dVH/RALH Nervous about changing belly button dressing

Hi Ladies!

I had Da Vinci surgery on Monday and am supposed to change my belly button bandage today but am feeling very nervous about pulling the tape off over the incision site. I'm afraid it will pull open the incision in my belly button. How has changing bandages gone for other folks? Was it OK? Did you use any tricks so that there was less pulling (maybe getting it wet?)? How long did you wait to change the dressing?

Thanks!
Whitney

My dr instructed me to keep the bandages on until my first appt which was today. They took them all off in the office and cleaned them and said they were healing beautifully. If there any way maybe u can call the dr and see if you can leave them on till your first post op appt ?

Thanks for the response Christine2319! That's a long time to keep the bandages on - congrats on healing so well! I'm going to see the doc tomorrow for first post-op (and then he's on vacation for a week!) so I'll check with him then. But if you left yours on that long, I don't feel so anxious about needing to change them soon. Thanks!

Bandages? I had a daVinci two weeks ago, and never had any bandages. No external stitches, either. They used some kind of glue.

I still have all the markings, though, and even some of the orange-y stain in some areas. That kind of stuff never seems to wash off me, and I'm afraid to do any scrubbing around the incisions, since all I have is that glue holding me together.

[quote=WLS;3985512]Thanks for the response Christine2319! That's a long time to keep the bandages on - congrats on healing so well! I'm going to see the doc tomorrow for first post-op (and then he's on vacation for a week!) so I'll check with him then. But if you left yours on that long, I don't feel so anxious about needing to change them soon. Thanks![/QUOTE
Your welcome lol it was a long time almost 2 weeks but mine were waterproof clear bandaids and the sterile strips under the band aids lol I was shocked that they were healing so well cause that is so long to keep bandages on but each dr is different with their post up instructions. I wish you the best and good luck at the drs tom

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Sousette Bandages? I had a daVinci two weeks ago, and never had any bandages. No external stitches, either. They used some kind of glue. I still have all the markings, though, and even some of the orange-y stain in some areas. That kind of stuff never seems to wash off me, and I'm afraid to do any scrubbing around the incisions, since all I have is that glue holding me together.

Lucky you! I had four incisions with internal stitches and the glue you mention, but they also had to go in through my belly button, so that's where the bandage is - and it's quite bloody at this point! But I'm just such a chicken about blood and wounds, I can't bear to even look at it. Fortunately that can be the doctors problem tomorrow. Is the glue still covering the stitches two weeks out? I was wondering how long that stuff would stay on.

Thanks!

	Quote:
Originally Posted by WLS Lucky you! I had four incisions with internal stitches and the glue you mention, but they also had to go in through my belly button, so that's where the bandage is - and it's quite bloody at this point! But I'm just such a chicken about blood and wounds, I can't bear to even look at it. Fortunately that can be the doctors problem tomorrow. Is the glue still covering the stitches two weeks out? I was wondering how long that stuff would stay on. Thanks!

The glue still seems to be there...but it's hard to tell with all the fuzz from my flannel PJs that stuck to the vitamin E I've been massaging around the incisions. Doctor will be in for a shock tomorrow at the follow-up...I can't get the vitamin E or fuzz off with soap and water! They look like bruises until you touch them and realize they are fuzzy...hope I don't have flannel embedded in the scars...

I have a belly button entry as well...I can't tell if it's blood or the orange sterile wash still in there, but it looks like something out of a horror flick.

Saw the doctor yesterday and he said I should have completely removed the bandage after a couple days (wasn't in my discharge instructions and he probalby shouldn't have given me verbal instructions moments after surgery!). He took them off and all is well - thanks for the advice! What did the doctor say about your fuzzy belly button?

	Quote:
Originally Posted by WLS Saw the doctor yesterday and he said I should have completely removed the bandage after a couple days (wasn't in my discharge instructions and he probalby shouldn't have given me verbal instructions moments after surgery!). He took them off and all is well - thanks for the advice! What did the doctor say about your fuzzy belly button?

She laughed and said I wouldn't believe some of the things she's seen people do to their incisions to promote healing.

Now I'm curious what other people do, both weird and normal.