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Woody
Woody SuperDork
6/1/10 11:18 a.m.

So, I've had stitches in my hand after having minor wrist surgery last week, and they're getting really annoying. How soon can I safely remove them? I'm sure that if I ask my doctor, he'll just give me some Bob Costas, medical school answer like, "Two weeks, just like I told you".

Since I get all of my other questions answered here, I thought I should ask you guys.

Photobucket

alfadriver
alfadriver Dork
6/1/10 11:24 a.m.

I bet if you did go to the doctor today, he'd take them out. Unless they are holding something together under the skin, that is....

I bet they itch really badly.

(or at least they do now after I told you that they should itch... )

E

John Brown
John Brown SuperDork
6/1/10 11:29 a.m.

Carpal Tunnel FTMFW!

I have the same scar. I found keeping the area cleaned and moisturized helped a whole lot.

EastCoastMojo
EastCoastMojo SuperDork
6/1/10 11:31 a.m.

If you drop something heavy on your foot you should forget all about that itch.

JeepinMatt
JeepinMatt HalfDork
6/1/10 11:55 a.m.

I don't know if I'd want to take them out. I had some holding my arm together last fall. After 11 days, the doc took 'em out, but it needed another 5 days of being taped together so it didn't separate. Then again, your hand looks to be in better shape than my arm did, so your call. Just make sure they're all out, whenever that is. There was a lot of scabbing covering up my stitches and the doc missed a few. Had to go back once. Then found another and said screw it, I'm not going back a third time. I'm still carrying that one around in there, somewhere.

stuart in mn
stuart in mn SuperDork
6/1/10 12:12 p.m.

Yeah, I always get my medical advice from the internet too.

1988RedT2
1988RedT2 New Reader
6/1/10 12:21 p.m.

A real man never goes back to the doc to get stitches removed. Dikes and needle-nose pliers should be sufficient. Keep some whisky nearby in case things don't go smoothly.

John Brown
John Brown SuperDork
6/1/10 12:35 p.m.

In a similar vein, I set up an appointment for chiropractic adjustments to help with my sore neck. We get a set of baseline Xrays then find out the REAL reason for the sore neck is that it was broken previously. So they start adjusting my back below the neck to help ease the pain and after a few weeks my back REALLY starts hurting. They did a set of Xrays on my mid back and we find a severely broken rib...

Howthathappen?

EastCoastMojo
EastCoastMojo SuperDork
6/1/10 12:39 p.m.

You better quit going to that chiropractor while you're ahead.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker
Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork
6/1/10 12:55 p.m.
John Brown wrote: In a similar vein, I set up an appointment for chiropractic adjustments to help with my sore neck. We get a set of baseline Xrays then find out the REAL reason for the sore neck is that it was broken previously. So they start adjusting my back below the neck to help ease the pain and after a few weeks my back REALLY starts hurting. They did a set of Xrays on my mid back and we find a severely broken rib... Howthafukkthathappen?

If I had to guess... thats where the "adjuster" put his knee during the last adjustment. Better go see a real doctor before they break your pelvis too ;)

pinchvalve
pinchvalve SuperDork
6/1/10 12:55 p.m.

I had surgery on my foot recently. Stitches out after 2 weeks is normal, then some butterfly closures. Pull them early if you want, but use something to keep it closed!

John Brown
John Brown SuperDork
6/1/10 1:52 p.m.
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:
John Brown wrote: In a similar vein, I set up an appointment for chiropractic adjustments to help with my sore neck. We get a set of baseline Xrays then find out the REAL reason for the sore neck is that it was broken previously. So they start adjusting my back below the neck to help ease the pain and after a few weeks my back REALLY starts hurting. They did a set of Xrays on my mid back and we find a severely broken rib... Howthafukkthathappen?
If I had to guess... thats where the "adjuster" put his knee during the last adjustment. Better go see a real doctor before they break your pelvis too ;)

I would say "OMG you're right" except they have not done any manual manipulation, just minor "clicky pen" and massage therapy.

Streetwiseguy
Streetwiseguy Reader
6/1/10 2:06 p.m.

If you can get them broken loose, it feels real weird to wiggle them back and forth.

Trans_Maro
Trans_Maro Dork
6/1/10 2:08 p.m.
1988RedT2 wrote: A real man never goes back to the doc to get stitches removed. Dikes and needle-nose pliers should be sufficient. Keep some whisky nearby in case things don't go smoothly.

Perhaps dikes are something different where you're from.

Here they'd probably gladly rip your stitches out just because you're a man.

Shawn

John Brown
John Brown SuperDork
6/1/10 2:14 p.m.
Trans_Maro wrote:
1988RedT2 wrote: A real man never goes back to the doc to get stitches removed. Dikes and needle-nose pliers should be sufficient. Keep some whisky nearby in case things don't go smoothly.
Perhaps dikes are something different where you're from. Here they'd probably gladly rip your stitches out just because you're a man. Shawn

Welcome to Lansing, my man.

xd
xd New Reader
6/1/10 2:17 p.m.

You Know you can wash off the Betadine on your wrist with a little soap right. I wouldn't take them out wait for the doctor.

wbjones
wbjones Dork
6/1/10 3:19 p.m.
EastCoastMojo wrote: You better quit going to that chiropractor before you fall even farther behind .

there ... fixed it for you

EastCoastMojo
EastCoastMojo SuperDork
6/1/10 3:27 p.m.

Heh. Heh heh. Heh heh heh. You said "behind".

Woody
Woody SuperDork
6/1/10 4:49 p.m.

Hey, Internet, I'm disappointed in you people. You're supposed to be enablers. There's far too much common sense being spewed about around here.

I'll have you know that I just removed my own stitches and I did it a week early.

In the interest of full disclosure, I should mention that they broke on their own first, so that made the decision easier. Not sure if it happened in the shower, or earlier, when I smashed my hand while trying to reinstall the A/C fan in the Porsche. Either way, it feels a lot better. And besides...

....oh wait a minute, I'm getting blood on the keyboard.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker
Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork
6/1/10 4:51 p.m.
Woody wrote: Hey, Internet, I'm disappointed in you people. You're supposed to be *enablers*. There's far too much common sense being spewed about around here. I'll have you know that I just removed my own stitches and I did it a week early. In the interest of full disclosure, I should mention that they broke on their own first, so that made the decision easier. Not sure if it happened in the shower, or earlier, when I smashed my hand while trying to reinstall the A/C fan in the Porsche. Either way, it feels *a lot* better. And besides... ....oh wait a minute, I'm getting blood on the keyboard.

I am totally going to one up you. I am removing my own appendix this weekend.

Mazdax605
Mazdax605 Reader
6/1/10 5:52 p.m.

I did my own Vasectomy a few years back. Probably shouldn't have jogged to the store afterward though.

aussiesmg
aussiesmg SuperDork
6/1/10 7:36 p.m.

Dude that's being spade not a vasectomy.....whoops too much

I was teaching interns while removing the last lingering "Should I buy that car" doubt gene, from inside my brain using Scotch as an antiseptic

Woody
Woody SuperDork
6/1/10 7:44 p.m.
xd wrote: You Know you can wash off the Betadine on your wrist with a little soap right.

That's what remains of the bruise.

M2Pilot
M2Pilot Reader
6/1/10 8:19 p.m.
EastCoastMojo wrote: You better quit going to that chiropractor while you're ahead.

The last "medical professional" my brother saw was a chiropractor. He died a couple of days later of a pulmonary embolism. Just sayin.

MrJoshua
MrJoshua SuperDork
6/1/10 8:50 p.m.

They looked perfect for removal to me.

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