Quick, anyone know what I can do for infected operation wound tonight?

[SenseOfDuty]

Just wondering if anyone knows what I can put on the belly button wound from my laptoscopic surgery last week? All of a sudden, its become hot and feels increasingly sore - I was kept in after my procedure anyway because of severe pain there, and now it's bloody horrible, all in the course of a couple of hours. I'll get in touch with gp as soon as, tomorrow morning, but right now, what do i put on it? I was worried a cream like savlon will just gently heat up there overnight, and will prove to be a nice environment to grow bacteria in...

can you make up some saline solution with some boiled water and salt and just very gently rinse it or trickle solution over it, then use a hairdryer on cool to dry it, so that you touch it as little as possible?

I had laparoscopic surgery a few years ago. Do you have any first aid stuff to wash the wound with like diluted hibiscrub or Dettol? If not, try salt water to wash/clean it, boil the water, dissolve salt, let it cool to blood temperature. After washing, pat dry and put a dry clean dressing on.

If it's that sore all of a sudden I'd call 111 in case you need emergency antibiotics.

Have you taken painkillers, you could take paracetamol and ibuprofen if you needed to but might want to call 111 for advice first.

Good idea @clogher

(On shortec and codeine for pain - not feeling too with it, at 1 am)

Thank you

If you're on codeine and it still hurts that much definitely call 111/ NHS24!

@Mmr224 off to boil salt water! Thank you.

I'm well dosed up on painkillers, and about to drift off to sleep when a very insistent stinging? sharp sore type feeling suddenly rudely jolted me back to consciousness

Is anyone there with you to keep an eye?

Sounds like it's the wound though.

Don't cover it.

Don't put creams on it.

As a PP said salt water that will hurt like a sod though.

In general clean and dry is the thing to do.

Is there pus. How far does the redness go from the wound?

@NiceGerbil just spent slightly too long photographing my own belly button there. It's the very apex of naval gazing...

So, there looks to be bloody ooze very deep down, but that could just be from the operation? I can't tell if it's wet because it's very deep and I'm not jabbing it. There is a faint line of red along one of the incisions right at the top of the belly button where it meets my stomach.

The thing is, I was kept in for a few days with lots of pain - and right next to the belly button incision is where it really hurt. I told the doctor then about it but he said it looked fine, and it did go away after about 24-36 hours. Two days later, my tummy looks much more bloated, harder and now hurting again. It's definitely hotter than the surrounding skin

Debating giving out of hours a call...

It's a deep wound and they do hurt when healing.

Is there anyone there with you?

If you feel fine in yourself or not ill woozy etc then prob ok.

Of course I can't see!

Up to you. You're obviously worried enough to post on here so it might be better to call. Just for peace of mind

Call OOH

Don't take the risk of leaving it

@NiceGerbil i shall choose the intermediate path, which involves not doing much as I'm too tired, but instead not quite falling asleep and worrying all night (I'm joking!)

Away to bathe it. I think the consultant was trying to get hold of me today anyway (which is unlikely to be good news?) and so I shall just settle into a nervous doze until morning... (ah. I wasn't joking then)

I had similar where my sternotomy scar and chest drain sites got infected a week after I was discharged.

I went back to A&E on the advice of 111 and was readmitted for two nights. I'd really not recommend leaving it until the morning. I was also told not to put any home remedies on the scars while they were healing.

Bathe it & dry it with a hairdryer, it could be fluid from inside that is still draining, did you have a drain as well as your keyhole scars,? They usually remove it 12chours after the op, mine leaked fluid for about 5 days.

Don't dry it with a hairdryer!!!

Let it air dry

Agree no hairdryer!

If it's not got pus leave it be.

If it’s still sore why don’t you call 111. Maybe they will reassure you and you can get some decent sleep.

I'd go to A and E. Better safe than sorry

If you read my experience on the other thread, you will see that you should take this really seriously.

Sorry TMI but my bellybutton incision sort of burst and vast amounts of horrible discharge came out the night before I went to emerg. They were worried about sepsis etc.

I ended up with the surgical residents messing about to clear out the pus etc every day for five days, then going to outpatients for dressing changes and wound packing for a couple more weeks.

It hurt a lot.

It was kind of Merry Christmas here is your new packing and bandage. The nurses doing that work on Christmas Day were amazing.

Don't be like me and hesitate.

I had something similar after a hysterectomy. It needed antibiotics. Strongly recommend you seek medical advice. Hope you’re better soon.

Another vote for hospital now. At best they’ll look at the wound, give you reassurance then it’s a wasted journey at most. At worst they’ll start you on Abx, notify your consultant, check your bloods and keep you in for observation but the sooner it is sorted, the sooner you’ll feel better. Good luck.

Are yiu ok OP? Please call if you haven't already

I hope OP os well.