Steristrips?

Hello everyone. I had a TAH on Nov. 6 with remaing ovary removed as well and they removed my staples on Friday Nov. 9 before I went home. They replaced them with "steristrips" and told me they'd come off "naturally" well they are driving me CRAZY with the itching and pulling. Wondering if anyone else has had this problem and what you ladies did if anything. I know I can't scratch the itch as it is on the incision so I'm just sitting around being miserable.

Thanks so much.

I have had steristrips a few times for previous ops and been told they will come off naturally, but somehow they never did and they stayed glued on until my post op visits and hair started to grow through them! This is not usual and they should come off on their own (I seem to remeber being told after 10 days but I am sure the other ladies can let you know as it was a while ago since I last had them). They do pull a bit, but try to think of them as stitches which you would expect to pull but you would not scratch; a gentle pat should be ok.

Hope it doesn't make you too miserable.

I am 4 weeks post op....at 1 week post op had staples removed and steri strips were put in place. Some of them came off within a few days some stubborn ones remained for a couple of weeks. They itch. Try to ignore them. You won't even realize when they are falling offf. I found pieces of the strips all over my place.

Be patient

Hi, I also had my TAH on Nov 6 and had my staples removed on the 8th before i went home from the castle. The following Sunday night my pain was increasing and by Tuesday I was on all the high powered percocets I could have and was still experiencing pain, plus my incision smelled and went to the Doc on Wed and had become terribly infected. She removed all steri strips then.

P.s. - after antibiotics and cleanings with Hydrogen perioxide 3 times a day, my infection is well on its way out. Doing much better - Karen

I had surgery on the 7th and they closed with dissolvable sutures which I can't see (they keep the incision closed, but it's like they are under the skin) and they applied the steri strips along the outside of incision. The middle strips have fallen off, but the ones along the edges are hanging in there. I'd like to get rid of them, but I'm afraid to pick at them. I want to start using the Scar Guard stuff, but I don't think I can do that until all the strips are off. I have my 2 week post op next week, I'll ask then.

I'm 2 weeks and 2 days post op (TAH) and my steristrips are still firmly in place.

Not itching though so I guess that's good?

I was told by my Doctor that the steri-strips would come off on their own and those that don't to leave alone and he would remove upon my visit.

3 weeks later and my steristrips are still on. I even put Goo Gone on them to get them off--no luck. I wonder what the record is for longest time a steristrip hung on...

I had called the nurse when I returned home to ask about my steri-strips as the paperwork I went home with said "Steri-strips may be removed in several days" - so I asked "um, how many exactly is 'several'?" The nurse said that one week would be fine, altho I came into the doctor's office a few days later for another reason, she asked to look at the incision and then removed them, told me to keep it clean with hydrogen pyroxide and to make sure it dries thoroughly after.

I'd call up your individual doctors to ask just how long they are to remain - saying "until they fall off" when they are irritating you and half-off doesn't sound like the best advice if you ask me. Plus if they are half off and get a bunch of yuk in them from your clothes and all - doesn't seem very "steri-le" after all.

Also, when I left they gave me extra steri-strips in case they fell off - maybe you could get someone to swing by the office to pick up some more? Just a thought.

I'm leaving mine on until I get over this coughing bug I caught last week. Sometimes I feel like my incision is going to split wide open