Dressings, Wounds & Showers!

[Me1e 0]

Hi all... I'd appreciate some help with my wound aftercare as I have read and been told so many different things.. I'm hoping people talking from experience is better advice!

My incisions were secured by skin glue & sterie strips then breathable dressings put over them.... if you had the same fixin method how soon after the op did you remove your dressings & when did you have your first shower?

I am dying to get them off because they pull when you move and probably hurt more than the wounds themselves!! BUT I dont want to get them exposed too soon.... Also would love a shower but am scared to get them wet!!

Final question how long did you wear your thombosis stockings for?! I was told 10 days after surgery but they are very annoying and limit what you can wear without looking ridiculous!!

[MissWilde 0]

Hi Sallieanne,

I showered the next day but my dressings had a waterproof cover on them mybe you could buy some of the waterproof things from the chemist? I did not have thrombosis socks though so can't help you there. The steri strips peel off if you get them wet though I have a skin allergy to whatever they put in the glue for the dressing so mine itched as well lol. How you feeling 5 days post op?

[Me1e 0]

Aww thanks for that - I didnt think anyone was guna reply to this thread!

I feel much better & actually quite good today... but I felt awful until yeserday then I seemed to turn a corner.

How soon did you actually finally remove your dressings to leave them exposed permanently??

My dressings were looking a bit horrible from the initial bleeding etc so I changed them yesterday for some pharmacy waterproof dressings so I guess I could jump in the shower.... i've been scared to so been strip washing!!

When i saw the wounds they looked ok & like they were binding but still quite open and raw hence concern of getting them wet! But then maybe exposre to fresh air would help heal them??

[MissWilde 0]

No problem I am more than happy to help wherever I can! You are exactly 1 month behind me I had mine lapband fitted on the 12th June. I had my dressings checked at about 1 week but my docs has a drop in clinic and its literally on my doorstep, I took the dressings of after about 7 to 8 days and let the steri strips fall off of their own accord which to be fair was about a day later lol X

[Me1e 0]

That sounds more sensible... the nurse a hospital said they can come off after 3-5 days but I am 5 days already & they look too fresh to be exposed!

How much weight have you lost in your month? Do you have any restriction at all? Are you booked for a fill? What sort of portions were/are you eating?

so many questions!

[MissWilde 0]

DO you have MSN? You can question me till your hearts content on there if you like?

[kamicola 1]

As for the socks... they came off after I was up and walking for a day....the walking is good for the clotting as well, so if you do a lot of it, I am not sure why you have too keep them on... that would drive me crazy!

As for the dressings.... the steristrips can be quite irritating... my husband got huge blisters from them that took longer to heal than the incisions. Showering was the day after surgery, not baths or hot tubs for 4-6 weeks though. Just gently clean the incisions with soap and warm Water in the shower, then apply polysporin and latex free bandaids... although I stil have bandaid rings around my incisions... my steristrips came off within 3-4 days I think after surgery and I only wore bandaids for about a week... then I rubbed coconut oil on them morning and night for about 2 weeks... they look great!, The healed wonderful and the coconut helps speed up the scare healing process... it could take about a year or so to lighten. Hope this helps!

Kammi in Everett, WA

DOB 5/27/08

335/302/180

Dr. Kuri - TJ Mexico

[emily111 3]

i have no dressings. I had my surgery today and I only have glue. I thought that was odd. But oh well lol My dr said tomorrow I can wash in the shower and it will be fine

[Sula 0]

I had surgery at 8 at night and just some light dressings on the wounds. I sprung a leak when I got up to go the bathroom sometime around 2 in the morning, but didn't realize it until I had walked a few laps down the hall. Everyone panic-ed, but me. They just did some pressure on it and shut it down. Then in the morning...I took all the bandages off (well, they did) and I took a shower. No stitches on the outside. I rebandaged, just to keep my clothes from rubbing on them but the staff said it wasn't necessary. I can't recall, but pretty soon after the edges healed I started using mederma for the scaring.

[penturn 0]

Hi all... I'd appreciate some help with my wound aftercare as I have read and been told so many different things.. I'm hoping people talking from experience is better advice!

My incisions were secured by skin glue & sterie strips then breathable dressings put over them.... if you had the same fixin method how soon after the op did you remove your dressings & when did you have your first shower?

I am dying to get them off because they pull when you move and probably hurt more than the wounds themselves!! BUT I dont want to get them exposed too soon.... Also would love a shower but am scared to get them wet!!

Final question how long did you wear your thombosis stockings for?! I was told 10 days after surgery but they are very annoying and limit what you can wear without looking ridiculous!!

I had surgery 2 days ago, and I showered yesterday. I have staples, but my doctor's orders were to take off the bandaids and wash the wounds with warm, soapy Water. They look fine. I don't have stockings, so I can't help you there. Sounds miserable. Hang in there. That's all we can do right now.

[Me1e 0]

thank you everyone... strangley enough a nurse from the hospital called me today for a check on me - which was nice as I wasn't expecting that! She advised to shower in the morning and remove all the dressings in the shower then leave them uncovered unless they rub on clothes - then I should use bandaids until I put clothes on at night that dont catch etc!

So that's what i;ll do I think..

As for the stockings - I had to wear floatation boots all night after surgery to keep my circulation moving... I have a blood condition Facor V Leiden (Thombophillia) which basically means I am slightly more prone to clotts than others. Hence wearing stockings still......... they are so awful, tight, hot and a pain so they are coming off at the weekend!

Thank you everyone...............