Why do @&%$# scars hurt so bad still ??!!

spybo
on 11/9/10 10:18 am - Houston area, TX
Had scar revision of thighs and arms and (new) side of chest lift Oct 6.

Have problems "spitting" stitches as always, but other probs too, multiple open areas on some red puffy areas.   Other parts of the scars are absolutely perfect.

I am working closely with my surgeon on this, last Thursday they pulled multiple suture fragments from the red swollen areas.  Yesterday I apparently strained part of the scar on my left upper arm and have had burning pain all day today.  Jeez, it's been almost 5 weeks.  Tired of doing dressing changes on 6-7 little open holes every day.  Guess I'm just whining....my PS is probably tired of it!

Afraid i will end up with wide scars after all...again.
ericaFG
on 11/9/10 10:41 am - Cambridge, Canada
My arms and belly are "spitting" stitches like crazy right now (3 weeks out). I'm a bit afraid I might just fall apart lol.  Everything seems healed though.

Some areas of my scars hurt worse than others - particularly when I rub them with bio-oil etc.  The  most upper part of my verticle incision hurts the most.

I strained my right arm a bit reaching for the dog who was running out the door a week ago.  I felt it pull HARD.  I think it was the part of the incision that is sewed to the facia(muscle) because my arm still hurts further down - in the part that wasn't operated on.  It could only be muscle pain I think...

Hopefully it gets better for you!!  I'd just like to be back to normal - I get how you feel!!
Proud Member of the Cambridge Crew!    
HW293/LW147/CW158   Height 5'9"  Working on Maintenance!
Fleur de lis TT and Brachioplasty - Oct. 19, 2010 Breast reduction and scar revision August 2, 2011
        
spybo
on 11/9/10 11:01 am - Houston area, TX
Yes, all sounds familiar.  He was digging a couple of non dissolvable stitches out of me 2 years post TT from hip and thigh.

I have burning pain that just won't quit!  I was at the store tonight but didn't think to get any ibuprofen, and this seems like inflammatory pain.  Also, one of my dogs and I are feeling chubby, and although I would have surgical clearance to start running, I just can't stand the thought of the pain.

I have pics from last week, but to show them on here would probably scare anyone away from having brachio ever!
ericaFG
on 11/9/10 11:06 am - Cambridge, Canada
2 YEARS!?!  lol  I hope that doesn't happen to me!  I think pretty much every stitch came out of my belly button tonight - as I rubbed, they kept popping up and out. 

My arms are looking pretty good - but still swollen.  Thinner than before for sure, but not all tight ;0)  Although I knew my surgeon was going to go conservative (he prefers this to prevent issues with swelling and splitting of incisions)...so I know it isn't SUPER tight and won't be. 

I'm trying not to get obessed with them looking "perfect" anyway...it is so much better than before...
Proud Member of the Cambridge Crew!    
HW293/LW147/CW158   Height 5'9"  Working on Maintenance!
Fleur de lis TT and Brachioplasty - Oct. 19, 2010 Breast reduction and scar revision August 2, 2011
        
spybo
on 11/9/10 11:28 am - Houston area, TX
I hope I don't get obsessed with making them perfect, I just feel so close.  Once they are fully mature I'm hoping he will cut out the "bad" areas in the office under local.  I think if it was just a little incision 3 inches long, it would have much less pull on it stretching it wider.  I am all finished after this!
ShirleyG
on 11/9/10 6:44 pm - HALFWAY BETWEEN ATLANTA AND BHAM , AL
Megan
I am going in to have A BL in the am and revision to the arms ....Are yours better now ?  I dont want to hav e to do ANOTHER REVISION as i thought the first time with the way i babied my arms they should have been good.  
I never realized that revisions would have to be done ,,,STUPID ME i guess
debtfree
on 11/10/10 3:16 am - OK
Okay y'all are freaking me out! ha ha!!  What the heck is splitting stiches or whatever?  I wasn't told to do anything yet with my incision line.  I have an appt on the 22nd and he said he would talk to me about scare treatment then. 

190 lbs lost
VSG 07/2008
lower body lift 10/2010
upper body lift 11/2011

spybo
on 11/10/10 5:15 am - Houston area, TX
Spitting stitches is when your body does not absorb the absorbable suture material and then it works its way to the surface because your body is treating it like a foreign body (which it is!).

They come out through the incision since that's the weakest point.

If you don't have anything like this, then don't worry!!
Lori G.
on 11/9/10 9:55 pm - CA
Aloha Spy-
Did you discuss with your surgeon the possibility of choosing a different type of suture material for the revision? It's possible your body is rejecting the synthetic sutures- there are many different kinds of absorbable and non-absorbable suture material, and though every surgeon has their "favorite" type or brand to work with, you might be a special bear whose body does not appreciate whatever type he/she is using. Did the same surgeon do your first set of plastics? If so, I'd have thought they'd want to rethink their choice of suture material the second time around(especially if you had doumented suture rejection the first time around) ---even to the point of putting several different types in a discreet hidden part of your body to see which type you are least reactive to.
My surgeon looked at all my old scars- thouse from surgeries 27 years ago , 18  years ago, and 2 years ago- and told mne I could expect similar healing experiences ( ie people who have light scars are likely to havfe similar scars the next go around, people who form cheloids are likely to form cheloids again, etc).
I have seen suture rejection ( uncomoon but it happens)  in animals that we spay and surgicate for various reasons, and always go to a different suture material in subsequent surgeries.
Good luck- XOXOLori

spybo
on 11/9/10 10:27 pm - Houston area, TX
Yes, I neglected to mention, he DID use a different suture material this time.  Actually, to me, this time seems worse than with the vicryl.  He also is using a different stitch these days, although I don't think that had anything to do with it.   My scars heal to white, my left arm previously had slightly raised scar, but not keloid.  The reason we are redoing was that they stretched to almost an inch wide in some places, so I am pushing protein hard this time.  He said the first 2 months are the most important for collagen and scar formation.

Thanks, Lori.
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