Surgical wounds and blood sugars

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TheSparkyPony

Well-Known Member
Messages
136
Hi all, hope you all had a fantastic Christmas!

I was unfortunately admitted to hospital last week with appendicitis. Had my appendectomy with no worries (although my recovery from GA was alarmingly slow and frightening, I was awake but unable to open my eyes or lift my arms/legs. Could hear my mother crying, could feel nurses shaking me....awful).

I had it done laparoscopically (keyhole) with 3 incisions, one below my belly button, one further down and another to the right hand side. The latter two are fine, however I'm querying an infection on the belly button one. Typical signs - redness around site, still a bit oozy even though op was done over a week ago. Saw practice nurse to check wounds on Xmas eve who slapped manuka honey on it and sent me on my way.

It's still not right. My issue is that my BG levels are running quite high atm (over 15mmol/L). I'm not in ketosis or in any way heading for a DKA, but obviously feel rotten for the sugar. I've just made an appt for the dr tomorrow for him to double check it.

Could this little infection be causing it? I can't find any other reason, and I'm running at 100% temp increase on my basal rate :oops: just to get it around the 15mmol/L mark!

Some advice would be great if any one has had similar post op :D
 
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Fraddycat

Well-Known Member
Messages
709
I had keyhole surgery a few years ago and the belly button incision took ages to heal. I think it was not helped because trousers rub that area and it never gets a break. I used an antiseptic spray that I got from the chemist - like this ...
http://www.boots.com/en/Savlon-Dry-Anti ... 50ml_5518/

I don't have T1 so I don't have the same control issue as you, recently when I had an infection my levels were really high, 10s and 11s which is pretty high for me - I just resolved not to test because I know there is nothing I can do to bring levels down. When I am well and sugars are high I try to get some exercise but that's not possible when you are poorly.

Hope you start to heal soon.
 
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iHs

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,595
Hi

Hope you can start to feel better soon Sparky....... Maybe you need a strong course of AB's to deal with the wound. Pure honey though (beekeeper stuff), is meant to be brilliant at healing. Ive seen its power myself via a friend who had a really nasty leg ulcer and very fragile skin which constantly broke open and went gangrene needing maggot dressings after which a gaping hole was left which didnt want to heal until pure honey was put on it.....

Regarding your high bg levels...... create another basal programme with a higher basal rate than the one you are using and then activate it and then use a TBR on that programme until the infection starts to get better and your bg levels start to drop back....
 
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Soozie

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes today following a visit to my GP who had the results of blood tests. My sugar level is 17.5 he has told me to take 2x 500mg of Metformin a day and a lot of literature to read - I have an appointment with the nurse at the surgery on the 7th January.

I have looked at many of the posts online and I must admit I don't understand alot of the language that is used - it really is like being a new girl in the club!

Its funny though as I have all the symptoms of diabetes ( except blurred vision) and it they all seem to make sense know - for example I had a small op on my ingrowing toenails a few months ago and they took ages to heal.

I must admit I am so pleased to find that there seems to be a good sense of humour amongst the members which is comforting.

I am not quite sure what to do in the next 10 days while I wait for my appointment though except eat lots of fruit and vegatables and drink plenty of water!!
 
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Fallenstar

Well-Known Member
Messages
546
Hi
Get some Hibi -scrub to wash,optional but worth having in . Then get Iodine Tincture/Solution. It is one your Grandma probably used. It is used by surgeons to paint the skin before surgery and is the best for healing wounds IMO. Just paint it on ,do not cover, and it will deal with anything!

Ohh and it's as cheap as chips ,from a local chemist usually on the bottom shelf :lol:

Happy healing.
 
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Elc1112

Well-Known Member
Messages
709
I had surgery earlier this year. Wish it was keyhole! My sugars were quite erratic as I was recovering. The anaesthetic, being inactive etc. My surgeon said that higher sugars could impede my killing, but I was fine. I was also told that, as a diabetic, you're at higher risk of infection. I was put on antibiotics after the op to prevent any infections. If I were you I'd keep an eye on your wound and definitely see your doctor. Hope the rest of your recovery goes smoothly! Em x
 
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pumppimp

Well-Known Member
Messages
246
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hi Thesparkypony,
I just had the same done about a month ago for a differnt thing but still a lap. Still waiting for them all to heal up fully especially the belly button as they went in inside it. At the minute I use a teatree shower gel it also helps keep my pump sites in a tidy condition. Oozing and high blood sugars though isn't good and I've not had to deal with that. You would need a swab taken by the nurse or doctor don't just be palmed off with antibiotics as they may not be the correct ones or strength for your infection and there is a chance it could spread deeper than just your skin wound. It shouldn't take long for the results of the swab to get back to you as it would have good growth after 24hrs and is very simple for someone like me to do the testing. Most likely any antibiotics would clear the infection but if you had something particularly nasty they might just reduce and suppress the infection without properly clearing it for it to flare back up if you got ill with anything else.
Mainly when I'm recovering I had low blood sugars because of the blood loss but I had a few bad days where I picked up a stomach bug off the ward and some bad pain days which sent my sugars high but if I finally managed to get them down and get a decent sleep i found during the night I would drop more than during the day and ended up with a few hypos at night. so keep a close eye out.
Amother thing is I went back to normal/work life too quickly and only being 26 thought I'll be fine. Unfortunately managed to pop an internal stitch through running around and lifting things that I thought weren't heavy but obviously were for me it really hurt be warned.
Hope you're feeling better soon.
 
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hanadr

Expert
Messages
8,157
Dislikes
soaps on telly and people talking about the characters as if they were real.
Infections can and DO cause rises in blood sugar. Usually the BG goes down once the infection is under control. You may need antibiotics, so don't leave it. Sometimes the best antibiotics for a diabetic are not the most commonly used ones and often the usual 1 week course needs to be extended.
Doing everything to keep BG down helps too.
Hana
 
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