Montrealer
Well-known member
It`s been 16 weeks since my surgery and I have trouble wearing shirts. No matter what the material is. I need bigger man-boobs but would appreciate OTHER suggestions. Merci.....
Itchy and sore scar?
- Thread starter Montrealer
- Start date
Help Support Valve Replacement Forums:
M
Mary
It`s been 16 weeks since my surgery and I have trouble wearing shirts. No matter what the material is. I need bigger man-boobs but would appreciate OTHER suggestions. Merci.....
Can you wear some type of silk t-shirt under your shirt?
Mary.....are you suggesting he borrow his wife's lingerie?????
Montrealer
Well-known member
Well.....I didn`t want to go there. I know we French are open to alot but I`m not sure Wifey wants me in her drawers......
sure......slip into something soft and silky!
A member suggested to me to try to use Gold Bond for the itch. Don't put it on the scar, just around the incision.
The scar could be dry due having hot showers - try Polysporin or Vitamine E ointment on the incision area, but wear an old T-Shirt or something you don't care about because for the oil/grease from the ointment may stain the material.
The scar could be dry due having hot showers - try Polysporin or Vitamine E ointment on the incision area, but wear an old T-Shirt or something you don't care about because for the oil/grease from the ointment may stain the material.
M
Mary
Well.....I didn`t want to go there. I know we French are open to alot but I`m not sure Wifey wants me in her drawers......
Did you say that you're covering up a chest scar or something else?
They make silk t-shirts for men.
Well, maybe not in Canada . . .
Try the "adult" stores on Rue St. Catherine in Montreal.
Serieusement......my scar was sensitive for a long, long time. It still is, to some extent.
Find a high quality cotton undershirt.....and avoid shirts with zipper necks and lots of buttons.
Sweatshirts or pullover sweaters work well.
Find a high quality cotton undershirt.....and avoid shirts with zipper necks and lots of buttons.
Sweatshirts or pullover sweaters work well.
Boy can I relate to the sore scar
I didn't encounter much itchiness but the sensitivity was simply horrid. Here's a link to my attempt to relieve the pain: http://www.valvereplacement.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12085
While it was terrible while I was going through it at least I can look back on it with some amusement.
Also, I found another comment I had made (that I had completely forgotten about) that I find interesting: I just received in the mail a batch of reports from chest CT scans done after my surgery. One of them mentions a sternotomy seroma, which apparently is like an abscess but no infection... normal body fluids taking up space created when capillaries & stuff were cut & surrounding cells die. I had a fair amount of swelling at the top of my incision... spent a lot of time massaging the area. While a light touch drove me crazy, a heavy touch worked wonders.
I did use aloe too which I think helped the actual scar.
Good luck with your scar - hope you find relief soon!
I didn't encounter much itchiness but the sensitivity was simply horrid. Here's a link to my attempt to relieve the pain: http://www.valvereplacement.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12085
While it was terrible while I was going through it at least I can look back on it with some amusement.
Also, I found another comment I had made (that I had completely forgotten about) that I find interesting: I just received in the mail a batch of reports from chest CT scans done after my surgery. One of them mentions a sternotomy seroma, which apparently is like an abscess but no infection... normal body fluids taking up space created when capillaries & stuff were cut & surrounding cells die. I had a fair amount of swelling at the top of my incision... spent a lot of time massaging the area. While a light touch drove me crazy, a heavy touch worked wonders.
I did use aloe too which I think helped the actual scar.
Good luck with your scar - hope you find relief soon!
this sounds frustrating itch and soreness,i never had problems 1st time.
But 2nd's cominggood suggestions even keeping the scar well
moisturized and oxygenated,id likely try something,anything i guess
cus it would drive me nuts,i wonder if vit.E either lotion or gel,or cocoa
butter maybe,would at least soften the scar. Ummmhh good luck and
let us know what works best.
zipper2 (DEB)
But 2nd's coming
good suggestions even keeping the scar wellmoisturized and oxygenated,id likely try something,anything i guess
cus it would drive me nuts,i wonder if vit.E either lotion or gel,or cocoa
butter maybe,would at least soften the scar. Ummmhh good luck and
let us know what works best.
zipper2 (DEB)
cortisone shots helped--so far
cortisone shots helped--so far
My scar was itchy and sore, even up to ten months. Both my PCP and cardio said "cortisone shots", and I finally did. The dermatologist said to give it 6 weeks, and if there was still any itching, some areas might need further shots. I was going to post after that, because it's only been four weeks.
