Incisions

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lilteach3234

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 4, 2009
Messages
236
Location
Houston, Texas (USA)
Hello all,

All of my incisions are beginning to itch like mad. My sternum incision feels somewhat numb but itches as well. I called doc and they said nothing on it for 6 wks. besides cleaning with soap and water.

I am beginning to do my own thing. I can't stand material being on me and it just irritates it even more.

Did any of you use anything to help with itching and irritation? I am going whacky!
 
Itch

Itch

Unfortunately, if your doctor says don't put anything on it, you need to follow those instructions. It's probably of little consequence if you're in misery, but the itching will pass. Hang in there!

-Philip
 
I know how you feel!!! Thanks for sharing on my post as well. They told me the same thing about nothing but soap and water.. Mine looks all dry at the top, what about yours?? We will itch together LOL and hopefully it won't last too long!!!
 
CA Pigg said:
I know how you feel!!! Thanks for sharing on my post as well. They told me the same thing about nothing but soap and water.. Mine looks all dry at the top, what about yours?? We will itch together LOL and hopefully it won't last too long!!!
Click to expand...

Girl, I look like a road map. I had planned on buying a cute, low cut little black dress to celebrate my 50th birthday in September. I sat and finally looked at myself in the mirror last Friday. There's no way I'd show all this messed up skin. All the nurses could tell who my doctor was by looking at my scars. They said he did the best work. Mine are looking all dried up too. My pacemaker scar has stuff on it (guess like a liquid bandaid) to protect it for showering. It's peeling, so I look like a snake.

I won't be getting a little black dress.....I'm going for a black turtleneck...who cares if it will only be 110 at the time in Houston.
 
Mine started itching while I was still in the hospital. They gave me a damp washcloth to use to lightly rub over it to "scratch" it. It did help but didn't make it go away. Unfortunately, only time will make it stop.

Kim
 
I think I've been lucky as mine hasn't itched either, other than the odd mement here and there.
I've been putting moisturiser cream on it three times a day for a few weeks now, as it was red and quite pronouced, now it's fading and going flat slowly but surely.
There's agreat itch cream called E45 I think ? But if you cant use it that wont help.
Were it me I think I'd use a bit of cream anyway and see how it felt ? One thing I've learnt through this whole ordeal is that Doctors definately dont always know best... More often than not you need to read between the lines a bit.
 
Hi,

I know what you are suffering!

I am 11 weeks post surgery, between weeks 4 - 7 my scar itched and became sore every time an item of clothing rested on it! I was walking around holding my shirts away from the scar - it was that bad. I did have a nurse re-apply a breathable dressing in week 5 which did help, after a week I removed the dressing and braved the reduced soreness.

All as I can say, is that, although it feels as though you are going out of your mind and it will never be any better - it will! Give it time.

Andy
 
The itch drove me crazy (no comment please), doc told me to apply vit.E ointment just along the outside of the incision. Where an old T-shirt because it is oily - it worked for me. Personally I think it also helped with the healing and the visual scaring.
 
For many weeks I lived in hubby's large cotton T-shirts.
I also got an amazing product from a hospital. It's called NormL Gel.
I've seen it on the internet too.... it is a neutralizing clear gel in a tube, that can be applied along the outer edges of the incision.
It dries perfectly, no grease, no irritation.
 
I'm almost 3 weeks post-op and to tell you the truth you can barely see my incision.It's hard to believe.I just have my two little holes below it where the chest tubes were but I have no itching whatsoever!! Jim
 
What about swelling????? Mine is bruised and it is still swollen, I think it looks like something off of CSI... When will it look normal????? I'm so jealous bookjp, but I am very happy for you!!!!
 
I'm with you--5 weeks post op and I feel like a have a very bad sunburn! It's March in New England and I can't stand the feel of my shirt rubbing against the incision. My itching isn't too bad as of yet, so I'm hoping to avoid that, but I'd love to have a cream or lotion that would sooth the sting of the burn.
 
Try not to scratch too hard. My doc recommend a feather, so my wife picked one up at the local arts and crafts store....and it worked. :) It gently smoothes the itch. I still use it when my scar gets itchy. yes....still itchy after 3 years post-op :mad:
 
After my CABG, my stepmother gave me a nightie with a piece of soft stuff sewn into the parts that would come in contact with my incision.

The standard treatment for itching, as in poison ivy, etc., involves getting in the shower, and gradually turning the heat up to release the histamines--which might not work on incisions if you can't put too much heat on it. I'm going to keep this in mind for the new surgery, though, if the docs say it's okay to try. It works like a charm on other itchy things, and lasts for several hours. That said, I didn't itch all that much, but fourteen years later my sternum still aches now and then.
 
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BigOwl said:
After my CABG, my stepmother gave me a nightie with a piece of soft stuff sewn into the parts that would come in contact with my incision.

The standard treatment for itching, as in poison ivy, etc., involves getting in the shower, and gradually turning the heat up to release the histamines--which might not work on incisions if you can't put too much heat on it. I'm going to keep this in mind for the new surgery, though, if the docs say it's okay to try. It works like a charm on other itchy things, and lasts for several hours. That said, I didn't itch all that much, but fourteen years later my sternum still aches now and then.
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I've actually been doing that. I get in and then turn up the hot water. I took two showers today just to stop the itching. First shower I used soap but kept the soap off second shower just to keep from drying it out.
 
Isn't there a pill for itching? Seems like I took one years ago for a bad case of poison ivy.
Sharon
 
As you may know, itching is part of healing...nerves and tissues are reconnecting and blood is going through them again.

You may try to use a soft unscented soap or oil-based soap.

I personally used "Dove, unscented, soft for sensitive skin" and then dapped some of "Keri" oil lotion afterwards...it helped a lot.

Good luck :)
 
I am definitely going to get something tomorrow. It is the outside of the incision and not the incision itsself, so it should not matter. It also feels extremely numb on the outside of the scar as well.

Oh what a few weeks will tell....I am counting them down.
 
lilteach3234 said:
Hello all,

All of my incisions are beginning to itch like mad. My sternum incision feels somewhat numb but itches as well. I called doc and they said nothing on it for 6 wks. besides cleaning with soap and water.

I am beginning to do my own thing. I can't stand material being on me and it just irritates it even more.

Did any of you use anything to help with itching and irritation? I am going whacky!
Click to expand...

Believe, I feel your pain. Here's my story on the irritation of anything touching it: http://www.valvereplacement.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12085

Looking back on it I have to laugh but at the time I was going insane. Because my incision was closed with glue I didn't have a great concern about infection- it seems like it healed very quickly. I honestly don't remember any real itching - not like the kind you get with a wound that scabs over.

One thing that really helped though with the irritation was to massage the area - help get rid of some of the fluid under the skin and also helped to desensitize the nerves.

Good Luck!

Oh, about the massage - not with finger tips - use the whole palm of your hand.
 
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