Possible infection 4 weeks out - anyone else been through this?

First off, I am going to see my doctor later today, but wanted to share my experience in case anyone has been through something similar.

I am 4 weeks out from my plastics - had my arms, breast, tummy, pubes worked on.

Everything seemed to be healing nicely up until late last week. My incisions are starting turning bright red, and an area near my breast incision became inflamed and was oozing. I have been putting triple antibiotic ointment on it, which has helped a little, but now on the opposite side of my chest near another incision, that side seems to have also gotten inflamed.

I'm worried that maybe it is spreading? The doctor said they could prescribe me antibiotics but they were hesitant for me to take it because they want my body to fight it off on its own. I haven't had a chance to physically see the doctor/nurse and have only spoken to them by phone.

I thought by 4 weeks I would be in the clear. Obviously not.

Has anyone been through anything similar and if so could you tell me what you did to get the infection under control?

Just wondering why it would be healing so nicely and then suddenly take a turn in the opposite direction.

Steve,

I'm sorry you are experiencing troubles. I myself haven't had that but I wanted to give you support and let you know you are doing the right thing by seeing the doctor. Keep us posted on what you learn!

Steve, if these are in an area of chest hair, there's a chance it may be folliculitis (inflammation of the hair follicle from the incision and sutures).  Does it seem like a pimple with a dark center, that opens and oozes?  My doc said any incision in an area of hair can take close to a year to "calm down."  I have to have some revision on the front line of my LBL, but not until around the end of November (LBL was 12/11/09).  I hope that's all you're dealing with.  It's minor compared to an ongoing infection.

Terri

My doctor immediately prescribed antibiotics for me when he felt I had an infection, never once said let my body heal itself.

When I was 3 weeks out on my first surgery and wanted to go back to work my doctor mentioned I can still have something come open.  This time around out of the BLUE literally I NOW at 5 weeks have an opening where my arm incision meets my back and breast lift incisions on my side.  No infection so I do a wet/dry packing.  I wet a gauze and put that over the opening or if it's a hole I actually push the gauze into it, then place a dry gauze over it and then tape it.

Ms Shell

Thanks for all the good advice. This experiene has been much more involved than I ever coule have imagined. I thought in 2-3 weeks, life would be back to normal.. NOT!  It's now 4 weeks and I struggle to roll out of the bed and lift my arms in the air. And there are times of day where I am unable to stand up right. Now I am facing the infections and skin tearing apart. 

I am going to stay positive and hopefully in a year I can look back and see the great results. Right now though, I am definitely hurting. :-/

thank you!

something similar happened to me 3 weeks post op on my face of all places. it was not near any incision I just got a red spot on my face that oozed and scabbed pretty bad. the blood flow to my face was comprimised and so he geva me Xenaderm creamo whi*****reased the blood flow to my face and thank God it is healed beautifully.
Susan