C section opening up - any updates?

[ThedaBara]

Have been looking through all the threads on here of others saying that their c second opened up at one end. Seems quite common(!)
My c second was 7 weeks ago and has been open at one end for about 3 weeks. Have been back to maternity and shown to HV and they have all said to just wait for it to heal. How long does it take!

Can anyone let me know how long it took for them please?

When mine opened it was slightly infected so I went on antibiotics. I think it healed once I was off the antibiotics so about 2/3 weeks. I'd go back if I was you. Does it feel sore?

But I went back to my hospital to get it seen rather than HV. That was because it was out of GP hours. You may want to see your GP about it?

Thank you!
Well I did go to the hospital and a consultant took a look, said it looked fine, the layers underneath were healing well and this is just the top superficial skin layer. There's no infection, but it's a hole the size of a 5p so it almost feels as though I'm waiting for the infection to happen. Apparently they can't stitch it again or glue it so just have to wait :/
Seeing my GP next week so we'll see I guess. I did see a post on here about a year ago with a picture that looked exactly like my situation

5p that sounds big to me but since it's just the top layer I guess it's not too bad. It's been looked at no need to worry. Rest as much as you can!

I remember the day I noticed mine had come open, it was when we had lots of visitors all day. Obvs regular light exercise is needed but apart from that try to rest when you can.

That’s awful, I was given wound cleaning solution, then medical honey then dressing every day. Also another nurse had to burn layer off with something to let skin seal back together, then had a seaweed based thing with dressing on which helped area scan over and heal. Local go/nurses. I’d demand attention for it, also a stitch came out which made are unable to heal!

Burn a layer off? That sounds very full on. I have heard of putting honey on wounds, might try it. So sick of flashing my bits at ppl! Wish I could lie down and rest and 'air it out' but not really possible with two children

Mine took until 5months post partum to fully heal after it opened up. It wasn't sore or infected so I just kept it clean.

I got some iodine strips and dressings from the nurse to cover it when mine kept opening up. Eventually worked out it was my maternity jeans that kept just catching it so bought a bigger sized pair of regular jeans to wear when out and it healed really quickly after that.

@ThedaBara

Burn a layer off? That sounds very full on. I have heard of putting honey on wounds, might try it. So sick of flashing my bits at ppl! Wish I could lie down and rest and 'air it out' but not really possible with two children

Is there not another adult in your house who can supervise the children?

After my second section, my wound was stitched awkwardly, so it had a slight hole in the middle. Everyone checked it and said it was fine and it didn't get infected. I managed to lie down and air it out while DH supervised the 2YO and baby. It's healed now, but follows the awkward line.

I think it’s called silver oxide or something and it’s when skin has gradulated and won’t heal, it sounds scary but they just put a tiny bit on the skin and it works over a few days you don’t feel a thing. It took 7 weeks for mine to heal but that’s with the care of local nurses who gave me these treatments and dressings.

My c section scar is a drama of it's own, it is taking months and months to heal and it is still painful daily that I have to take painkillers. I have not felt the same ever since, my abdomen does not feel right like it used to be.

Thank you so so much for everyone's responses!

My husband can look after our 6yo and I can have the baby in bed with me, but I can't stay in be for 5 months or 7weeks! Just for my own mental health. I am taking it very very easy around the house though.

I really appreciate hearing about others experiences. Mat triage are telling me that everything is fine and I need to wait for the wound to 'heal from the inside'. I'm only looking at it once per day now as it is quite upsetting, but it does look shallower (?) So maybe that's exactly what is happening. It's incredibly frustrating as I can't imagine this will result in anything remotely discreet when it's all over.
I obviously love and appreciate the NHS blah blah, but this does strike me as a bit of a botched surgery at this point. It's bizarre to me that the surgeons do not do any kind of post operative follow up. If you were a surgeon, how would you know if you were any good if you never met any of your patients afterwards!
I'm still waiting for the GP to give me an appointment, the baby is almost 8 weeks so due asap, and will ask about silver oxide.
Thank you everyone again

Honestly OP it will heal better than you think. My wound was open in 5 different sections. What mat triage are telling you is correct about it healing from the inside. It's not botched surgery. It's just one of those things. You will have been consented for it-or at least should have been. I promise mine looks no different from my first section which healed beautifully.

Just wanted to give a final update. My wound finally closed up by itself at around 11 weeks post partum. Just like all the docs said really.
I do wish more information was given by all the medical professionals about what to expect, all I heard was stories of women going in to have their baby in the morning and coming home in the afternoon, so if that's not your experience you end up thinking something horrific has taken place. I'd much rather have had more info at the hospital instead of having to look on internet forums. Ta all

What happened after? Did the c section scar and lower abdomen have any sore pain after? Or was the pain fully gone?

Hello, really glad I found this thread as I had my second c section 5 weeks ago and both ends have opened up. I’m on antibiotics which apparently aren’t really working but I am allergic to penicillin so nothing else I can try! I an hoping it will carry on healing, if it has taken 11 weeks for you @ThedaBara I will just have to be patient! But glad I am not the only one anyway.

@dreamingdream it's still a bit tender if I touch it, but getting better. It is getting better though.

@MustStopSnacking28 sorry to hear that! Will hopefully be healing nicely. I was prescribed some fluidic acid to apply in case of infection starting, but got quite lucky. Wish you luck!