I think infection on incision is starting ? ......

[ChitChatNine]

Here is a link to a photo ... about 2-3 days ago it started to itch & felt like a hive and then yesterday became sore and red/inflammed and warm to touch.  I think an infection is starting .. nothing major but not right, either.  The rest of the scar is looking good and doesn't hurt.  I also have a bump/lump on the isthmus which isn't red but somewhat hurts to the touch .. I had the isthmus removed, too.  I believe that bumpy region has been there since surgery.

How do they treat it .. Topically? Orally? .. I started using otc Neosporyn last night .. hurts like a pimple.  

This is the side where the stitches were pulled from in the running stitch .. thereh as always been a bump but not sore and red to the touch ..

Itchiness started 32 days post op .. do I call Surgeon or Primary Care Dr. ?

Here is the link to Photobucket to take a look ...

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v93/ChitChat9/?action=view&current=closeup2.jpg

Cheryl

[venora]

LOL,hahahahahahaha Utahmomma.You is bad!!
Love venora

[utahmomma]

Maybe it's the other side coming out on its own.  

{{{{{{DOUBLE EVIL GRIN}}}}}}}}

Rest, drink lots of fluids and take some yogurt or acidophilus with that antibiotic!

[ChitChatNine]

My Dr's office called in an oral antibiotic to take and to call them early in the week with an update.  This will certainly keep anything inside "at bay" they said and they, too, don't want the scar to get marred by something like this when it was healing so nicely.

Keflix or something like that is the name of the med; I've taken that preventative after mole removal surgery .. it works well for skin infections.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions .. I'm to keep with the soaks and topical Bacitracin stuffs, too.

C~

[utahmomma]

Call your doctor.  Red and itchy is normal (the nerves growing back) but the side of your incision looks inflamed.  When I've had this problem with other incisions I was put on oral antibiotics and a topical one (like Neosporin).

On the other hand, your surgeon did a great job - it's a nice incision (other than the swelling).

[ChitChatNine]

Called surgeon's office and spoke to the nurse who will call the surgeon on-call ( my Dr. is out until Monday)

She thinks it is a suture trying to break free INSIDE and has become infected which sometimes happens.  She will call me back and said they are the ones to deal with this.  She said what I'm doing in the meantime is perfect and to continue the hot soaks, too ....


C~

[KathyD]

Definely looks like infection. I'd call my surgeon as well or atleast his nurse.  My scar is twice the length of yours.  Wonder how these doctors decide how much to cut!  That or maybe i just have a big neck :)  Kathy

[utahmomma]

Oh my gosh, I don't even know why that didn't hit me.  One of my sisters had something similar happen a few weeks after her surgery.  It seems that one of the sutures deep inside decided it wanted out and worked its way through the incision.  Completely freaked her out.  I even had something similar happen in my belly button after one of my many laparoscopic surgeries.  Thought is was a bizarre place for a hair.  :-)

Duh.  The things we forget when we are old.  :-)  Maybe Freud is right and I'm repressing memories.

Enjoy the antibiotics and remember you are still supposed to be resting too!

[venora]

Sis I had the same thing happen in my sternum incision.I freaked out and went to the base hospital to see my surgeon.Then he freaked me out even more by saying the wire holding my sternum together might have to be taken outand redone.I said NO WAY!! gimme antibioticsand I think that will do just fine.and it did.LOL

so take your pills and be well sis.
Love Venora

[ChitChatNine]

WOW .. didn't realize you had that to contend with in the sternum!  OUCH ...

The Keflax is to be taken 4X a day .. 500mgs ea ... so spacing this stuff out is tricky but I see by the dosage the surgeon is being responsive to the infection with a higher-end dose.

This thing hurts like a sty .. any way I move it hurts .. what a bummer being 4 weeks post-op!!!

They better not have to go back in there .. no way ... no no no .. if they do that they may as well take out the other side {{{{ evil grin }}}}}

C~

[rayneweather]

Yeah, it definitely looks like something is brewing.  Good idea with the neosporin.  I would call the surgeon instead of your primary just on the off chance that he may need to go in & drain it - a primary dr would probably send you back to the surgeon anyway if that needed to be done.  Hope it gets better soon.

Rayne

[ChitChatNine]

Sorry, here is the correct link I hope it works:


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v93/ChitChat9/thyroid/closeup2.jpg


Cheryl