Arghhhh: So annoyed ( probably based in fear!) but the... - NRAS

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Arghhhh

Eiram50 profile image
73 Replies

So annoyed ( probably based in fear!) but the district nurse has just been out to check wound and change dressing and incredibly, removed a further four stitches that had been left in! She said she cannot be certain that there are not more under the scab/ scar and I am so worried that if this is the case, the infection will go deeper into the ankle replacement and of the potential consequences of this.

Feeling really upset by it.

Apologies, I know that I’ve done nothing but whinge about this but I sharing with you knowledgable and supportive folk as I cannot bear to let my kids see how worried I am 😢

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Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50
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73 Replies
oldtimer profile image
oldtimer

Please don't worry too much - there may be other reasons why you still have stitches there. They could be stitches that should have dissolved? Sometimes these don't dissolve in body tissues as intended and then work their way out. And if there are more then they may work their way out. there's an article here with some info: medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

And feel free to vent on here - that's what we're here for, amongst other things and it's safer to do that here.

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply tooldtimer

Thank you, I appreciate that.

No, I had no dissolvable stitches, they should all have been removed. X

Boxerlady profile image
Boxerlady in reply toEiram50

You're not whinging, you're just naturally concerned so just keep letting it out here. When are you expecting to see the nurse again?

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply toBoxerlady

Thank you.

Nurses are coming back out on Wednesday. I finished this round of antibiotics on Monday so hopefully, things might look better by then

Mmrr profile image
Mmrr

I'm sorry to hear this Marie, I really do hope they are deep tissue stitches that should have dissolved themselves.

You are not whinging, just rightly concerned.

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply toMmrr

Thank you. As far as I’m aware, I had no diol able stitches and the nurse said they just hadn’t been removed.

Mmrr profile image
Mmrr in reply toEiram50

Thats 7 stitches missed in total ?

Not good

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply toMmrr

Yes and today’s nurse, who was pretty thorough in her examination of the wound, said she couldn’t see and say for certain that there weren’t more stitches under the scab that’s now formed again?

Mmrr profile image
Mmrr in reply toEiram50

In my day (!) The discharge letter told us how many sutures /clips/staples had been inserted. Easy.

Shalf profile image
Shalf

Wow Marie, what the heck!

Try bathing in lukewarm salt water and keep an eye on it. Any signs of swelling or redness head to A&E to get removed properly. I believe the A&E department are quiet just now. Take care xx

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply toShalf

Thanks suzie.

Apparently I’ve not to bathe it.

There is a huge are of hot, red mess and my ankle is very swollen although, post surgery, I know swelling takes a while to go down.

Hopefully, as I’m only three days in to them, the antibiotics still have time to do their work x

Shalf profile image
Shalf in reply toEiram50

Jeezo! If you can get to the hospital I probably would. X

allanah profile image
allanah

I agree with old timer. Often stitches are absorbable but they take a while. Pesky things. I'm sad it's taking ages to heal up for you xxx

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply toallanah

Yeah, I understand that. However, these are not dissolvable stitches and were to be Removed

allanah profile image
allanah in reply toEiram50

So they were close to the surface ? It's very strange . Is it the same nurse or different nurses?

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply toallanah

Practice nurse was to remove them, and removed some! Thereafter I have seen six district nurses. One nurse took 3 stitches out a few weeks ago and this morning, another took out another four!

allanah profile image
allanah in reply toEiram50

Well I think a tele consultation with your surgeon or GP wouldnt go amiss .......

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply toallanah

Been trying to get in touch with my surgeon since Tuesday 😢

allanah profile image
allanah in reply toEiram50

Phone his secretary or talk to gp on phone ?

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply toallanah

I’ve called the secretary twice this week. Spoke the first time, message left today - nothing yet. Doctor said district nurses would assess and prescribed a further course of antibiotics and when I raised my concerns, were quite dismissive x

allanah profile image
allanah in reply toEiram50

Mmmmm. A nnoyingx

rab1874 profile image
rab1874

Whine away don’t worry about us we’re here for you xxx

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply torab1874

Thank you. I appreciate that x

sylvi profile image
sylvi

You whinge all you like darling we have all done at one time or another. xxxx

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply tosylvi

Thank you Sylvi . Hoping you’re feeling a little better today? X

Kags1068 profile image
Kags1068

Hi Eiram

I've been following your ankle replacement progress with interest, partly as in Oct 18 I had the alternative of an ankle fusion.

