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Pain in stitches 6 days after foot and ankle surgery?

Posted , 8 users are following.

brimariemac
brimariemac

I had surgery on my foot and ankle on Tuesday, and now it is 3am the following Monday and I can't sleep because I'm still in pain and my stitches seem to be bothering me. I can't take my medicine again for a few hours, and I think I'm going to call tomorrow and see if everything sounds normal. My follow up appointment is Wednesday. I'm just stressed. Is it normal for stitches to hurt like this 6 days after surgery?

0 likes, 16 replies

16 Replies

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  • pauline24051
    pauline24051 brimariemac

    Posted

    Hello -   Yes, I think it's quite normal.    My stitches pulled and felt like someone sticking needles into my flesh right up until they were taken out twelve days later.  We're all wired up differently and maybe your nerve endings are protesting.

    There would be no harm in calling your hospital or Drs. surgery to enquire though.

    Elevate and ice the foot as much as you can.  I found this to be the best way of taking down the swelling and ridding myself of the pain.    But also, keep up with the pain medication for as long as you feel you need it.

    I'm four months on now from my surgery and am walking really well but I still have pain from the tendon & ligament healing.   I'm still taking pain medication because if I can keep the pain at bay, I walk more and more confidently which in itself is good for the foot.

    You'll get there - best of luck

    • brimariemac
      brimariemac pauline24051

      Posted

      Thank you! I know they said it was going to hurt for a while, I just didn't expect it to be this bad. I've also heard that stitches come out after 14 days, but my follow up appointment is Wednesday. (8 days after Op) I don't know if that's when my stitches aren't coming out. When did yours come out?

    • pauline24051
      pauline24051 brimariemac

      Posted

      My stitches came out after 12 days -should have been 14 days but when I saw the surgeon on the 12th day, he reckoned the wounds looked good enough for the stitches to come out then.   Have to say, I was so much more comfortable when they were out and the wounds healed very quickly and are now almost invisible.
    • brimariemac
      brimariemac pauline24051

      Posted

      I'm hoping by some miracle my wounds are healed enough so that my stitches can be taken out on Wednesday. This pain is too much. Feels like they're being tugged on constantly

  • chris_03999
    chris_03999 brimariemac

    Posted

    Hi, sorry to hear of your pain. I had a total ankle replacment last year and the day the drips where removed (4th day after OP) I had so much pain and later it was seen that the bandage was too tight. For anyone who has also a replacment ankle OP I still have pain when walking which it's now 16 months. The pain accurs only when the wieght transferes from heal to toe. It would be nice to hear if any one has the same problem.

    • pauline24051
      pauline24051 chris_03999

      Posted

      Hello Chris -   you're the first person I've heard of having had a complete ankle replacement.    Goodness me, you must have been through the mill.   I can't comment because I only had broken tib & fib plus Talus dislocation followed by surgery - so compared to your surgery, mine was relatively easy I imagine.

      Sixteen months is a long time to be in pain and I feel for you.   I sincerely hope you begin to feel less pain and get your life back as it was.

    • chris_03999
      chris_03999 pauline24051

      Posted

      Thanks for your concern Pauline. My Op only took 2hours and is quite routine today. My ankle joint was ruined with arthritis from too much sport in my younger days. I know people who have had multiple bone fractures and recovered. Hope you will too. Take care, Chris
    • pauline24051
      pauline24051 chris_03999

      Posted

      Thank you Chris - that's very kind of you.     Three months prior to me breaking my ankle, I had a total right hip replacement due to arthritis - thankfully, the new hip stood up to the fall.     `My left hip is being replaced end of January.  I'll be bionic !!

    • pamela10816
      pamela10816 chris_03999

      Posted

      chris, I was reading a post on this site just yesterday about a person that had an ankle replacement.  They talked about pain and seeing a podiatrist for a special insol and shoe that helped tremedously.  Maybe an insole specialy designed would help you as well? 
  • angela87177
    angela87177 brimariemac

    Posted

    Not sure what is normal and what isn't.  I guess it varies from person to person.  My stitches did not bother me.  I was off pain meds in 2 days with no pain at all.  Call your Doc just to be sure.  They took 1set of stiches out on my first visit and went back 1 week later to get other set out.  I hopefully wilil come out of cast on December 1.  Good luck. 

  • pamela10816
    pamela10816 brimariemac

    Posted

    I am 5 weeks post op and yes my stitches bothered me greatly !  I had my stitches removed at 2 weeks post op and I was counting down the days, it was such a relief to have them removed.  I will agree with Pauline, ICE and ELEVATE.... it really did seem to give me relief.  I slept every night with my leg elevated on 2 pillows, the less the swelling the less the pain.  
    • brimariemac
      brimariemac pamela10816

      Posted

      It's so painful! My appointment is in the morning, so fingers crossed the doctor will help me somehow! Did your stitches ever burn or anything?

    • pamela10816
      pamela10816 brimariemac

      Posted

      My stitches pulled and felt like a billion pin pricks.  Days 11-14 were the worst. Yes, I would say it felt like burning, bee stings and pin pricks.  

      I am glad you are going to the Dr. in the morning, I hope he helps you out.  

  • ihavenonickname
    ihavenonickname brimariemac

    Posted

    So very sorry to say, yes....as the tissues heal, the stitches pull and irritate.

    Once they are removex you wil feel so much better.

    In the USA, stitches are removed in 10-14 days.

    kind regards

  • jana89782
    jana89782 brimariemac

    Posted

    I haven't had my surgery yet, it's a little scary thinking about the pain. Has anyone dealt with a missing groove in the fibula? Don't have my paperwork so I don't know the official name for it. But along with other things my doc wants to go in and drill a little groove in my bone. Has anyone experienced this yet?

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