the blood dry up in hope that I can rinse it off gently in the shower tomorrow morning as I have no energy to move tonight.. in so much pain but it's itching like crazy and I don't know what to do.. anyone have any tips on how to clean the belly button incision? I believe they've gone right in or just above but I'm so huge at the moment from the gas that I cant actually tell..

[JeanOsborne]

Hi Hun , just boil some water add some salt and allow it cool. Using cotton wool just gently soak it . The salt water will help it heal.

Once the dried blood is off if it gets a bit moist get some iodine and soak a clean dressing and recover. The iodine will dry things up , and help keep it sterile.

How are you feeling?

[NJG_98 in reply to JeanOsborne]

Thank you for your help! I will have to do this and I feel totally grossed out by it and just want it to be clean.

I'm feeling very sleepy, irritated, bored and in pain but other than that I think I'm recovering well and my body is definitely healing already despite the discomfort and pain, the incisions healing and the itchiness suggests things are healing up too, just got to over come this sleepiness and try to disperse the gas as nothing seems to work x

[gg77 in reply to NJG_98]

I would recommend you keep it covered for 7-days with the dressings that should have been provided by the hospital. Two days post-op you shouldn't be touching the wounds as they could get infected. Just take the old dressings off (if there is blood showing on the dressing) or if they're coming off or if they're wet. Wash your hands well, get a new dressing and touching the corners of the adhesive only and not the dressing pad re-cover the wounds. Don't touch the wounds with your fingers or anything else that isn't sterile. If there is increased pain at the wound site, redness, inflammation or pus then see your practice nurse, otherwise you shouldn't need an Inadine dressing, just a dry adhesive pad dressing. Itching is a good sign of healing. Hope that helps and hope you feel better really soon.

[NJG_98 in reply to gg77]

Hi thank you, I haven't touched them apart from removing the dressing as it was coming off and didnt know if to put a new one on.. so I left it off overnight hoping it would be okay. Doesn't seem red or inflamed and no pus weeping so that's a good sign right? Going to put some new dressings on in a min after I've had a shower, and leave them on for however long they want to stay! I've made sure everything's always sterile, my hands are always clean and my mums been helping me who's experienced in this types of things anyway so she knows what to do when changing them, I am going to see the practice nurse in a few days to check the stitches and everything's fine

[Booboo08]

Peppermint tea get rids of the gas.

I just let mine stay on dried up cos it grossed me out too.

Itching means its healing an skins re tightening.

Happy revovery xxx

[NJG_98 in reply to Booboo08]

The peppermint water and teas not helping me as it's more around the abdomen and hasn't risen to my shoulders much at all so I'm not burping and finding it difficult to you know.. lol! 😂 I keep walking around in hope I'll burp or something! Thanks lovely I think I'm recovering really quick!xxx

[Hidden]

I used salt water and cotton buds to very gently clean mine, then allowed it to dry and put dressing back on xxx

[NJG_98 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks lovely, I rinsed with warm water and got most of it out before using the salt water and it helped a lot! There's just a little bit still there where the stitches are, they went into the belly button instead of just above so I darent start playing with it, just left it to dry and put a new dressing on as it's soooo itchy! Xx

[Hidden in reply to NJG_98]

Mine was actually in the bottom bit of my belly button, so couldn't clean while thing either :/ it really does itch doesn't it?! Grrr, hope it heals nice and quick xxx

[NJG_98 in reply to Hidden]

Mines sort of the middle and I can now see the actual stitch , and i just want to rip it out because my whole belly is sooo itchy grrr, guess hats a sign the body is healing well though, thank you hope you're doing well too! Xxx

[fedupwithendo]

Please do not use cotton wool to cleanse your wounds. little pieces can break off and it's also not sterile. sterile gauze is inexpensive to buy or ask your nurse for some. take care and heal well xxx

[Heavenly66]

I had a surgery 2 weeks ago and my belly button is a really deep inny and and filled with crusty blood they never covered any of the incisions. What do I do the doctor is a quack?