Can anyone give me any information about how to care for my wounds after laparoscopy?

*dabbed the wounds

HI Georga - I hope you are feeling ok.x

I took off my coverings to let them breathe in the day - then put clean ones on at night (incase i tried to itch them), and just gently cleaned them with warm water, then dried them.

I didn't have a bath until the after stitches were taken out - but that is just me! I showered every day though (with help - and pathes on to stop any soap irritating them)!

Hey Georga.

When I had my lap I was told not to have a proper bath for 2 weeks but to shower and make sure the wounds were clean and dry afterwards. Aslong as you look after it and keep an eye out for any sign of infection you should be fine (: xxx

Hi Georga.

I was told to use warm salt water to bathe my wounds its important to dry them off too and also let them breathe in between changing dressings hope u heal quickly x

Thankyou everyone

I was flummoxed abut this too! I wasn't given any replacement dressings but will normal plasters be ok? Also my middle belly button wound is still incredibbly sore, even though I had the op on Monday. The wound isn't oozing, but it is very bruised and hard and tender, with almost like a big lump under the skin. Is this normal? Sorry about the hijack, hope you are healing well op!

I know, i wasn't told anything from the nurses! My belly button one is the one i am concerned about as this is extremely sore too and the one that hurts too touch and i had mine done on tuesday. I would phone your doctor about the lump under the skin as this doesn't sound normal and just to make sure, better safe than sorry!

As i was only given one set of re-dressings i have found these that are very similar to the ones we were given...

boots.com/en/Boots-Pharmace...

i don't like the thought of leaving my scar open yet especially when sleeping!

I'm healing well other than that i have been up and around busy toda which keeps my mind off the belly button pain!

Hope you feel better soon x

Heya, I had my second laparoscopy on wednesday. I was told to bath my stitches with salt water and keep them open in the day but to cover them at night to avoid snagging. From my first laparoscopy I had hard skin around my belly button I went and got it checked with my gp usually it is nothing sinister it is normally scar tissue that will settle down. As it is very early days for both of you, as long as there is no signs of infection. Hope you both recover well

Second ? May I ask why a second op?

Hmmm, there is no pus or anything weeping out of my belly button but it is incredibly sore and the skin around it is red and hot. Do you think this could be an infection or just normal healing? Should I go to the out of hours doc tonight or leave it til tomorrow? I do feel really odd though, just really light headed and dizzy, no fever though. I had previously put it down to the codeine but I have purposefully laid off it today and just stuck to brufen and paracetamol, but still feel weird. Anyone else get this? It was monday since I had it and I'm starting to wonder when I am going to start feeling remotely normal again, I have already had to pull out of a good friend's birthday celebrations tomorrow.

I would see what it looks like in the morning and perhaps ring your doctor if it carries on or looks worse? I'm keeping an eye on mine because mine is similar, i have lots of dried blood on my stitches in my belly button too but just can't get it off! It can take a while to get completely recovered but your symptoms don't sound right, maybe everything hasn't left your system yet, im not sure! hope you feel better x

Hi Georga, I'd completely forgtotten about all of these issues. I'm having my 3rd laparoscopy on Tuesday. I'm day surgery though so will be going home a few hrs after the op. I've been given very little info apart from to turn up just before 11 and to bring slippers and a dressing gown. As far as I can remember I didn't have a bath for at least a week with my previous ops as I wasn't able to get in or out of the bath. Hope you recover soon x

Hey Georga! How is your belly button? Just to update, I have been to the OOH dr and I have an infection! So now just started some antibiotics. I was feeling equally as crap today, it was still hard and sore though the redness had gone down a wee bit, and it had started to hurt when I pee so I decide to go. Turns out my urine is clear, but he said that my wound is definitely infected - the hard lumpy bit underneath is probably pus, and the wound itself is not leaking because it has healed well on the outside, but not so well on the inside! It probably explains why I am feeling so rubbish as well. So if you get any hard lumpy bits definitely worth getting someone to have a look at it!

Hope yours gets better soon. x

Aww glad you've got it sorted and hope you'll be feeling better soon! I'm going to keep a good eye on mine especially because of the similar symptoms xx

Hi

I had my first lap 5 weeks ago and stayed in hosp 1 night.

I was told by the nurse I could have a bath or shower the day after I went home which I did but not to get any soap on them for about a week. She said leave them covered for a few days but the best way is to let the air at them.

I left mine covered for about 1 week after as I was scared of catching them or anything. After that I did nothing else just left them alone.

I had stitches taken out just over a week ago and they have healed really nicely.

My belly button was really sore for about a week after lap then settled down but got sore again for about the last 3 / 4 days before had stitches out, think it was just that they needed to come out.

Hope everyones feeling better

Keep smiling xx

Hi Georga -

There's some quite good advice on the NHS website about looking after stitches. Basically, keep them clean, don't let them get too wet (ie. shower rather than bath), and if anything looks/smells wrong then see a doctor.

Thanks everyone else for sharing your experiences. I had my laproscopy on Monday, and it's really reassuring to hear that other people have been dealing with bruising etc.