I'm so, so sorry you have had this happen to you. It's very unfair. You are definitely not whingeing etc, it's very worrying for you. Let's face it, infections are something we all fear and dread following an op. So, vent away!

I truly hope it improves very soon. You seemed to be doing very well with the replacement prior to this avoidable complication.

Take care 🙂

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply toKags1068

Thank you so much.

Before the nurse attempting to remove the stitches, I was seen by the hospital and everything was good.

It’s just really unfortunate x

Kags1068 profile image
Kags1068 in reply toEiram50

So very frustrating for you (to say the least!

Pippy25 profile image
Pippy25

I'm so sorry to hear this and please let it all out on here, I think you are going through it with this ankle. If these are not dissolving ones how on earth have they missed them? When I had a biopsy on my lip at the end of November they had to stitch it and while I knew they were dissolving, they took ages to go and ended up looking like I'd grown whiskers on my lip! I hope the antibiotics will help clear it, but may need more time by the sounds of it. If it changes or gets worse please seek advice. We are here and will keep you going if you need it, but medically please don't leave it keep on at them. Take care xx

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply toPippy25

Thanks pippy, I will.

They’re not dissolvable and we’re missed, I believe, due to her taking the stitches out and saying they were very tight - the wound then opened up and started bleeding, quite a bit. Instead of stemming the blood/ cleaning it up, she immediately put a dressing on it. I did ask at the time, ‘is that the stitches out’ and she said yes. I believe she missed them because of the bleeding

Pippy25 profile image
Pippy25 in reply toEiram50

Rather careless of her and is now causing more work and more than anything for you an infection, pain and feeling stressed.

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply toPippy25

Yeah. X

🥺🥺really not good . I think A letter is required this is making more work for the nurses when things are stretched never mind the discomfort and worry caused to you. Imagine if this happened to a more vulnerable person! I think constructive feedback is needed. Hope this the end of it now x

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply to

For sure x

Brychni profile image
Brychni

Hi Eiram, I can't offer anything but sympathy/empathy. I know how you feel about your children.

Did you make it clear how worried you are?

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply toBrychni

On numerous occasions- they seem mostly, quite dismissive of my concerns.

Thank you x

helixhelix profile image
helixhelix

Well somebody has ballsed up! Either the surgeon should have put dissolvable stitches in the lower level, or one of the nurses is in the wrong...

Vent away, but also push to get this cared for very well.

allanah profile image
allanah in reply tohelixhelix

Agree . My confidence in the nurses is diminishing following your answers. Stitches to be removed are generally only skin ones??? It needs a tele conference I feel .

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply toallanah

Thanks allanah x

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply tohelixhelix

That’s exactly how I feel.

Thank you HH

happytulip profile image
happytulip

Generally, stiches at the end of a limb (further away from the heart) need to be removed between 7-10 days. I would have given 10 days as a prime target for you because of your history that you have shared.

It is completely unacceptable that the nurse didn't remove the stiches unless babe has a very clear and we'll documented reason why she didn't.

I wonder if you could encourage your GP to get an x-ray of your ankle to ensure that the infection is confined to soft tissue and not spreading near bine or the replacement? I'd so anything possible to get in contact with your Consultant surgeon. I'd even be cheeky and phone the hospital switchboard and ask them to put you through to his secretary. I think asking them to bleep him is a step to far...but very tempting!

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50

Thanks HT.

Following the replacement, I had an appointment at the hospital, 10 days later to have them removed.

Stupidly, I went to the wrong hospital! I couldn’t then get an appointment and was told to get the practice nurse to remove them.

When taking them out, she said they were very tight and it hurt, so I looked round and the wound was bleeding- quite a bit. She then put a dressing on it. She didn’t stem the blood, wipe it etc in order to see if she had removed everything. Told me then to keep the dressing on a few days.

After this, I received an appointment for the following week for my first post op check.

At the hospital, they stayed the ankle and surgeon was extremely happy with it and said he’d do a referral for physio, but understandably, this would take a while due to covid and said he was happy to discharge me as based on all previous surgeries, I heal well.

They then took the dressing off and it just look like congealed blood covering maybe five inches. Nurse said not to redress but let warm water run over it in shower and the ‘blood’ would eventually wash away. She told me to wear a sock under the boot to offer some protection.

Numerous showers later, the blood became more of a scab and one day, the sock lifted a bit of the scab off and I noticed it looked pretty yucky underneath it. I also noticed what I thought was a stitch that had been missed.

