Question for c section ladies who have had an infection????

[wishing4ababy]

Did you have cream or anti biotics? doc has given me both - how long did yours take to start working????
xx

 

[tasha41]

I had antibiotics.

Took them orally and by IV. IV antibiotics made me feel better immediately, oral ones took me about a week to notice a change.

 

[tasha41]

Mind you if you don't take the antibiotics as prescribed consistently you will not continue to feel better, and if your doctor doesn't put you on them for long enough, they won't help. Do you know what one you're taking??

 

[wishing4ababy]

Mind you if you don't take the antibiotics as prescribed consistently you will not continue to feel better, and if your doctor doesn't put you on them for long enough, they won't help. Do you know what one you're taking??

its a weeks course and they begin with m!! Under strict instructions not to have alcohol on them...am gutted cos me and oh were going out for first time on sunday!!! I "feel" ok though - just my scar looked really angry!! did you feel poorly with your infection?

 

[tasha41]

^ it's hard for me to say because 1 week after being told I had an infection (the red skin stuff) my incision opened and was all infected and stuff.

Over the week there though I had a fever (to be expected with any infection really), the area felt warm to the touch, I was tired, and near the end of the week (right before my incision split) I was vomitting.

 

[wishing4ababy]

how soon after your op was that hun? getting scared now.

 

[tasha41]

My cesarean was March 13.
March 15 I had a womb infection, that was with the reddened skin. They also took my staples out this day.
March 16 I went home from having the baby on antibiotics. (Keflex, not sure what its other name is but there is one.. not sure how many mg but 3 pills daily)
March 17 I went to the emergency room at midnight with a fever of... I think 103, had IV antibiotics.
March 22 went back into the hospital with a split open incision, abscess underneath it and draining everywhere.
March 25 I went home on heavy antibiotics. (Clindamycin, I'm not sure how many mg but 9 pills daily, I was told I was taking an unusually high amount, usually my aunt -pharmacist- fills prescriptions for 1-3 pills per day)
And I still have a homecare nurse coming in everyday to pull the packing out of my wound and clean it out and change my bandages

 

[Shifter]

I've had three infections now. First one was noticed 6 days after the surgery and I took 10 days worth of antibiotics. It cleared up within about four days but you always have to finish the course. The second infection came up 10 days after the first lot of pills finished and I had 7 more days of pills. The third one appeared about 9 days later and got 10 days of pills again. I've never been given cream. I've always been told to keep the wound clean and dry.

The first infection was really nasty and my wound opened up pretty badly. The MW just told me to put a sanitary towel over it to catch the weeping blood and fluid When it refused to heal up after a week I was referred to the district nurses to dress it and they have been caring for me ever since. It would heal up a bit then re-open with each new infection.

I'm still going to them every other day during the week and was having the gap packed last week - which was HORRIBLE. But it is now finally starting to heal up. At one point it was so bad they could see the sutures deep down. They can't any more.

I really hope your antibiotics work and keep the infection away, I know how horrible it is and how miserable and prolonged it makes recovery. So big

 

[wishing4ababy]

I've had three infections now. First one was noticed 6 days after the surgery and I took 10 days worth of antibiotics. It cleared up within about four days but you always have to finish the course. The second infection came up 10 days after the first lot of pills finished and I had 7 more days of pills. The third one appeared about 9 days later and got 10 days of pills again. I've never been given cream. I've always been told to keep the wound clean and dry.

The first infection was really nasty and my wound opened up pretty badly. The MW just told me to put a sanitary towel over it to catch the weeping blood and fluid When it refused to heal up after a week I was referred to the district nurses to dress it and they have been caring for me ever since. It would heal up a bit then re-open with each new infection.

I'm still going to them every other day during the week and was having the gap packed last week - which was HORRIBLE. But it is now finally starting to heal up. At one point it was so bad they could see the sutures deep down. They can't any more.

I really hope your antibiotics work and keep the infection away, I know how horrible it is and how miserable and prolonged it makes recovery. So big

to you both tasha and shifter.
I have been fine (ish) since the op 6 weeks ago! It was only this week that i noticed a bit of redness underneath the scar - and the redness is where the dissolvable stitches haven't disolved.
Shifter - he said he was giving me cream just in case it was a fungal infection from perhaps a sweat rash that has turned and the anti biotics for if it was viral - i think that is right. He wanted to cover all bases before the swab comes back. Hopefully it means it will have cleared up before the results are back in. fingers crossed.
my incision hasn't opened up any - he just said there are certain points on it that haven't knitted back together quite enough and that is where the redness is - this is also where the dissolvable stitches haven't dissolved.
the redness seems to have calmed down already - just over night. I only have to put the cream on twice a day so am doing morning and just before i go to bed. Just taken another anti biotic so fingers crossed they start kicking in.
xx

 

[spelbound]

God you guys were soooo unlucky. They did a beautiful job on OH's c-section cut, and there was no infection. Amy had disolveable stitches or something - well anyway there was no stitches or staples to come out after.

 

[clairebear]

i had antibiotics.

i also had to go and have the 'dissovable' stitches out and have my wound cleaned an re dressed daily for around 2 weeks as it actually opened x

 

[Shifter]

God you guys were soooo unlucky. They did a beautiful job on OH's c-section cut, and there was no infection. Amy had disolveable stitches or something - well anyway there was no stitches or staples to come out after.

