Red, raised and itchy around incision

[BerkeleyGirl]

Hi. I'm 12 days post-op. I had the self-absorbing stitches/glue, plus Steri-strips that I was told just to leave on til they fall off. They're still all on. I've been keeping them covered very loosely with gauze. Two days ago the incision area started to get very itchy. I thought that was just healing, and though sometimes I would rub slightly AROUND the incision (not even as close as the Steri-strips), I haven't touched the incision or Steri-strip area. Today when I went to take a shower I saw the skin around the incision, both under the Steri-strips and around, is raised and red, a little shiny, and very itchy. The home PT looked at it and said it didn't seem like an infection per se in the wound (no drainage or extra pain), but definitely a skin reaction. Both she and my sister, who is a Physician Assistant, said I should go into see the doctor since we don't want to have ANYTHITNG going into the prosthesis. And a holiday weekend is coming up.

I haven't used unusual soap, detergents, or cloths that could trigger such a reaction, nor creams etc.

A friend is about to arrive to take me to the doc (an hour trip one-way, sigh). Has anyone had anything like this?

Berkeley Girl

[obxpelican]

Mine was raised and red, very itchy too.  I think it's normal, but it never hurts to snap a good pic of it and email to your doc.

In my sleep I scratched my scabs off and that got REAL inflammed and nasty looking, I sent a pic and they said it was fine.


Chuck

[Pat Walter]

It's often itchy and swollen around incison areas. You should have seen my chest after open heart surgery.  3 months out and most swelling was down unless I really get very active and it would swell again.  It takes bodies a long time to heal after surgery.

Always best to ask the doctor if you suspect a problem.  It is difficult for you to explain via words on the computer and others to suggest via words something they have not seen.

Hopefully, it is normal healing.  My incision for my hip itched for over a year.  I am a slow healer.

Good Luck.

Pat

[Merkley5]

Hi BerkeleyGirl - This is Debbie from Chico.  I just had foot surgery on Nov. 22 and the same thing happened to me.  I was told to leave the steri-strips on but after approx.        1 1/2 to 2 weeks I began itching.  The itching became so intense under the steri-strips that I could not even sleep.  I felt I was having a reaction to them but the Dr. told me not to remove them until I saw him.  Needless to say when I did the next day and he removed them (I told him he could do it or I would!) I had an allergic reaction going under the strips.  It has been approx. 2 weeks since they were removed and the reaction has just healed.  It welted and blistered with oozing for many days after removal.  I would recommend you talk to the doctor about removing them!  The Dr. had me rub hydrocortisone on the area except for the incision 2 x day.  I will definitely tell Dr. Su about this reaction when I have surgery in Jan.  Google allergic reaction to steri-strips and you will find it is not an uncommon occurence.  Good luck.  Hope everything else is going well for you in your recovery.
Debbie

[DirkV]

Hi Berkeley, I too had an allergic reaction - to the glue. It was uncomfortable for a couple days, but no problem for the prosthetic. I saw the doc and received something to put over the incision; I recall is was silver-based. Mine was unusual because I had bilat 5 weeks apart, and had no problems for the first surgery, but allergic reaction for the second. I hope your problem is resolved soon and without further incident, similar to others who have responded. No fun for a couple days, but in a couple years, you'll hardly remember this little blip.
Keep lookin up,
-Dirk

[jgenese]

Berkeley Girl,
What your dealing with is a reaction to the adhesive. I went through a terrible time with that and it's finally gone. It has nothing to do with your incision. Mine actually spread throughout the area that was prepped. I was first prescribed a steroid cream that didn't work. I went back to the doc and he prescribed prednisone to take orally which finally cleared it up. It's natural for your incision to itch, but this is totally seperate from that. Take my advice and get the presription for steroid cream and pills from your doc as soon as possible. You'll be better within a week!

JohnnyG

[BerkeleyGirl]

Wow, thanks for all this feedback! I really appreciate it.

