anyone been recommend to use dettol, iodine and funky 'acid' cream on infected episiotomy?

[IssMc]

So in the hospital after birth they said salt baths for my episiotomy. 5 days post birth the midwife who checked the stitches noticed infection and 'gaping'. Nice. She said salt baths are no longer recommended because they can too rapidly dissolve the stitches. She called the hospital to see if they would see me (they wouldn't "no point we wouldn't restitch anyway") but they recommended 6 drops lavender oil diluted in milk and added to the bath. The out of hours GP who finally saw me had had two episiotomies herself (one got infected - one was stitched too tight) and prescribed Fucidin cream (fusidic acid) 3X daily, iodine applied directly (or dettol and I couldn't find iodine so got that) and antibiotics. So I have these three very different treatment plans (salt vs lavender vs big heap of stuff) suggested and am tempted by the big guns of the third option but pretty scared too so just wondered if anyone here had tried dettol baths (too scared to try it neat) or this cream (which I haven't used yet) rather than the salt/tea tree/lavender route and if so how they got on?
I'm doing the usual airing and drying with hair dryer too but have given up peeing under running water in favour of just drinking more to dilute my pee thanks to a mums netters tip. A day into the antibiotics and this routine and husband (not I - too scared to look since a hole opened up in stitches) thinks it looks cleaner but no less hole like. ug. Sorry for the long post - so creeped out and so frustrated with not being able to care for my beautiful baby as I would like but hang around airing my bits and groaning!

[Haggisfish]

I would use fucidin-it's a very strong antibiotic and the lavender poss with a cup of salt in the bath too. The milk is to disperse the lavender oil as otherwise it would just float in the water surface. You could put a drop or two of tea tree oil in too. I'd avoid the dettol personally as I think it would sting and dry the area out. The oils and salt are anti microbial. Poor you.

[Haggisfish]

And avoid drying with hair dryer-it can blow dust and bugs into wounds. Dabbing dry is preferred.

[Haggisfish]

Sorry just read midwife advice about salt, so id leave that out!

[missnevermind]

Fucidin is good stuff. We use it here for all sorts
I put Detol in the bath all the time. Still do it with the big kids 14 and 17 with football injuries and such.
Always used it myself especially while I was at the peeing in the bath stage.
With drying. Just sit in a towel for as long as you are able. And then wear a loose Hippy type skirt with no underwear.

[missnevermind]

Sorry. You will need underwear because of the lochia. Just make it as loose as possible.

[HappyAsASandboy]

The Fucidin cream worked wonders on my infected c section stitches. I too had a gaping 'hole', with swelling, redness, itchiness, heat, 'ooze' and a horrible smell. Glamourous huh?!

The Fucidin worked alongside antibiotics for me. My GP/practice nurse also said to have salt baths, but I did find them very drying. My stitches also dissolved very quickly, so maybe there is something in the advice you've been given.

In your shoes (or mine again!) I'd do the dettol bath (not neat!), Fucidin and oral antibiotics.

I hope you heal soon.

[IssMc]

Thank you all so much! I can't tell you how good it feels to hear other people's experiences. phew. Well tomorrow I will definitely start using the cream too ... and yes reconsidering the hair dryer too -- Shame thought I'd finally found a use for it, never really used for my hair!

[ChannelingFlop]

Hi OP, hope it all starts getting better quickly. I had an infected episiotomy too but couldn't manage sitting in the bath so cant advise there. It was horrible and I really feel for you. If you're spending time in bed I recommend getting some incontinence sheets so you can take your knickers off and let the air get to it. I also used to clean it a few times a day with cooled boiled water soaked cotton wool and let it air dry.
Spending the first 2 weeks of new baby time in bed with my bits out was pretty grim but it gets better.

[lighteningmcmama]

I've had this problem twice

Salt actually helped me, but I'm not advising you to go against the evidence base

Air will help loads. Sitting on a towel with no undies is great advice, the towel will catch up any lochia, which shouldn't be heavy now anyway. Just keep washing it.

I wore loose skirts and no undies for as much of the day as I could

If you're hair dryer is hardly used it may be ok, it's more the ones with fluff in the filter s that are problematic. I bought a new fan specifically for this purpose, it might be worth considering

Keep on top of the pain with painkillers, they're are several that are compatible with breastfeeding (if you are).

You should heal up fine, but give it time.

[Novia]

Hiya - I had the same thing, 3 terrible infections and a lot of pain. Salt baths made a huge difference to me, plus regular iodine swabs. Lavender, tea tree and witch hazel did bugger all!

[IssMc]

Thank you all so much!! Midwife had a look yesterday and said things were a lot better and the antibiotics wouldn't have begun to take effect yet so the salt bath advice seems sound (and makes sense to me, not that its quite the same but I have never had an infection when I used salt water on piercings but always when I have used bought intensely antiseptic solutions) - perhaps just watching how long you soak (but its not exactly a spa experience anyway is it?). Think I might alternate salt and dettol... personally love the smell of the latter but can't do much for the general areas ph or whatever.
I feel much less lonely and gross hearing how other people have been through it too! I can't believe how much women go through. I've been living under a rock all my life!

