Recurrent infections post csection

[Becsim]

Hi,
I am 12 weeks post csection and I’ve had three infections in my wound which have each been treated with antibiotics. I’m starting to feel really down because of the infections. I finished my most recent course of antibiotics last week but feel like my wound is opening again.

I am showering every evening and taking time
to dry my wound carefully. When each course of antibiotics has finished, the wound looks great.

Does anyone have any advice/ experience of anything I can do to help it heal?

thank you. 🙏🏼

If the wound is open it might be a good idea to shower less - getting things wet is bad for infections. It's a good idea to make sure it doesn't get wet at all. You can clean the scar once a day with water that's been boiled and cooled, then only wipe left to right.
Sorry this sounds tough xxx bet you're really run down and exhausted the first few weeks are difficult. Hope things improve for you.

After my c sections I was always advised to air wound using a fan while lying down on a bed or sofa I found this helped by preventing infection and was all healed up on the outside within 4 weeks after c sections .

So annoying for you😣 I started getting infections 9 weeks post c section which was so strange to me. Couldn't figure out what was causing it. I was meticulous about showering every day and I used a handheld fan while laying on my bed to dry it. (Side note someone said above not to shower - that's really bad advice, you are advised to shower once or twice a day and dry it really well).
I then realised the infections coincided with me starting to use shower gel and a loofah again. I had previously followed the hospital advice of only showering with plain warm water. I went back to that and completed the last antibiotics and I had no more.

Once the last infection was well cleared I did start using just a very basic bar of soap on the area with just my hand to gently rub it in. Haven't had one since. This might seem obvious to others but just wanted to share my experience🙈 GP also told me not to use my towel to dry it and instead use a fresh face cloth every day as towel might not always be a new clean one. Didn't apply as I was using the fan anyway but good to know

Has the GP swabbed it? Have they referred you to tissue viability?

Apart from the antibiotics, what else have the GP/practice nurses done for you? Are they dressing it if it's open or have they referred you to tissue viability?

Be very careful when showering not to get soap etc in the wound. Also make sure the water isn't too hot- both the soap and too high temperatures can interfere with the proliferation of new cells which prevents healing.

Also really important to use clean towels each time to dry around your wound. Using the same towel that you have used to dry your body can introduce bacteria back into the wound. Annoying that it's a lot of laundry but even if you have a body towel then use a clean hand towel every day to dry around your abdominal and wound area.

Really hope it heals for you soon!

Mine got infected due to one of the stiches. I had dissolvable ones, I could see one of them looking manky and managed to tease it out and that one was okay then another one went the same but I couldn’t get it out and needed antibiotics and that was about 12 weeks afterwards.

Thank you all for your advice. have been using a sensitive soap and have been lifting the fold of skin to clean it. Maybe I’ve been too rough. I will start to use a fan to dry it.

I have only been seen once for my 6/8 week check where it was swabbed. The other two times I’ve spoken in the phone to the gp and sent pictures with symptoms of soreness, oozy and smelly. It’s really difficult to get a face to face appointment but I will keep trying.

Dunno about a fan - I was told to air dry it

Definitely don't use a hairdryer!!

I had this after my section. It turned out to be one of those hospital infections that was resistant to most antibiotics so it took a long while to heal. Have they swabbed it to check? You might be on the wrong antibiotics

I had a tummy tuck years ago that got infected like that, I would try and see the GP in person, they may need to refer you back to the hospital to flush it out properly under anaesthesia and restitch it. Once I had that done it healed perfectly.

My last C-section repeatedly kept opening up very similar to yours by the sounds of things. A couple of things that helped were-

• GP swabbing for each infection to ensure I was on correct antibiotics

• kept a dressing on which I changed every 24 hrs (cleaned wound gently with cooled boiled water, let it air for 20 minutes or so, small piece of inadine dressing over the open bit, some padded gauze and then a very large wound dressing which covered the whole scar). I did all of this on advice from the nurse and I think the inadine really helped. I know the main recommendation is to let it air but mine was just getting irritated and I was also sweaty (during summer) which wasn't helping.

• During one of my appointments with the nurse, she sort of gently pressed on the open bit and a huge amount of pus came out (sorry), it healed really nicely after that. Definitely worth asking them to have a look in person. My GP surgery were excellent and had me in on a Monday & Friday every week to look at it so they could keep an eye on things, Might be worth asking if it's a possibility they might be able to monitor it more closely for you.

and a big hug for you! I know how draining it is when you just want to be enjoying your baby and it won't heal.

I had a c section 4 months ago and my consultant and all my paper work explicitly states not to get the wound wet for 6 weeks. It must be avoided when showering.

I would contact your GP practice and ask for a wound review with a practice nurse. It sounds like it should be dressed and regularly reviewed to get this to close and heal. It certainly needs an in person examination and the nurses are the best people to do this.

Was the swab taken by your GP or hospital? One of my swabs came back saying the cultures were resistant to the antibiotics I was on so had to switch to another one. Just a thought in case that was missed or overlooked

That's really strange advice, it's recommended in all clinical guidelines to wash it every day. So much sweat, dirt and bacteria gathers in the area and it can very easily lead to infection if not cleaned. I had mine 4 months ago too and am a midwife.

I had similar - nearly four months of antibiotics to clear it. I honestly lost the will and eventually asked to be admitted for IV antibiotics I was so desperate. The health visitor said that absolutely should have been an option after so long but doctor didn't agree.

Anyway, I'd definitely make sure to dry and air the wound. I used the hair dryer. GP gave me dressings for it to keep it dry and stop my clothes rubbing it etc. I was also prescribed antibiotic cream and I think that definitely helped.

I found that basically ignoring the thing seemed to work for me. So not directly cleaning it and definitely not using soap near it. I also let mine air out. I’ve heard the hairdryer thing said a few time but been told these can actually blow dust and debris from the air or the dryer itself directly onto the wound so never did this. I just lived in a clean nightie for a week for all of mine so it was free to air, and used a clean towel every shower to gently dry the wound.

Thank you for this. I will try to get in to the gp.