Ewwwww.....

Hi Everyone! Yes - it's me. I'm still alive and kicking although I don't post much, but boy, do I lurk! I have a question for all of you. Has anyone had any problems with their open scar? I have one spot on my scar that keeps .... well, festering. I know - too much info! It gets this big old pimply looking thing on it and then eventually "pops" and scabs over and goes away for about a month and then comes back like clockwork. I've had this looked at by my PCP and they even did a culture on it (Ewwwww!!) to make sure it wasn't a staph infection. It wasn't, I got on some anti-biotics and it stayed away for a little while, but still comes back to haunt me. It's about an inch down on my incision. I've also noticed that because I'm so short-waisted and I have to hike every thing I wear practically up to my boobs, so the waistband of a lot of my jean****s right there on that spot - perhaps irritating it. I don't know, but I just thought I'd throw this out there to see if anyone has experienced this lovely issue. Oh - BTW - I do put some Neosporin and a band-aid on it when it festers (for lack of a better word) and it helps, but I can't get this bad boy to go away forever. If I don't get this cleared up, my hopes of flaunting my stuff at the pool in my bikini are squashed! OK - no way in hell I'd ever don a bikini, but it sounded good. Oh - any by the way - I'm down 75 pounds (remember - I had VBG) and if I never lost any more weight than this, I'd still do it all again in a hearbeat. I'm happy and I'm healthier that I've ever been. My confidence level is to the point of ****y, but I don't care! I'm still loosing and I'm not trying all that much. I still think that coffee is a food group! I excercise only when I really get the urge, but I'm loving life and enjoying every day! Thanks guys! I love ya'll!! -W-

Wendy!! First off ...congrats on the weight loss!! Secondly...I've heard of several post-ops with something similar to what your describing. If I remember right most of them eventually had a stitch (that didn't dissolve) come out of the wound. You might post this question on the Main board - someone that went through it could probably shed some light on the subject. Va P.S. How's about a new picture!! I know you can't look like your pre-op pic anymore!!

Hey Wendy! So good to hear from you! When are we going to get a new picture? We gotta see the new ****y you! I have a spot about an inch down on my incision that is a hard knot that makes me want to pop it, but I resist. I will scratch it and squeeze it a little sometimes, but I resist anything further because I'm trying to keep from opening it up and having something chronic.....like you have! I was thinking it might be an internal stitch that never dissolved, but I don't really know. Have they mentioned anything like that to you? The rest here is graphic, so don't look if you have a weak pouch!!! I know I have had cysts in the past - several years ago - on my legs and below my breasts that once they got into a pattern of getting infected and me trying to avoid touching it. It would then build up the infection in it and it would be a hard knot because I *didn't* poke or prod on it. I was only able to get rid of the problem by basically excising it myself. I would use a needle and basically pull the cyst out. (Took some work) Kind of weird and I would NOT suggest doing it yourself, ESPECIALLY for an incision line, but you might bring it up to your doc and see if they can cut it out. Sounds like that might be what needs to happen. Dina

Hi Wendy; I think that Virginia may have the answer. I had one spot (which was right under my belt- line by the way) which gave me trouble for a few months. I don't think that mine was quite a persistent as yours, but it sounded like the same thing. At first, I thought that it was a zit or an ingrown hair, but I later thought that it might be the remains of a suture. I did what you did and put Neosporin and a Bandaid on it after popping it. The last time I popped it, something dark came out that cold have been a suture and the problem has not been back since. Hope this helps. Good luck and contiued enjoylment of life as a "LOSER"!!! Mike

Thanks everyone for your response. I thought that it might be a suture working its way out, but my PCP ruled that out early on. I'll just keep doctoring it myself for now. If it gets worse (like a tumor the size of a small community), I'll get it looked at again!! As for a new picture - I promise to get one sent to Dinka Doo so she can put it on my profile for me. I've had a head cold for the past week, so I'm looking pretty crappy right now. As soon as I feel my ****y self again, I'll get all glamed up and let someone take a picture of me. ;o) Thanks again everyone - ya'll are the best. -Wendy

I had the same thing happen to me. It is called suture granuloma. They have to go back in and remove a suture. It only takes a couple of hours. You do need to contact your surgeon though. It is minimally invasive and you can come home the same day. Nick

Oh Nick - - I'm SO glad that you've had this and know what it is. I'm going to go out and search on the topic right after I post this! I don't want to go back to my surgeon - he's a mean man and he gives me a hard time about the amount of weight I've lost (not enough for him). I wonder if a dermatolgist could do it? I'll check it out and see. Thanks again for letting me know what this probably is. Take care!! -Wendy