OT, Incision opening part 2 (please don't move)

[fungirl1011]

Well, I thought all was well after going to the doctor yesterday, and I look at my incision this afternoon and find that the silver nitrate (I think that is what she put on it) was not doing it's job and holding my incision together.  Now it is bigger and deeper.  It looks like some pus is coming out of it, but I honestly can't tell if that is what it is or if it is just the stuff she put on it yesterday.  I have gauze on it now, and stuff has seeped through it.  I called the dr. today and she was in surgery so I called the nurse practioner and she said to just clean it 2 times a day and have the doctor look at it on the 29th (my 4.5 week checkup).  It looks really gross.  Yesterday and before, it was seeping but only pus 2 times.  It looked pinkish, and was not real deep.  Now, it is blood red and looks to be deeper and bigger.  I am just praying that it is not pus that is coming out.  I really have no way of knowing as there is still silver nitrate in it.  I am trying to get it out without having to dig around.  Now I guess I will just wait and see if it starts getting redder around it (she said to look for lines coming from the incision which I know usually means staph infection) or if I get a fever.  Not sure what else to do.  I just wanted to fill you in on what is going on.  It is always something :(  Hope you are all doing well.  Love, Kasie
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I forgot to mention that it hurts like HECK!!

[jlock]

Please listen to all the great advice given here.  This is nothing to fool with and it being painful as well is just not right.  Keep us posted sweetie~~~Joanne

[gma718]

I hope you take care of this tomorrow..I was on a wound vac for awhile after my emergency surgery because my incision was not healing or closing...i am not sure if you would require a wound vac ..if you do you have to carry it with you everywhere and not sure if you could work with it..I had to have a nurse come to the house 3-4 times a week and sometimes even as an emergency as the damn thing kept losing suction..I think they may clean your wound  out again and redress it and see if it heals..but whatever they do please make sure you go tomorrow...Post soon...Gia :)

[justscore]

I had wound separation my last 2 surgeries.  My incision stayed open (about 3 in in the middle)  for 12 weeks.  I had to go to the Dr everyday and have it cleaned out and packed.  It had to heal from the inside out.  The first time I had several infections but the last one I was on antibiotics almost the whole time.  It was a pain.....and frustrating.

Please go and have it checked.  The infections are NO fun and cause many other problems.  Ask the Dr about a wound vac and see if that would help.    
I hope you feel better..........

Heidi

[fungirl1011]

Hi Ladies, Just an update.  I LOVE my husband dearly, but sometimes men are such boobs.  He does not want me to go to the ER.  He wants me to see our family doctor.  He does not trust this hospital (hospital where surgery was is about 45 minutes away).  He said he would rather our family docot who knows us look at it.  He does not have faith in our ER and I have to say I am right up there with him.  SO you will have to wait for an update till tomorrow.  SORRY.  Thanks for caring about me.  YOU ROCK!!!  Love, Kasie

[ireneo]

We don't use peroxide at work because it also acts as a debrider - it can bubble off tissue and is rather irritating to the wound. I looked it up at How Stuff Works and this is a little bit of what it said (why peroxide bubbles):

"The reason why it foams is because blood and cells contain an enzyme called catalase. Since a cut or scrape contains both blood and damaged cells, there is lots of catalase floating around.
When the catalase comes in contact with hydrogen peroxide, it turns the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into water (H2O) and oxygen gas (O2).

"Catalase does this extremely efficiently -- up to 200,000 reactions per second. The bubbles you see in the foam are pure oxygen bubbles being created by the catalase. Try putting a little hydrogen peroxide on a cut potato and it will do the same thing for the same reason -- catalase in the damaged potato cells reacts with the hydrogen peroxide."

So whether you have blood or potatoes on your skin, you will bubble. Funny. . .  Thank you to How Stuff Works.

