I had open wound after MX/recon on 6 Oct because of infection where haematoma was removed. Just finished 8th course of anti biotics and wound has finally closed! Saw practice nurse for 45th time today and she was thrilled. Skin is a mess now and another op to go through to put things right, but I’m still here and time will heal. Was lucky not to have rads/chemo but last 5 mths have been isolating; sitting at home exhausted and not being able to move on. Just wanted to say good luck to everyone wherever you are in your journey x
So pleased for you that you have finally healed, I just wish I was the same. I have been 15 months with an open wound and its really getting me down. They have tried everything, honey, promogran, VAC. Had another op last June to debride it and stitch it, which didnt work. I have had MRSA in the wound for months but not been given any treatment for it. The wound was enormous at the start but now is only a couple of cms so I suppose there has been progress but I am at the end of my tether now. 15 months of dressings every day and discomfort is no fun. I am now under the care of a PS but still dont seem to be getting any better, I feel sure the MRSA must have something to do with it. I did have radiotherapy which I know damages the skin, just hoping when I see PS this week she can suggest something else.
Pam
its brilliant news turquoise I know what its like to have an open wound but mine was nothing compared to yours - I only had an open wound for about 4 weeks and that was enough with the constant dressings and leakage etc and I couldnt see any light at the end of the tunnel, mine just ‘decided’ one day to heal itself and it stopped leaking yuccky stuff and then closed up - its so liberating to be able to go out and about without all the dressings and stuff and worry about leakages so well done and three cheers to the closeure! Pam I can’t believe yours has gone on so long and isn’t healing - you are probably right in the MRSA doesn’t help but 15 months sounds alarming and I wonder if they are doing everything they can. You say you are under your PS - mine was considering stitching mine up to try and force it shut so to speak - has he considered that do you know? Its no joke trying to cope with the dressings etc and does get you down so I really really sympathise with you xxxx
Hi
Am so glad that you are healed finally turquoise,my open wound is just 6days ago.Am so please that we all share our past and present experience together.now l know there is no need
for me to have panic attack because when my surgeon told me last week after my surgery that
it will take very long time for my open wound to heal because have had radiotherpy. within me ladies l don’t want to believe it,but after reading the comments l can relax a bit but not much because of the drain and the daily dressing too is another headache on its own.
All the ladies out there with open wounds including myself wish us all good healing.
Theboyz5 x…
Thanks for your messages. I’m really pleased you got through this Saffronseed and yes it is awful the mess and the sudden leaking. One day I had to change everything I was wearing including knickers/trousers after it leaked everywhere!
I’m so sorry to hear yours is still ongoing Pam. Is there anything they can do for the MRSA or is it resistant to anti biotics? I do hope it closes soon. I was told that zinc would help healing.
Saw my consultant in Jan and she said she’d give me a rest from stitching/gluing then expand my implant this week, but the skin won’t be strong enough so I’ll be lop-sided a bit longer. I only found out I had a pseudomona infection when I saw it written on a prescription request and then understood why I wasn’t getting better! I really feel for anyone else who’s been through this.
Hi Theboyz5, wishing you healing thoughts too x
Make sure you rest and don’t be surprised how much energy is used up just for healing
Hello Ladies
I am ever so glad I saw your thread. My mx wound opened 3 weeks after the op and it is 5cm in depth by about 7cm in length. I had the nurse calling every day now for the last 4 1/2 weeks to clean and dress the darn thing. Lucky for me she is coming to my house and she is a true star. Being on immune suppresives does not help the healing at all. I do hope it will not take 15 months as I am waiting to start my rads when the wound has closed over. Reading your comments made me feel better as I am not the only one with this issue. Thank goodness no infection with it so that is a bonus point.
Thinking of you all and hope you will all heal in no time.
Hugs from Alanaa and her Fat Cat xxx
Big hugs to you too Alana. I thought I was the only one until I joined the forum
Hi everyone. Can I join the “Open wound” gang?
I had to have my tissue expander removed because of infection and I currently have an open wound that I am having VAC therapy on. It seems to be working as it started off quite deep 4 weeks ago and is now only a couple of centimetres.
I go to see my surgeon on Wednesday and hopefully he will agree to switch back to conventional dressing and give me a date for my reconstruction. When the expander was removed I was only 3 weeks away from the original date of my recon but that had to be cancelled until all the infection was cleared.
I’m glad yours has finally healed turquoise. 20 weeks is a long time!
Good luck to anyone else dealing with this
Debs
x
Hi Debs, hopefully yours will close soon as well. Mine was whole of lower ‘breast’ originally and very deep. It has to heal from the inside out and that’s what takes the time. Warm healing wishes to all of you x
Well didnt see the PS today, but did see her Registrar. Been given cream to put in the wound to try and clear up the MRSA, so hoping this works and the wound will finally heal. I go back in 2 weeks to see PS and if there is no progress it will probably mean more surgery, heaven knows what that will be. Buzzy, so glad the VAC is working for you, it worked for me to some extent but unfortunately I had a bad reaction to the film on my skin and ended up in a real mess. I believe the success rate is very good,even though it is a bind carrying a Radley` round 24/7.
Interesting hearing all the methods used to heal the open wounds, I think they have all been tried on me, not giving up hope yet although I sometimes feel like getting the darning needle and thread out of the sewing basket and doing a bit of DIY.
Pam
I saw my surgeon today and even though my wound is very small now he wants to continue with the vac therapy for another 2 weeks. I’m a bit gutted because I was hoping to go back to work tomorrow. I’ve had 6 weeks off and I’m getting a bit bored now.
He also said that my recon won’t be done for another few months because the tissue is too hard now and they have to wait for it to soften. 2 steps forward and 3 back all the time!
Hang on in there Buzzy x