Gallbladder recovery and dissolvable stitches.
Posted , 6 users are following.
Had my gallbladder out by keyhole surgery. Not pleasant in pain in recovery room. Had to have a lot of pain drugs kept in overnight. Continual blood pressure taken overnight. I am always high but they were getting me to breath slowly at the end every time. Let me go by 11.30am after drip, I can't remember what it was for. External needle collapsed vein for drip on left hand so Dr came back and put it in right. Concerned now still v painful wounds mainly tummy button one and right hand side.
Want to know when to take of plastic plasters to reveal stitches. I know they should be kept dry after showering. Scared to remove them knowing wounds still to heal. What do I do?
1 like, 23 replies
jai53
Posted
I am already into 14 days after surgery.
bazandtina jai53
Posted
Hi Jai,my other half had his removed the same way last year.The hospital sent him home with some extra dressings to change every 4 days,once the edges of the cut look healed you can leave them off(if you need dressings get them from the doctors, nurse will even dress it if you cant).The stitches do take awhile to wriggle out completely.But what you should do is cut the edge with scissors and when abit more wriggles out cut that until you feel comfortable to pull it out gently with some tweezers.
They stitched 2 cuts and glued the other 2,the one on your side is the one that niggled baz too,belly button was fine.Hope this helps and you wont be to sore for much longer.
pippa58442 jai53
Posted
Since you are worried, in a lot of pain and unsure what to do about the stitches, I would go back to your doctor for advice and ask for a nurse to deal with the stitches and dressings. I would not be confident enough to handle this myself. Always defer to the experts.
2muchpain pippa58442
Posted
Sorry to say but I have to agree with Pippa again, over bazandtina.
dave52191 jai53
Posted
i am in a similar condition day 8 since operation and still in pain .
dave52191 jai53
Posted
day 10 since operation and because of the trauma i went through and pain i have still i have not as yet took dressings off .
vetsyd jai53
Posted
Hello jai53... I had the same surgery on 1/29/19.
I pretty well considering how sick I was 6 years prior and up til surgery. I guess I lucky to have mine outpatient. They started around noon and I was home by 5:00pm. However, like you my pain levels were high and pain meds didnt seem to affect much. I had similar pain to my previous gallbladder attacks the first few NIGHTS after surgery. Then my top two incisions really hurt off/on for a couple of weeks. The tape on mine started rolling up and itching me something crazy so I pulled them off about 5-6 days post-surgery. I told my surgeon about everything and he was still satisfied that I was healing normally.
To quote him "everyone heals in various ways and as long as there is no fever or oozing, we should be OK." Also, I did not follow up with him until 3 weeks later and he said by that point, post surgical complications would have passed. I hope you feel better as each day passes. Message me back if any other concerns. SUSANNE, 53 Nashville, TN
dave52191 jai53
Posted
hi there , day ten now since my operation and still haven't as yet plucked the courage to take my dressing's off because to scared to see what the wound ( scars ) look like , and hoping because leaving the same dressings on since operation the holes will heal fine .
can anyone agree or what if any concerns !
vetsyd dave52191
Posted
It sounds like you have the right idea. The longer you can tolerate them, probably the better!
dave52191 vetsyd
Posted
many thanks , i so really do hope so .
dave52191 jai53
Posted
the reason why i am to worried to see how its healed .
picture below was the drainage tube what i woke up too after operation :
pippa58442 jai53
Posted
Ask your doctor or nurse to take the dressings off for you. Having someone with you is better since you are worried about how the wound will look.
dave52191 pippa58442
Posted
i think you maybe right , but my confidence with anyone since my op is very low 😦
pippa58442 dave52191
Posted
Since your confidence is low, that is why getting your doctor or nurse to remove the dressings will help you. Having an expert with you will build your confidence and will give you the reassurance you need about your wound. Speak to your doctor or nurse about your worries about how your wound will look. Thinking about it on your own will mean you be alone with your worries which will give you more anxiety. Try to think positively and picture a scenario of your wound being perfectly healed.
When I lack confidence, I like to have someone with me while I am doing the task I am struggling with. This builds my confidence and gradually I can do more of the task on my own. Having an expert with you, always helps.
dave52191 pippa58442
Posted
many thanks for the support , yet another day of pain and feeling low , i have been thinking about my wounds and the removal of my dressings ,
can i possible ask all , was you given a diet plan or follow up appointment ? as i was given nothing except a handful of tablets in which i told the nurse that i cant swallow whole tablets to be told i need to start to learn , i'm 49 and never have done ever , im feeling still very low with the whole experience regards the level of care got or lack of since this op 😦
pippa58442 dave52191
Posted
I didn't have gallbladder surgery; I have IBS. I didn't need a follow appointment for this or a diet plan. However, what I can say is you should have been given strategies for swallowing tablets or a tablet you can swallow. To be told that you will have to learn is not acceptable or helpful. I would flag this with your doctor at your next appointment and express your concerns about the poor care you have received. No one should be asked to remove their own dressings; that is a nurse's job and since they are too lazy to do it, you should ask to see someone else. Explain that your poor treatment is making you feel depressed. Try to think of your wound and removal of dressings in a positive way. However, try not to focus on this all the time. If you feel yourself concentrating on it negatively, try imagining your wound totally healed. Alternatively, try distracting yourself with things you enjoy and the less you think about it will help your pain and low mood and you will start to feel better.
If I can't swallow tablets, I try lots of water or soak the tablet for a few minutes in the water to soften it. This stops my throat pushing the tablet back up.
jai53 dave52191
Posted
Hi Dave
I never had either before or after any diet sheet. They did say keep to a bland diet but what is that other than no rich sauces, no fat like chips fatty meat etc. I have tried to stick to that lost a bit of weight but now need to be healed to do decent exercise for middle and legs and arms. Annoying til I am feeling better. I do have follow up appointment April 1st (yes all fools day). Had operation on 19th Feb so approx 7 weeks wait. It said on my hospital sheet by 4 weeks. Didn't go with any tablets but I was in such pain to my shoulder and lower right hand side in recovery room. They kept me in overnight and kept me on morphine and a drip. My blood pressure was way too high so kept getting me to take deep breaths to keep it down. I know I always get this problem in Dr's surgery or hospital. Only used to mental problems and electric shock treatment. 1st operation I have ever had I am 65. Should be grateful.
Guest dave52191
Posted
Hi Dave
Have just spotted your post and hope by now you are feeling a bit better. My cousin had the same operation last December and due to complications was kept in 12 days before being sent home. She was still in agony, exhausted and very depressed, and just told to take paracetemol and avoid all fatty food for the time being. There has been no follow up appointment, she was just left to get on with it, but that's the NHS for you.
It took 4 weeks before her energy started to return and she began to feel more normal - at times she thought she never would. She had one more painful wound, which just took more time than the others to heal. But now all is healed and you can hardly see the scars. Did you not have someone at home to help you with the dressings?
As for the pills, what are they for? If they are just paracetemol, my mother used to crush them between 2 tablespoons, mix a little milk with them and we would swallow them down. If they are encapsulated you can't do that. I always take my pills with plenty of liquid and keep gulping until they go down. Best wishes
pippa58442 Guest
Posted
This sounds like a horror story! Being told to take paracetemol when you are in agony diesn't sound like good care at all. She should have been given something stronger.