I'm SOO ITCHY

Hello,
Well it has been 7 week since my surgery. I am back to work, but I can't focus long enough without my incision driving me crazy. It is sooo itchy and irritating. My incision is 5 and half inches long from my belly button down. It is getting wider and wider. I believe it is turning keloid. I sometimes have a buldging muscle. To keep the muscle in, I need to wear support under ware. (aren't they sexy). But then starts the itch, oh my god it is horrible. I actually can't wear anything touching my large incision without it itching and getting irritated. It actually hurts. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Warning: This might sound strange, but it worked for me. I only had a small incision, but when it itched, I would simply grab two of the Kleenex brand large tissues and put them right in my underwear over the incision. They provided a soft cushion, kept the area dry and just plain felt good. Just bunch them up a bit and put them over your incision. They breath and are sterile coming from the box. Just replace them often during the day. I did this for the first few weeks of my recovery and it worked wonderfully. I had tissue tucked in my underwear until I fully healed. I hope it works for you. It has to be Kleenex brand - plain, and soft. I think the itching comes from any moisture over the incision - i.e. sweat. Are the support underwear that you are wearing made of synthetic material that doesn't breath? If so, this works! It helps keep the area dry.

Thanks for the suggestion. I have tried everything. It is not about soft breathable fabric. Anything touching the skin on both sides of the incision is irritating. Sometimes I wake up to it itching so bad and I sleep naked. I will get temporary relief with ice. Thank you again.

If it's itching so badly you can't focus, I would have your doctor have a look. You may have an infection brewing in or under your incision and if you do, the sooner they catch it the better off you are.

Let us know what the doctor says, OK?

s,
-Linda

OK I will let you all know. I go next week.

I might ask the doctor if he thinks you could take some Benadryl for right now. I would certainly talk to your doctor to let them know of these symptoms even though you see them next week. I had an appointment on a Thursday when I was recovering and started having a lot of itching and pain on Monday night. Called the doc and he saw me in the am and found out I had an infection that needed antibiotics. Hope you feel better. Sending gentle hugs to you.

Make sure you ask your doctor if that really is a muscle bulging out sometimes. Could be an incisional hernia.

I seen the Dr. 4 days ago for the same thing, I feel it is more on an alergic reaction to something, mine has been red and itchy for 2 weeks. they said its not an infection sutures look good, they used no stitches or staples, just glue on outside. My dr put me on clindamycin(antibiotic),
medrol dose pack (steriod), benidryl at night (2 tabs) to sleep and not scratch, and a cream simular to cortizone over the counter cream (but not in the insition just around the area. I know what you mean, the itching was driving me nuts!!! had TAH 3/25. its feeling much better now.