Incision question (sorry it's gross)

Sorry for the long story and TMI but I'm hoping I can get some answers.

I'm 3 weeks post op. When I was in the hospital the incision that my lap band port came out of was bleeding and the steri strip came off. They covered it with a bandage and all seemed fine. A few days ago half of the scab left there started to come off but the other half wasn't ready so I covered with a bandage to protect it. The next morning the entire scab was off but there was a white discharge that scared me so I went in to the surgeons office to have it checked. He said it was fine, cleaned it up a bit and took a stitch out that was hanging there by what seemed like a deep hole. He told me if I saw a yellow fluid coming out that it was fine. By the time I'd gotten home the bandaged was drenched with that yellow stuff and drained on to my clothes. I bandaged it again and by night time it had filled up the bandage again. This happened again today. This yellowish brown thin liquid just drips out. Especially when sitting up. Should I be calling them again? The surgeon gave me his cell phone after surgery but I'd hate to use it unless absolutely nessary. Has this ever happened to any of you? There's no smell and it doesn't hurt. Any help is appreciated. 

What I would do is clean out the hole with saline and sterile Q-tips, apply Betadine and pack with sterile gauze.  Clean and repack when it the gauze is soaked.

But call your surgeon and ask what he recommends.

If you are draining enough to saturate several bandages, you need to speak with the surgeon about wound care. Please do not poke anything into the wound nor put betadine into it without a doctors order. For what it's worth betadine is excellent for killing cells, bacterial as well as new tissue cells and actually impedes healing.

wash the skin around the incision with mild soap and water to get the drainage off your skin, cover with clean bandages and call the surgical team in the morning.

now I'm taking my community health nurse cap back off and going to bed. I hope you feel better!

I did not have anything like you describe.  My "oldlife" habit was to hope medical worries would go away on their own.  My "newlife" habit is to seek attention.  Here's the tricky learning part:  when exercising that attention, I stopped worrying when told things were fine until emergency surgery proved otherwise.  To answer your question:  Yes, I think you should be calling again for as many visual checks it takes for you to believe you are fine, too.

Um, disabled/retired nurse here. Although the fluid you describe seems to be serous, similar to the liquid that may drip out from a cut or bug bite, call the surgeon. Keep a diary of details regarding how saturated your bandages and clothes are, and how many times this is happening. ie: Every 2 hours or whatever. This seems to be the fluid many of us need a drain for post op. Don't be afraid to call the Doc, that's why they get paid the big bucks, if he gave you his number, use it!!!

Like I have told many during my career...If you got your car back from the mechanic and it was still having problems, would you let it go?? Your body is much more important!!

Sorry, done ranting. I mean well...

edited to correct stupid phone autocorrect!!

Thank you everyone for your input. I called my surgeon and explained the situation and he said that it's normal after what he did with it on Thursday. I don't exactly remember what he called it. But he expects it to drain for a few more days. It will now heal from the inside out and take a bit longer but as long as there's not redness or smell it's just as you said, extra fluid from surgery. Thanks for all the help in my panic! I hated calling him but I did it. 

Hi! How are you doing?? You've been on my mind since you talked about your wound. I hope it's improving! 

Patty

Thanks for thinking of me. I'm ok. It's still draining and I seem to have a reaction to the bandage tape, so it's been a challenge to keep it covered. I'm frustrated it's still draining. Doesn't smell or hurt so according to the dr it's fine and it will take time but enough already, lol. Otherwise all is good.