Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Hematoma Hell after Revision



Recommended Posts

I know I've read of a few people having hematomas (pools/clots of blood) after surgery, but I'm one of the few whose incision came open and now I'm having to deal with an open wound.

I had a band to sleeve revision on 1/08/10. When I went to have my staples removed, the post-care doc said to keep an eye on the swelling under my largest incision (where the port had been with my band). The swelling was the size of a lemon and pretty hard. It kept getting more and more purple/bruised looking and the swelling did not go down.

On Saturday Jan. 23 (2 wks post-op) I was sitting down drying my hair after a shower. When I stood up it looked like I had been shot in the stomach. Blood was everywhere. I pulled my shirt up and saw that the incision above the hematoma had come open releasing the blood. I called my surgeon and he met me at the ER. The now open wound had to have the internal stitches removed (very painful!), then he cleaned and flushed it out and packed it with cotton packing before covering it with gauze.

Once an incision comes open it has to stay open to prevent an abcess/infection. So twice a day my dear hubby cleans and re-packs my wound for me. He's a hunter and isn't squeamish about stuff like that. I looked at my wound once without the packing in it and almost gagged. Can't handle it! This continues to be pretty painful and is causing a definate slowdown of my recovery. I'm healing and have no infection, so I'm grateful for that. I still wouldn't wish this upon my worst enemy though! :)

I wish I could scream from the rooftops for people to NOT get the band - having to remove that port that had been put in so well in the first place really tore me up inside and left a big hole for all that blood to pool in. Those of you having the sleeve as your only WLS are so lucky!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am so sorry you went through this. There is another poster, Shontel, I believe that had an abscess also, very painful. Please take care of yourself and start working that sleeve!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm so sorry this happened to you. I hope you heal quickly and can get on with your journey!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

God so sorry for your pain! Thank God your guy can help you take care as it heals. I hope your recovery will be fast and you can get on with life as you lose the weight you intend to lose.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

TexasT, so sorry for your issues. Good thoughts and prayers are heading your way. Keep us posted on your recovery.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

That is soo brutal! I am so glad that you are doing better and the your awesome hubby can do the dressing for you. Man do I feel so lucky that I found this place BEFORE I got the band. It totally made my choice so much easier!

Feel better fast and I am sending you healing energies!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What staples did you have? Did you have an open procedure? My understanding is that with a lap revision there would not be staples? I am concerned with them getting this port out aka a tumor. Take care of your wound and follow the directions in its care!-wash hands and keep the dressing in place!!! (protein helps the body to heal..) Did you get another antibiotic???

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I had a Hematoma as well, but under a little different circumstances. I "got" mine when i went in for my first fill. I had an idiot doctor, and he was somehow able to create a hematoma by using the fill needle in the wrong way. VERY painful for a several days.....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Dear Stuck, my revision was all done lap, not open. And this included having my gall bladder removed also. My surgeon uses staples on ALL of his incisions, even the teeny ones, but removes them less than a week after surgery. And yes, when I went back to have my follow-up appointment after the wound opening up I was put on an antibiotic for a couple of weeks just to be safe.

I'm working very hard to keep drinking that Protein, and the wound is healing very nicely already. It's draining MUCH less, is barely painful at all, and according to my husband he's using less and less packing each day, which means the bottom of the "hole" is filling in with muscle again. :confused1:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

TexasT: I had an abcess on my wound, Very Similar to you..... you can look at my blog, I posted photos of it. At least yours opened on its own, I had to have mine re-opened, and packed.....its a pain in the a** but it does get better, I had very bad pain from my incision as it was infected. Did you have a drain after surgery? Good luck and hope you feel better!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Shontel, no I didn't have a drain after surgery. My hematoma was about the same size as yours but my skin above it was completely purple. Thank goodness mine has never been infected. I'm on antibiotics right now just in case though. I've been downing the Protein, trying to get muscle to grow back and close up that wound. My hubby is still packing it for me and says it's getting smaller every day. Luckily the pain is virtually gone, so I'm very thankful for that too.

Taking those ports out must be torturous to our insides based on what I've seen and heard!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I know this is WAY after the last post, but I just had a band to sleeve conversion, and have a lemon sized hematoma at the port site, that occasionally decides to drain. (all over my clothes and sheets...etc). How long did it take for your wound to heal? Have you had problems since? Thanks.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×