Bad Allergic Reaction to Steri Strips

I had conversion from lap band to by-pass last Tuesday.  I am doing great and feeling great but I have this horrible rash all over my stomach.  I called the doctor on Saturday and he told me to remove the strips beacuse I had an allergic reaction to them.  I removed them on Saturday and started to take Benedryl to keep me from scratching my stomach off!   Well, today is Wednesday and the rash is still continuing to grow.  I have taken showers everyday and have washed the spots.  I even had my husband take an alcohol pad to get the access gook from the strips off.  I called the doctors office yesterday and told them and they insist this is a NORMAL thing.  I can see it being normal to have a little irriation to the strips and have a little outbreak but when I say my WHOLE stomach is covered in a rash with puss I mean it!  The nurse still didn't seam to be concerned.  She told me to take Benedry and put anti-itch cream one it, which I have been doing since Saturday.  Has this ever happened to anyone?  How long did it take to heal?  Did your doctor perscribe something to help?  Did you continously have break outs the whole week, even on parts of your body the steri strips weren't around?  Any information would be a big help!  I am going crazy over here with the itching!  I wake up several times at night and started back to work yesterday so I'm exhausted!!

Vanessa

Vanessa are you taking antibiotics....you may be allergic to them.  I found I was allergic to the steri strips too!....and tegaderm and tape actually because I had an opening for awhile but not all over my stomach only where the tapes were.   I didn't have them all over.....You need for them to look at you and they should be saying ...If you want to come in we will take a look!  Good Luck Patty

I had an allergic reaction too, however not as severe.  I also got a blood blister from the steri-strip too.  Talked to my primary about it and left it alone.  If you are on antibiotics, you could be allergic to them, like the previous poster said.  Check into that.  Sorry you are so uncomfortable.  I will pray for you.  Carol

Thank you both for the quick reply.  The only medications I am taking are vitamins, which I took before the surgery and Carafate, which I started after surgery.  Should I call the doctors office and insist on going in?  There must be something they can perscribe to help!!!

Vanessa, go to my profile and look at the photos I posted a couple of weeks ago...I was going crazy with itching and pain, like the worst mosquito bite ever x 1000!  None of the creams, antihistamines or anything worked until I started scrubbing the area with a "loofa" like sponge I have in my shower for exfoliating.  Then I put on some monoxidil cream and wore a tank top between my skin and my outer shirt to avoid irritating it.  It took about 2 weeks to lose all redness and I still have a little discoloration around my incisions.  I saw the PA yesterday and she thought it might have been the adhesive they use to insure the steris stay in place.  My rash got really bad after I took the steris off, two weeks post-op.  Hope this helps!

I am allergic to medical adhesive and after my RNY I had a horrible rash where my central line IV was on my neck/upper chest.  I finally went in to my PCP and she prescribed prescription anti-itch cream (steroid based).  It still took a couple of weeks for the rash to go completely away.  After my plastics I didn't let the doc use any more adhesive than was absolutely necessary due to the previous reaction.  If your surgeon won't prescribe something, go to your regular doc and see if they will.

Debbi

Skin reactions to those strips is not uncommon.  So it can be considered a normal thing. I would have thought you'd want more than one week off of work. Getting used to the post experiences (poor appetite, water issues, feeling exhausted, etc) usually takes more than one week to overcome. My surgeon normally authorizes 4 weeks off of work due to this.  But you know how "taxing" your job may physically be.  Good luck. DAVE

Stephanie - I just took at a look at your pictures and mine is very similar except that I have it covering my whole stomach, not just where the incisions are.  I even have some patches under my breast.  Maybe I will try what you suggested.  Thanks for you reply!

Thanks Dave for your concern, but I am doing excellent, other than the allergic reaction.  I was back after 6 days when I had lap band.  I have an office job and most of my time is spent sitting down behind the computer. 

Stephanie

Are you wearing an elastic support thingy at all?  I was wrapped in one after surgery, and once home, I too broke out all over my tummy.  Turns out, the elastic stuff in that wrap caused it, I stopped wearing it and it finally improved, about 2 weeks later!  Just a thought - hope you figure it out! 

Kelly