Wound vac?

Hey everyone, I'm new to the sight.... I am 26 years old... Weighing 240 lbs and just had a c-section nearly 6 weeks ago, my 2nd one... The first went great... Healed in 6 days on the outside... This time not so lucky... My water broke at 34 weeks (feb 27) and my son was born that night, they covered the incision with regular gauze... The next day the wound nurse came down and placed this new covering on me called a "peco" I later found out it qualified for this because I am considered "clinically obese" the device is supposed to help keep out infection and help circulation, bad side u can not see the wound... If anyone has had a csection, you know 6 days post op you see your OB and they remove staples or evaluate the wound etc... 4 days post op I spiked a fever... Went to ER and OB opened stitches, and out came pinkish fluid... My fiancé said about 12 oz... I wasn't admitted that night... Was told to see my OB the next day who took one look at me and admitted me... Fresking me out with stories of flesh eating bacteria... I was a mess... I had given myself a burn above my incision (area was numb after csection, placed heating pad on it, fell asleep...lovely 2nd degree burn) anywho I was admitted march 6, started on antibiotics every 4 hours... Bled dry pretty much... My veins were destroyed... Culture came back positive for MRSA... I was petrified... But the drs were confident it was caught early and with surgery and meds I would be okay...got a debridement surgery march 7... I was horrified having never been put under... They cleaned me out, fixed my fistua which had been affected by the infection...and gauzed and covered me up... 2 days later I had another debridement but this time I woke up attached to a wound vac... Even though I was never tested during my pregnancy for diabetes, my weight and family history my dr made me monitor my glucose levels which were all normal including my a1c test... But because of where the csection is a bikini cut and the fact I have a "donut roll" above it, they said it put me at greater risk for reinfection, and would take longer to heal... It's been almost a month (2days) and I've gone from 12 inches across to just about 6, and the depth of the wound is 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep... But I am told it is getting narrow... I am greatful for the vac and how well it's helped heal...however since the wound is smaller, and because of my roll... The idiot OB's who barely know how to put the dressings on seem to keep messing it up and I end up in the ER... 4 times this week... Once for 10 hours because the machine went erratic..another because they covered my burn and it started oozing under the drape that is hardcore tape...my fiancé saved us 2 trips sat and Sunday by fixing the top dressing... I won't let him touch the inner dressing... 

I have been looking for people to talk to about their experiences with the vac... The OB team makes me feel like I'm a burden now that I'm not pregnant and they got stuck having to treat me, the surgeon who put in the vac told me Saturday night to call his office Monday I was no longer obstetrical but a surgical patient if they were the ones always doing the dressing changed when ob messed up...

i have a love hate thing with the vac... I love that it's helped keep out infection... But it's a pain to carry around... More so I'm paranoid it's going to beep... The fluid starts to smell a day or so before I need to change dressing...even a slight odor that only I can smell from the dressing... Dr cultured me... But based on incision it's healing and bleeding looks great...and the smell is "natural" the tube not being on right turned some of my skin necrotic... And because I have had the tape removed 7 times this week I have irritated the skin where the suction is and it itches and I get so frustrated and cry that this happened to me.. I know I did not have plastic surgery but I was considering a lap band procedure... But now I am petrified of any type of surgery because of the healing... I have a 3 year old and 5 week old... I've lost so much time from work and took a semester off of school... I guess I would just like to meet people who have gone through rough spots because of surgery and made it through... I'm so frustrated and I just want to get better, and feel like myself and play with my kids like a normal mom... Thanks for reading hope to make some friends on here!

Wow you have certainly had a tough time! (((HUGS))) I can't give you any insight cause I'm in my 60s and haven't ever had a wound vac but I hope someone else here can maybe help you there. There is a pregnancy forum here too they might have more info for you. You should do better once you are under the surgeons care, they are used to changing dressings. Just relax and let the meds and machine do their work, you'll be playing with the kiddies sooner than you think. Could also be a little post partum emotions popping up.

As for the lap band and most of the weight loss surgeries they are done lapriscopically so only 3-5 small incisions and some only 1 small one in the belly button. So no where near as bad as the c-section. I would however advise you to really research your options and not have the lap band. I know very few people who have lost and maintained the loss with the band. It is the least effective WLS (weight loss surgery) and can have many complications. It is also only supposed to be in for 10 yrs according to the manufacturer so it is not a life long tool. I just had mine removed because of the horrible pain it caused me and it made swallowing almost impossible. I am far from alone with that, it is a very common problem. So please do your research, there are forums here that can help with that and tell you about each surgery. For now tho just relax and enjoy that baby!

Thank you! I'm sitting in the ER now with my fiancé, running on 2 hours of sleep... I see the surgeon next Wednesday... So for now evil OB has to change my dressing and my dr is on call at the hospital so I get to wait here... I'm nervous about the pain when they remove the tape... And what they are going to do about the irritation...

qoq ow I had no idea that surgery was not as effective... I liked the idea of it because it was not as invasive and my cousins ex wife became malnourished after bypass surgery, I am glad u are doing better... Your experience sounds awful!

Sleeve gastrectomy has the restriction of the band, but no malabsorbtion like the bypass, and it's done laproscopically.  You should check into it, after you've healed, of course.  I agree with the poster *****commended getting a home nurse to monitor your wound vac.  Good luck with everything.

I am a home health nurse so I know about vacs.  Do you have a nurse coming to your home to change the dressing?  Most insurances will pay for that, then you can have an 'expert" looking at it a few times a week. YOu should ask the doctor if he would order one.  They are right the drainage even if ok can have an odor to it.  Nothing against doctors, but the nurses would know the little "tricks" to make the experience better for you. (of course I am prejeduced) Most home health nurses are very experienced with changing wound vacs.

Sounds like you have really been through the ringer! Especially with that tiny new baby. Bravo for your BF for helping with your dressing.  I bet that wound will heal nicely now, once it starts filling in the healing speeds along.  Make sure you finish your antibiotic, cause of the MRSA.

Hang in there, those wound vacs do work miracles.

Anne