Belly button question for LSH'ers

Ok, so I had my lap surgery last Tuesday. I have 3 incisions, one in my belly button, and then one on either side of it. My question is this... when I look inside of my BB (with a hand held mirror) it is freaking me out. I can see in and it is not closed up in the middle, and looks like yellow pus. It also hurts behind it. I had a tummy tuck two years ago and have a "new" belly button, so I am worried now that it is not going to heal up right. Do I just need to be patient and let myself heal? (Think I know the answer to this already.) Thanks for listening.

Well, I had been to chicken to look underneath the band-aid over the steri- strips on my navel. After reading your post I got up the courage and took a look. Mine does look kind of open and there is a very small amount of liquidy stuff. Not sure if it's just some water from my shower a little while ago, it looks a little brownish. And one side of one of the steri-strips came up. Needless to say, I put the band-aid over it and won't be looking again for a while,
None of mine look very healed, except the one on my right is just a little line, the one on my left had a little tiny bit of blood but not much. And I have a bonus one below my navel too! yippee!

I hope someone further in recovery comes along because now I'm wondering too! Mine don't hurt to much so I'm not real worried. I think holes in our stomach might just take a little longer to heal. But call your doctor if they become more sore or if your worried.
Take care

I had my LAVH on July 5th. I have one incision just below my navel and three tiny incisions on bikini line. My gyn told me that the band-aids could come off the day I left the hospital (July 6th). I waited the next day, since the 3 band-aids on the bikini line were attached to my hair...eeks...and I thought it would hurt pulling it off. Got in the shower & gently pulled all band-aids off. Steri-strips can stay on, & just let them fall off naturally. Most docs want the band aids to come off so the area can "dry to air", heals better.

Do you notice a smell to your drainage, because if you do, call up your doc & see what he says, since sometimes drainage can have a nasty odor & be a sign of infection.

Lizzie

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Lizzie6 I had my LAVH on July 5th. I have one incision just below my navel and three tiny incisions on bikini line. My gyn told me that the band-aids could come off the day I left the hospital (July 6th). I waited the next day, since the 3 band-aids on the bikini line were attached to my hair...eeks...and I thought it would hurt pulling it off. Got in the shower & gently pulled all band-aids off. Steri-strips can stay on, & just let them fall off naturally. Most docs want the band aids to come off so the area can "dry to air", heals better. Do you notice a smell to your drainage, because if you do, call up your doc & see what he says, since sometimes drainage can have a nasty odor & be a sign of infection. Lizzie

I would call and tell the docs what you see. My holes never had any drainage, including the belly button....so what do I know - in a prior surgery,though my incision was infected when it started oozing pus - so call!

I have had naval incisions for both procedures. Neither time did I have drainage although the skin was very yellow from bruising.

My mom did have an infection when she had her tubal and she had difficulties resolving it. If you think its infected, you should contact your Dr. Infections slow down our recovery.

Julie

I had Dermabond holding my 3 incisions together. All three of mine oozed some plasma looking stuff. My belly button incision was the first to ooze. I called the doc and they didn't seem overly concerned about it. At 7 days post-op they told me to clean with 50/50 H2O/hydrogen peroxide 3 times a day with a cotton pad. I don't think any of mine are infected and they seem to be all healing. When I had steri-strips with my lap. gallbladder removal several years ago, I don't remember any oozing...but then maybe I just don't remember.

My belly button hole was sooo small...plus I put my belly ring back in at 3 days post-op (the stupid thing had already started to close), but I don't remember any drainage per se. I do recall a little bit of a smell, so I took a q-tip and peroxide and cleaned the area. I would call your Dr. to calm any fears.

I also had my LSH on the third and the dr used dermabond on the incisions. All three have oozed something but I don't have any real pain with it. Your pain might mean something so a call to your dr will probably make you feel better. hang in there!

katy

OK so I just went to look with the hand mirror!!! Steri strips are still on 3 of the 4 incisions-I too have a bonus one just above the bikini line. DH (who is a nurse) says I need to let the steri strips come off by themselves so the wound doesn't open. The one that had a band aid rather than a steri strip (Doc said it was bleeding a bit afterwards) looks good- and all are closed up with derma bond I think..
No oozing, no pain in any of them-the one at bikini line itches a little bit- I think that should mean it's healing up ? Or the hair is growing back into the steri strip!!!!

I am glad that I raised this question about my belly button ... it seems that I have made others curious as well. Just to clarify, I don't think the pain I have behind the belly button is infection. I think it is just painful from being ripped open!!!!!