packing a wound help...yuck
Hi everyone,
I had a tummy tuck with lipo on 4/24/09. Everything was healing up well and I was getting my energy back then...I got this hard spot on my mons. At first it felt like a really deep painful pimple so I didn't mess with it. Then, it got bigger and the swelling got out of control it was so unbelievably painful. I went back to my surgeon and the initially thought it was fat necrosis and had me taking anti biotics, using warm moist compresses and massaging the whole area. It was starting to look like I was in my second trimester of pregnancy on my mons. So, it got worse and I went back this past Friday..the doctor took a big syringe to suck some liquid out and when he squirted it out it was the most foul thing I have ever smelled. Turns out I had an infection. They took an unbelievable amount of nasty fluid out of me. I now have a hole about 2 inches long on my incision line and it is wide open. Twice a day I have to take out the old gauze and put new gauze in with a sterile saline solution. It is so gross and I am really scared about this. All of the swelling is gone but now I have this gaping hole in my stomach. Has anyone been through this? How did you keep this from getting bigger or getting infected? Thanks for listening,
Nicki
I had a tummy tuck with lipo on 4/24/09. Everything was healing up well and I was getting my energy back then...I got this hard spot on my mons. At first it felt like a really deep painful pimple so I didn't mess with it. Then, it got bigger and the swelling got out of control it was so unbelievably painful. I went back to my surgeon and the initially thought it was fat necrosis and had me taking anti biotics, using warm moist compresses and massaging the whole area. It was starting to look like I was in my second trimester of pregnancy on my mons. So, it got worse and I went back this past Friday..the doctor took a big syringe to suck some liquid out and when he squirted it out it was the most foul thing I have ever smelled. Turns out I had an infection. They took an unbelievable amount of nasty fluid out of me. I now have a hole about 2 inches long on my incision line and it is wide open. Twice a day I have to take out the old gauze and put new gauze in with a sterile saline solution. It is so gross and I am really scared about this. All of the swelling is gone but now I have this gaping hole in my stomach. Has anyone been through this? How did you keep this from getting bigger or getting infected? Thanks for listening,
Nicki
High / Current / Surgeon's Goal / Personal Goal 
291 / 157 / 160 / 170
291 / 157 / 160 / 170
I have been packing a wound that sounds just like this for a little over a month now. Mine started about 4 in long and my Dr sewed it up and some of the stitches pulled loose and he refused to sew it back again he just said I had to let it heal on my own. Mine was right below my hipbone, I have what I think is another spot opening up. My Dr says this is normal and I am just a slow healer, and has had me on antibiotics off and on for a while to just prevent infection. He has also warned me the more I change the gauze the quicker it will heal so I am changing it usually 3 times a day! Good luck and just know that your not alone!
Thank you Cristy,
I was just not mentally prepared for this. It is really gross and scary. I actually have to sit and mentally prepare myself to look at it for about 10 minutes before I go in to change it. OMG, really I am such a sissy.
Thanks for sharing,
Nicki
I was just not mentally prepared for this. It is really gross and scary. I actually have to sit and mentally prepare myself to look at it for about 10 minutes before I go in to change it. OMG, really I am such a sissy.
Thanks for sharing,
Nicki
High / Current / Surgeon's Goal / Personal Goal
291 / 157 / 160 / 170
291 / 157 / 160 / 170
I'll be honest with you I cried the first time I noticed it, I just KNEW I had tore something up and I INSISTED that my Dr see me that very minute. He assured me I was fine and not to feel bad that I hadnt done anything wrong, I was the same way you are now I hated having to change it. It made me gag so I had to have my husband do it for me. Now I do it without even thinking. It will get easier and my Dr promises that it will heal it make take some time but it WILL! Hope things get better soon!
You are NOT a sissy!!!!
My wound (from my reverse TT breakdown/necrosis) was so deep that in one place you could actually see the muscle fascia. My ribcage looked like something from a corpse! It was so distressing to look it that I had to take Ativan for a few days until I got used to having to see and clean and pack it.
