Medical types, your thoughts please.

[Timefortruth]

Disclaimer: I will not substitute this for actual care, what I am seeking is direction.

About five weeks ago I had my gall bladder removed laparoscopicly. The procedure went perfectly and the only comment the surgeon had afterward was that it was difficult due to scars from earlier surgeries.

Wednesday of this week the incision, which had looked totally healed, formed blood blisters which burst by the end of the day. Thursday the surgeon looked at it and said there was nothing to worry about, the stitches were dissolving. The incision now looks open, and crusty ooze comes from it. I feel ok; I have some tenderness on my right side that is new and despite having lost more than 10 lbs the waist of my pants are tighter than ever.

The surgeon as much as said not to call him again, what should I do now? Take his advice and ignore it?

Thanks.

[JanMichael]

1. Tell Dr. "Don't bother me with this"

that this type of thing is in his job description in case he missed the memo--and offer to get a second opinion on the suture job.

If it makes you uncomfortable in any way, see a doc.

Stephanie

[BooScout]

2. Call the asshole

and tell him it's now infected. The oozing and weeping is a sign of infection. Are you on any antibiotics?

[Timefortruth]

5. No, I'm not on antibiotics

I was a little surprised he didn't culture it on Thursday.

[cornermouse]

3. When in doubt, go to the ER.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

4. If the ooze is green or the area is red, warm, inflamed

or if you have a temperature, it might be infected...if need be go to an emergency room.

Did he really say not to call him again? Or did he indicate it was fine and not to worry. Sometimes surgeons are short, but look at the papers they gave you upon release from the hospital regarding wound care and see if any of the items that you are experiencing are listed on that paper (instructing you to seek care immediately)

[Timefortruth]

6. Thinking it unusual that a apparently healed wound

would reopen I was very specific in my questions. I asked the cause, he said the dissolving stitches. I asked whether it was related to the new pain on my side, he said no it was not. When he said it was nothing to worry about I asked whether there was a point that I should worry and call him, and he said no there would be no reason to follow up.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

7. As stitches dissolve, the area does get crusty

again, if the ooze is green, if the area is red or inflamed or if you have a fever of 101, you should go to ER regardless of what the surgeon says. If you belong to an HMO, they usually have advice nurses you can call.

[Timefortruth]

8. Thanks,

It isn't green, it's yellow and sticky. It's a little red but not outrageously so. Maybe he was right, it is just so strange.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

9. a little redness is expected, a lot or a raised wound is not

[libodem]

10. redness, swelling, drainage

all classic signs of infection. Your dissolving stitches may be causing an allergic reaction as well. i don't like the sound of those blood-blister things either. Watch for redness that looks like cellulitis....warm spreading red on the skin surface. Watch for anything that looks like a streak of red running away from the site. Watch your temperature. If you start running a fever your antibiotics may not be the right ones for the organism. I don't like the sound of the internal swelling either i.e. that your waist is larger. I know you hate to jump the gun but you don't want to be suddenly overwhelmed by sepsis if it gets in your blood. An ER could do a complete blood count and check your white cell count.... see if its up and check your red cell count make sure its not going down say if that swelling was caused from blood loss inside you.

[Timefortruth]

11. Allergic to dissolving stitches..

bet that's it, I'm allergic to very many things.

What do they do for that?

[JRob]

12. Go to the emergency room... Get another Doctor and if there are...

complications, report the asshole.

Some Doctors hate to be questioned or second guessed... It's a long story, but had we not sought not only a second, but a third opinion on our OBGYNs insistence that we schedule a D&C "immediately" we'd not have our 5 year old son today (probably not our 2 year old either).

Don't let this bastard (or any med) alienate you into not seeking answers to anything that is troubling you...