Any reason why I cannot remove my own stitches?

[Numberfour]

I have 4 stitches in the front of my thigh after having a mole remved. (GP suspected melanoma, and while results are not back yet, the dermatologist said that it was unlikely to be that).

The stitches can come out today and they feel loose and can move. I tried to get an appointment to have them removed but it is a mission arranging this with work and one department could not do it so referred me to another who was full and so referredme to yet another etc.

Surely there is nothing to removing them: snip and pull?

I've removed my own before now, and suffered no ill effects but them I'm quite laissez faire about most things.

I do remove my own stitches but it is naughty, the wound can sometimes not be fully healed and re-open so you are best getting your practice nurse to do it.

I would never bother making an appointment just to get stitches out so long as there was no pain or infection. Go for it.

thanks, everyone. it looks little red but i think that may be because i moved the stitches to see if they were loose .

think i may leave it for a day with a plaster and some antiseptic on it, then try tomorrow.

I did my CS scar , DH was fit to faint.

They were staples.

EEEEEEEKKKKKKK BreevandercampLGJ
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

Just be careful you don't pull the exposed stitch through your skin as you run risk of introducing infection. Personally I think you should go to your practice nurse even if its inconvenient.
It really isn't a very good idea to poke around with stitches if you don't know what you are doing, and you won't have sterilised scissors or tweezers. An experienced nurse will know if the stitches are ready to come out or whether there is any sign on infection.(and yes I am a nurse!!)

I agree with Kansasmum. You might infect yourself. If it was OK to take your own stitches out, they'd save NHS time and tell everyone to do it.

I've always taken my own out - they use soluble stitches these days so all you have to do is cut the knot off. Whilst not meaning to belittle kansasmum - seriously, would you not know an infection when you saw one?

Didn't take my own staples out - 89 of them and they bloody hurt. Kudos to you Bree!

One question to all the home removers - why?!

There's no reason why you can't take your stitches out yourself as long as you are fairly au fait with what is involved and situations when they shouldn't be removed.

As long as the wound is healed, dry and not too scabby you should be ok. If there is any sign of infection you shouldn't remove them.

You would need forceps (tweezers) but not toothed ones, you need flat ones. Scissors are tricky, a stitch cutter is far easier. You need to cut to the side of the knot and ensure you have pulled the whole stitch out.

Sutures due for removal aren't soluble (that's why they need removing!) and are usually coloured (often blue) so you can see the suture material. Soluble sutures are usually internal and clear and you won't be advised by dermatology or whoever to have them removed.

Oh and I'm not advocating home removal, I still think you should see a practice nurse, but if you want to remove them yourself then no-one can stop you!

Can I take my own coil out?

Can't get an appointment for love nor money. Surely it's just a tug?

I removed my stitches after delivering ds, I think the midwife forgot about them so they were in for 3 weeks. It was easy, you just boil the scissors in water for a few minutes, then cut the string as close to the skin as possible and pull the other end gently.

Coil! nooo, never try and remove a coil, you can cause a great deal of damage doing this. Leave this to the GP.

But I can't get an appointment. I'm going to stay with another MNer in July. She used to be a midwife. Can she do it for me?

Yes, but you'd better buy her a very nice bottle of wine as compensation

What are you saying about my fanjo?

I took out my own catheter
But a coil? Belle is right, you could really do yourself a mischief they aren't like tampons you know, you can't just yank them out.

But the GP will just pull it out won't he? With some kind of tweezery, forcepsy thing.

And every day I phone for an appointment, every day they say 'no sorry, none left'.

ha ha- nothing, but if my friend came to stay and asked me to stick my hand up her fanjo I would be somewhat taken aback!

She offered.

I don't know, I've not had one. I imagine he'd widen your bits and bobs with a speculum and ease the coil out. No idea.

I wouldn't advise removing a coil yourself!

You could suffer cervical shock. (more likely on insertion but possible on removal).

Also it's easier to take it out when you have your period.

< arf >