Allergic to stitches

[curious703]

8 months ago I had surgery to remove cysts under my arms and disolving stitches were used and I ended up with an infection. 3 months later I had a hysterectomy and both stitches and staples were used. 4 days later I had a severe infection.  All was removed. My question is; I currently am breaking out with hives, I swell and get itchy throughout my body. My GP thinks I could be allergic to the dissoving stitches. They were all removed but she tells me that I still have some that were used inside by body. Has anyone heard of this?

[RN20062012]

I had surgery 12 years ago. I still have lumps over my upper abdomen. they become red and swell every once in a while, much like an abcess. Eventually they rupture and in the drainage, is always a stitch. Some times it appears just to be a fibrous material, and sometimes it is still tied in a knot. What do I do?

[lilmissame]

when i was 17 i had dissolving stitches that never dissolved. I went threw a double lumpectomy..yep at 17...and they used them. Both sites because nasty green and pus covered and very infected. It was worse when i had gauze covering the site. I went to my doctor who told me i was allergic to the stitches. I had to do weekly visits for over a month so he could remove stitches as the migrated to the surface and so he could clean the area. I discovered that year that I am allergic to latex and that the stitches had a latex coating.

[Tiffi_Taffi]

I had my gallbladder removed 2 weeks ago today and at all of the incision locations I am swelled up, have hives and itch like crazy. I have the dissolvable stitches at each location and am wondering if I am having an allergic reaction to them. The surgeon said she feels it's from the glue they put over the stitches after the surgery, but I think that is not the case. The glue had been gone from 3 of the incision spots for a while before I started having these symptoms. I feel it has to be the stitches causing me to be this miserable. I've been taking Benadryl like the surgeon recommended along with hydrocortisone cream on each location which neither seem to be helping. I am unable to sleep or get comfortable because of the itching. Please help

[JamieFaye3]

How long did your hives and swelling go on after surgery? Was it months?

[mhacuzombie]

i had an acl replacement last february...7 days after surgery, the incision sites were red and itchy.  10 days post-op, i developed blister-like lesions and the localized swelling had increased.  all symptoms finally disappeared at the 6-week post-op mark...but i know i was miserable.  this all points to my being allergic to the dissolving suture materials.  how, you may ask, do i know this?  further empirical proof occured when my sister had major surgery (over two weeks ago), and at the 7 day mark, she, too was absolutely miserable.  she has been using so much benadryl that she sleeps most of the day and night.  she also uses prescription steroidal topical cream.  why won't surgeons listen?  for such intelligent people, they sure are stupid.

[Jumpingchi]

Dear Tamas77, I am extremely allergic to titanium.  Unfortunately, three years ago, I had a surgeon who didn't really believe anyone could be allergic to titanium and placed 2 tiny titanium clamps deep in my armpit and 2 close to the tail of my breast tissue.  I was suffering SEVERE LASTING pain.  I had a mastectomy six months later and the surgeon, who also stated there were no documented cases of allergic reactions to titanium, believed me and dug the two clips out of the tail of my breast.  She stated it would be near impossible to find the two deep in my armpit without tearing the tissue into shreds, so she left them there.  I have really painful symptoms in my shoulder, arm and ribcage and my body seems to feel weak.  My neck is always in excruciating pain and chiropractic adjustments don't hold.  Neither does the benefit of a great massage.  I discovered this allergy years ago when a chiropractor was placing tiny titanium beads on acupressure points all over my body.  Within 20 minutes, I would have gaping holes underneath the beads; and upon removal of the beads, it would take over a month for these tiny, painful holes to heal.

What I do for myself to lessen the severity of the issue, is I very diligently eat an anti-inflammatory diet (there are tons of info. on the internet about anti-inflammatory foods), which, for me, includes:   excluding all goitrogenic foods (there is also many different lists on the internet of these foods.  I combined several different lists for my own personal reference) and nightshades (foods which include high amounts of solanine), most grains, most dairy, poultry and pork.  I've also have had some relief by using homeopathics.  

I hope you find some of this information helpful.

[aims24]

If the all stitches were removed you would not be getting symptoms still, any stitchure remaining would of a different kind, hives could just be an allergy to something else or stress.

I happen to have rare allergy to vicryl stitches, which didnt have any symptoms til 7 months later a blister came out on my scar and kept reopening in weekly intervals and over time the intervals got shorter, i ended up with deadly infection that was in my knee the whole time for 7 months and never showed up on blood tests. Took a swab from the knee to find it, but i had bleeding sinus, continous infection, severe ulceration, bleeding in the knee, swelling never went down after surgery. I had the stitches cleaned out and was fine after wards but had post op infection, but then another stitchure made its way out my knee by surfacing to the skin and making itself a hole to come out of, i wasnt allergic to the left over stitchure as it was different kind. But if you had your stitches cleansed out you shouldnt be getting any reaction unless they have cleaned out the stitchue you are allergic to properly