hi everyone
My surgery for my ileostomy was back on Feb 19th. Not long after my incision became infected so the doctors got me a wound vac. The infection is gone but the vac aides in healing so I am still using it until the doctor says it is small enough for it to finish healing on its own. I have been using it now for about 3 weeks or maybe 4. The "tape" that goes over it looks like big huge sheets of tape. The last few times I have been slightly itchy. I do often have troubles with adhesives. On Wednesday I told the visiting nurse that I was itchy where the bottom of the dressing was and she said it was just because while sitting etc there are skin folds and that is why. Yesterday when the nurse came (a different one) when she pulled off the dressing my skin under it was bright red everywhere. Eventually the redness went away in most areas but stayed in others. I am extremely itchy where it is red still. The nurse I had yesterday was rushing through it all and she is the one on call today.
She gets to come back and redo my dressing we thought there was a fault in the pump but the wound vac people came out to the house tested my pump as well as tried to hook me up to a different pump. He said to him it sounded as though there is a leak in the dressing. Does anyone have any tips for the redness and itchyness. She attempted to use my skin barrier spray but said it is just leaking out this wont help anything. She didnt even try to tighted the cap she also said I didnt have any wipes which in fact I had 1 in the same bag the spray was in. I am really not pleased with this nurse she has next week off but after that she is my ostomy nurse.
The trouble is that my incision is so close to my stoma that each time they have to change the wound vac dressing they have to redo my flange since they overlap.
Stef