Called the district nurse and she came out, had a look an FM told me it was infected. She cleaned it with cool boiled water and put another dressing on. Told me to change the dressing every day ( had no dressing a bit she’d hand some in) and in the absence of any swabs with which to clean it, told me to use kitchen roll! This was very clearly the wrong wound care advice and may well have exacerbated the infection. Between this nurse and today’s nurse, I’ve seen either six or seven of them and all offered contradictory wound care advice. And until today, none have noticed the other stitches that had been left in.

I myself had noted little black marks but just assumed it was where the stitches had been but them I am not a wound specialist or a practicing nurse.

I have now twice asked for the wound to be swabbed, with no success.

Sorry for the lung post but just wanted to be clear xx

nomoreheels profile image
nomoreheels in reply toEiram50

No, it helps to have the whole sorry tale Marie. What I would be wanting to know is whatever happened to count them in count them out? When I had my stitches out (I went at 7 days but they weren’t ready to be taken out so I had half taken out at 10 days & the other half at 14 days) it was written down in the notes for the Practice Nurse to know just how many needed to be taken out. As it happened there were a few, 3 or 4 I think, which had to be cut out as the skin had grown over them, this was at the second visit, but at least she knew even covered by skin that they'd be there. It also noted that I had 18 internal (disolvable) stitches, irrelevant info as far as stitch removal but still listed as being done. I really feel for you Marie, it's bound to be a concern.

Do they still use silver dressings for wounds? My h's aunt had her toes removed on either her left or right foot (well it would be! Can't recall which) & it was used then successfully, going back around 5 or 6 years. Either way I’d still push for a swab to be done, it would bother me too so please do. x

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply tonomoreheels

Thanks NMH.

I feel like I’ve done nothing but moan about this but I can’t tell you how frustrated I am. And, if honest, frightened.

Even in this year alone, I’ve had four different surgeries and no issues - none of these required stitches to be taken out though!

I have many relatives in the medical profession and it appears more or less up to the individual surgeon as to whether they record how many stitches are in- some do and some don’t. Unless they themselves are removing the stitches, this seems amiss, at worse and rather unhelpful, at best.

Nonetheless, I have left messages with my surgeons secretary asking him to contact me and I will look to clarify whether or not this information was passed over / recorded.

Over and above the infection, I actually don’t know what I’m doing? When the surgeon discharged me at the first post op check ( meant to be another 6 weeks after this), he said to not put my foot in the floor without the boot on but that I could take the boot off in bed. To then use my crutches for another couple of weeks and if I felt I could walk in the boot without them, to do so and then in another while, decide whether it felt right to try a soft shoe. He did referral to physio but warned it might be months.

He’s a lovely guy but I felt his directions were wishy washy and I have no idea whether I am allowed to even put my foot on the floor yet - just need some guidance and clarification from him.

Och, I’m moaning again! Sorry, just feeling a bit fed up and deflated by it all.

Hope you are doing as well as possible xx

nomoreheels profile image
nomoreheels in reply toEiram50

No, it's understandable. His instructions were general, if everything was progressing & recovering as it should, text-book style. But that's not the case & he's now being elusive when you really need to have personalised instruction. All I can think is to keep nagging away at his Secretary & hopefully you'll get the info you need, frustrating I know but sometimes it's what it takes.

It does seem odd that it's up to the Surgeon what's recorded in the notes... not that I should be surprised having seen what my h's Heart Surgeon recorded, little more than a scribble nobody could decipher.

Don’t concern yourself about moaning, better doing it here where we understand than it bubbling away, you have an outlet so use it. We'll be here for you. x

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply tonomoreheels

That’s really kind and I genuinely appreciate it, thank you x

beeckey profile image
beeckey

Sorry to hear that you are no further on after seeing yet another nurse and just getting more worried about it.You would think when they see how you are feeling about it they would take a swab which would ease your mind and theirs just in case of infection not good enough.One of the nurses at my practice who is lovely says sometimes we need to shout loudly but i am not the best at doing that but my hubby is as he is quick to let them know.Hope you feel better soon. x

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply tobeeckey

Thank you x

Summerrain14 profile image
Summerrain14

I have nothing useful to add I’m afraid but just wanted to say how sorry I am with all that you are going through. I really do hope that there are no more stitches from and this is followed up for you. x

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply toSummerrain14

Thank you x

springcross profile image
springcross

Oh my goodness, more stitches. What an absolute nightmare. I can understand why you are worried in case of the infection going deeper. Are you on antibiotics? I hope it gets better soon for you and that the infection clears up. How many stitches were there to begin with?

