Help! Cut finger, gauze is stuck! Not for the squeamish.

[slinkyjojee]

Posting here for traffic. Will post pic below so look away if you can’t handle blood. I cut a chunk out of my thumb last night with a brand new knife (idiot, I know!) it’s about 7mm and I didn’t think it was worth a trip to minor injuries. It’s now nearly 24 hours later and it’s still bleeding a lot! I put gauze on it before bandaging It last night and I can’t get it off. I’ve tried everything, I’ve soaked it in warm salt water for 2 hours, even tried olive oil! How do I get the gauze off without it hurting so much? Do I have to just rip it? Please help! The chunk I cut off was literally on the chopping board after I did it, there’s nothing to stitch. I’m not sure what to do? It hurts like hell. I’m on blood thinners because I’m pregnant which probably explains the excessive bleeding.

Any advice would be so appreciated, thanks!

Have you phoned your GP? Here they are doing phone consultations and you can send photos or do a video call, if it's still bleeding now I would see if they can advise.

Ouch!
You need to go to minor injuries or your practice nurse I think!!

Christ. If you cut it enough for a chunk to land on the chopping board and it’s still bleeding like that 24h later you really should go to minor injuries!

I would have suggested the water soak to get the gauze off. Sorry not to be more helpful!

I d go to minor injuries, if you re on blood thinners and the bleedings not stopping it d be a good idea to get it looked at.

Go to a pharmacy for advice, you're probably at risk of infection.

Go and get it seen to. It’s not healing up on its own.

the nurse will cut around that gauze and soak the stuck bits off, it might need glueing, a pressure dressing or something to help stop the bleeding, ask for one of those plastic finger protectors too, if they don't have them you can buy them in a chemist.

Really sorry but I would just pull it off (I'm a nurse practitioner in an Urgent Care Centre). Gauze is a bugger for sticking like this. Yep, it will hurt but it's got to come off. Pharmacy won't do anything other than advise you to go to a UCC

if you can tolerate it maybe you could just wrap another small piece of non adhesive gauze around it loosely and cover it up with a plastic glove if you have one just for the journey

Oooooh OP! I'd agree, that definitely needs attention!

Ouch.

Gently pull it off while it's in warm water, have you got any dettol ? If so put a little bit in the water too. If it's pissing with blood after then definitely get it sorted professionally.

Keep your hand above your heart for a few minutes. Should help to stop the bleeding.

You need proper medical care though so need to head to a walk in.

If you are on blood thinners then you should of been advised that anything like this should be taken very seriously and you should seek medical attention NOW. Do it.

Minor injuries, defo, i really think it should have stopped bleeding by now. if it's not coming off when wet then it must be healing around the gauze fibres?

Yeah, you need a professional if it keeps bleeding after 2 hours or so, since it's been a day you might want to get a move on. It needs to stop bleeding.

I’d try to get it seen to be honest if it’s still bleeding (well heavily not like an open scab) - is your doctor Skyping now?

I did similar (with a scalpel) and had a sling as a bandage (at work and that’s all they had). It too got stuck and I soaked it off but it took ages - no rush to get it off. I seem to remember it all came off after a day or so (so the the flap of finger that had been hanging on a feet a few days when it all dried up).

(Sorry about the grossness).

On blood thinners - yes you will bleed like a good un then. Mum had thin blood and would cut herself when cooking and it would look like Carrie.

Thank you for all of the replies! I’ve been on the phone to the nurse at our GP practice. Apparently I need to soak it in COLD salt water. Trying that now, she’s calling back in 10 minutes.

Soak it in warm soapy waters

Omg go and see someone!!!

That's what I said.

Cold salty water.

If the cut is sufficiently bad that there was a chunk of flesh on your chopping board you need it seeing to properly. I'm glad you've called the nurse but when she phones back please emphasise how bad it is.

And please don't put olive oil or anything else except clean water or antiseptic creams on wounds.

Thanks all. We're moving this over to the General Health section now - which contains the disclaimer:

Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have medical concerns, please seek medical attention; if you think your problem could be acute, do so immediately. Even qualified doctors can't diagnose over the internet, so do bear that in mind when seeking or giving advice.

Hope you get it sorted OP

Lordy, you're hardcore! Hope the cold water helps.