Stitches

[Lindsey]

Remember in May when I had spots removed from my hand and foot? Well a couple of weeks ago, just overnight, a dark spot showed up on the scar on my hand. It almost looked like the spot that was removed to begin with, but a little more purple colored. Scott said it looked like blood coming up under the skin. I have a follow up doctors appointment on Tuesday so I thought I would just leave it.

On my foot, I have not been walking normally since the surgery. Whenever I put all my weight flat on my foot it feels like something is ripping inside. So I have been walking on the side of my foot. Well on Saturday, it was hurting really bad. Before I went to bed Saturday night I had a look and there was a small bump full of pus right on the scar. But I thought again, the doctor is only three days away and I'll just wait. On Sunday it was too painful to walk on and had grown more than double its size. I cleaned the area, took a pin, poked it, and drained the pus. It felt much better, but I saw something black still under the skin. So with the pin I pulled the hole a little wider and took some tweezers and tried to get the black spot out. It kind of looked like a sliver. I finally got a good hold and guess what it was? A STITCH! The surgeon had to put stitches inside and outside, and he said the inside stitches were dissolving. I guess not

I can walk normally now without any pain, and I'm wondering if the same problem is in my hand. I can't wait to see tell the doctor this tomorrow.

[DianaB]

Hmmm.......that seems odd......that's a long time for an infection to show up. It's a good thing that you have a follow up visit with the doctor.

[gja1000]

Hi Lindsay, I'm so sorry that happened, but sometimes stitches do not dissolve the way they are supposed to. They just sit there, and then the body says, "Hey something is wrong" and you get the infection and pain that you experienced. Did you have any external stitches that were removed? If so, this might have been part of the external stitches that didn't come out when they were removed. If you only had internal stitches, then this is just a stitch that decided not to cooperate. It might be what is in your hand too, I'm not sure.

Hope it gets better soon!

[judy]

I hope your hand is just a stitch inside too! That is a long time for an infection to start! Keep it clean and covered, and put an antibiotic cream on it maybe.

I too am prone to self surgical procedures! I just removed a tiny cyst on my arm.

[paula1961]

Yes Lynsey..defintely keep it clean. I'm sure Gayle is right about the stitch causing the problem. Make sure and post what the dr says about it.

[Lindsey]

Gayle, I had internal and external stitches. I think there were 3 or 4 on the outside which were very visible and removed 10 days after the surgery. There were no signs of any other stitches! So it must be an internal one that didn't dissolve.

My hand still has a small bump but it seems to be lighter than it was last week. The doctor didn't seem too concerned. He looked at my foot and said it seems to be healing nicely, and it is so comfortable now. He said it's good I got the stitch out myself lol.

Unfortunately, it looks like my kidney issues may be coming up again. I had a damaged kidney when I was 17 and it lasted until I was about 21, and then it cleared up. It is still monitored often but I have not had any issues in 5 years. Well now I have the same result that caught it the first time - protein in my urine. The doctor wants to test me again in January and go back to see him in February. I'm so tired of the testing, but it's for the best.

[Janet]

Glad your foot is better Lindsey and hopefully you hand will be too. I hope the kidney issue is nothing to worry about. You're doing the right thing though by staying on top of health issues before the get out of control. You're a smart young lady.

[JJJ]

Sorry to hear your not doing so well. Gayle is right, sometimes your body senses new objects in body and do their best to push them out. Glad you where able to take care of it.

[gja1000]

Lindsay, did your doctor tell you what your creatinine or BUN levels were? They should have checked them, did they draw blood? They really should have drawn blood to check your BUN and creatinine. If they didn't, ask them next time why they didn't check them.

I don't know if the measurements are the same in Canada as the U.S., but if they are your creatinine should be between 0.6 and 1.2 and the BUN should be between 7-20. Higher numbers for creatinine and BUN are both indicators of kidney problems. In the U.S. if there is protein in the urine, they will check the creatinine and BUN.

It's OK to wait till January - there's no rush, but these indicators of kidney function should be checked.

[Marilyn]

One of our daughters cut her chin open when she was about 6 years old. It took a few stitches to close the wound. It healed well but had a little hard knot on the scar. One evening when I was combing her hair after her bath, I noticed what looked like the end of a white string sticking out of her chin. I pulled on it with tweezers and out came a stitch. Her external black ones had been removed weeks before. I about died when I saw this, but the knot was gone, and her chin was fine after the hole closed where the white stitch had been. The stitch wasn't a tiny one either.

So hope your kidney issues are easily treated and that you are all well very very soon!!!

[Lindsey]

Originally Posted by gja1000

Lindsay, did your doctor tell you what your creatinine or BUN levels were? They should have checked them, did they draw blood? They really should have drawn blood to check your BUN and creatinine. If they didn't, ask them next time why they didn't check them.

I don't know if the measurements are the same in Canada as the U.S., but if they are your creatinine should be between 0.6 and 1.2 and the BUN should be between 7-20. Higher numbers for creatinine and BUN are both indicators of kidney problems. In the U.S. if there is protein in the urine, they will check the creatinine and BUN.

It's OK to wait till January - there's no rush, but these indicators of kidney function should be checked.

Yes, they did check those. I had blood tests in August and this was just a follow up from that. They check yearly because I've had kidney problems in the past. I'm not sure exactly what the levels were but they were a little above normal so that is why he wants to have me tested again in a few months. He thinks there may be a little damage but it could have just been irritated from something else so he wants to give it time to heal if that's the case. When I was seeing specialists years ago for the problem, one told me that throat infections will infect your kidneys right after infecting your throat, and I always had tonsilitis at least 5 or 6 times a year growing up. Around the time of the blood tests I may have also had a sinus infection and sore throat (not sure when it started) so I wonder if that may have had a part in it.

Marilyn, I couldn't believe I was pulling out a stitch either! It looked like just the end of a sliver, and I had been walking outside without shoes this weekend so I thought maybe I got a piece of wood from the deck or something. When it was a string I was shocked!

[DianaB]

It sounds like all is well with your hand and foot and I'm glad that your doctor is staying on top of your kidney problem. It's good to catch things early. It sounds like you're pretty aware of what affects your kidney tests. Hugs!!!

[gja1000]

Hmmm. I've never heard of a throat infection leading to a kidney infection. BUT, a throat infection or a sore throat will cause you to not drink enough fluids which CAN lead to a bladder/kidney infection, but I don't think a throat infection will travel to your kidneys. And in fact, being even a little dehydrated, will cause those kidney test numbers to be higher. Both my kidney test numbers are at the upper end of normal because I had so many kidney infections when I was little that I do have some kidney damage - but not enough to cause any problems in the long term. Do stay on top of it though! And if you can get your numbers when they test it in January, but sure to let me know what they are.