Stitches out? What can I expect?

[susandennis]

Ok, I need my LJ crack medical team again... On Wednesday I get the stitches out of my head. There are 4 of them and they kind of itch. (My Mom always said that when the booboo starts to itch, it means it's getting well. Of course, she also said my boobs would grow when I got older... 53 and still waiting.)

Anyway... Are they going to numb the area again? Or just pluck them out? Is it going to hurt or sting or just feel weird? I'm sure that at some time in my jaded past I have had stitches removed but I swear I can't remember it so maybe I never have. So clue me in, please. It's first thing Wednesday morning so we have some time.

Thanks.

Comments

[suifu.livejournal.com]

I suspect that they will just give them a quick snip and pull them out. No numbing required - by then all you should feel is a little pressure as the stitch is pulled out. Piece of cake. :)

[susandennis]

Ohhh that is SOOOO what I wanted to hear! Thanks!!

[kitashla.livejournal.com]

What Suifu said.

When I had my stitches out many years ago (there were 4 of them on my toe, which was sliced open on a motor boat blade) all they did was snip them off and pull them out.

Which didn't prevent me from whining one bit. Though I was 13 so I hope I can be forgiven.:)

[susandennis]

Yes, you can be forgiven... At 43, I guess, I'll have to whine to myself when I get back into the car. No prob. I can do that.. Oh and I can whine to LJ when I get home! Yeah!

[kitashla.livejournal.com]

Well, you should have seen me when they put the stitches IN. I was screaming and crying when the doctor wasn't even touching me. I cried when they had to take blood when I was 19.

I have no shame at all. *grin*

[melodysk.livejournal.com]

Yes , I agree with the others , they will just snip and pull. The itching IS the healing process (yay mum) and shows that all is well.

Gross out time (and time for you to be very thankful at WHERE your sitches are) ..when I had Lucy (1975) I had to have 3 silk stitches where I had been given an episiotomy ....being silk stitches meant they had to be taken out *eyes watering at the memory* OW OW OW ;)

Have now lived to almost 48 and have only had 3 lots of stitches ...ALL of them in the same place *sigh* , won't be showing off MY battle scars in a hurry :) :)

[susandennis]

Ok, ewew... Can I just say thanks for not sharing the photos??!!

[kyrielle]

What everyone else already said. It may pinch or pull when they tug them out - so I won't say it's painless - but it's a minor sort of pinch or sting, or at least, that was all I felt. And as soon as the stitches were out it stopped. I've had papercuts that hurt worse, and longer (rather a lot of them, actually - paper seems to hate me ;).

[susandennis]

I so sorry to hear that paper hates you! But it does make kind of a funny visual - you being chased by paper with the text bubble 'I'm going to get you, my pretty!'

The comparrison with papercut is very helpful! I'm feeling fine about this whole thing now. Thanks!!

[joyofmacs.livejournal.com]

I am a squeamish BIG BABY and have had stitches for:

suspected skin cancer mole removal(ankle)

various exploratory surgeries in abdomen and stomach (ovary removal, exploratory of my innards related to endometriosis and various tumors)

index finger (slippery butter knife used as a screwdriver)

gums where teeth used to be (for braces)

NONE and I do mean none hurt at all. Each time I got so upset thinking WHAT will it feel like? A little pull is all. WHEW.

Hope your removals go as smoothly as mine.

I think the big thing with any surgery, stitches, and the like is whether or not infection is present. Infected gums, or any place at or near stitches makes for pain.

[kitashla.livejournal.com]

Wait, you get stitches when they remove moles?

I'm having one removed on my calf on Tuesday for possible skin cancer and the idea that I may need stitches for it is making me more nervous then I already am.

[joyofmacs.livejournal.com]

For me yes they gave me stithes. He cut all around this teenie tiny black spec on my ankle and took out a carrot shaped hunk o' ankle. You see they cut DOWN. Maybe your removal will be different but I myself was shocked that they took it down so deep.

First he put on this numbing creme. He stuck in a needle (novocaine?) NEVER EVEN FELT ANY PAIN!! Just a wee bit of pressure. I could not look. No pain He must of used a knife but I did not look and again felt no pain. The only time I looked was when he SHOWED me the hunk of carrot on his tweezers.

End result was negative. So if I ever have this happen again I will NOT be afraid. And I am a BIG baby. Good luck.

[susandennis]

You have entirely too much sewing going on there, young lady!

[cloverbee.livejournal.com]

Yikes. Holey Crapoley.

There are moments in life when you realize how very weird you are and this is one of them.

I had stiches in arm from a fall and they haunted me. Day after day after day. I couldn't leave them alone. The doctor said they needed to stay in 7 days - but I pulled them out after 5. Not only did it NOT hurt, it was better than ice cream. Kind of like peeling elmer's glue off your hands...

I'm going to check myself into the loony bin now... bbl...

[susandennis]

Could you book that room for two? I totally 'get' what you are saying and if I could see the site, I think I'd do the same thing. I can kind of see it with a couple of mirrors which leave me not hands left for stitch removal. But I really would like them out, thank you very much.