sore scar and irritant contact dermatitis

I wanted to mention this in case it helps someone else.  I noticed irritation (small red bumps) around the surgical glue on my incisions (I had an SICD removed and an ICD/pacemaker put in), almost immediately after surgery.  THis was my first time having surgical glue.  My last icd installation used steri strips.  The rash was tender and sometimes itchy and I figured I just had to wait it out until the glue came off.  WHen the glue finally came off, I had some spitting stitches, which further irritated my skin, especially when the stitch became infected.  I also washed my incisions, per instructions, with dial anti-bacterial soap.  Eventually, I had to have the stuck stitch removed, a further "insult," as the saying goes, to my skin.  My skin is still upset over all of this:)  I appear to now have a case of chronic contact dermatitis, which might not sound like much, but, wow, is it affecting my life.  Beware of surgical glue if you have sensitive skin and beware of antibacterial soap, for the same reason.

Just to further complain, I now have an acute case of PVD (posterior vitreous detachment), which means Ihave bright flashing lights in the side of my vision and cobweb like strings ov vitreous.  The flashing lights mean my retina is being pulled on by the detaching vitreous.  WHen you add that to the heart failure, the oxygen i use for the central apnea and the coronary microvessel disorder, I just feel swamped.  On the brighter side,  the rate adaptive pacemaker has almost completely resolved my problems with being short of breath in daily activities around my condo.  Still problems with hills or going too fast, but I'm content with that progress......

1 Comments

Sensitive Skin

by Grateful Heart - 2017-03-30 12:26:14

I used to use Dial liquid soap for hand washing.  A couple of years ago my hands would break out, especially in the web area between my fingers.  I stopped using the soap and it went away.  My guess is they changed the ingredients in the liquid soap....I don't know.

I also have very sensitive skin.  I can't use steri-strips or surgical tape with adhesive.  They haven't used the surgical glue on me....but since it is an adhesive, that is probably out too.

My bi-vent ICD is 8 years old.  I needed a lead revision 6 years ago and ever since the revision, my scar still erupts 4-6 times a month with no rhyme or reason....any time of day or night.  It even wakes me up if I am sleeping.  I can tell when it starts...it gets very itchy and then it gets blistery looking... above and below the scar line but there is no fluid in it.  It can take anywhere from 2-5 hours before it subsides and then it looks like a normal scar again....very strange.  I posted a photo in the gallery here when I was trying to find some answers.

I showed photos of it to a few doctors including the fill-in EP who did the revision.  He said I was anxious about it and basically made fun of me so I never went back to him.  Nobody knows what causes it.  They told me to monitor it and I did... but no one is concerned, except of course my husband.  6 years later it still occurs but I don't bring it up to doctors anymore.

Hope your feeling better.     

Grateful Heart 

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