Hi there, im now 7 weeks post op & still have those plastic/nylon stitches in. I have 3 at my belly button & 2 in each of my other wounds.
I have had no after care at all apart from a box of paracetamol & a box of diydrocodeine on my discharge from hospital after emergency surgery when my tube ruptured. The dihydrocodeine actually increased my tummy pain so i stopped taking them after 2 days!). On discharge from hospital the nurse told me not to "bother" my GP re my stitches as surgeries were inundated with people doing this & the stitches were dissolving ones for a reason. The black stitches have dissolved but the plastic ones are still knotted with 2 separate centimetre longs threads coming out of each of them. I dont know what to do about them. Iv caught them a few times on clothing & its painful. I also still dont even know why i have 3 wounds.
Friends & family have asked "what are they saying/doing?" meaning doctors/hospital etc but when i was discharged with pills, that was the end of my medical care.
Iv had nowhere else to find out what had happened to me or what to expect other than on this site. For that i thank you.
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Plastic stitches.
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EPT Host 20
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Re: Plastic stitches.
Dear Magi,
I am so sorry to hear of your ectopic pregnancy and loss,
It sounds as though you have had laparoscopy (keyhole surgery). This involves inserting a camera through the navel (belly button) and inserting instruments through two small cuts in the lower abdomen (tummy). So this is why you have 3 wounds. This is completely normal for the procedure.
It is common for dissolvable sutures to be used for this procedure and they usually dissolve about 10 and 21 days after surgery but, unfortunately, sometimes don’t dissolve. If after 21 days they are still there and you have been soaking in the bath (preferably) or showering, then you should contact the practice nurse at your surgery and ask them to perform a wound check and remove them for you.
Sometimes dissolvable sutures aren't used and the plastic ones you describe may not be dissolvable sutures. I would advise contacting you GP surgery and asking for an appointment with your practice nurse to remove those sutures as soon as possible. They can become quite painful if left in for any length of time, as you have described so I would mention that they have been there for 7 weeks so they hopefully get you an appointment as soon as possible to get them removed. Please do not think they are inundated, it really doesn't take long to remove sutures at all and you do need to be seen.
Removing a stitch takes a second and is relatively painless. You should never pull at them yourself as this can result in complications such as a wound infection.
Please continue to use the forums for any help and advice you need,
Sending much love,
Karen x
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Further information is available at www.ectopic.org.uk
Email us at ept@ectopic.org.uk.
Our helpline is 020 7733 2653 (available Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm).
Detailed medical information can be found on our website. Please remember online medical information is NO SUBSTITUTE for expert medical advice from your own health care team.
**********************************************************************************************
I am so sorry to hear of your ectopic pregnancy and loss,
It sounds as though you have had laparoscopy (keyhole surgery). This involves inserting a camera through the navel (belly button) and inserting instruments through two small cuts in the lower abdomen (tummy). So this is why you have 3 wounds. This is completely normal for the procedure.
It is common for dissolvable sutures to be used for this procedure and they usually dissolve about 10 and 21 days after surgery but, unfortunately, sometimes don’t dissolve. If after 21 days they are still there and you have been soaking in the bath (preferably) or showering, then you should contact the practice nurse at your surgery and ask them to perform a wound check and remove them for you.
Sometimes dissolvable sutures aren't used and the plastic ones you describe may not be dissolvable sutures. I would advise contacting you GP surgery and asking for an appointment with your practice nurse to remove those sutures as soon as possible. They can become quite painful if left in for any length of time, as you have described so I would mention that they have been there for 7 weeks so they hopefully get you an appointment as soon as possible to get them removed. Please do not think they are inundated, it really doesn't take long to remove sutures at all and you do need to be seen.
Removing a stitch takes a second and is relatively painless. You should never pull at them yourself as this can result in complications such as a wound infection.
Please continue to use the forums for any help and advice you need,
Sending much love,
Karen x
**********************************************************************************************
If we have been able to help you, are you able to help us with a small donation or by volunteering?
Further information is available at www.ectopic.org.uk
Email us at ept@ectopic.org.uk.
Our helpline is 020 7733 2653 (available Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm).
Detailed medical information can be found on our website. Please remember online medical information is NO SUBSTITUTE for expert medical advice from your own health care team.
**********************************************************************************************
Re: Plastic stitches.
Hi
I recently suffered my 2nd ectopic and my stitches were still there after 5 weeks! I kept getting bathes instead of showers and sort of moved the knots around and they came out very easy. Obviously I'm not saying to pull at them but basically as soon as I touched them they fell out. Also don't feel you are a burden going to your surgery...It will take a nurse a few minutes to take them out.
3 incisions is normal, I've had the same both times with my surgery and tubes removed.
Ang x
I recently suffered my 2nd ectopic and my stitches were still there after 5 weeks! I kept getting bathes instead of showers and sort of moved the knots around and they came out very easy. Obviously I'm not saying to pull at them but basically as soon as I touched them they fell out. Also don't feel you are a burden going to your surgery...It will take a nurse a few minutes to take them out.
3 incisions is normal, I've had the same both times with my surgery and tubes removed.
Ang x
Re: Plastic stitches.
Thank you so so much for replying ladies, you both put my mind at ease & i took the advice & called my surgery. I moved to my house 3yrs ago & as i hardly ever go to my GP i didn't know until i had a miscarriage on March 30th of this year that i was no longer in my GP surgery catchment area. I joined a new practise & today i had an appointment with the nurse. However my new GP came into the room also. She introduced herself, apologised profusely for what happened to me & then told me that her background was in Gynacology & that she was a surgeon also. For the 1st time today it was explained to me what had happened to me, the process of healing, the do's & dont's & things to expect. So thank you ladies for encouraging me to call my surgery. Until this week iv felt that aftercare has been non existant & iv just had to shut up moaning & get on with it.
Angie i am so so terribly sorry that you had to go through this twice. I don't know where your strength comes from but you are an inspiration. Thank you for taking the time to message me. There doesnt seem to be much support where i live in Glasgow, thankfully this site is available or i would probably think no one else in the world knows what i feel.
Thank you both ladies from the bottom of my heart. Love to you both.
Magi xxx
Angie i am so so terribly sorry that you had to go through this twice. I don't know where your strength comes from but you are an inspiration. Thank you for taking the time to message me. There doesnt seem to be much support where i live in Glasgow, thankfully this site is available or i would probably think no one else in the world knows what i feel.
Thank you both ladies from the bottom of my heart. Love to you both.
Magi xxx
