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Incisions--redness, puffiness
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12-12-2012, 02:23 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 28
Hysterectomy: December 5th, 2012
Surgery Type: TLH
Ovaries: Undecided
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Incisions--redness, puffiness
Hi, everyone. I had my LAVH exactly a week ago. Today (although it began yesterday) I have a 3-4" pinkish-red area spreading below my belly button incision that's a tiny bit elevated and a bit warm, and one of my smaller incisions is now about 2" across and red and puffy. I've already been back to the dr. twice since the surgery, once two days after the surgery to get the catheter removed, and once this past Mon. to check out some new vaginal bleeding and my belly button incision--both of which were deemed (by a different ob/gyn.) nothing to worry about. With my HMO, it's almost impossible to reach anyone (particularly a dr.) by phone, so I've had to rely on email. The only alternative is calling a distant call center and asking the clerk if I can speak to an advice nurse, who almost certainly wouldn't be an ob/gyn. nurse. I did email the gyn. surgeon, but don't know whether to give this another day (since I probably won't hear from him until tonight) or try to get an urgent care appt. today. I'm also having a LOT of itching in the whole lower abdominal area. (Not to mention the severe constipation.) Any advice or experience to share? ravella
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12-12-2012, 11:46 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 434
Hysterectomy: August 17th, 2012
Surgery Type: DvH
Ovaries: Removed both
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Re: Incisions--redness, puffiness
Any fever?
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12-13-2012, 12:20 AM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 28
Hysterectomy: December 5th, 2012
Surgery Type: TLH
Ovaries: Undecided
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Re: Incisions--redness, puffiness, itching
No fever, but since I'm taking either Tylenol or Vicodin regularly, that would bring any fever down. I did go to the dr. today (even though he'd emailed saying he thought I was having an allergic reaction), but the ob/gyn I saw (who later called in the gyn. surgeon for a 2nd opinion) said that the very red and enlarging rash I have is not an allergic reaction. Instead, she and the surgeon were pretty sure that I have cellulitis, a bacterial infection. She took a sample of the discharge from my belly button to send to be cultured, and they put me on Keflex and said to use steroid cream to help with the itching. And to use Monistat (miconazole cream) externally since I may have the beginnings of a yeast infection, and the Keflex antibiotic will probably bring on a full-blown yeast infection. She also said not to take the Keflex at the same time that I eat yogurt (which I'm already eating regularly but plan to eat more of in hopes of preventing a major yeast infection); I assume the Keflex would kill the good bacteria in the yogurt. So I'm glad that I didn't just get "medical care by email"! I hope I'll hear about the results of the culture tomorrow. The ob/gyn. said to call or come in if things aren't better in a day or two--which I hope they will be.
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12-13-2012, 10:13 AM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 12
Hysterectomy: December 6th, 2012
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Re: Incisions--redness, puffiness
Oh my! Sending healing (((vibes)))) your way. Good for you for staying persistent in getting answers.
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12-13-2012, 02:41 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 38
Hysterectomy: November 5th, 2012
Surgery Type: DvH
Ovaries: Undecided
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Re: Incisions--redness, puffiness
Keflex is the most commonly used antibiotic for cellulits and other skin infections. Cellulitis is not usually rashy or itchy. Most of the time it is red, warm and extending away from the incision or wound bed. If you had any tape or steri strips over your incisions you could be having an allergic reation to the tape. That can cause rashes and itching. If it is cellulitis, you should see improvements in 1-2 days. I guess you will just have to weight and see what the culture test shows. Good luck and try not to worry. Rest and try to take care yourself.
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12-13-2012, 03:49 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 28
Hysterectomy: December 5th, 2012
Surgery Type: TLH
Ovaries: Undecided
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Re: Incisions--redness, puffiness
Thanks, december6 and applegal (which at first I read as "app--legal," then realized was apple gal). The two ob/gyn's I saw yesterday didn't seem too sure about the diagnosis, but didn't think it was an allergic reaction based on the distribution pattern (spreading inches away from where the steristrips had been). I still have about a 3"X 4" red, raised, warm but also itchy patch below my belly button incision and round bulls-eye type raised. red, warm areas around both smaller incisions, that are about 1.5" around. I just started the Keflex around dinner time yesterday, and had been wondering how long it would take to work, so that's good to know, applegal. I'm supposed to take it 4 x/day for a week. All the rashes or skin infections are both redder and a bit larger than they were yesterday. Another possibility would be an extreme candidiasis case, I suppose. I'm wondering whether I should try taking Claritin to see if that helps, in case there's at least an allergic component to this.
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12-13-2012, 04:37 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 38
Hysterectomy: November 5th, 2012
Surgery Type: DvH
Ovaries: Undecided
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Re: Incisions--redness, puffiness
Doctors recommend Claritin or Benadryl for itch. Most patients feel the benadryl works better than the other . But the one big difference is benadryl will make you drowsy ad Claritin will not. Seems weird to have a yeast infection in that location. Try to keep the area dry and cool. Yeast grows in warm, dark and moist places. Follow the direction of your antibiotics so you can get the most out of them. If it says take with a glass of water or with food than make sure you do that. Hope you have a better night.
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12-13-2012, 04:53 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 10
Hysterectomy: November 1st, 2012
Surgery Type: LAVH
Ovaries: Kept 1 or both
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Re: Incisions--redness, puffiness
I was very itchy all over my abdomen after surgery. They put an Iodine solution all over the belly and I have some kind of reaction to that which caused me to itch like crazy. If it is not too soon and the Dr says ok maybe wash your abdomen gently with a wash cloth and mild soap that helped me. Otherwise your incisions need to stay dry and have loose clothing for air flow. If the red around your incisions increases and looks like streaks then your antibiotics are probably not working and you need to get to a Dr as the infection is spreading. Also acidophilus pills help with the yeast and restoring good bacteria to your body. Good luck, hope you feel better soon.
M
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12-14-2012, 07:07 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 28
Hysterectomy: December 5th, 2012
Surgery Type: TLH
Ovaries: Undecided
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Re: Incisions--redness, puffiness
Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. I did go back to see a different ob/gyn today (after talking to an advice nurse). The preliminary report on the culture the other dr. had taken Wed. showed "gram-negative rods." Today's doctor switched me from Keflex to Septra, since I seem to have bacterial cellulitis. My gyn. surgeon had prescribed Mycolog II, but today's dr. said only to use that on what appears to be a yeast infection under my stomach folds (TMI--I'm overweight and have had a few bouts of much more minor candidiasis there before.) He said to come back in over the weekend if the infected and inflamed area gets even larger. Right now, the biggest area is around my belly-button incision, and the dr. measured it as something lik 10 mm (or cm.? I'm not used to the metric system) by 15 cm. (or mm.) I think that in inches it's about 3 X 5.5 inches, and there are similar raised, red, itchy, warm areas around my other two incisions. What scares me is that I heard a nurse in the hospital talking about MRSA (drug-resistant bacteria), so I hope that's not what I have. I started the Septra this afternoon and am hoping that it starts to help soon. ravella
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12-14-2012, 07:26 PM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 328
Hysterectomy: December 5th, 2012
Surgery Type: LAVH
Ovaries: Kept 1 or both
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Re: Incisions--redness, puffiness
Your case sounds like what i am going through. Both my bellybutton incision and one of my smaller incisions is reddish and super itchy. I just started an antibiotic today for bacterial uti...i wonder if it would do anything for the redness if i have cellulitis starting.
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