[gma718]

Glad you are headed to the ER ......I am always up late and checking the forum so please post when u get home because I will be worrying about you! Hoping all turns out well.........Love, Gia :)

[marie3B]

I believe in the peroxide bubbling theory, too.  Glad you are having it checked out.
Love, Marie

[JC145]

I think that is so wise ... Good luck and hopefully they will finally get that da** scar sealed.  Judy

[fungirl1011]

Well, I talked to the school nurse today and showed her.  She said she did not think it was infected, but the silver nitrate that was goopy.  I think I will take the advice here and go to the ER tonight.  WHen I poured proxide onto it, it really bubbled.  Now I don't know if it is true or not, but I have always heard that if it bubbles, it is infected.  I will let you all know what I find out.  It may be late as our hospital is VERY slow!!!

Love you, Kasie

PS, I was not able to take to my family doctor today, so off to the ER i will go.

[ireneo]

I want to add that the lines that come from a bad wound are not necessarily red. My husband had a pink streak going up his arm from a spider bite. He got to the hospital just in time to pass out.

Everyone is waiting to hear some good news from you. They're right - it's better to get it treated now instead of waiting for something more obvious and serious to develop. What's the news?

[nyc lady]

Kasie - when I had my first surgery I had an issue around my belly button, leaky pus - yuck....but after a couple of days of pouring alchol on it cleared up...nothing opened though....go to see a doctor...this is not normal.....even if you go to the ER, it needs to be checked.

Let us know,
Love you,
Pam

[Sandymac]

Get yourself to someone who cares immediately !!! If it's "nothing" well, fine... But don't take chances with your health !!!! Please be safe rather than sorry... ER sounds like a good idea to me!...

Be careful and be well,
Love,
Sandy

[gma718]

I forgot to add...someone I know is also suffering from an infected incision and because they waited too long for it to be treated now needs surgery to reopen it and clean it out..Idont want to scare you BUT Please treat this tomorrow....Love, Gia

[crecco]

  Kasie,
    I agree with the others! If they will not do anything about it, why don't you go to your moms and go to the hospital in Effingham? surely since your mom works there someone will take you seriously and not tell you to wait almost 2 weeks.
Oh the red lines coming from the incision are could also be a sign of blood poisoning due to infection.
  Hon this is nothing to play around with. If it gets any worse I think I would get to the ER tonight because if it is infection the longer you wait the worse it will get.
  Chris

[ShawnP]

It sure sounds to me like you have a seroma under there.  Please see your doctor ASAP.  It shouldn't be leaking.

[cirella]

OK, now I've had it with your doctor and his nurse prac.  Who ARE they???  Wait until the 29th???  Oh ya, when it's a full blown oozing, infected mess?  Oh never mind that...it's already there!  Kasie, go in tomorrow and have them deal with this, please.  You need to get on antibiotics and get that incisions closed.  If they won't deal with it then go to the ER.  You know in your gut that this isn't right.  

I want to come on here tomorrow and see an update saying you've gotten it taken care of, OK?
Love!

[marie3B]

Once again I find myself saying, "I agree with Jan."  That needs to be healed by someone else.  Marie

[Jan214]

Kasie honey, I have had a gallbladder surgery (pre-laser), a bikini line ovarian cyst removal, twice, 3 belly button surgeries for cysts, 7 operations on a foot that basically needed to be replaced, several broken bones that burst through the skin, and the cut from pubic bone to solar plexis for the hysterectomy.  I am telling you all of this because I have NEVER in all of those surgeries had any ooky, icky stuff oozing out of a wound.  It is NOT normal for that to happen and I hope you will go to the ER or even your family dr to find out what is wrong.  I don't think you should depend on the person what did it to you to fix it.  They are covering their butts not your health.  I love you to much to see you suffering like this.  Please don't just sit back and take it.
Love,
Jan

[gma718]

Please dont play around...go see the MD tomorrow! Pain is a sign something is wrong..I had the silver nitrate and it didnt seep out....Before you end up with a really bad infection, please have it looked at.......Keep us posted.....Love, Gia :)

[JC145]

I think you should see the MD tomorrow.  A friend's dtr-in-law had a C-section and the incision opened up and it took a good while to heal ... don't know what they did for it, but with pus .. there has to be an infection .. don't wait for a staph infection ... see if Neosporin helps for now .. but get back to the MD.  Judy