Steri Strip Adhesive Reaction/Irritation

so glad you posted this!  My first one came off last night and was very itchy.  I thought maybe it was because my incision is now exposed but now the others are starting to itch as well.  (lap RNY so 5 incisions plus the drain spot).  The drain spot is the only one that doesn't itch and is the only one that didn't have a steri strip on it....

I think I'm going to take the others off tonight.  Was worried it wasn't long enough to heal yet, but the first incision is completely closed and looks fine...

I had 5 incisions that were driving me nuts.  All of them were broken out from the steristrips - they were so red, almost purple the exact shape of the strips.  I had to take them off early because I couldn't take the itching anymore.  I tried everything to stop the itching.  It kept me up at night - I was besides myself.  I was taking antihistamines every 4 hours and putting benedryl cream on them plus cornstarch with very little success.  Finally I went to my allergist who said he thought it was a combination of a slight infection along with an allergic reaction.  He had me put on Bactroban ointment (prescription bacitracin) and a very strong cortisone cream.  After a week, it finally cleared up.  It was a nightmare.

Wow - thanks for the info!  I might call the office and see what they say.  I'm sure that they run across this often if so many other people on OH had this experience, too.  I tried hydrocortizone cream last night before bed and it may have taken a slight edge off.  But, I'm itchy again as hell today... 

Thanks for all of your insight!
Kelly

I knew going in that I could not use the steri strips or the adhesive, had the alert band on and it was written on the front of my chart. Did they pay attention to that? NO!!!! 3 days after surgery, I had large blisters around 5 little incision holes. On top of this, I didn't know it but I am now allergic to soy, so I'm drinking 3x a day protein drink, with soy, and I have huge welts/rash that started on my stomach, spread up and down. Talk about itching. As I've stated before, my dr office was no help, despite calling and even going there. I had to self diagnose. My daughter covered me in hydrocortisone cream, then I wore a wife-beater as it was somewhat tight. Took bendryl at night as a 1/4 spoon of the children's dose knocks me out for hours.
Thankfully it's healed, just some dryness left which I put cream on daily.

OMG!  YES!!  And I blistered.  Believe it or not the scars from the steri strips are worse that from my incisions!

Maggie