[lighteningmcmama]

Good to hear things improving

Make sure you rest lots as well, and keep up your pelvic floors to promote general blood flow to the area

[dragonfly007]

I had this, horrible horrible time so you have my sympathies . I used breast milk as a healing and soothing agent alongside the lavender with milky baths! Hope you feel better soon and congratulations on your new baby

[Royalsighness]

I used to lie in bed with an old towel and clean the whole area with witch hazel on cotton wool and bathe in mild salt water. I did the salt water twice a day and the witch hazel 4 times a day. It wasn't pretty down there but the witch hazel helped a lot and I felt a lot cleaner and more comfortable afterwards, apparently it reduces swelling as well as being antibacterial.

[IssMc]

I'd just like to thank you all again and update to say I am on the mend. I was sent back to the hospital for a check up and the doctor there suggested salt baths and stopping dettol. I had been using it in baths but also having my very brave husband apply it neat on the end of a cotton bud to 'the wound' as its become known. This doctor gave me more detailed instructions though - about two tablespoons of salt per bucket of water (so I've been translating this to handfuls and handfuls per bath) and soak for at least 10 - 15 mins, three times a day PLUS after every visit to the toilet (which means ALOT of baths.) That plus the cream and the first course of antibiotics seem to be working. Its less angry and barely hurts if I don't walk far or sit on hard chairs. Thank you all so much for sharing the hell you've all been through and how you coped. It feels barbaric, really. The midwife tried but just couldn't manage to wash me after the birth because I was so out of it and faint. The next day as I lay in my own filth I told the man who checked my stitches that I was worried about infection because I hadn't had a wash since the birth but couldn't manage to make it to the loo alone so would need help to wash if I was going to. He ordered a blood test to find out why I was so faint but did nothing to help me wash - just said not to worry that it was 'a dirty part of the body anyway'! Cant help thinking that not being able to wash until I got home contributed to the infection. And I started to feel better right after a very brave female GP squeezed the pus out of the wound for me. Ick.

[lighteningmcmama]

So sorry to hear what you've been through. Glad you're sounding positive. Hope things are still improving

[IssMc]

Thanks lightening, you know I am almost healed! Can't believe it, thought it would never happen. Thanks all for the support!

[avocadotoast]

You poor thing OP. If it's any consolation I'm going through the same thing. Gave birth last Saturday, had my stitches checked on Friday and was told they had come apart. Sent back to hospital and given two types of antibiotics (also had a swab taken, which hurt like fuck!).

I think from what I've seen online I have got off almost lightly though - it hurts, but I can sit down, walk etc. It's only if I sit down for a long time or walk too far that it hurts.

I've taken to sleeping without pants (on a towel), taking a bath in the morning & evening and airing afterwards, wearing loose pyjama bottoms around the house and making sure I change my pads as often as I can.

I feel like it is definitely feeling better but I don't know if that's just wishful thinking. At the hospital they told me to have the midwives check for infection again when I go this Friday - which worries me a little as they didn't even spot the infection the first time round!

I am beyond angry at the lack of aftercare advice given though. All I was told when I was discharged from hospital was "keep it clean, change your pads regularly, take baths". I don't think I quite understood what a major wound it is (probably because the painkillers and anaesthetic from hospital were still wearing off when I left!).

[IssMc]

Oh dear avocadotoast I'm so sorry you're going through it too. Sounds like you've really got a handle on how to look after yourself though - it's just so high maintenance!!! Much more so than my newborn.
I'm livid too, but its taken a while for me to realise how outrageous my treatment was because its clearly so normal (or perhaps I was cowed into submission by the seven hours I spent labouring in the hospital reception area when they wouldn't admit me to the labour ward or let me go home - anything to go home after that). It is a really major wound just at a time when you really want and need to be healthy and strong. I feel like in a perfect world the medical system would prep you like an athlete for the marathon to come not spit you out bloody and confused. I'm sure it all comes down to budget but it leaves me wondering why its childbirth that seems to come so low down the list. An episiotomy is an unexpected surgical intervention - would you leave after a scheduled op so unprepared and uninformed. I didn't even know where exactly the cut was until the day after my discharge and then only from a back of a fag packet sketch, and they keep your notes so you can't even get that bit of brief information about what has just happened to you. And so maybe you google 'diagram of episiotomy' (wince!).
Anyway I really hope you have lots of help with the baby so you can rest and look after yourself! If it helps my vagina now looks almost normal and no longer hurts - Its four weeks on for me. Now I don't think I'll be having sex for a while but I now believe that I actually might have a sex life in the future so thats a relief and a half!! Good luck! XXX