Drainage and Allergies

I'm about 9 days out from surgery right now and have had some symptoms that I'm a bit concerned with. 

Has anyone else had drainage from one of their incisions? I was told it wasn't infected and that sometimes it happens, but I'm still concerned.

Also, I've noticed that I've been having a ton more allergic reactions to things since my surgery. My eye swelled up to the point that it wouldn't open, and I woke up the other night with hives all over my arms and legs. I'm wondering if my immune system is just freaking out about the Lap Band being in there and overreacting to any other allergen that it finds.

I do not want to scare you or anything like that, BUT I really  think you should speak to your surgeon about this. There is a such thing as being allergic to the materials used in Lapband and it is possible that you could be.

This is what I found online: 

As with all allergies an allergic reaction to the Lap-Band can start with minor irritations such as itchy skin, redness or rashes that appear on the external area of the implant. Symptoms that suggest a more intense reaction are hives, edema, dizziness or fainting. A person can experience nausea or stomach cramping along with diarrhea as growing symptoms of an allergy to the Lap-Band. Extreme symptoms are swelling of the lips and throat with asthmatic symptoms, such as difficulty breathing. At worst, a person may go into anaphylactic shock, which is a collapse of the cardiovascular system. In this case, an Epi-Pen or shot of adrenaline would be used to stimulate the system. Patients should see their doctor if allergy symptoms manifest.

Read more: Lapband Allergy Symptoms | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5037638_lapband-allergy-symptoms.h tml#ixzz1EcCERK4O

I hope everything turns out  to be ok for you :-)

As always, your doctor is the way to go.

If the drainage from the incisions is clear it is most likely just part of the healing process but still good to raise with your doctor.

As for the allergic reaction, only your doctor can help you figure out what is going on.  You could be allergic to one of the meds they used during or after your surgery, you could be allergic to materials (gloves, pads, etc) used during or after your surgery and so on.

Good Luck!

 The draining has stopped, but it was a pink-ish color. Also the hives have gone down. Thanks for the advice, though!