infection :(

shmack · 11-11-2009, 03:24 AM

So yeah... I *KNEW* from the get go that something wasn't quite right with one of my incisions... After the first day or so I noticed a big lump under it... both my surgeon and a different doctor said its normal, especially on that one as that's the biggest hole in the muscle as the band goes through there....

But still.... it feels like the size of a golf ball... and you're telling me that's normal?

Woke up yesty morning.. it's red as and weeping hardcore... I think I used about 20 tissues... It was only weeping in one little section, little little... but it was just constant... it's not really pus either, it's more a yellowy coloured clear kind of discharge... (isn't discharge just the worst word in the dictionary? Sounds so rank... discharge lol)

I booked an appointment with a doctor for the afternoon at my local to get some antibiotics... but a few hours later the incision opened up about half a centimetre. and there was (is) a big hole... I can see the whole 'incision line' because it's yellow, so I'm guessing the skin is VERY thin and its infected and yukky in there ...sososo gross.

I called my surgeons rooms and they gave me the surgeons mobile number because she wasn't in and she said to go straight there and get the surgeon thats on duty to take a look.

"It's serious".

When a doctor says it's serious, then it's pretty serious... right? :\

"We want to try and avoid the infection either moving to the band or to the port".

Right... :(

"I'll take a swap and send it away for testing so we can find out what kind of bug got in there"

To which he pushed the swab thing in so far it hurt like a b***h. At the same time he opened the hole more so it could drain better.

Drain better it did.

By the time I got home from the hospital (20min), I had to change it.

By the time I left for work this morning I had used 5 dressings and had to go buy another 6 from the chemist (at $14.95 for a 5 pack WHAT?) to get me through the day.

I also got "the strongest prescription antibiotics" they had until they can figure out what exactly it is causing the infection.

The tablets are like fricken horse pills... but they are going down, so that's ok.

I'm in a hell of a lot more pain today... pressure pain mostly... I can feel the lump has gone upwards though, about half way to the port, so I hope that's not the actual infection moving up.. :(

If I start running a fever or get really bad pain or start bleeding, I need to call them straight away.

Wicked... and the bad luck continues... *roll eyes*

No wonder it's been sore for weeks and still can't bend over without it hurting or sleep on my side without it hurting... I just KNEW it. :(

untfluter · 11-11-2009, 03:00 PM

I had a similiar situation about 2 wks after my surgery... I never had the lump, but part of my incision on my belly button opened up and was draining BAD... it was a Friday night.. I called and spoke to the surgeon on call and he said as long as it wasn't red and inflammed and wasn't running a fever and the discharge didn't have an odor, to just continue to dress it and allow it to finish draining, that it wasn't unusual for fluid to build up... just as a precaution, I went to see my primary the next morning, yes my primary has Saturday hours... LOL she took a culture and gave me an anitibiotic... I already had an appt w/my surgeon on Tuesday, just a few days away to see if my suture's where ready to come out... by the time I went to see him, the culture was back as Staph... my surgeon put me on Levaquin... I took a week course, went for another culture and did one more round of Levaquin and all was good... but my surgeon was talking about that he might need to go in and take out the port so that the band didn't get infected... I was self pay... while he wouldn't charge me, the $10k for the hospital, I didn't have... thankfully he was willing to take my suggestion of getting a repeat culture after the first round of antiobiotics and to do a second round... and all was right in the world... What antibiotic did they give you??

Quote:

Originally Posted by shmack

So yeah... I *KNEW* from the get go that something wasn't quite right with one of my incisions... After the first day or so I noticed a big lump under it... both my surgeon and a different doctor said its normal, especially on that one as that's the biggest hole in the muscle as the band goes through there....

But still.... it feels like the size of a golf ball... and you're telling me that's normal?

Woke up yesty morning.. it's red as and weeping hardcore... I think I used about 20 tissues... It was only weeping in one little section, little little... but it was just constant... it's not really pus either, it's more a yellowy coloured clear kind of discharge... (isn't discharge just the worst word in the dictionary? Sounds so rank... discharge lol)

I booked an appointment with a doctor for the afternoon at my local to get some antibiotics... but a few hours later the incision opened up about half a centimetre. and there was (is) a big hole... I can see the whole 'incision line' because it's yellow, so I'm guessing the skin is VERY thin and its infected and yukky in there ...sososo gross.