The MWs and nurses have all said that my scar is very neat and well done. I also had dissolveable sutures. Before my first infection the MWs were very pleased with it and said it would be invisible when it finished healing. The nurse today was very pleased with how it's healing now, it's almost entirely closed up

 

[ellismum]

I too am having trouble with my wound

Had an emergency C-Sec on May 4th and wound was healing perfectly until I woke on 11th with my knickers covered in blood. Called out MV who instected it and took a swap to check for infection. I have been back and forth to the hospital for re-dressing as they have said its a heamatoma (sp) and once the "dead" blood has escaped it will heal over again. Its stll open (day 9) and I am on 2 lots of antibiotics as an infection has crept in - gggrrrrrrrr. Just wish it would hurry up and heal so I can finally concentrate on putting the birth and events after behind me, something I am struggling with whilst this is still bleeding. I am now in the care of my local practice nurse who is fantastic and the distric nurses.

 

[wishing4ababy]

i had antibiotics.

i also had to go and have the 'dissovable' stitches out and have my wound cleaned an re dressed daily for around 2 weeks as it actually opened x

I've got a knot of the end of the stitch sticking out at the side. my mw told me to cut it off! i haven't because i was frightened of touching it.
Why did you have to have yours out hun? x

 

[Shifter]

Just wish it would hurry up and heal so I can finally concentrate on putting the birth and events after behind me, something I am struggling with whilst this is still bleeding.

I know what you mean. I found what happened to me quite difficult to come to terms with and the slow physical healing process has made the emotional healing process just as slow. to you

 

[clairebear]

i had to have the sitches out as they werent dissovling! my wound then opened around the stitches x


hope urs gets better soon x

 

[Ravelyn]

I just discovered last night the infection in my incision. My emerg c-sec was on May 11th. I have been suffering really badly with severe gas pains for the last 48 hours, but when I stood up last night, I looked like I pee'd myself, but it was brown and white/yellowish puss. I knew it wasn't vaginal because it was way above my maxi pad and in my pubic hair and the foul stench was overwhelming.
I went to the emergency at one of the local hospitals and they prescribe me Keflex 500mg, not sure how often during the day, but my mom is out picking up my prescription now.
I was informed to keep the incision clean and dry, and to use warm salt compresses to draw out the puss. And to change the bandage daily so the infection does not continue to reinfect other areas. That I could apply polysporin if I wanted, but it wouldn't help speed it up any. My incision is slightly red with a small hole. But because I went to a hospital that did not do my cesarian, the damn OB/GYN wouldn't even come down to emerg to look at my incision. I was released with the prescription and told to contact my family doctor and my OB/GYN in the morning or go to the emergency of the hospital that did my c-sec. STUPID IDIOTS!!!
Didn't realize that a patient was turned away if they didn't have the procedure done there. I thought doctor's were supposed to treat everybody!!!

 

[tasha41]

I just discovered last night the infection in my incision. My emerg c-sec was on May 11th. I have been suffering really badly with severe gas pains for the last 48 hours, but when I stood up last night, I looked like I pee'd myself, but it was brown and white/yellowish puss. I knew it wasn't vaginal because it was way above my maxi pad and in my pubic hair and the foul stench was overwhelming.
I went to the emergency at one of the local hospitals and they prescribe me Keflex 500mg, not sure how often during the day, but my mom is out picking up my prescription now.
I was informed to keep the incision clean and dry, and to use warm salt compresses to draw out the puss. And to change the bandage daily so the infection does not continue to reinfect other areas. That I could apply polysporin if I wanted, but it wouldn't help speed it up any. My incision is slightly red with a small hole. But because I went to a hospital that did not do my cesarian, the damn OB/GYN wouldn't even come down to emerg to look at my incision. I was released with the prescription and told to contact my family doctor and my OB/GYN in the morning or go to the emergency of the hospital that did my c-sec. STUPID IDIOTS!!!
Didn't realize that a patient was turned away if they didn't have the procedure done there. I thought doctor's were supposed to treat everybody!!!

That's ridiculous, I was on Keflex initially but it did not help me whatsoever.. do you have a fever?? I was started on keflex in the hospital and then went home on it.. the fever was up within a day of being discharged and I had to go to the ER for IV antibiotics, sent home with an IV needle in my arm still because I had to go back the next day.

Sounds like what happened to me honestly with the pus, I thought it was my period (as my lochia had stopped already) so I put on a pad but then found it on my top still and knew it was something else, it smelled, was reddish/orangeish/brownish pus.. and they told me I had an abscess beneath the incision, they shoved a big long QTip type thing down it and packed it with gauze ribbon, and admitted me to the hospital for 3 nights where I was on IV antibiotics. Sent me home on 9 pills worth of clindamycin which I had to take for 2 weeks. I had to have IV antibiotics a couple more times through my recovery because the drainage was green or too bloody, and 10 weeks later.. I am nearly healed up! I really hope you're doing better hun

Don't let the doctors push you around, ask them if they think you may have an abscess under there if it's draining pus like that!!

 

[wishing4ababy]

wow ladies....mine is nothing like that. I hope you are all feeling better. I got the results back from my swab and there was no infection - doc is happy with the healing of my scar. I'm still putting the cream on though just in case but it feels much better. The healing straight away was fine - 6 weeks later i had a slight infection but all ok now.
Thanks everyone for replying - it is so good to be able to talk to other people that have had sections...all my real life friends are lucky enough to have natural births.

 

[Shifter]

Definitely good to know I'm not alone everyone.