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply tospringcross

This is my second course of antibiotics within three weeks.

I dint know how many stitches. The scar for the ankle replacement is maybe 7/8 inches and then I have the scar where they fused my heal also and they kind of join up in bits? God knows. X

springcross profile image
springcross in reply toEiram50

That's horrendous! x

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply tospringcross

It certainly feels horrendous 😢

springcross profile image
springcross in reply toEiram50

xxxx

Pippy25 profile image
Pippy25

Yes it really sounds like the situation I had with my toe, contradictory information, all those antibiotics which were apart from the last course after swabbing were useless and along with the infection made me feel so ill with their side effects. They kept avoiding my requests for swabbing but as soon as they did swab they knew what they were dealing with so I'm struggling to comprehend why they are so reluctant to do this for you and you have my total sympathy. xx

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply toPippy25

Thank you xx

marigold54 profile image
marigold54

I'd be annoyed too if i were you. Hope all works out well for you. Sounds like you're not having a good time right now. Wishing you all the best. You keep letting it all out. 🎈

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply tomarigold54

Thank you x

Sheila_G profile image
Sheila_G

You are not whinging. You have a very reasonable concern. Different types of stitches are used in different areas. If you have deep stitches they will probably be dissolvable. They may take longer than normal stitches. If it continues to bother you call your GP and explain your worries. Good luck x

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply toSheila_G

No, they’re not dissolvable stitches and were to be removed x

Cheylann profile image
Cheylann

Don't worry about things that haven't happened. It's a total waste of energy. Focus on something you do have control of.

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply toCheylann

Thank you.

As a rule, I’d agree. I’m not what anyone would call a natural worrier - I always just get on with tithings and even the worst case scenario, I can usually accept and formulate a plan for moving forward, if things were to go so badly.

Given the current climate, the ongoing infection, the mis information and the possible outcomes, I find I’m struggling a bit at the minute.

I’m sure I’ll get there.

Cheylann profile image
Cheylann in reply toEiram50

Of course you will.

Leics profile image
Leics

I would try and get in touch with plastic surgery at your local hospital because they have specialist nurses who are experts in wound care they maybe in contact with wound specialists who could come to your house and dress it properly or at least provide the proper dressings. I realise of course that you’re not under plastic surgery but they’ve dealt with members of my family who have had infected wounds. If not go to the hospital and get it checked out. Oh and by the way you can vent shout or moan as much as you like. On another note I had some stitches which were left in for six months they were still able to remove them at this time although it was uncomfortable.

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply toLeics

That’s really helpful, thank you x

BonnieG123 profile image
BonnieG123

Good nurse to find and get those stitches out. Hopefully now you can begin to heal. I’m thinking she got them all. 🙏

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply toBonnieG123

I really hope so. Thank you x

Dilly2 profile image
Dilly2

Hope you see a Improvement soon yes it is worrying hopefully it will start to improve soon x

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply toDilly2

Thank so much dilly x

marvalusxoxo profile image
marvalusxoxo

As a nurse myself, I can say my dear friend that if the stitches are not the dissolvable kind then they must be removed after an allowed time, dictated by the GP. If not a severe infection can occur not only locally but generally. I don't know how long you are post surgery. Here in America in most cases not dissolvable stitches are removed between 5-10 days post surgery. I do hope all is well. Feel free to vent here that is why we have this network. 😊

Eiram50 profile image
Eiram50 in reply tomarvalusxoxo

Hi.

I had the ankle replacement on 28 February.

The stitches were not dissolvable and were to be removed between 10-14 days . I had an appointment for the fourteenth day.

As she was taking the stitches out, she said they were very tight and the wound started bleeding, quite a bit and she immediately put a dressing in it - didn’t wipe or stem the blood . I asked if that was them all out and she said yes.

About 14 days after that ( approx) I noticed it looked infected and thought what I saw was a stitch at the bottom of the scab. District nurse came, agreed it was infected and removed three stitches that had been left in. I’ve now seen 7 different district nurses, 2 courses of antibiotics and at the last dressing change on Friday, the nurse found another 4 stitches!!

marvalusxoxo profile image
marvalusxoxo in reply toEiram50

WOW! I am truly sorry this happened which it should have never happened. Here in America that has also happened yet is probably handled differently. Since medical professionals here are accountable for their actions and every medical decision they make or dil to make. I am sorry my friend. 😊

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