Super-sensitive skin on abdomen

I don't know if I am asking for advice or just venting. Probably a bit of both.

When I had my bowel resected back in '08, I had a long, vertical incision done from sternum to pubic hair. I dealt with that very sensitive skin thing then; It started two weeks post-op and lasted for 8 weeks.

I knew ... and was told by my GYN... that it would most likely happen again. Oh boy, and how.

I'm going into my third week post-op. While the pain is SLOWLY easing up, this skin sensitivity thing is even worse than before. The only way I can describe it is to say that my skin surrounding my recent incision (below belly button to beyond my pubic hair) is NUMB. But... it feels as if it is severely sun burned. When clothing, sheets, ect touch it, even feather-light touches, it feels like someone is scrubbing my 'sun-burnt' skin with sandpaper. I even make tents with pillows on my thighs to keep the sheets from touching me while I sleep. I wear loose-fitting elastic banded skirts and I walk around the house holding the fabric away from my body... and of course, no underwear can be worn, even three sizes bigger!

I spoke to my doc about it. She told me what I knew; The nerves are going haywire and trying to knit back together. She did mention much to my fear, that because she had to re-open my incision, that this time, this sunburned/sandpaper sensation, while it could ease up, may be permanent.

My skin also gets HOT. I put a bag of frozen peas on my belly, but I have to really watch it, because my skin is numb, and I don't want to actually freeze it!

Sisters: Do you have any suggestions on how to ease this? Anything? I'm at my wit's end!

Thanks in advance!

I don't have any suggestions on how to ease it besides what your already doing. But I totally understand that feeling your talking about. I'm a year in and my belly is still exetremly tender. Good luck!!

Hi
Not sure if this will help... but last year I had surgery on my arm... left me with a scar on my wrist and on my elbow... I bought some of that Scargone or whatever it is called from walmart... it really helped with the numbness in my elbow... I couldn't stand to have anything touching my elbow... surgery was in October so long sleeve shirts were a must!... didn't help right away, but used it twice a day every day and it wasn't long before I finally got some relief...