Is this OK?

Syrah · April 2, 2007

None of my five bandages have fallen off. Steri strips are underneath. I was told to leave everything alone and that it would fall off on its own after showers. (I was told no baths though.) Is this ok, to leave these on? I feel like I should be changing the bandages. It seems gross not to.

I see the doc on Weds 4/4.

Raven5683 · April 2, 2007

I was banded 3/29 also, and I have the same thing. Bandaids and bandages and steri stips under. I took the bandaids and bandages off on Saturday with a shower (which they said I could at the hospital). But you want to keep the steri stips on until they fall off or 7 days. As they start to pull away take a small pair of scissors and trim it, unless it's pulled all the way past the wound, then just take it off. My paperwork states to go ahead and take the steri stips off in 7 days if they haven't already fallen off. Ask your doc though to be sure.

juliegeraci · April 2, 2007

I took off the bandages and steri strips about a week after surgery and everything was okay.

travelgirl · April 2, 2007

I let my steri-strips come off on their own, and they stayed on between 9 and 13 days. At least don't try to remove them until day 7, though, that is what my post-op instructions said.

purplemonkey · April 3, 2007

I was told to remove the bandages after 48 hours and let the steri-strips fall off on their own. 3 of the 5 have come off. Going for my post-op DR. visit this Thursday so I'm sure he'll pull them off if they haven't come off by then. ...one incision has a stitch sticking out and hopefully he'll take care of that for me. You don't think I should try and pull it out do you??

Raven5683 · April 3, 2007

I was told to remove the bandages after 48 hours and let the steri-strips fall off on their own. 3 of the 5 have come off. Going for my post-op DR. visit this Thursday so I'm sure he'll pull them off if they haven't come off by then. ...one incision has a stitch sticking out and hopefully he'll take care of that for me. You don't think I should try and pull it out do you??

LEAVE IT ALONE!!! You have a doctors appt they will take care of it.

Syrah · April 3, 2007

I also have this bizarred 3M Red Dot circle bandage on my gut. I think it was an electrode thingy during surgery. Why in the heck wouldn't they remove that? I'm afraid to rip it off in case there's something important under there. I'm such a dork!

purplemonkey · April 3, 2007

Syrah, I had one of those left on me too! I can't remember if I pulled it off at the hospital or at home. But I recognized it from when he was putting them on me...

Thanks Raven. I definitely won't touch it!!

Raven5683 · April 3, 2007

I also have this bizarred 3M Red Dot circle bandage on my gut. I think it was an electrode thingy during surgery. Why in the heck wouldn't they remove that? I'm afraid to rip it off in case there's something important under there. I'm such a dork!

The 3M sticker is safe to take off. It is just one of the leads for the monitors. It's super sticky so beware. But go ahead and remove it. They forgot one on my side, the aid found it when helping me change in the hospital.

Hope this helps