Wounds not healing *HELP*

Hi everyone

Havent been on this site for a while as everything was going so well! I am 5 weeks post op today and had problems with a small scab (probably about 1cm square)under my right nipple where the scar from my mastopexy goes down my boob.

I have seen my local nurse/ GP about this a couple of times, he said its where the stitch disolved too quickly before the skin healed (aka nothing could have prevented this). He told me to keep it dry and cover with dressings.

I then went back to my GP today (5 days later) and he told me the scab isnt healing quickly. He took swabs to check there wasnt anything nasty in the wound (Im not feeling unwell/hot, no particular redness just tiny bit of discharge) and then put me on antibiotics again.


I am slightly concerned I am 5 weeks post op and Im STILL healing and STILL have an open wound. My PS knows and Im back for my 6 week check up next Monday. I guess I have done everything I can do.

I have been told it will scar differently as the tissue hasnt healed neatly. This slightly bothers me but I have had a mastopexy so my boobs are scarred anyway! My main concern is why its not healing. Had to stop the little gym work I started and just feel a bit low.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

xxxx

Sorry to hear you're having problems Hun.

I know our dear cookie had a lot of trouble with her healing and can offer some great advice.

5weeks is still very early post op and you'll be healing for quite a while internally too, months in fact.

The worrying thing I read though was gym work. 
At 5weeks post op you shouldn't be in the gym at all! 
It's at least 6 weeks or when YOU get the all clear from YOUR surgeon. 

Even a little gym work is too much. Your body needs to be healing and recovering. Any excersion in the gym is just overloading your body with more work it has to do which at the moment is needed for healing.

Good news is scars can heal well and fade a lot. So don't worry too much about that at the moment. 

Please focus on healing, eat lots of protein for repair and carbs for energy. And no gym! 
X

mrsball wrote:Sorry to hear you're having problems Hun.

I know our dear cookie had a lot of trouble with her healing and can offer some great advice.

5weeks is still very early post op and you'll be healing for quite a while internally too, months in fact.

The worrying thing I read though was gym work. 
At 5weeks post op you shouldn't be in the gym at all! 
It's at least 6 weeks or when YOU get the all clear from YOUR surgeon. 

Even a little gym work is too much. Your body needs to be healing and recovering. Any excersion in the gym is just overloading your body with more work it has to do which at the moment is needed for healing.

Good news is scars can heal well and fade a lot. So don't worry too much about that at the moment. 

Please focus on healing, eat lots of protein for repair and carbs for energy. And no gym! 
X

Thank you :) Im worried its a sloughy wound, guess time will tell its only small. No gym :D x

It could just be a slow healing wound. Stick with your GPs advice, clean and dry, and Im sure your surgeon will have some words of wisdom for you.

And keep out the gym missus!

The T scar where they meet can often be very troublesome for so many having a Mastopexy. 

It's good your GP is on top of this and has taken swabs to find the exact type of infection you 'may have' it may not be infection at all. Sometimes some parts of the wound, as I said the T parts can be troublesome for no particular reason. 

Did your GP see the Slough? If they didn't it might be worth a trip back and asking if the Slough might need cleaning away. 

I had a couple of parts that had Slough and I had to keep having the Slough scraped away leaving fresh tissue behind to heal.

Have you been advised to let air get to the wounds?  

If not, then every morning, open your bedroom window and let the fresh air cold as it is sweep through your room and expose your wounds to that fresh air. I just lay on the bed for half hour and let the air get to them, you'll be VERY surprised what a great healer that is. If you can manage the same at night too, then do it again. 

I hope the appointment goes well with Mr Khan on Monday and do please let us know how things go. Xx

Hi Cookie, the GP didnt mention any slough I have just read up about it and noticed the yellow stuff inside my wound and thought that might be what it is!

The GP told me to keep it covered and dry and change the dressing every 2-3 days. He didnt mention airing it so Im not sure if I should do that?

My wound is in the nipple t scar I guess, rather than the t scar under boob when you have a full anchor lift- I had lollipop, but as you have said Im sure its not an "easy" place to heal.

Will just see what the swab results say then what everyone says at 6 week FU x

Too much use of the word 'slough' there...its where Im from!! (The nice bit of course )

Lol my wounds are from Slough, well not too far from there :p

misstaunton wrote:Hi Cookie, the GP didnt mention any slough I have just read up about it and noticed the yellow stuff inside my wound and thought that might be what it is!

The GP told me to keep it covered and dry and change the dressing every 2-3 days. He didnt mention airing it so Im not sure if I should do that?

My wound is in the nipple t scar I guess, rather than the t scar under boob when you have a full anchor lift- I had lollipop, but as you have said Im sure its not an "easy" place to heal.

Will just see what the swab results say then what everyone says at 6 week FU x

No, you should stick with what your doctor has instructed, however, a half hour blast of fresh air i between changing dressings isn't going to hurt 

Yes the T from areolas to Breast base is one of the spots that has difficulty healing for some.

Once your doctor has the results back this too will be a big help because they'll know what type of bacteria might have caused it if there is infection of course and the treatment may be tweaked to help things speed along. Xx

Charlii wrote:Too much use of the word 'slough' there...its where Im from!! (The nice bit of course )

Don't worry Charlii....we won't be scraping you away    Haha. X

Thanks Cookie you have made me feel a bit better about things! Will give them a good air at my next dressing change x

Hope your check up goes well & surgeon has some advice to help with your healing.
I've see  some amazing turnarounds in wounds that haven't been healing, ulcers etc.....treated with manuka honey dressings, maybe something for you to consider asking your surgeon about. XXX

i am 2.5 weeks after surgery and one of my wounds has blistered up and is weeping :( I'm really worried - going back to the hosp this aft

Let me know how it goes Karen999 this afternoon, I will ask mirren001 thanks for the advice :) x

Really hope your wounds heal very quickly ! Have my fingers x'd for u xx

the breast nurse examined me and thinks its the pressure from swelling and fluid. I'm on more antibiotics and anti immflamatories, got to keep it covered with dressings and I have another appointment at the hosp in a week

Wow Karen, I just noticed you've had FIVE revisions.  Do you mind me asking what each one was for? P.S Hope you heal soon! x

Hope things start to improve for you now lovely. Xx

thanks COOKIE - i was back again today (a stitch was popping out), I've got such a weak stomach, i feel soon queasy :(
Boobies2be: I've been very unlucky with rippling, bottoming out, left implant sliding too far too my armpit, seems like as once complication is fixed....something else has gone wrong plus I've had to changed the implants a few times!! even my surgeon says i am an extreme case so don't let it worry you! my advice is check clearly what the aftercare covers and how long for. i think things like rippling can be a very grey area as to what is acceptable (there is always a risk), and what goes beyond acceptable (i.e. different implant may have suited more).  Unfortunately with me its been a bit of a trial and error thing however up until now iv never had a problem with incisions or scars and i have always healed quick so its sods law that I'm having a few issues now! hopefully will sort itself out though x

lots of vitamin c helps promote healing. xxx