Lora
My wound (from my reverse TT breakdown/necrosis) was so deep that in one place you could actually see the muscle fascia. My ribcage looked like something from a corpse! It was so distressing to look it that I had to take Ativan for a few days until I got used to having to see and clean and pack it.
Lora
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
Hi Nicole...
Bless your heart for going through so much. I am sorry to hear that you are having these sorts of complications. *hugs*
I am a nurse and pack wounds almost every night I work. Trust me this is a good method. Basically you are healing now from the inside out. The tissue will start growing inwards and upwards towards the surface. It stinks but it is always a side effect of plastics or any incision for that matter. Happens more than we care to think it does. However, do know that it is temporary and will be closing up before you know it. Be sure you are taking in enough protein, getting your vitamins and also may want to include a zinc supplement in addition to what you get in your multivitamin, very good for skin and wound healing. Hang in there.. it really seems so traumatic I do understand but soon like the above poster stated, it will become like brushing your teeth and will soon be over and a distant memory.
Hang in there sweetie...
Bless your heart for going through so much. I am sorry to hear that you are having these sorts of complications. *hugs*
I am a nurse and pack wounds almost every night I work. Trust me this is a good method. Basically you are healing now from the inside out. The tissue will start growing inwards and upwards towards the surface. It stinks but it is always a side effect of plastics or any incision for that matter. Happens more than we care to think it does. However, do know that it is temporary and will be closing up before you know it. Be sure you are taking in enough protein, getting your vitamins and also may want to include a zinc supplement in addition to what you get in your multivitamin, very good for skin and wound healing. Hang in there.. it really seems so traumatic I do understand but soon like the above poster stated, it will become like brushing your teeth and will soon be over and a distant memory.
Hang in there sweetie...
Hugs, Melissa
http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=6166c1bf498224d5a8b93e&skin_id=701&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url
RNY- 12/04/06 with Dr. Matt Glasock
LBL - 4/28/09 with Dr. Rene Recinos
http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=6166c1bf498224d5a8b93e&skin_id=701&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url
RNY- 12/04/06 with Dr. Matt Glasock
LBL - 4/28/09 with Dr. Rene Recinos
Melissa,
Thank you for replying! I am so paranoid about something getting in there. We have pets and although my house is clean I just keep thinking omg, I am going to be pushing that gauze in there with that looong q-tip and shove something in there that will give me an infection. I am also paranoid about showering, the doctor told me to shower and squeeze the liquid out and I do but it just doesn't seem right to me.
thank you for your advise and kind words, I really needed them.
Nicki
Thank you for replying! I am so paranoid about something getting in there. We have pets and although my house is clean I just keep thinking omg, I am going to be pushing that gauze in there with that looong q-tip and shove something in there that will give me an infection. I am also paranoid about showering, the doctor told me to shower and squeeze the liquid out and I do but it just doesn't seem right to me.
thank you for your advise and kind words, I really needed them.
Nicki
High / Current / Surgeon's Goal / Personal Goal
291 / 157 / 160 / 170
291 / 157 / 160 / 170
Oh, I know this! Did you miss my "I have a massive opening in my hip" post last month? Ah, fun times.
Do exactly what they tell you to do - they taught you how to pack it, right? When I had to "get the gauze in there" I took the cotton off a Q-tip and pushed GENTLY in.
It does work and it does help and your infection WILL go away.
If it becomes any larger, and especially wider, you might need to have it sutured.
But go with Melissa's advice, she knows WAY more than me.
Do exactly what they tell you to do - they taught you how to pack it, right? When I had to "get the gauze in there" I took the cotton off a Q-tip and pushed GENTLY in.
It does work and it does help and your infection WILL go away.
If it becomes any larger, and especially wider, you might need to have it sutured.
But go with Melissa's advice, she knows WAY more than me.
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