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Infection

Posted , 5 users are following.

sarah37908
sarah37908

Matron what can be the causes of getting an infection? I've been getting daily showed etc , how and why do we get them after this op?

0 likes, 25 replies

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  • Jan999
    Jan999 sarah37908

    Posted

    sarah infections aren't that common but some patients confuse it with the normal post op discharge but in most cases it's an organism that's been laying dormant and once the surgeon operates it causes problems. Vaginal thrush is probably the most common and that's because most women have candida already in the vagina and being run down seems to cause the problems. Of course there's always a very very slim chance you could pick the infection up in hospital. If the catheter isn't inserted using full aseptic technique but that's very unlikely because that's done in theatre.
    • sarah37908
      sarah37908 Jan999

      Posted

      This is brown , offensive smell ( worse today than yesterday) and it's starting to sting down there .. Could this be thrush do you think matron ?
    • Jan999
      Jan999 sarah37908

      Posted

      If it's brown I doubt it's thrush. Sounds like old blood that's a bit infected. Are you going to see the doctor tomorrow?
    • sarah37908
      sarah37908 Jan999

      Posted

      Yes I had already booked in for something else before my op ( with my doctor you have to know two weeks in advance your going to be ill for an appointment lol) so I'm going to tell him. The nurse at the hospital where I had the op done said when I rung her that he mah do a dip test , if he dies t she wants me to go up there straight away so they can do it . She also said she wants me to let them know either way if I have got one or not so it can go on my notes
    • Jan999
      Jan999 sarah37908

      Posted

      I think he will take a swab but he may want to wait for the results before he prescribes anything. Tell him you want antibiotics straight away because you don't want it to get any worse x
  • robyn94818
    robyn94818 sarah37908

    Posted

    I think my infection was from the catheterisation done in the ward day after op which I couldn't pee by afternoon, having had the theatre one removed 7am day after op. I suspect she didn't use excellent technique. That catheter was taken out next morning and I was fine from then on. I also think it is a good moist, warm place (up inside us) for bugs to thrive in if any that aren't supposed to be there get in. Thats why I don't think these girls who have had a feel around at their stitches quite early on should be doing that as can introduce bugs.
    • Gillian22766
      Gillian22766 robyn94818

      Posted

      Hi, I had my cathiter taken out then an in out cathiter, then one in for 24 hours and over the next 12 I started to wee again was that the same for you?

      did you have a A&P?

    • Jan999
      Jan999 robyn94818

      Posted

      If the catheter was removed and your symptoms cleared up then it wasn't the procedure of catheterising you that caused an infection, in fact you can't have had an infection if it cleared so quickly. I don't think any nurse or doctor would catheterise a patient without using an aseptic technique and everything needed for the procedure is sterilised. If any woman gets an infection from a catheter is usually due to bugs in the urethra.
    • Gillian22766
      Gillian22766 Jan999

      Posted

      The nurse cleans me and put somthing on to help with it going inside again.

      i think some people catch infection quicker than others.

    • Jan999
      Jan999 Gillian22766

      Posted

      She'll have put a lubricant on the catheter to help it insert into your urethra. That's usually in a sterile packet. If you had a urine infection it wouldn't have cleared so quickly it was probably the sensation of the catheter that made it feel like you had an infection. I've been catheterised several times and I had that sensation.
    • Gillian22766
      Gillian22766 Jan999

      Posted

      No I didn't have infection till after matron I just couldn't wee at first said my bladder was to bruised and needed a rest, I got a yest infection after but sorted straight away.
    • Jan999
      Jan999 Gillian22766

      Posted

      Oh sorry Gillian I misunderstood. A bruised bladder is fairly common x
    • robyn94818
      robyn94818 Gillian22766

