When Do The Staples & Stitches Come Out?

[Estella 11]

My surgery was 9 days ago. I heard it can be done by a nurse, but I don't know when to have the stitches removed, what's the standard time? What happens if I linger and don't remove them fast enough? Thanks.

[Oopsseedaisy 90]

What kind of stitches do you have? Do you have a drain tube too?

[Estella 11]

No drain tube. I don't know if my stitches are the kind that melt by themselves tbh.

[Oopsseedaisy 90]

The first thing they should have told you what was going to happen. In my experiences, if they look like thread they will need to be removed at maybe 2 weeks. If they look kind of an amber clear color then they will dissolve on their own.

My incisions were glued on top with stitches that would dissolve underneath. I had no drain tube either. I hope this helps.

[CJinMichigan 14]

I'm sure if you had the type of stiches that had to be removed your surgeon would have told you and had you make an appointment to have them taken out. I didn't have a drian tube either and my stiches dissovled on their own.

[Estella 11]

Very helpful, thanks! I do have an appointment for 2 weeks post-OP. I'll leave it as is till then, stitches and staples included.

[PdxMan 4,292]

When you say staples and stiches, I assume you are talking about on your belly, not inside, 'cause those don't come out ... ever.

You can see staples? My wife had staples after her c-section and those were removed about 10 days post-op. My incisions were glued. I could not see any stiches. They glued little paper like pieces on top of them and they fell off after about a week. I put neosporin on them and kept them clean. There was scar tissue covering my incisions about 10 to 14 days post op.

[Estella 11]

Yes, I can see the staples (they look just like office supplies, hehe) - I wasn't as lucky as you were. What I'm afraid is that I'd go to the nurse and tell her to remove them (I am 11 days post op), and she'll be clueless about VSG and won't tell me if it's too early or too late.

I have no phone number to call and the next time I see the surgeon is in 8 days.

Is there any harm in lingering and having the staples removed 20 days later instead of 7 or whatever's standard? Thanks.

Another question:

Is the belly supposed to look more swollen than usual at this stage?