Question:
HELP!! I need advise on an embarrassing rash
I am 11 days post-op rny. I am having a terrible time with a rash that I feel certain is the result of my excess weight/skin. It was giving me some trouble before the surgery and has flared up again even though I am not very active, wearing light loose clothes,etc. After surgery you get antibiotics and I am wondering if it could be yeast and don't know how to get rid of it. I have a good amount of reduntant skin on my stomach and it is under there as well as pretty much the whole triangle "bikini" area, especially at the creases in my legs. It is splotchy, itchy, red. My first instinct was to keep as dry as possible and was using some powder to no avail, and as I said, I have been walking a little each day but it is not hot and I am not breaking a sweat. I hate to ask the doctor, but of course I will if I have to, just wodering if any of you have any advise or idea what it could be and if there is a cream or soap or drug even that may help. Thanks. — Kim D. (posted on April 20, 2001)
April 20, 2001
i have exactly the same trouble and i am pre-op so here is my experience
whit thoses deplesant rash
#1 try mixing 2 topic cream together, onw who is antifungal and the other
who have cortisone in it. (canesten + any cortisone stuff du the trick for
me) twice a day if you are able to wash yourself 2 time without being
exausted.
#2 after your bath or shower try to dry completly the aerea with a fan for
exemple or, the way i have found to be the more conveinient... i tuck in a
little towel under my apron and about 10 minutes later i get rid of it...
my skin is then perfectly dry and then i apply my creams.
#3 when the redness and the itch are gone continue with the drying tips and
you should stay away from those terrible rash for a while... :)
good luck
Carole
— carou1313
April 20, 2001
I checked the Library and, just as Carole said, the majority dealt with
their rashes by using an anti-fungal/anti-yeast ointments like Lotrimin for
athelete's foot. But why don't you want to all the doctor? He's there to
help make this experience as painless as possible. Go on...give him a
call! Hope you feel better real soon!
— Lynn E.
April 20, 2001
Kim, I haven't had surgery but I get the same thing, from just getting hot.
I use Lotrimen AF for athletes feet and it works, I have also used Gold
Bond Medicated Powder, but if it is real raw, you may not want to use this
because it will burn a little from being medicated. I have also use just
plain vaseline. Hope this helps.
— Peggy G.
April 20, 2001
This may sound dumb - but for me, I'd take my hair blow-dryer on a low
setting, lift the apron and go over the area thoroughly before I applied my
anti-fungal meds to make sure it was really dry. It worked great and I
seemed to get rid of my rash alot sooner.
Best wishes!
— T.L. S.
April 20, 2001
Have you had vaginal yeast infections before? If so, try some of these
cremes you can purchase over the counter (I can't remember the
name)..Minoxidal??? If you haven't been diagnosed with vaginal yeast
infections before, you need to go to the doctor to make sure this is it. If
it is this, nothing else will clear it up (I know from experience!)
— Kristy J.
April 20, 2001
Good grief! Minoxidil is a hair growth stimulant. I think Kristy meant
Monistat which is an anti-fungal agent.
— [Anonymous]
April 20, 2001
Cornstarch powder works great!! I use it daily for preventive help but when
I do have a "flare up" I use extra and it works great.
— Stephanie B.
April 20, 2001
There is a soap called hibicleanse that my dr prescribed for me when I was
pregnant. I believe you can buy it over the counter now. After your
shower rub some on the rash and allow it to dry. don't wash it off. Good
Luck, you've gotten some great ideas. Karen Oh
— Karen R.
April 20, 2001
A&D ointment is the best, it will clear it up within a couple days.
Just slather the area thickly once or twice a day.
— Lisa B.
April 20, 2001
Hi there...I am a nurse with many years experience with rashes. WE have
our babies get them all of the time and it is from the antibiotics knocking
out the "good bacteria" in normal skin flora. This gives prime
opportunity for a nasty yeast infection. Try not to use the over the
counter antifungals...they are for internal yeast infections and have less
concentration of the anti-yeast medicine. Call your doctor and get a
perscription for NYSTATIN. It is great and needs to be applied at least
three times a day. The otc meds will cause your skin to break down if you
are not careful. MAKE SURE YOU TREAT THIS ASAP. You do not want this
infection getting into your incision sites...it could be very dangerous.
If all else fails and it still persists, you can get a script for diflucan.
a pill to treat from the inside out. Good luck.
