Day 12 post repair, sitting and external stitches query.
Posted , 14 users are following.
Hello everyone!
I am now day 12 and feeling pretty positive about everything. The only thing is I still can't sit normally except for on a donut cushion; is this normal? I particularly can't put any weight on my left side of my bottom!
My other question is how long do the external stitches take to go? Mine look the same now as they did on day 1 so can't imagine they are suddenly going to disappear and they are quite 'sharp'. Have other people had to have these visible ones removed in the end and if so when?
Thanks everyone
Back to my ice pack!!
Love Trina xx
0 likes, 84 replies
robyn94818 trina1980
Posted
Your sitting problem sounds pretty common for what I've read on here over past 10mths. But the external stitches I'm not sure on. I don't think external stitches are usually dissolvable. Are they completely on outside of whichever orrifice was used to access repair area? Vaginally?
trina1980 robyn94818
Posted
Hi Robyn, yes it was a vaginal repair and yes some of the stitches are on the outside of the perineum. I can't see how they will dissolve but I'm not seeing anyone until 6 weeks so I don't want the stitches poking me until then!! X
robyn94818 trina1980
Posted
Trina, give the office of your Surgeon a call & ask them about those stitches. What country are you? Did you get a discharge letter from the ward with Surgeons instructions as we do here in NZ?
trina1980 robyn94818
Posted
Thank goodness for the Olympics to watch!!
Fi-45 trina1980
Posted
Hi trina. My stitches all came out themselves. I had one very tight stitch at perineum area and GP wanted to cut it but I was only about 4 wks post op and wouldn't let her incase area wasn't healed properly so I had to just put up with the horrible tenderness until it dropped out but it good a good while. Think it was about 7/8 weeks. But can't remember for certain. X
trina1980 Fi-45
Posted
Did sitting only get easier after that stitch came out or did it gradually get easier over the weeks? X
Fi-45 trina1980
Posted
It's wasn't so much the sitting that bothered me it was wiping after a wee. I had to dab as it was so tender. Not sure what your job it but don't push your waked too quickly about getting back to work. Was it anterior and posterior you had done. As these type of ops are recommended 3months off work to heal and recover so not undoing the work you've had done. So just be careful. X
trina1980 Fi-45
Posted
Laura3333 trina1980
Posted
Hi Trina, Yes they gradually break up and disappear, though if you have a particularly long one that's sticking in and prickling, the nurse at the GP's may be able to snip it.
You've nowhere near healed yet, so it's too soon for them to come out on their own, they use different grades of stitching, some last longer than others because they need to.
It's just one of those things with this surgery, annoying and uncomfortable, but just a waiting game with stitches, mine were sore for ages, then just seemed to disappear.
trina1980 Laura3333
Posted
Thanks Laura; when did yours seem to dissapear?
And how long was it before you could sit 'normally' again? X
Laura3333 trina1980
Posted
Mine started to bother me about two weeks after op, it was a Rectocele repair, and the stitches were the ones coming from the back wall into the perineum, really sore and I could feel one that felt like catgut sticking out sideways and really prickling when I sat on it, and also when walking.
It took quite a while to go, but gradually got less annoying,after about two weeks, I think.
Still hadn't dissolved at my six week check up, I Could feel it was there, but didn't bother me. I asked my consultant, and he just said it was a slow dissolving stitch because that area took longer to fully heal.
trina1980 Laura3333
Posted
Thanks Laura, that's exactly the same procedure and situation as me so it's great to hear things might slowly start to improve soon :-)
Laura3333 trina1980
Posted
It will improve, but 12 days is so early, six weeks is early to be going back to work, can you get an extension on that?
They don't tell you enough about the slow recovery from this surgery, it takes a lot longer than you think, and takes a lot out of your body as well.
I'm four months now although I had other surgery at the same time, and still haven't got back to normal, if I overdo things, just feel wiped out.
Matron said she thinks it can take up to a year before you are totally recovered, it's a painful procedure so just keep on resting as much as you can, and don't expect too much too soon.x.
trina1980 Laura3333
Posted
The thing is other than the stitches I feel really good!! I am having to really hold myself back as feel like I could do a lot more than is recommended. I am a physio myself so am trying to be sensible but it's hard to do so little! I will be desperate to go to work at 6 weeks so hopefully I will be ready! Saying that I only work 3 days per week so I'm hoping it will be realistically ok and I run clinics so I'm not doing heavy work just assessing patients and doing injections as required. Kind of expected to feel worse than this and now feel a bit of a fraud; my other half is surprised by how much I can do too so I'm not really getting 'looked after' anymore which means I have to potter round a bit more!
When did you first get out of the house for a decent time? I'm keen to try and walk but not sure how long to walk for!! X
Laura3333 trina1980
Posted
I have spinal problems as well so walking far is not an option, but I still feel as though something is dragging down if I stand for too long, not sure if that will ever go.
Also problems with bm's due to back nerve damage, so I'm not the the best person to ask really.
Just don't overdo it, if your a physio you will know that just because you look and feel ok, there's still a lot of healing to do.x.