5 weeks postop and no sign of stitches dissolving

Yesterday I saw the doctor and she took out a lot of stitches that hadn't dissolved by themselves and had begun to fester. It was the second set of stitches she'd yanked out manually and it HURT. (not to mention bleeding,weird clear discharges, and having to shove betadine suppositories up self painfully for the next 5 nights).

Now after reading more in this forum I am getting really worried that so far, I haven't seen anything remotely resembling a stitch coming out by itself, and I'm beginning to have three nagging fears:
1) Isn't it getting really late to have some visible stitches dissolving and being passed?
2) How many more of these things are still inside me ?
and finally
3) Is it possible that none of the stitches are going to dissolve by themselves and she's going to have to take them all out the hard way ?

Has anyone out there any experience of this ? Scared and need advice ....

Hi (((fightswithivy)))
I'm sorry about your stitches. I never did see any of my stitches. Did your dr say why this might be happening? I know there were some of mine that were still there at 7 weeks and the dr had to clip out some of the knots. He said sometimes they will see that particular kind of stitch as long as a year later. It was like fishing line. I know I thought to myself,well why do you use that kind?
I do hope you won't have to have them all taken out. Let us know what happens and if you find out why they aren't dissolving on their own.
's,Rita

Tomorrow is my four week anniversary for TAH, haven't seen any sign of stitches from my vaginal cap either.

I just went today for my 5 week post -op - my Dr. examined me and said I still had lots of stiches at the top of my vaginal area that hadn't healed yet. She said it would probably take another couple of weeks - that's why I still have a swelly belly. She didn't say anything about going up there and taking them out - so I'm assuming they will just dissolve. She didn't seem worried about it - as a matter of fact unless I start having bleeding or bad pain I don't need to go back for about 6 mos. I wish I had seen this post before I went to the Dr. today so I could asked her specifically if those stiches will just dissolve. Janice

Hi JaniceG
so we had our hysts on the same day and I guess we have the same issue. (was yours AH or VH ?) As she said you don't need to go for 6 mos. do you mind if I ask did she give the go-ahead for everything (driving, work and the biggie - SEX ?) My DH is climbing the walls with impatience for THE day and I don't see how it can be OK to go ahead with stitches still visible. Quite apart from hurting me, won't that give him a few twinges (fishing knots?) But maybe I'm wrong. I'll see doc again on 31st October so hope to have my all-clear then. (Keep on taking the tablets and (yikes) pessaries for next 3 days...)
Thanks to preciouspearl and mary52 too for your answers. What a godsend this site is.

fightswithivy - I had a total vaginal hysterectomy but also had my ovaries, fallopian tubes, cervix taken out - the whole 9 yards. My Gyn. said yesterday it would be at least another 2-3 weeks before the internal stitches would heal and I should not lift, etc. and she specifically said nothing in the vagina for at least 2-3 more weeks. I think when they take your ovaries and everything it is alot slower healing process. I have been very impatient - wanting my body to "get back to normal" - but after the Dr. exam yesterday I am feeling horrible today - swelly belly and fatigue - so I guess it will just take time. I'm an Elem. School Librarian and I usually see about 8 - 9 classes a DAY - on my feet all day - I was planning to go back to school the week of Oct. 30th - but now I'm thinking about waiting another week or 2. Take care JaniceG

JaniceG
sorry to hear about your horrible day. It's so up and down this process. I had horrible days on Wed. and Thursday but then yesterday my DH decided to cheer me up and we went to the public gallery of Houses of Parliament to hear a debate (!) Green squashy benches there are v. comfortable and as they were debating something called 'The Breastfeeding Etc. Bill' it certainly took my mind off my nether regions for a while. The impatience is the worst, not being able to do things u take 4 granted like opening heavy doors and putting grandchild on your knee etc.
Like you I was thinking of that week (Oct 30th) but have now delayed to 6 November for work. My job is deskbound but I have a 60 minute stand-up commute on the London Underground to get there and it's that I don't think my energy levels can handle.
Good luck with your recovery and hope your horrible day is followed by a better one.

fightswithivy,
I had my TAV/BSO on Sept 5th, and still haven't seen anything that looked like stitches. A couple of days ago, I went for my 6 week check-up and my Dr. said she needed to "brush off" some stitches on my vaginal cuff, but that it was healing nicely and had strong support. I didn't feel a thinig when she did it. The next day my stomach felt a more tender after she had been poking and prodding it . At the 5 week point, I felt really lousy. I wondered what was wrong with me. After seeing my doctor for the 6 week checkup, I feel so much better. I don't know how much of it was physical, or more mental, knowing she said everything was great, and wouldn't need to see me for another year. (Unless I needed her for something.)
There is light at the end of the tunnel.

I'm 4 weeks post-op and I have my next appt. on Mon. 10/30...

I have had not "external" signs of stitches dissolving, as descrbed on the website), either...I'm not overly troubled about this, but do have a little nagging mental question mark about it.

My doctor made all of my stitches the internal way, dissolving on the inside, with no stitches outside...so maybe that's why I haven't yet seen anything...
I don't know if that helps, but that's my experience so far...........here's a for y'all.

I am 4 weeks post op and have not had ANYTHING come out yet! At my 2 week appt she said to expect the stitches to start coming out but so far nothing. My next appt is 11/1 and I will defintiely ask what is going on "up in there"!