Leaking/weeping

[DeLarla 22]

Tomorrow will be 2 weeks since my surgery, and my incision is still leaking. I know this is normal - my doctor even said it's normal. But can anybody tell me about how long it can go on? It's driving me nuts. Nothing stops the leaking. I've tried everything. I tried liquid-bandages last night but it seeps through. I tried laying in the sun to bake it and even tried blow-drying it for 1/2 hour. I've tried letting it run itself dry. But now I'm at work so I've got it covered with bandages, but it seeps out of the bandages. I can't focus on work because I'm constantly changing my dressings and dabbing up liquid. The worst part is that it's such a tiny little leak, but it's F-ing persistent enough to seep through bandages!

Anybody?

[donali 57]

Weep me a river... :think

When mine was leaking so much I wore a cumberbund pretty tight to apply pressure and hold my bandage in place, because I suddenly had an allergic reaction to the tape adhesive - itchy, itchy!!

I wore that for a couple of days. Don't know that it really helped with anything, but I felt like I was doing something...

I'm sure I didn't have to put up with this for more than 2 weeks, though.

Sorry, kid...

[DeLarla 22]

A cumberbund? Maybe constant pressure is the key to stopping it. I'm going to wrap myself tight in an Ace bandage for a few days. I'll try anything at this point!

[New Hope 37]

Lisa, my husband (before transplant) had a kidney dialysis catheter in his abdomen. He had to keep this clean and covered. The p.d. nurses recommended to use "Surgi Squares". They're white gauze, come in various sizes. He used the 4"x4". He taped them on all four sides to his abdomen. You can fold them or double stack them to get enough absorbency. He used silk or paper tape. Any local drug store, Walmart, and/or medical supply company sells the gauze and the tapes (both in band aid section). These type of tapes don't cause allergic reactions and are much kinder to your skin. (Don't pull your hide off!) I wouldn't use the liquid Bandages because this is closing your wound off. It needs to be able to get air to it. Air helps it heal faster and helps dry it out. Please use a gentle, pure soap (no fancy dyes, perfumes) (ex. Ivory or Johnson's Baby). Excessive use of antibacterial soaps will make your skin angry (red, irritated). Good Luck!

[DeLarla 22]

Thanks for the tip. I've got red marks all over my abdomen from the darn tape and bandaids. It's making the whole area uglier. My husband told me to use a Kotex. He said he'd bind me up but good with a nice panty liner when I get home tonight.

The liquid bandages didn't work anyway and let all sorts of air in and leaking out.

Ya know, I think that this slow-healing incision is subliminally making my internal healing slower. I bet if my wound would heal, I'd start feeling better all over. Just a hunch.

[New Hope 37]

Probably not your case, but a remaining stitch (suture) can cause inflammation and draining. My husband had one that worked it's way out from the abdomen. It finally came to the surface where the dr. just pulled it out with some twissers. Good luck and keep us posted. I've enjoyed hearing about your progress.

[nightingale2u 42]

I bet you are right Lisa... but let us know how the tests turn out anyway! I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry about the poop collection experience!!! Now... imagine collecting someone elses... ahhhh... the glamorous world of nursing!

Darcy

[GeezerSue 7]

Do they still make "nursing pads." (Don't have any reason to know, as the baby is 28 and pretty much weaned.) They were about the right size and very absorbent.

Ya know...if it needs to leak, you just might want to let it and "mop it up" as needed). You wouldn't want the excess fluids trapped under the skin.

[donali 57]

I hope she's more than "pretty much" weaned..

[nightingale2u 42]

Uhhhh....yah... otherwise the image brought to mind is fairly... well... disturbing. Maybe stirring poop Soup is not such a bad mental image... I think I'll go back to that...

[one gone dog 0]

Actually your husbands idea isnt a bad one.

A womans kotex "pad" is one of the best things to keep in a first aid kit.

They absorb alot and help to form a scab to "seal" the wound.

[DeLarla 22]

Hey everyone! My weeping wound has been an entire saga on its own. I tried everything. At night I'd let the liquid run for five hours till bedtime while "mopping" it up (ha ha, a good one.) Then I'd go to bed with a loose clean t-shirt and just let it absorb the Fluid. Then I tried applying pressure and keeping the wound covered with huge non-stick pads. Then I'd used Bandaids. Nothing stopped it.

I even tried "expressing" or "milking" the liquid by massaging my belly to try to get all the liquid to one area.

My big mistake was liquid-bandage, which only shriveled up the skin around the wound, but it still leaked. When I peeled the liquid-bandage off, my wound opened more.

Today I have a panty liner taped to the inside of my shirt. Brilliant! Now my wound isn't coverd and is getting the air it needs. I have no red, allergic marks from Bandaids or tape, and my shirt is staying clean. The liquid gets dabbed-up by the pad, and everyone is happy.

Everyone be very quiet.... the volcano is actually silent for the first time in a week! There's barely any liquid on the panty-liner... could it be, is it possible... am I healing? SHHHH... not to jinx it!

[DeLarla 22]

Did I forget to mention in my original post that I never had stitches? Dr. Lopez doesn't use sutures any more. He uses some kind of clear glue that keeps the incisions shut. I guess it's some big medical advancement. When I got out of surgery, my incisions were closed off with some kind of invisible surgical glue.

[one gone dog 0]

nothing new about medical "super glue".

they started trying it out during the viet-nam war.

Its great for small wounds.

[DeLarla 22]

I guess the glue is old, but Dr. Lopez was still using sutures 6 months ago because Lopez used stitches on my friend on 10/25/03. I wonder if he uses glue on some and stitches on others???