I called my surgeons rooms and they gave me the surgeons mobile number because she wasn't in and she said to go straight there and get the surgeon thats on duty to take a look.

"It's serious".

When a doctor says it's serious, then it's pretty serious... right? :\

"We want to try and avoid the infection either moving to the band or to the port".

Right... :(

"I'll take a swap and send it away for testing so we can find out what kind of bug got in there"

To which he pushed the swab thing in so far it hurt like a b***h. At the same time he opened the hole more so it could drain better.

Drain better it did.

By the time I got home from the hospital (20min), I had to change it.

By the time I left for work this morning I had used 5 dressings and had to go buy another 6 from the chemist (at $14.95 for a 5 pack WHAT?) to get me through the day.

I also got "the strongest prescription antibiotics" they had until they can figure out what exactly it is causing the infection.

The tablets are like fricken horse pills... but they are going down, so that's ok.

I'm in a hell of a lot more pain today... pressure pain mostly... I can feel the lump has gone upwards though, about half way to the port, so I hope that's not the actual infection moving up.. :(

If I start running a fever or get really bad pain or start bleeding, I need to call them straight away.

Wicked... and the bad luck continues... *roll eyes*

No wonder it's been sore for weeks and still can't bend over without it hurting or sleep on my side without it hurting... I just KNEW it. :(

happy2lose · 11-11-2009, 04:17 PM

Gosh Shmack, I sure it heals quickly for you and isn't too serious.

Feel better,
Donna

BigBoned · 11-11-2009, 05:59 PM

Sorry to hear your story! I'm dealing with a golf-ball sized lump myself at the moment. My band was removed 9-days ago but so far I haven't seen any signs of infection (fever, oozing, etc...) - just the unsightly lump.

Not to sound too paranoid but as a side issue to what you're dealing with, be wary of getting a Tendon Tear . Two weeks after I had my band installed last year I was using doses of a fluoroquinolone antibiotic as prescribed by my surgeon and my achilles tendon just *exploded* in the middle of a basketball game (I'd already been playing for well over 45 minutes so it wasn't because the muscle hadn't had time to warm up and get stretched out). I had no warning signs at all prior to the injury. It was a complete rupture that required surgery to reattach so I was laid up in the house for a while, in a cast for several more weeks, and it's taken a full year to recover strength and flexibility.

I do heavy weightlifting in the gym as well as being active in several other sports so I'm not a weekend-warrior and could only attribute the rupture to the recent use of antibiotics(?).

So as you're taking that medication you might want to forgo any fast-twitch exercises such as basketball, tennis, etc. until the medicine leaves your system. Good luck!

shmack · 11-11-2009, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by untfluter

What antibiotic did they give you??

They gave me Augmentin Duo Forte while the swab is away for testing...

Supposed to go back in on Monday for a checkup...

I think I'm having some side effects from the antibiotics as well... having quite watery bowel movements and that seems to be in the 'mid range side effects' on the brochure in the box.. .I also have a constant headache since I started the tablets..

The stuff oozing out doesnt smell bad, but it ranges from yellow pussy liquid to a clear pinkish liquid to bloody liquid... full of surprises...

I've read some pretty horrible stuff has happened to people that have gotten infections.. So I'm really concerned now :(

shmack · 11-11-2009, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy2lose

Gosh Shmack, I sure it heals quickly for you and isn't too serious.

Feel better,
Donna

Thanks Donna... I hope so too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigBoned

So as you're taking that medication you might want to forgo any fast-twitch exercises such as basketball, tennis, etc. until the medicine leaves your system. Good luck!

Crap!!! Will take note... Don't play much sport these days... used to be a big BBall and Netball fan, but have had several knee dislocations in the past so yeah... not for me until I get some weight off... OWWWWWIEE!!!

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