Frustrated! Advice anyone?

[Cherry Pop]

Anyone on here ever have any problems with wounds not healing like from surgery? I had to go to the ER today because of this problem and I'm so frustrated! I had a surgery last June that left me with a little complication - a place where stitches were came undone after the stitches came out. So for a little over 6 months I had to take sitz baths to try to heal it. Unfortunately it didn't heal but the time came for me to have my next surgery. So my surgeon restitched that area after my surgery. Well this time once the stitches came out, the same area opened up again and now have caused the newly operated area to open as well (this area was healing). I'm so frustrated because all I'm being told to do is take sitz baths and they aren't working! I've been doing them for almost a year now!! At the ER I was examined and again told do the sitz bath thing which is old news to my ears. I go see my surgeon on Monday but I will scream if she even says the word sitz. So I'm wondering if anyone on here have had anything similar happen to them and what they did for it. I'm not coming online for medical advice but if someone else has been through this and did something that worked for them I'd love to hear about it as I would like to run it by my surgeon. I'm so sick of this I refuse to walk around with an open wound any longer!!

[T4]

wow....I can't imagine walking around like that for almost a year!! Have they given you any particular reason as to why the area keeps re opening? That certainly can't be good...I mean as far as infections go you would almost be susceptible to anything going!! Can they not skin graft it, or use surgical mesh to help promote the healing? Someone, somewhere must have a solution to your problem. If you don't get your problem answered from any of the surgical dr's here, then ask to be referred to someone else, that can look after you!!

[Cherry Pop]

Trust me this is mild compared to what I've already gone through! I've spent 9 years having surgeries and having complications. After 9 years I'm losing my patience with my doctors and our health care system. I'm not sure why it isn't healing probably because it's a difficult part of the body to heal and I think it reopened this time because it never really healed properly. The incision on my stomach healed fine. I've already been to Ontario numerous times and our health care system fails people like me. I'm just really tired of all this bull! I imagine if it doesn't eventually heal on it's own I'll be looking at more surgery but honestly I refuse to walk around like this any longer!!!

[T4]

I certainly don't blame you! BUT....I wouldn't let it go either. Demand that something be done, or to send you somewhere where if it means another surgery to promote proper healing...then send you there. I just can't imagine what you must go through!! And, a thought to ponder...are the sitz baths really helping or is it keeping the area to moist and only helping in the break down of the skin in that area?.....Like I said early, my concern would be that infection sets in and then it not only affects the wound area, but systemically too. Then you would be dealing with more treatments of some sort and antibiotics. Your natural flora must be taking a beating!! I wish you luck!!:)

[boo35]

I have to tell u i am in homecare,and we see this all the time with our clients because they are bedridden and have a hard time healing,here is a piece of advice just try it, it works for me..u can get butterfly bandages in shoppers use this to close the area after every shower or bath,make sure the skin is touching. Repeat until u see results..it's worth a try! sry u have to go through this.

[Cherry Pop]

I have to tell u i am in homecare,and we see this all the time with our clients because they are bedridden and have a hard time healing,here is a piece of advice just try it, it works for me..u can get butterfly bandages in shoppers use this to close the area after every shower or bath,make sure the skin is touching. Repeat until u see results..it's worth a try! sry u have to go through this.

What's a butterfly bandage? If I went in and asked them for this at Shoppers would they know what I'm talking about? Also can this be used on a moist area of the body? I've been using gauze after baths and showers but as the sitz bath, gauze is useless.

[christine chittick]

it is also called butterfly stitches, they work great unless the area is in a part of your body that bends frequently ie. hands knees, and they do frequently come off if the area is moist.

[Cherry Pop]

ok then I don't think they would work cause this area is a moist area without going into further detail.

[MrsBeasley]

Is it possible for your doctor to use an absorbable suture for any further procedures? It might help in healing as it takes longer to dissolve than the length of time they leave in non-absorbable sutures or staples. Therefore the edges of your incision will be held together longer.

[Cherry Pop]

I'm not sure. See she was going to send me to another doctor to sewn up the first area that came undown then Thursday happened where it all came undone. I'll ask about absorbable sutures when I go see her on Monday but all I know is they better be dissolvable ones cause I've already gone through having stitches taken out of there and I'm not going through that again!

[mypooh]

Hi Cherry Pop,
I just wanted to let you know from experience as in the run of 6 yrs I had 9 surgery's. The dissolving stitches are REALLY worth it, it usually takes about 2-3 weeks for them to be completely dissolve, it's usually the know that takes the longest but they work.
I wish you the best of luck and hope it works for you

[Cherry Pop]

Thanks to everyone who offered me advice here and through pm. I went to see my surgeon today and I will be having more surgery for my problem as I guess stitches or anything else wouldn't work.

[mypooh]

I hope all goes well Cherry Pop, you deserve to have some good luck...
keep me posted on how you make out with this one...
Wishing you the best

[christine chittick]

Good Luck Cherry Pop - sorry to hear you are having so much trouble. Hope you get well soon! :)