Incision Opened!

Well I am 9 days post op. Things were going well. Felt fine. Was laying down and my Mom asked me what was on my shorts?. They were covered with blood and fluid. Looked at my incision and sure enough it was open and draining crazily. Called Dr. Had to go to ER. Part of the incision is not healing! WHY!?!?!?! I have a 3 in portion of my incision that is now wide open and oozing. It is almost 3 in deep per Mom. Dr said I did nothing wrong it is apparent that it didn't heal! I have to go to Dr tomorrow and again next week.

I don't understand. I've been resting, drinking, walking (with the pillow). I have taken small steps and increased slowly. I have felt pretty good (considersing). I don't get it!!!

Has anyone else had this happen? What's next? This has set me back and turned me into a bawl baby! I just don't get it!

Wow! That's awful. Did doc use glue instead of stitches or staples? Maybe the glue gave way. I had a little opening on one side, but it didn't drain. Sometimes the body just doesn't heal as expected. Keep doing what you're doing and relax. Your body's healing will kick in eventually. Hope everything works out ok. Keep us posted.

MoJo, welcome home from the castle !!

I can sympathize with you regarding your incision, although my incision opened up when the doctor took out the staples. I had on my right side a 2 inch area and on my left side a 1 inch area that had opened.

My doctor wasn't too concerned and said that it was normal, although it looks rather weird to see your body pulling apart like that. He continued to put the steri-strips on my incision and said that it would heal up in time. He said the steri-strips would begin to come off in week, but it was three weeks when I finally took them off. I thought they were trying to become a permanent part of my body or something. Plus, they were beginning to look a little dingy.

When I did take them off and looked at my incision it had actually healed up quite well, even the places that had gapped open, plus I had to put some Neosporin on a couple of places next to my incision where I had developed a silk tape blister while in the hospital from the tape they placed over my staples after surgery. I didn't even know that I was allergic to silk tape. Now I do.

I hope this helps to ease your mind. I think everyone has this problem at some extent or another. Try not to stress too much about it, but keep a lookout on the color of the drainage. If it's yellow or green, it could possibly be an infection.

Paula

Just think what it might look like if you hadn't taken care of yourself. It could be alot worse. Take care.

I know what you mean! I had accidentally re-opened my incision due to bending. Anyway I was told if I didn't rest that I would be hospitalized again. After the nurse looked at the site she said well there is not to much we can do I just need you to be sure to keep the site clean and to get plenty of rest, because they wanted it to heal from the inside out. Hope this information helps.

Hello,
I had my incision open also. The doctor explained that this is due to infection and the body is protecting itself by opening up the area. Can you imagine if the body healed and then u found out you had to be sliced open at a later date?????
you will be up and running in no time. When mine burst open I had a nurse come twice a day for 4 weeks and it was soooooo tiring and slow to heal. Finally I went to a wound specialist who stiched me up an ina matter of two weeks I was ready for th Olympic's...........mentally at least.
Take care.