Stitches

Hi Sarah,

Don't worry about being anxious at all!! This is all new and doctors never give you a "what if this happens" information sheet. I swear I have messaged my doctors weekly about a new post-surgical symptom or issue!

This hasn't happened to me with the biopsy, but I had something similar post surgery. I had a lot of dissolvable stitches down there. I remember one morning when I was in the shower feeling a stitch poking out that wasn't suppose to be there. I talked to my doctor and they thought it was a "spit stitch" and not to worry. Apparently, my body saw this dissolvable stitch as a foreign body and decided to push it out or literally "spit" it out. Crazy stuff! So, it might be that your body is just healing and pushing out the stitch. I don't think it's worth a trip to the emergency room, just a phone call to your doctor tomorrow. I hope this helps, hang in there!!

Hopie xx

Hi Sarah80 I have just seen your feed. I had surgery to try and remove tumour and had stitches. I did split mine and I couldn’t stop the bleeding and ended up in hospital. Apart from antibiotics and checking bloods they sent me home on the second day with no checks in the stitches area. Was mighty sore but turned out okay in the end. Give your team a call to see what you should do and I think this is a common problem due to the area and the traffic!

Thanks Hopie, that’s reassuring, I will give the hospital a call tomorrow to be on the safe side, but  it doesn’t feel any different and have not had any more bleeding since, only the bit of daily weeping/discharge. 

Thanks Jaycee, that’s reassuring. I will give the hospital a call tomorrow, however there’s not been any more bleeding since having a bm just a bit of daily weeping/discharge 

Sorry just another question, do you think it’s safe to sit it a very warm sitz bath or should it be more luke warm? And for how long? I’m wondering if this is contributing to them splitting. 

Sarah80 I would sit in Luke warm water for now as heat promotes blood flow therefor sitting in hot water at the moment may not be a good thing. Take care

Thanks Jaycee, I wonder if that’s what done it as the water was really quite hot, but feels nice like that, but will make sure it’s only luke warm from now on, and only for a few minutes x

Hi Sarah (Sarah80),

I had my tumour surgically removed as first line treatment as I was luckily diagnosed very early stages. I was stitched post surgery but my surgeon explained on discharge that it was likely that the stitches would possibly burst which they did. I had my surgery on the Monday morning, discharged Monday afternoon, my stitches lasted until the Saturday evening when I went to the loo & began bleeding, it was a constant drip, drip, drip & I panicked! I took myself off to A&E & got checked out by which time the bleeding had all but stopped, the A&E consultant told me to stop the morphine I’d been prescribed as it was making me constipated & to take up to 4 of the Movicol sachets I’d also been given on discharge, he said he would leave the wound open, I was already taking antibiotics that were also given on discharge & I was told to return if I was worried about anything. I didn’t bleed to that extent again. I took 3 Movicol sachets that evening & the next morning spent an hour in the loo but it was welcome relief as I’d really been struggling to go since my surgery. I continued with paracetamol & ibuprofen (alternating every 2 hours) for pain relief & haven’t taken any opiate based pain meds since. My wound healed really well & surprisingly quickly after that, I had Epsom salt baths morning & evening & washed each time I went to the loo making sure everything was kept really clean with having an open wound. If you’re concerned just give your surgeons secretary a ring & clarify that you don’t need to take any further action. 

Hope that helps a little. 

Nicola 

Hi Nikki thanks for replying, I have noticed blood in with my bm most days since the surgery, which I just assumed was to be expected and has not continued to drip out after (apart from a slight bit of bloody seepage/discharge in my underwear later during the day). Did you actually see your stitches come out? I have been sitting in my sitz bath after using the loo with some epsom salt which is very soothing, although the water was quite hot today and I’m wondering if it was that which contributed to them splitting. I will only use luke warm water from now on and not sit on there too long. The hospital leaflet says not to try and pull the stitches out but I read online to try and pull them out with tweezers. I will phone the hospital tomorrow for clarity x

Hi again Sarah (Sarah80), I didn’t see any stitches no but initially when they first burst (on the loo!) there was quite a lot of blood so if they were there I don’t think I would have noticed plus I was struck with blind panic. I think it’s wise to get advice from the hospital if only to make them aware that your stitches have come away.

Nicola