What they don't tell you about your scar
Posted , 5 users are following.
I am a 67 year old female and had a TKR and patella resurfacing on 9th Feb. My dressing was changed at the hospital and then after about 10 days, changed by the practice nurse at my surgery. Her first remarks were on how puckered, raised and lumpy it was looking, which really worried me as it did look rather like the edge of a cornish pasty! A few days later a friend looked at it and said the same and mentioned that somone else she knew didn't have such a dreadful scar at the same stage, which put me into panic mode. i had no external stitches or clips - just internal soluble stitches and glue. I mentioned this to a friend who was a nurse and has had both knees and hips replaced, and she reassured me that once the stitches dissolve and pop, all will be flat and neat. As if by magic, as I lay in bed that following night doing my usual 3 hour wakeful tossing and turning stint, I felt something go pop in my knee and in the morning hey presto, the lumps and bumps and raised areas were completely flat with a neat scar. Magic!!! Why don't they tell you this in hospital and reassure you that this will happen? Don't know if any other ladies have been worrying about this, but be reassured.
1 like, 10 replies
chris00938 jackie23554
Posted
Hi Jackie - lovely to hear how well your scar is going! I had staples and still have a bit of a 'corrugated look' where the staples where holding the skin together stopping it swelling as much as the areas between them (not that there were a lot of areas between because there were 34 staples LOL!). The staples had been pulling enough to cause bleeding so I've still got a row of dots down each side of the wound, but they're virtualy healed now. I had my TKR on 1st March and some of the area is a thin red line where as some of it is a bit bumpy and some slightly raised and a bit pinker but day by day it's all improving and I'm very happy with it all. But to be honest, the scar aspect didn't bother me at all - I'm happy to carry any 'war wounds' with pride LOL! I hope you sleep better as soon as possible. It's my other knee (that needs doing) that wakes me. Can't wait for that to be done!
You are so right - there is so much we're not told that leaves us worrying, but that's where this group comes in - they fill in all the missing bits:-)))) It's a HUGE help!
eileen15268 jackie23554
Posted
Hi Jackie. Yes my scar was like yours & I also had dissolvable stitches . TBH I didn't worry over the state of the wound I had my dressing changed 3 times as it still bled here & there for a while, then , as you say, it suddenly all looked neat & flat. I wasn't told much what to expect & it has all been a bit of a shock. I am 78 & 8 weeks post op not had much more than a couple hours sleep at a time yet. It seemed to be less painful then yesterday it Dic changed my tablets & its came back with a vengeance I'm on Co codamol & Naproxen .i can't wait to get back to normal, I have been out on a couple of short drives. Is it only me that can't seem to get over it. My husband thinks I should've got over it by now .
ali95530 eileen15268
Posted
Hi Eileen,
I'm afraid everyone other than fellow TKR people think we should be ok after a couple of weeks ... it's just not possible. Tell your hubby to watch TKR video on YouTube ... that'll soon get him understanding why the road to recovery is a long slow one and give him some understanding of the grusome opp you've had.
I'm just over 6 weeks post op and 57 and I'm finding each day a challenge.
Get well vibes coming your way
chris00938 eileen15268
Posted
Eileen I'm sorry your husband isn't sympathetic. From the experiences everyone else is having I think you're entirely normal! It takes how long it takes! The fact that you're not sleeping won't be helping either. We went out for a little walk into town today - ony about 18 minutes but it was nice and much sooner than I expected to be doing things like this. I never felt co-codamil helped me at all when I was given it for arthritis. The codeine I got from the hospital and took for a few nights seemed much more efffective and people there were saying that it's more effective separately. The codeine phosphate dose was 2 x 30mg and I was told I could take that dose up to four times a day, plus the paracetamol on top but I actually only took the codeine at night. I do hope your pain is better soon and do what YOU feel you should be doing.
eileen15268 ali95530
Posted
Husband doesn't really want to know & not interested in water the video, I have & no wonder it hurts . I'm doing the cooking etc now & what I can & resting when I can.
eileen15268 chris00938
Posted
Thanks Chris, must admit I didn't think it would still hurt this much on week 8. I get ok ,then in my earnest I seem to over do the exercise or on my feet too long then i go backwards. I do all the cooking etc & rest when I can. Doc has changed my tablets & im now on co codamol 4x a day 2 Naproxen 2xa day & codeine at night. I'm still awake half the night.Tbh looking back I'm not as bad as I was, so must be improving. Just worried my Rom won't be as good if I don't exercise but we're lols to rest if it swells & too painful . x
eileen15268 chris00938
Posted
Hi Chris, its me again. I've just re read @ your meds. I do have all of them ( plus more) but I think I'll go on to the codeine phosphate plus paracetamol, I hate the co codamol & they don't seem to do anything. I'm so glad of this thread it helps body & mind, thanks for that. I think I was on that combination once before
ali95530 jackie23554
Posted
Your scar sounds amazing. I had 27 staples and I must admit when they were removed I did flinch and a few tears stung my eyes. It looked dreadful too but isn't too bad now at just over 6 weeks post op.
My rom isn't as I'd like it to be ... 103 when brutally forced by my physio 2 weeks ago but I'll know more on the 23rd when I see my consultant. If he's pleased then I will be.
This has been a real rollercoaster of emotions for me, and it wasn't until I read about post operative depression that I realised I wasn't on my own.
melinda11457 jackie23554
Posted
jackie23554 melinda11457
Posted
Thanks Melina. I did try Bio Oil a few weeks ago but it seemed to irritate the top and bottom of the scar so maybe it was a bit too soon. Instead i've been massaging a little aloe vera gel into it twce a day which seems to have calmed things down. i still have 2 stitches sticking out at the bottom of the would and the very top above my knee is a little lumpy and tender. I have ordered some Vitamin E oil....not the easiest to find in the shops here.