Some people have not found it a permanent solution. I had tried Mederma and vitamin e, though not too faithful with the latter. Also, I'm not trying to improve its appearance. The shots were not fun, sort of the cumulative effect of a bee sting for a day.
And I got to recommend this site to the doctor, whose brother just found out he needs mitral valve surgery in a few years. She even wrote it down.
cortisone shots helped--so far
My scar was itchy and sore, even up to ten months. Both my PCP and cardio said "cortisone shots", and I finally did. The dermatologist said to give it 6 weeks, and if there was still any itching, some areas might need further shots. I was going to post after that, because it's only been four weeks.
Some people have not found it a permanent solution. I had tried Mederma and vitamin e, though not too faithful with the latter. Also, I'm not trying to improve its appearance. The shots were not fun, sort of the cumulative effect of a bee sting for a day.
And I got to recommend this site to the doctor, whose brother just found out he needs mitral valve surgery in a few years. She even wrote it down.
PairoDocs
Well-known member
Hi,
I just wanted to suggest something that worked nicely for me. Try an ascot worn casual style, tucked into a slightly unbuttoned shirt--smoother the cloth the better. The ascot won't move nearly as much as your shirt, especially if you clip or pin the flipped over part near your throat. Be sure to wear it flat, not tightly knotted--and be sure it's long enough to cover your entire scar to perhaps even your chest tube scars (if any). It helped me get through the sensitive itchy time of healing. Now my scar isn't so bad, and I can tolerate regular clothes again--though just for the fun of it, I sometimes wear my ascot in an ascot, button front shirt, and sweater vest outfit.
Chris
I just wanted to suggest something that worked nicely for me. Try an ascot worn casual style, tucked into a slightly unbuttoned shirt--smoother the cloth the better. The ascot won't move nearly as much as your shirt, especially if you clip or pin the flipped over part near your throat. Be sure to wear it flat, not tightly knotted--and be sure it's long enough to cover your entire scar to perhaps even your chest tube scars (if any). It helped me get through the sensitive itchy time of healing. Now my scar isn't so bad, and I can tolerate regular clothes again--though just for the fun of it, I sometimes wear my ascot in an ascot, button front shirt, and sweater vest outfit.
Chris
J
justme
I also relate. It's only been 6 weeks but the scar burns. Even ear the drains were burns. Any clothing touching it feels like old tweedy wool scrubbing me raw. You don't need bigger man-boobs, believe me. You wouldn't want to wear a bra. Arghhhhhh!
I was told not to use creams or lotion but I'm going to ask about a thin vaseline coating
tomorrow.
I was told not to use creams or lotion but I'm going to ask about a thin vaseline coating
tomorrow.
abbanabba
Well-known member
My cardio gave me a sample of a product called "Hyperfix", which is a breathable tape that can be applied over the scar (available by the metre from most chemists). He told me it would help the healing process and to leave it on until it fell off of it's own accord. Not that my scar had been bothering me, but since applying the tape, I've found less irritation from things like zips etc. It seems to provide that little bit of buffering, and because it's doesn't move, it certainly helps reduce direct rubbing.
Might be worth looking into.
A : )
Might be worth looking into.
A : )
Well.....I didn`t want to go there. I know we French are open to alot but I`m not sure Wifey wants me in her drawers......
Sorry to hear that
.... maybe some sort of bike racing shirt as an under garment....
I finally found the stuff that I used.....I got it from my nurse daughter.
http://www.directmedicalinc.com/wound/normlgel.html
Do NOT use Vaseline. Yukky.
http://www.directmedicalinc.com/wound/normlgel.html
Do NOT use Vaseline. Yukky.
Another thing you could try that is natural is Emu oil
Montrealer
Well-known member
Thanks all.....gonna try all these things.......
abbanabba
Well-known member
FYI - I took the hyperfix tape of yesterday (it was starting to peel off and was annoying me, so I decided it was time to go) and I've definitely been far more aware of fabric rubbing on the scar. It's not been painful, but definitely noticable. Not sure if I'll put the tape back on for a while longer, or just give it some time to get used to it.
