Should my dressings have come off by now?

[TulipTuesday]

I had my gallbladder taken out by keyhole surgery on Monday last week.

I also had drains in place and needed another procedure afterwards so didn’t come out of hospital until Friday. I was advised to go back to hospital this Thursday for a drain check but no-one said anything about the dressings on my keyhole op incisions and I stupidly didn’t ask.

I didn’t think anything of it assuming they’d be sorted on Thursday at my drain check appointment, however I have seen that dressings are supposed to come off 2 - 4 days after surgery. The dressings are looking fine, they’re dry and there’s no blood but they are starting to get itchy. Is it safe to keep them on until Thursday or is it bad that they’ve been on a week already? I don’t know what to do for the best.

I'd take them off. I'm a retired nurse BTW. You won't have done any harm, leaving them on.
I hope you recover well.

I'd take them.
Ps I had a drain after my gall bladder surgery. Happy to compare notes if you want. Are you managing ok with a bag? Is it a bile leak?

Thanks so much both. I’ll take them off tomorrow (if I’m brave enough 😄)

@rollon20again yeah one drain is for bile and one for blood. They’re doing my head in if I’m honest. I’ve had to add a bit of bandage and tape to hold them up as the dressing was coming loose and I was a bit scared of them coming out. Looks like a stitch has come out on one of them too.
How long did your drains stay in for?

I had a bile drain that stayed in for 7 weeks, and that was tough. However I was an exception I think. I had to go back to work dealing with a stoma bag in the end.
Eventually it dried up. Not very pleasant at all. My stitch pulled as well at one point and they managed to tidy it up at one of the appointments

7 weeks! Lordy lord you poor thing. I hope mine isn’t in that long.
Did you have a lot of loss or was it just coming out in small amounts but not stopping?