Post-op questions

Hi all...looking for some advice from the veterans here.

I am 11 days post op, and I took my steri-strips off last night. One of my incisions looks a little odd to me, it does not look as though it has closed. There are no signs of infection, but all the other incisions are neat lines where are this one is still a hole. It is the incision closest to the belly button, I think the camera port?

Should I be concerned?

Also, I am wondering if I am drinking too fast. The first couple of days it would take me 40-60min to drink a premier protein and now I can knock one back in about 20-30min. I can also take larger drinks of water, up to 3 mouthfuls at a time (have not pushed further than this, but feel as though I could without issue. Just want to be sure I am not overdoing it!

Lastly, I am so over liquids, I cannot wait for pureed food - and flavour!!

I would just put another steri strip on that incision and keep an eye on it. It it isn't oozing or red I wouldn't be worried about.

I was able to drink almost like normal relatively early out. As long as you aren't uncomfortable I would say your'e fine. Your pouch is like a funnel, unlikely to do any damage with liquids. Staying hydrated is so important so if you can tolerate the water, go ahead.

Thanks Ginnny! Thats a good idea - I had some butterfly wound closure strips but they just popped off - don't have the staying power of the steri strips.

Thank goodness about the drinking - drinking somewhat normally will make it so much easier to get my water in!!

You could call your surgeons office and get advice on the incision. Also being able to drink liquids is good. Make sure your getting your water. I think everyone completing the first two weeks after surgery is so ready for different food! Hang in there sounds like your doing good, keep us posted.

I'm not wildly concerned because they are not sore, or red, or oozing or anything. I might just call the nurse navigator just to be sure as I don't love having a gaping hole in my belly

Lol...so done with liquids, I am planning all my pureed foods, hopefully I will tolerate purees as well as I have tolerated liquids so far!

Thanks!

It could just be that you have a stitch in the way that is preventing it from closing. I had that problem with one of my incisions it took 5 weeks before all of a sudden one day it finally fell out then the hole finally sealed. I just kept putting polysporin on it just in case.

Interesting - I will have to keep an eye out for errant stitches popping out!! Good to know that a similar thing happened to you and that it ended up sealing nicely! Thanks!

One incision is always the "trouble" one. Mine just above my belly button always seemed 4 steps behind in healing than the other ones. Like you it was never infected or bad, but it just didn't want to heal as quickly and nicely as the others.

When I went for my post op the nurses all laughed. Guess the one thats a bit bigger tends to be stubborn that way.

Keep an eye, but I wouldn't be too concerned.

How are you healing? Hope everything went well for you!

Hi! Thanks for asking! I am doing well - incision has closed a teeny bit more (still pretty gaping though). I had my 1 month follow up this afternoon, the nurse said it looked fine, no infection and to leave it open to dry out and see how it goes. So that's all good!

In other news, I am in my first stall, I think. Blegh.