Incision is really itchy

[Pat Walter]

Hello to Everyone,

Last Tuesday, December 30th, I had a right side BHR which resulted in a 14" stapled incision which has become increasingly and annoyingly itchy within the past day.  My doc has not yet responded to my telephone inquiry as to any therapy, therefore I was hoping one of you could advise of a safe, but affective solution to apply, such as perhaps Benadryl?  I will of course wait to get my doc's ultimate approval, but I would like to get a head start with suggestions to discuss with him.  Thanks in advance to all who reply!

Also, with more time to post at a later date, I would like to talk to those of you who are hockey players about post-op recovery, sport-specific therapy, and resumption of playing next season (2009/10).

By the way, thank you Pat for having spearheaded this forum!

-John Calvert
  Michigan

[Mudpro]

First off, finally I find someone else with a 14" incision! Now I don't feel so, well, abused! 

Second, I've had to manage itching also, but its been mostly caused by adhesive tape.  When they were changing the dressing every day the tape was tearing up my skin.  But not itchng from the incision itself.

[obxpelican]

Ok.... I am probably sticking my head where it don't belong.

I would be careful if your incision is still open anywhere.... I am not sure how sterile some "lotions" are and you do not want an infection at this point in time.


It's just my opinion, and I am not a doctor.... just a dumb old surface hippy.

BTW--- sometimes longer incisions are because you might be heavy muscled.


Chuck

[Mudpro]

Curiously, is your incision healed nicely now and did you have any difficulties as a direct result of such a long incision? Thanks!

-John C

I was a raquetball player for decades, and a construction worker most of my adult life, and before arthritis stopped me, backpacking was one of my favorite activities.  My glut and thigh muscles are larger than the avg person my size; this was the reason my surgeon gave for the longer than avg incision, he needed more length to loosen things up and be able to move the miscle to the side in order to do the work required.

Other than being freaked out the first time I saw the incision (expecting somthign in the 6" - 8" range) it hasn't seemed to be a problem, certainly not when speaking about healing.  It has healed remarlably fast.  What little drainage I had when I came home from the hospital was 100% gone within a week and there has never been any sign of infection (redness, smell, etc).

Now I don't think I'll be wearing a speedo to the beach, but that would be a scarier sight than the 14" incision! 

[Mudpro]

Bill,

Thanks for the feedback.  I'm sure like you, the doc will tell me my incision length was due to my musculature.  Coincidentely, I am also a backpacker and spent many years in the construction field (concrete).  20+ years of heavy squats, training for hockey didn't help matters either.

And so far, 10 days post-op, like you, I have not had any incision issues. 

To Chuck,

Thank you for your input as well.  Due to that very slight, but still legitimate concern that a section of my incision could be exposed, I have decided against using any topical treatment.  However, my need to keep icing the area has helped control the itching significantly anyway.

Back to Bill,

Curiously, if you don't mind, I'd like to get your stats such as age, etiology, implant manufacturer, and so on, if you don't mind and if you prefer not to, I would completely understand your desire for privacy.  Being so new to this board, (in fact to any web board), I haven't figured out how to navigate the site and find information as readily as I'm sure I will as I play around with this a bit.  However, yesterday I got out of the house for more than a short walk and ended driving in more stop & go traffic than I had anticipated and as a result, I'm a bit more sore and will be resting and elevating for longer periods today.  But, I will check in here periodically when I need to get out of laying low.

Thanks to you both for your responses!

-John

John,

No [problem, I think i've listed most of this info elsewhere on the site anyway:

52 yo, male, 250lbs, Birmingham Hip Resurfacing implant, Union memorial Hospital (Baltimore, MD).

The reason for the implant was arthritis which contributed to carledge loss (I was basically bone on bone w/ spurs).

BTW, I am aslo in the concrete and plastering industry (ergo my screen name, "Mud - Pro").  Are you in the union by any chance?  I'm a trainer for the US union, "OPCMIA" these days.  Also an associate member of the UK trade guild WOC.  Are you going to be at the World of Concrete in Vegas next month?  its scheduled to be my first busienss trip post-surgery.

WARNING:  Open hip incision image at your own risk.  If blindness insues, you have been warned!

-->  Hip Incision Image - 1 Week Post Surgery  <--

My rear is big, but not THAT big.  It was still pretty swollen at the time, which is 90% all gone now.  As are the 42 staples!

[jcalvert]

Bill,

Thanks for the info.  My etiology has yet to be determined.  It could be OA or RA or something else altogether.  I see a rheumatologist next week.  A highly regarded Neuro-Immunologist in my area ruled out possibilities in his area of specialty such as MS.

My case is apparently very unusual in that my current surgeon stated in September that he had only seen such a rapid hip joint collapse once before in 20 years of practice.  Originally, I had complained of severe pain (and other issues) in my right hip for 2 years while seeing a different surgeon who ultimately gave up on me because the MRI's he ordered were negative. That surgeon failed me by not listening to me.

I first started seeing my current surgeon in the fall of 2007.  I had a MRI in May 2008 which the radiologist reported possible osteonecrosis, but otherwise negative for any arthritis.  Along with listening to me and performing standard leg/hip manipulations, my current surgeon then scheduled and performed a scope debridement with general inspection in September and reported severe bone-on-bone OA.  In my follow-up meeting to the scope, he x-rayed me and then went on to tell me about this rapid, yet unusual and unexplained hip joint collapse and the eventual need for the BHR whenever I was ready. I was hoping to put it off until the current hockey season was over, but the pain stopped me in my tracks only 4 games in.

My fear about all this is that without knowing the cause, I may have no current chance of avoiding a repeat performance on the left side.  However, I will continue to search for answers, with maybe the rheumatologist being able to shed some light next week.

Anyway, as for my construction career, that ended many years ago and I actually went on to become a sales consultant for a variety of orthopedic and neurological implant manufacturers.  I retired from that career in 2003 to be a stay-at-home-dad where I also opened a home-based business as a personal fitness trainer, especially for hockey teams and individuals.  But my hip shut me down a while ago and I decided to go back to school to get a degree in Theological Studies to hopefully become a Youth Minister which would coincide nicely with caring for my kids and continuing to coach hockey and baseball.

By the way, it's funny that your photo could be my own.  The incision looks almost exctly like mine and our musculatures are nearly identical.  You look like a hockey player and I could be a mudpro.

I see my ortho surgeon on Monday, the 12th, while getting my staples removed.  I didn't count them precisely, but I would have to say that I have at least fifty.  More importantly, I'm hoping that he will shed some light on the subject from his recall of the surgery and help us both to determine the possibly etiology.

Well, I wish you all the best for continued success in you recovery and I hope your trip is both productive and fun.  But be safe, big guy!  Thanks for the dialogue, I really appreciate your input!!!

All the best,
John Calvert