Steristrips stuck to sticker up wound

[Stillalittlesunshine]

Steristrips stuck to stitched up surgery wound!

Had surgery on my wrist joint and had steristrips stuck over the wound on top of the stitches. That was 2 weeks ago and tried to remove the stitch tails but the steristrips and first dressing is well and truly stuck to the wound site. What do I do? It’s right in the joint and I’m nervous about not moving the wrist incase the wound opens but equally I’m concerned it’s barely mushed for 2 weeks and feels very stiff.

Call the community nurse.

Moisten them with water. This will soften them up and allow for easier removal

Speak to a medical professional, start with a pharmacist and see what they advise

Community nurse won’t attend without a GP referral and you won’t get a GP referral unless you’re housebound. I’d try the pharmacy or a Practice Nurse appointment at the surgery. Can you post a pic?

Either wet them with water or get some appeel from a pharmacy ( it's a liquid that melts glue and makes dressings easier to remove)

Surely not?

I would try a warm water soaked flannel on it for a while and if that isn’t helping check in with a pharmacist, otherwise the nurse at the GP surgery would be the next go to.

Tried making an appointment at local surgery, none left. Pharmacy said need to see nurse. I will try again to get an appointment and should I dampen the area before going? I can’t see them spending much time on it as they are always busy. Hate the thought of them ripping it off and the wound opening up. It’s already very yucky with dried blood. And I am so squeamish!

Are they dissolvable stitches? I would just make a nurse appointment, don’t worry about dampening the area. They will be able to remove the dressing etc carefully, unlikely to just rip it off

They are but there’s knots in the ends apparently? I’ve looked today and there’s strips going one way and then a bigger strip going the other way, but it’s all
filled with black blood. Am terrified it’ll come open

Two weeks on the stitches have done their job, very probably under that nasty steristrip is a nicely healed wound 🙂

Post a pic, it's probably just dried blood, dissolve a little salt in warm water, dab it on and they should peel off.

What post op instructions were you given, it should say I'd they are dissolvable stitches or if they need to be removed, why are you trying to remove the stich tails (?ends) yourself