first check up

hello all,

thanks to all who responded to my first post 2 1/2 weeks ago, since have had surgery, tomorrow is two week check-up, good news feel fine, walking over 4 miles day, and lifting on right side, and working out legs. But have hard lump on side of incision closer to my shoulder, its not warm, or even feels like swelling certainly is protruding, I feel great, have regular metal stitches that are suppose to come out tomorrow, now I am cleaning with alcohol, dosing with hydrogen peroxide, and covering up with mercuclear, 3-4 x daily. anyone else hear or experience this? Of course I am worried sick it might be somehow infected, although otherwise, I no other symptoms, am 56 years old, if that helps, thanks in advance for all the help!

2 Comments

Scar

by golden_snitch - 2012-04-22 12:04:44

Hi!

Glad to hear you are recovering well.

As for the lump it's probably just a hematoma, sometimes those get hard. Takes a while to resolve.

As for all the cleaning: Well, I have been told numerous times just to leave the scar alone. You are doing A LOT. I mean, in the hospital they probably changed the bandage once, because the doctor wanted to look at the scar, and then at home I changed it when I took a shower, but I definitely did not clean the site several times per day. I'd expect that if you touch it and rub around or over it several times a day that this could even trigger an infection. Just my two cents worth, and what I have been told.

Best wishes
Inga

Hard Lump

by Grateful Heart - 2012-04-23 12:04:38

I had a hard lump closer to the middle of my chest after a lead revision last May. The doctor gave me antibiotics for it but it did not go away. Then the nurse gave me a much stronger, horse pill size antibiotic and it still did not help it. Turned out it was my device!

Prior to the lead revision, it did not stick out of my chest. Now it does, but I did not know the ICD was that large that it extended that far over. I thought it was an infection and at the time, so did they. I still have strange things going on with my incision site, blister type eruptions, but no one is concerned, they do not feel it is an infection. I guess if it was it would have gotten worse by now so just dealing with it.

I would not put anything on the site, better to get it checked out.
Take care.

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