Healing questions

[nike007]

hey there

i had top surgery three weeks ago, and had the drains out probably after 8-10 days after surgery. things seem to be going well, and the surgeon has been happy with the healing so far, but my one side feels like it's really lagging with healing and i keep thinking it's infected, even though the surgeon says it isn't. (i mean in general i'm ecstatic, just wondering about healing times)

on one side the drain hole looks well healed; it's purple and the skin looks thin but it's not open. on the other side there is fluid oozing out still and it is quite sore. i'm not sure how long you're not meant to sleep on your sides for, but in the night i am automatically turning over, and on that side i wake up because it's too sore. higher up on the incision it's also looking weird. it's still got micropore on it 24/7 but i can see and feel a huge scab  underneath and fluid has been coming out there as well. the surgeon has said it's not infected, but it's not feeling any better.

sorry for the essay. how long have other people's drain holes taken to heal? i'm not freaking out, just wondering whether i need to pay attention to this or if it's normal

[Kylo]

Don't know because my drains were out within 24 hrs of being put in and then they put gauze over the area and told me not to remove it at all for 2 weeks. When they took it off, the drain holes were healed over. One side had a bit of fluid still trapped inside but it wasn't much and it was gone by the 1 month post mark.

If you sleep on your sides you're going to open the wounds. Make yourself sleep on your back no matter what and keep the area dry. Avoid getting it wet at all even when you shower. If fluid is coming out you need to change the gauze or tape regularly and watch it for signs of being infected such as constant pain and pus. I would take them off temporarily and allow the whole area of scab to dry out then reapply new gauze.

[nike007]

thanks! i'm trying to make myself stay on my back now.
a worrying thing is that in a couple of places it looks like my scars have become hypertrophied or something like that.... there's a part under my arm that i thought was infected, but now part of the tape has peeled away and the incision is closed, but it's almost like a little flap of scar tissue sticking out. part of the tape under my pec peeled away as well, and i don't know what is going on there, but the scar looks similar, although there seems to be a discharge. i'm just sticking more tape over it in the meantime, seeing the surgeon on wednesday again.

[Kylo]

If something's gone wrong there the surgeon could correct it under a local anesthetic for you.

[pastormel]

Just a thought for comfort... My surgeon has me wrapped up with old school maxi pads. Not just for drainage, but also for extra protective padding on the healing areas. If u want to try it, use the thick maxi pads without wings and unscented and tape them on with medical fabric tape. Might give just the padding u need to heal? They do seem to be helping me...and I'm only two days from surgery.

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[nike007]

thanks pastormel and kylo

i haven't been on here in a little while. the left side is actually infected. the drain hole healed fine actually, but at the bottom of my pec the incision hasn't closed yet, and it is just over five weeks post op. i'm on anti biotics and have to change the dressings every day. on another section, that's been inflamed since the beginning, i was rubbing on  bio oil as instructed, and a little hole opened up  that has closed now though. the right side looks great, but the left side is still quite messy. when he saw the infection the surgeon said it looked like the bump on that side must actually have been fluid/infection, which he thought would avoid doing a revision (the left side has a biggish bump). will have to see if and when it stops bleeding/oozing.

[Linde]

Just a thought for comfort... My surgeon has me wrapped up with old school maxi pads. Not just for drainage, but also for extra protective padding on the healing areas. If u want to try it, use the thick maxi pads without wings and unscented and tape them on with medical fabric tape. Might give just the padding u need to heal? They do seem to be helping me...and I'm only two days from surgery.

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Maxi pads are really great for wound healing!  I use them in combination with none stick dressing pads for packing with my recent orchi!  As a surgical infection control and prevention person, I can recommend them, because they are considered to be medically clean!