I did see Dr. Gilbert, and he confirmed that it's an allergic reaction, whether to the steri-strips or the glue he didn't know, but he said they put all kinds of things in there to close up the incision. He said the reaction was like poison oak! I'm supposed to put over the counter cortisone cream on it, and I suggested oral over the counter Benadryl, which he said would be fine.

Today my first steri-strip fell off... like a graduation of sorts. The skin is still blotchy and red around the incision and slightly spreading upward too, but it itches less, so I'm just going to see what happens. If it continues, I'll definitely ask for the prednisone... great idea, thanks.

On my way home from the dr. yesterday, I got a phone call that my father had just died. It wasn't unexpected -- he has Parkinson's disease and lived in an assisted-living facility outside Las Vegas -- but he's quite young and it's always a shock. The past 24 hours has been dealing with that on all kinds of levels. Since I can't go anywhere, my sister flew to Las Vegas and handled things there. The phone has not stopped ringing... I'm so tired, I'm now just not answering. I woke up this morning exhausted after 10 hours sleep, so I really chilled out for most of today to absorb the shock. Not good for healing. But I feel better now. What a day.

[Merkley5]

Dear BerkeleyGirl - I am so sorry about your dad.  I know that even if it is somewhat expected it is still a very difficult thing to lose a parent.  You are in my thoughts and prayers.  Take care.
Debbie

[jgenese]

BerkeleyGirl,
Very sorry for your loss.

[jjmclain]

My condolences on your loss. Hang in there.

[Pat Walter]

I am sorry to hear about your Father.  No matter the circumstances, it is always diffiuclt.  I understand since I have an 88 year old Mom in assisted living.  You always hate to get calls from the staff.

You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Pat

[BerkeleyGirl]

Thank you, everyone!

The rest of my family is in LA, and I'm in Berkeley, which has meant that I'd be spending this Christmas away from family because of the hip surgery (12/10/10). It was hard to be away this particular Christmas because of the loss of my Dad, though my parents divorced almost 20 years ago. But I felt so supported by friends up here -- and by all of you online! And I just didn't want to travel. In fact today was one of the harder days physically. I can actually walk now unassisted, though it's hobbling, and I still should use the crutch or walker for safety, so I am... and today I was just so exhausted. Healing takes a lot of energy. So I napped on and off. It was actually a nice Christmas, very restful.

The redness and itching around my incision, by the way, is calming down. I've been putting hydrocortisone cream on it once or twice a day, but it seems to be resolving itself. Still red but paler, and I can see that it's mostly under the Steri-strips and had just spread upward as reaction to that. Whew. It's funny that they don't tell us this can be a common reaction, but from what I've heard from many of you, it is.

I'm also surprised that it's still hurting so much, around the incision itself and down my right leg (last night the calf bone was aching). I'm so tired of that part! Still taking Percocet at the same rate on Day 14 as Day 7. But I think many of you began to taper off the pain meds around the 2nd-3rd week, so here's hoping.

I tried to put on pants for a dinner last night and my right butt cheek was so very, very round! Very funny.

I hope you all had a Happy Hippy Christmas! This year Santa brought me a shiny new BHR... :-)

[jjmclain]

Hi Berkeley Girl,

I am 6 weeks post-op. I too had a lot of leg pain after surgery, no hip pain, just lots of bruising and swelling down my leg and my butt cheek! I have had no hip pain at all though! I think my leg pain was due to all of the bruising which didn't start to really heal until about 4 weeks when I was allowed to go off the coumadin (blood thinners) and the 90 degree restrictions and the crutch. Each day since the surgery gets better, but I have really seen a substantial improvement the last 2 weeks and have never felt better. I have slept so much better now as well.

You are still very early in your recovery. Once you are able to do more, you will start feeling a lot better. I'm not sure what you restrictions are, but I was restricted to 2 crutches, 50% weightbearing for 3 weeks, and then 1 crutch total weightbearing (which with a crutch you don't totally weight bear!) until my 4 week check up. At that point, I was allowed to go without and have been walking since. First day was a little wobbly, but within a day or two I was walking normal, no limp at all. You will get there as you get further along!

Good Luck to you and Have a Happy New Year!