— [Anonymous]
April 20, 2001
Hi Kim.....I don't know if this will help with the exterior part of our
body, but if it is a form of yeast infection...add some sweet acidopholis
(spelling?) milk into your system....it sounds hideous..but tastes just
like regular milk...not sweet at all and it adds good bacteria back into
your system....about 15 years ago, I got sick due to stress....was on
antibiotics....got well...got sick again...more drugs...repeated this a
total of three times...and ended up with a HUGH yeast infection....now when
I take antibotics, I pick up a quart of sweet acidophilis milk and do not
get anymore yeast infections....If you are planning on having a pannoectomy
(spelling..AGAIN)(It's late....for me..hee) I would take some good pictures
and start documenting.....it may help you to get approved by your insurance
to have your apron removed down the line.....good luck & I hope you
heal up soon, Karan
— chance2lv
April 20, 2001
KIM, I ALWAYS BLOW DRY UNDER MY TUMMY AND BREAST AFTER A SHOWER AND THE
RASHES STOPPED. WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS 5 MONTHS. THE GOT A BAD DIAPER RASH
FROM ANTIBOTICS AND OTHER MEDS. FROM BEING SO SICK. ALL THE MEDS MY DOCTOR
TOLD ME TO TRIED BOTH PRESCRIPTION AND OVER COUNTER DID NOT WORK. THEN MY
SISTER IN-LAW TOLD ME AT THE NURSING HOME WHERE SHE WORKED THEY USED MILK
OF MAGNISIA (SP) ON THE PATIENTS WHO GOT RASHES UNDER SKIN AND OTHER AREAS.
JUST APPLY WITH COTTON BALLS SEVERAL TIMES DAILY. THIS WORKED REAL WELL
WITH HER HER RASH CLEARED UP IN TWO DAYS. HER RASH WAS REALLY BAD, AND SHE
HAD A LOT OF RAW AREAS FROM THE MEDS. WHEN I GET A RASH (ITS BEEN A LONG
TIME THANKS TO BLOW DRYING SKIN) I USE MILK OF MAGNISIA (SP) AND IT CLEARS
UP IN A COUPLE OF DAYS. GOOD LUCK I HOPE THIS HELPS. SOMETIMES SOMETHING
SO SIMPLE WORKS BEST.
— JACKIE S.
April 20, 2001
I HAVE READ ALL THE ANSWERS TO THIS QUESTION. AND IT IS A GOOD QUESTIOS.
BUT I HAVE YET TO SEE AN ANSWER LIKE WELL I GOT A TUMMY TUCK. I THINK THAT
IS ONE OF THE MEDICAL CONDITIONS THAT LEADS UP TO A TUMMY TUCK. THAT RASH
AND TONS OF OTHER THINGS. PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG
— [Anonymous]
April 21, 2001
I have had the same problem and haven't even had surgery yet. My PCP
prescribed Desoximetasone Cream which works wonders!
— Anika R.
April 21, 2001
Here's another possibility--if it IS bacterial, try bacitracin ointment. I
had those embarrassing rashes in all the same places, and assumed they were
yeast. Gold Bond, yeast inhibiting creams, etc, didn't work. I bathed
frequently, kept dry, and still no luck. Then I wondered if it might be
bacterial instead of yeast, and bingo--I have to put Bacitracin on every
day, after my shower, but the rashes--and yes--the worst part--the
embarrassing odor--went completely away. Hope this helps!!!
— Lee S.
April 21, 2001
Hi, there are a lot of good suggestions out there. Here is mine. You may
want to try Dial soap a few times per day. When I was a child, I had a open
wound from a car accident. The doc told my mom to use dial soap. It is a
good antibacterial soap. You may want to also try Betadine soap. It is a
good antibacterial liquid soap but is quite expensive at about $8-9 for a 4
oz bottle. But a little goes a long way.
— Jan M.
April 22, 2001
I have recurrent yeast infections in warm weather. They develop under my
breast and my apron. Preventively, I throughly wash the area with
antibacterial bath soap when I shower and very carefully pat the area dry.
When I have an outbreak I apply clotrimazole cream USP. 1% each morning and
before bed. This was originally recommended by my pharmacist. When I had
my surgery I had a flair up and they used the same medication at BTC. BTW,
this is an OTC med so you can get it without a script and it is available
in lower priced generic formulations.
— Nanette T.
April 23, 2001
I HAVE NOT HAD SURGERY YET & MY BMI IS LOW 70s SO I CAN APPRECIATE YOUR
PROBLEM. IM 55 YRS OLD SO HAVE HAD LOT OF EXPERIENCE. USE ANTIBIOTIC CREAM
EVERY DAY. THAT WORKS GREAT!
— BONNIE G.
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