Question:
What will I need at home to clean my wound?
— Sandra B. (posted on May 16, 2002)
May 15, 2002
When I left the hospital, they gave me all the dressing changes and tape
with instructions I would need to clean my dressing. I used peroxide to
clean the dressing.
— Patty H.
May 15, 2002
I didn't need anything. The doctor took the drain out while I was still in
the hospital so all I had was the staples on the outside. He said it was
best to let the air get at it. I had no bandage except for the first day
in ICU. He took it off the second day and didn't have a bandage after
that. When he took the staples out in his office, he put on steri-strips
and they stayed on for about 3 wks before they fell off themselves. Hopes
this helps with your question.
— Peggy D.
May 16, 2002
My doctor told me to remove my dressing 48 hrs. after leaving the hospital
and then just leave my incision open to air, cleaning it daily with water
and mild soap. I don't have staples or sutures but steri-strips, and
they're getting kind of wrinkly right now--they'll just fall off when
they're ready. But you should ask your doctor what his protocol is--it may
depend on whether or not you have staples, sutures, or steri-strips.
— Kristie B.
May 16, 2002
My surgeon told me just to wash gently around the incicion and keep it
loosely covered with guaze. Later though, I had some inner staples that
were too close to the surface of my skin and were trying to come back
through. My surgeon then told me to pour hydrogen peroxide over it, dry it
with a clean towel, put a triple-antibiotic ointment on it and still keep
it covered lightly with guaze. It cleared up in a week and a half. You
might just keep hydrogen peroxide, ointment, and guaze on hand, just in
case :) Good Luck!
— DonnaCarol
May 16, 2002
I already had showered and had the dressing off by the time I left the
hospital. No drain, metal staples....told to shower as normal and just
gently wash the incision with a mild soap and my hand (not a washcloth),
and we were told not to dress the wound afterwards. I just had my staples
taken out on Tuesday and now have what I think are steri-strips on there,
until they fall off. Hugs, Joy
— [Deactivated Member]
May 16, 2002
I had posted this to another woman's question yesterday...here's what I
did: I highly recommend taking great care of the wound sites (no matter if
you have an open or lap procedure done). It's something that none of my
manuals talked about nor did my doctor but I highly, highly recommend it.
My sister is an RN and took care of my wounds up to 3 times a day - she
would sterlize my surroundings ( nothing special - just a nice, clean set
up), put on her gloves and cut out small 1 x 1 guaze pads and make a stack
of them. I had a lap. RNY on the 9th of April - each day, she would first
use peroxide to clean off the wound site and drain tube sites - she would
always stress that peroxide shouldn't be used alone ever because sometimes
it can do more harm then good - so the first swipe was always with peroxide
and a clean little 1 x 1 each time. The other 2 or 3 swipes was all on a
clean 1 x 1 but using distilled water (never tap) right after it. She'd
then use another clean gauze and paper tape because it was less irritating
for me around the site until they started to heal. I am absolutely
convinced this is part of the reason that I felt hardly nothing when it
came time to take the drains out or the staples removed. They have already
healed up and are hardly noticeable.
— Lisa J.
May 16, 2002
I agree with L.J. keep everything very sterile. I bought the 1x1 guaze
pads, cotton balls, rubber gloves, and my husband did an excellent job 2
times a day cleaning my wounds. I only had to pack the 1 incision for 5
days and the drain came out on day 5 also. I bought a small rubbermaid
container to keep all of my supplies in so my children would not be tempted
to touch. It also keeps them dirt free. good luck
— Robin B.
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