Anyones C-section wound become infected ????

[CrazyDi]

My c-section wound has become really sore and red/swollen since my emergency section 2 weeks ago. It was really bad yesterday and when I had a look to check it loads of yukky stuff streamed out (sorry if tmi !!) and my scar has a small open bit now

I just wondered if this was common? I have seen the doctor today and he has given me some penicillin and some dressings and also took a swab for testing..Does anyone know what for?? I am a bit worried about it and just wanted to know if anyone else had this and what happened. Thanks

I've had 2 sections and had infections both times. After the first one, I had a small opening which the nurse put butterfly stitches on. It cleared up without any probs after that.

No idea what caused them, I wasn't given specific instructions to care for the scar but it healed fine once I started taking antibiotics.

Hope your scar is all sorted soon.

My wound became infected and i too was prescribed antibiotics. The doctor thought that when i was bathing or showering, i wasn't drying my scar properly and suggested blowdrying it on a cool setting.

crazydi - would take the swab to see what your wound is producing. Mine got a red and came apart a little at one end. They did a swab to see if it was infected and the type of infection. Mine came back normal skin flora...I found using paper towels to pat it dry helped and then you could ditch the paper towels.

Other thing I found helpful - bathing wound with warm water that had a few drops of tea tree oil in it - natural antiseptic - helped - and definitely helped no2scar heal much better than no 1.

hope that helps

Sorry if I am telling you what you have already been told.

My friend had an infection in the wound and an infection in her uterus after her elective section. She had to have numerous courses of Anti'bs which gave her thrush too!! She had a tough time of it and took her 12wks to recover. But her first section, which was an emergency one, she had no problems with her own body at all.

The swab will just be to confirm it is an infection and to get a better idea of specific Anti'Bs that might work better.

So many strains of bacteria are resistant to penicillin now, so they will rule out those and carry on with the penicillin, or prescribe another type of Anti'b.

Hope you recover quickly. My friend didn't take it easy as advised.... so make sure you do! (ot easy with a new baby, I know).

I think it is relatively common, I have had 2 of my clients who had elective sections this year - bot had infections

I finally got rid of my wound infection after 10 weeks, by blow drying it and using an anti b cream called Fucidin. I think they are fairly common, as the site of the wound is usually in a nice warm place where bacteria like to breed (Mine was under my nice big belly over-hang) I think sometimes it's just trial and error with anti bs, as some will have resistance to particular infections. I hope that yours clears up soon.

PS, try and let the air get to your scar as much as poss.

Can highly, highly recommend Arnica to promote healing.

same thing happened to me - i think because I wasn't keeping it dry enough and cos stiching was a bit tight at that end. I ended up having 2 lots of antibiotics, the 2nd lot being more appropriate for the bacteria they found on the swab. Unfortunately, the infection seemed to open it up more, and it took 3mths to heal, with regular visits to the practice nurse at the surgery to have it checked and redressed. The advice I got was to try and keep it dry but as undisturbed as poss to aid healing.

HI, me too

my scar story is a lot like eidsvold's, and I too had an emergency C-section, the scar is above the pubic area (there was no time to shave me!)
I also had 2 lots of antibiotics - one after about 2 weeks, when my scar felt sore, and another, different sort of anti-b beacuse the hospital did a swab of mmty placenta when ds was born and found an infection.
Get as much help as you can for the 1st month/6 weeks (and afterwards!) But don't worry - everyone seems to be saying that it all gets sorted out in the end.
My scar is quite big and not nice and pale yet either (had c-section 10 months ago)
I had staples in mine

I've had 2 x c-section with no problems. My brother got an infection in his appendix scar though - sounds very similar to yours CrazyDi

Crazydi - have had 2 emergency sections (last one 5 weeks ago). First one fine, this one scar opened a teeny bit at one end but nothing oozing out thankfully!. Skin got a bit red and inflamed, prescribed antib cream to apply which did the trick. Took Arnica from day of op and also a bath in tea tree oil every night which has definitely speeded up the healing process. Hope you make a speedy recovery.

No but about 1/2 inch above I got an infection v. wierd now have two scars. ie a mouth and a nose!!