Please help! My head is infected!

[colincaterpiller1]

posted on here already back when it started but I’ve NC since and can’t find it now!

I had surgery roughly 6-7 weeks ago now on my head. It healed really well apart from the end where the stitch was sticking out (it’s the dissolving stitches) and it just never quite healed. It’s been red, sore, crusty and weeping pus for the last 4 weeks or so. I’ve had various antibiotics but nothings helped. The surgeon gave me antibiotics and I’ve also been to my GP and tried different antibiotics but nothing has taken this infection away. It hurts to lie on that side of my head and when I touch it pus squeezes out like a spot. It’s red and crusty.

i honestly don’t know what to do now. None of the antibiotics have helped and the rest of it has healed completely fine alert from this. Tonight when I was bathing the area a large crust came off and took the last stitch with it- the rest of it has healed and stitches are dissolved apart from this end bit of which has now come out, does this mean the infection will be more likely to heal now? Or could it get worse?

just so tired of it all, I really thought it would be healed by now

This is it tonight;

If you can handle the stickiness, give medical grade Manuka honey a try. Honey has been shown to be good at treating infections and Manuka honey even more so.

You need to get to a&e- if antibiotics aren’t working, you might need intravenous ones to kick infection out - good luck 🤞🏻

Ask your pharmacist or nurse if you can get Fucidin, an antibiotic steroid cream.

Unfortunately that was one of the first things I tried :(

Oh gosh, that’s what I’m so worried about 😭 I think I just wasn’t sure because the area itself isn’t badly infected- if it was just a normal scratch I wouldn’t be so worried but it’s the fact it’s the end of the surgery site that has me a bit more worried. But I’m otherwise absolutely fine and not unwell and the redness and pus isn’t awful so I wasn’t sure if it was bad enough to go to a&e, but equally I don’t know how else to get help! Feels like im stuck in the middle a bit!

honestly I’ll try anything at this point!

@colincaterpiller1 could you ring 111 for advice first? Obvs you don’t want to spend hours at a&e but on the flip side, you don’t want it to get worse. Persistent infection probably needs more intervention

Try some Magnesium Sulphate on the wound. It dries them up.

I suspect it was the 'dissolving' stitch that caused the infection. Now that the 'dissolving' stitch (which didn't dissolve!) is out, I think it may well clear up.

Fwiw I hate dissolving stitches. In my experience with two different operations, they've always started to get infected and have to be removed because they didn't actually dissolve!!

I had similar and used leftover hand sanitizer …

Now the stitch has come out I’d hope that would mean it can heal properly.
I’d keep an eye o it for a day or two as long as I felt well in myself and it wasn’t obviously getting worse.
I’f then give the gp another go for some more antibiotics and take it from there.
Again, if it gets worse or you feel systemically unwell then escalate it.
Are you doing what you can to help your body fight the infection - good food, vitamins maybe, sleep, lots of water etc.

Looks really sore OP. Poor you. I think it'll start to heal now that the last stitch has gone. I also recommend manuka honey.

Jings my scalp in wincing at the thought , that would STING

I think the last bit of stitch coming out will probably allow it to heal. It happened to me with a scar on my abdomen and a dissolving stitch that didn't dissolve. It wept and crusted over and there was pus. Eventually, I pulled the stitch and the horrible scab came off with the stitch. It healed really quickly after that. Keep it clean and dry. I'd bathe it daily with warm water and salt and see what happens over the weekend. If it still looks infected you should have it looked at again.

@colincaterpiller1 After my c-section I had an infection and 5 rounds of antibiotics (the penicillin resistant ones worked in the end) and my GP recommended cleaning the wound with warm, salty water using a cotton pad. I'm not saying that will clear the infection, the antibiotics need to do that but I found that cleaning it a few times a day helped the pus go and the inflammation got much better.

Another shout for honey, manuka is super good but just Gales or whatever is fine. I’ve fixed my mothers leg ulcers with honey.

You can get honey impregnated dressings for ease otherwise you’ll be washing it out of your hair.

I remember your previous thread, I'm
sorry you’re not healed yet. Get the honey on it.

Another vote for manuka honey. Used it on a caesarean wound. More recently, my dog had a gammy wound and it was remarkable. Antibacterial and antiviral - used on nhs. Pile it on and come back and tell us if it’s worked. Based on previous use I’d say u shd see it working within 2 days. Good luck.

I would try the fucidin cream again now that the stitch is out if you still have it? My DD gets raging skin infections behind her ear and that always heals it. Hopefully now the stitch is out it will heal. If you feel unwell at any point though I’d go to A&E.

I'm also thinking that it may well start to heal with the last stitch out. I would consider phoning 111 for some advice.

Last stitch out hopefully should start to heal.

Silver plasters are good but you may need more antibiotics did no one examine it for a rogue undissolved stitch?

This happened to DH, the last stitch wouldn’t dissolve and needed removing, once it was out it healed ok.

Avène Cicalfate is really good for helping skin heal, it minimises scarring too. Now the last stitch is out, things should be better. It's always the last stitch that causes issues.

Don’t try random remedies off of the internet. That’s clearly not healed. Go back to the doctor!

People are really daft if they think the OP should use honey. The op needs to call 111 or go back to see her doctor.