I had surgery 9 days ago, yesterday I started getting an itchy rash around all of my incisions. I called the doc at the weight loss center, they told me to take Benadryl. Do you think I should call my actual surgeon?

You may be having a reaction to the tape-like substance put over you for the surgery and for the dressings. It happens to me to a small extent. That adhesive is nasty stuff. I put a little tea tree oil on it and it helps. The IV port dressing in the curve of my elbow was the worst. I have friends that every time the epidural patch - which is like 12" by 12" - is on her - she gets a blistered reaction.

My understanding is that there is a sheet of this stuff on your abdomen for the surgery.

If the antihistamines don't work, then yes - call the doc.

I had four incisions and two of them got blisters the size of a dime where the tape and band-aids were. As soon as I could change over to gauze and bandage tape, I did.

My incisions were all covered with what I was told was suture glue and that it would wear away in about two weeks. It was to cover the incisions to keep them sterile, not what was actually holding the skin together. Instead of lasting two weeks, all 5 fell off within 4 days, and I was left with raised, angry looking red welts at itched to no end.

Benadryl did nothing for me.

I spoke to my surgeon who said to keep them dry except during showering, and to not put pressure on them from the shower. To wash with soap gently, and to allow Water to 'trickle' down on them from water hitting above. Then after the shower, to put a thin cloth over them and put an gel pack I had in the freezer. Not ice, but a gel pack that is not as cold. It relieved the itchy feeling for several hours. The red welts were there for over 2 weeks, but the itchy feeling passed in a few days for me.

When I saw the surgeon for the first post-op appointment, he said 'wow, your skin does not like adhesives!'

I just went to my surgeon bc of a stomach rash, he said Benadryl.

probably adhesives. i also had bad rashes and VERY gently washed the area with hand sanitizer to remove the adhesive. i switched to gauze pads and paper tape. i also had a reaction to the bp cuff left on during surgery(plastic?). i do not have a latex allergy. the above, benadryl, and time took care of it.

By the time I hit 9 days I was ready to claw the steri-strips off with a rake. Saw Sx postop that day and she gave me adhesive remover and told me I could take the steris off. Soooo much better!!