      Posted

      Hi Gillian. I had anterior repair with TOT sling. I only had one catheter put in in the ward as next day after surgery and theatre catheter removed at 7am, & I didn't manage to wee all day. So late afternoon I had another put in and it drained 850ml & was left in overnight. Taken out again 7am day two. When I said above "I was fine from then on", I wasn't referring to the infection, but about my ability to wee normally.
    • robyn94818
      robyn94818 Jan999

      Posted

      I didn't have symptoms of an infection on day one when 2nd catheter was put in on the ward. It was removed following day, day two post-op. I don't know when the ecoli bug got into my bladder. I do know that at one week post-op I had wondered for most of the week since going home that I maybe had an infection. I didn't have any idea what I should be experiencing discharge wise and whether urine should be trickling out all the time. I joined here to ask but still didn't get any answers to help me decide if I needed to get GP appt. or call Surgeons nurse. I didn't call her till 4wks post-op unfortunately. I have never ever had a UTI in my 57yrs. And the post-op one didn't present with usual signs & symptoms. Also I don't believe that everything done by medical staff outside of sterile theatre is 100% guaranteed to be sterile & not give us bugs. How does superbugs infect loads in a ward at times. Transmission of any bugs can be from bad handwashing techniques or not even washing hands between patients. And various procedures aren't necessarily always aseptic again due to bad technique etc.
    • Jan999
      Jan999 robyn94818

      Posted

      Ecoli is one of the most common causes of a urine infection because it's present in the bowel so it's very common for a woman to infect herself. Ecoli is rarely spread from one patient to another unless there is an outbreak of diarrhoea on the ward and remember nursing and medical staff can use all aseptic techniques but if a patient isn't cautious as well, and believe me some still don't wash their hands after using the toilet then you don't have much chance of preventing infection. Symptoms of a UTI are usually pain and burning when you pass urine, generally feeling unwell and frequency. 
    • robyn94818
      robyn94818 Jan999

      Posted

      I wasn't implying that ecoli was spread from another patient. It is more likely to have been spread from the very close proximity of anus to vagina and believe me, I am one of the most fastidious clean freaks you could meet. Probably due to my training also. The most likely transmission could be the end of the catheter touching something with the tip that was to end up inside my bladder. Or it just happened due to nobodies fault. I know ALL the signs & symptoms of a UTI & believe me, I did not have all or any of those standard ones. I have witnessed slack nursing practice in many different hospitals, both private and public. Also fantastic prevention of cross infection & cleanliness. I've even seen Specialists NOT wash their hands between patients. GP's included.
    • Jan999
      Jan999 robyn94818

      Posted

      Well I hope if you witnessed health professionals not washing their hands you brought it to their attention. I have to say in the UK infection in hospital has reduced dramatically and I have never witnessed any staff not using all the hand washing facilities in between patients.  As you say Ecoli is usually spread from the anus into the vagina and it doesn't matter how fastidious you are sometimes it just happens. You did say however you wondered if you had an infection and you weren't sure if you should be experiencing certain symptoms post op. 
    • robyn94818
      robyn94818 Jan999

      Posted

      Thats wonderful that UK does so much to prevent cross infections. Maybe New Zealand is not doing enough. I thought I may have had an infection within couple days of coming home, but as I had none of the classic symptoms, and having not had any pelvic floor surgery before, I was confused about what is normal post-op & what isn't. So I googled it and stumbled across this forum. Joined, waited, read all the posts and hoped somebody else might be experiencing same as I was. But I didn't find what I hoped. But at 4wk mark I finally rang Surgeons Nurse who faxed a lab form to my closest Lab & I went straight there to do sample. Surgeon started me on antibiotics same day. By day 2 of AB's I was getting better. I wish I had gone with my gut instinct at 1wk and rung Dr's rooms that day. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
    • Jan999
      Jan999 robyn94818

      Posted

      We weren't so good at one point robyn in fact I would have not wanted to be a patient for fear of picking up some infection or other. It has improved 100%. I'm pleased you got the treatment you needed and I always say you know your body better than anyone. 
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