Gallbladder was removed on Tuesday. Today, as I emerged from the haze of my meds, I noticed a red rash from my bellybutton to my breasts. The rashes aren't concentrated around the incision sites. The nurse told me to take a benadryl and a shower, but the rash hasn'y gone away, Should i wait till monday, or go into the ER? I've inclued an image of the rash. Thank you .
That's normal as long as nothing is infected. Take the Benadryl when you get home. Remember they inflate your belly with air like a tire to have more space to work in your abdomen. Maybe it is a reaction to something like medication or IV. Just don't be alarmed.
It does just look like a normal rash to a reaction fro. Something. . Be on the lookout if you start getting hives or have difficulty swallowing or breathing. . Or get swelling in your lymph nodes or eyes ,ears etc. .. if the rash doesnt go away after another day or 2 or of benedryl, then definitely contact your Dr. You may be allergic to 1 of the meds your on or possibly the pain meds they gave you. Maybe even the percs if it has aspirin in it. Just be aware of your body and how it is acting and you'll be OK.
Good luck!
Hi.I think your rash looks like an allergic reaction rash ie.hives....maybe a reaction to the stuff they clean your skin with in operating theatre... I have an allergy to hair dye and hives come out over my back...so it doesn't necessarily have to react to the specific part of skin that has contact... If you feel unwell with it get it checked..I also suffered an out break of hives after being given antibiotics intravenously and it was all over the top half of body..good luck
Hi Jenny 01611,
It looks as if you have had a reaction to something they have used. I came out with a bad rash, which was caused by the plaster dressing they used. I would wait to go to your doctor on Monday. It has to be better than waiting for hours to be seen in the ER. Try putting some savlon cream on it, it will stop the itching and it's perfectly safe.
Good luck, Sandrog
I had my gallbladder out on Monday, by weds night this same rash showed up and its horrendous. My doctor told me to take benadryl to, but its getting worse! I've also tried hydrocortisone creme and it hasn't helped. Its spreading and its very itchy and painful. Any suggestions? I also discontinued all painkillers just in case.
I had a similar reaction, despite having only one known allergy (to steri-strips) and being given a red allergy wristband in the hospital. Only dermabond was used on my 4 incisions. The rash started below the incision at my navel. within 5-6 days, additional patches popped up all around my torso front and back. By the second week, it was spreading down my arms and up my neck. I only took the meds (percocet and zofran) for the first 2 days, so that is not the cause. The other 3 incisions look perfectly normal, so I don't think it's the dermabond. The OR nurses told me no tape or other adhesives were used on me. It's a mystery! My surgeon was unconcerned since it's not infected. Nothing over the counter could even touch the itching and irritation. Out of desperation, i went to urgent care 3 days ago (almost 3 weeks post-op) and they put me on a 5-day course of prednisone 40mg daily plus hydroxyzine 3x/day plus a prescription ointment. This combination has cleared up the redness and most of the itching, but of course brings its own side effects. I just hope when I finish the pred that it doesn't flare back up! The cause is still a complete mystery.
My wife is 10 days post surgery and has same rash. Did the rash return after meds?
The Prednisone seemed to knock it down within 2-3 days. Once I finished the course of Prednisone, I did not get he rash back on my torso. It's still there on my arms, bit not nearly as bad and is manageable with over the counter calamine lotion. I hope it clears up eventually!
Thank you Lisa. My wife was given the same medication. Unfortunately the rash came back immediately after the steroid course was completed.
I'm so sorry your wife is still dealing with this. I wish someone could have explained to me why the rash happened in the first place. I hope she is able to get some answers and relief from her doctors.
Mine turned out to be Psoriatic Arthritis. I have never ever had skin problems until my gallbladder was removed. I broke out all over. My rash looked like Jenny01611s photo. I have it in head so badly, I was going nuts clawing and scratching it. Since we have animals, I really thought it was fleas. But it wasn't. Thankfully, I had already had an appointment lined up with a RA doctor. I am so thankful to have a diagnosis! I had never heard of Psoriatic Arthritis. I will begin Humira injections soon. I hope this helps somebody.
I have a rash all over my gallbladder incisions now is spraying all over my abdomen the incisions look fine o dnt see nothing wrong with them but I still worries me cuz now is goes all the way to my chest are i already try benadryl n another itching medicine n it doesn't go away but I never got a problem with rashes be4 n my surgery was 6/6/17 that's wht is more weird do someone had problems like this thank u
Hello! I had my gallbladder removed 11 days ago. Just went in for my 1 week post op visit and the doctor said everything was looking great. The incisions are healing nicely! No infection. 2 days ago I noticed that I had red itchy bumps on my sides (around love handles) and in my mid tummy area. They look EXACTLY like the photo. I only took hydrocodone the first day after surgery for pain then discontinued due to the way it made my head feel. I hate it. I just used Tylenol (acitmenophen) for about 6 more days. I don’t think it’s the Tylenol as I’ve used it before with no rashes that I remember. If it isn’t better after a couple of days of benedryl I will go speak with my doctor and check back in. This seems to be a pretty common reaction after surgery. The problem is I haven’t yet found the common thread linking the reactions together.
Keep digging. Keep posting! We’ll figure this out! ill check back in later.
Hi Lisa how are you after the medicine did it go away? My dr said it was allergy to surgical tape taking the meds now but the itching is driving me insame , seems the rash is getting better and some new shows up
This is probably quite irrelevant, but after bowel surgery four years ago, I came home with my back covered in hundreds of small spots. Some of them with pus as well. They weren't there before I went into hospital. It was diagnosed after tests as Peri Vascular Dermititis. The scars are still there. Probably nothing like your rash Jenny, but it just reminded me of that time. They didn't itch fortunately, in fact I didn't know they were there until my wife mentioned them to a District Nurse.
Hope you get it sorted!
Has anyone gotten an explanation why this rash occurs after GB surgery?
I had gallbladder removal surgery 5 days ago. I noticed the rash the day after. There was still iodine or betadine on my sides...and that's where the rash was. So I thought that was it. I showered and put some cortisone on it and took some benedryl. Well...it's still spreading. It goes all the way around my torso and itchy. It looks like a rash that's red bumps just below the skin.
Hopefully I can see my Dr tomorrow and get some answers. If I do i will let y'all kno. If u guys get any answers please share!
Jenny,
We put it down to a reaction from the drugs or anesthetic. It was very itchy for several weeks and they tried to say they had not seen it before, GP said it was brown tail moth rash. The ointment for it did help but that was not the cause. Never did define the root cause, but it gradually subsided.
Use whatever works for you to stop the itching.
There is an interesting website by a female PhD from MIT, , that describes exactly the problems I have been left with since being scared into GB surgery after going to the ER for food poisoning. I had no problems with my GB, but was told I had to have the surgery ''because I had stones" I too experienced the rashes & joint pain shortly after the surgery, which I got rid of rapidly by doing various alternative therapies. Now I suffer with pain in the back of my left leg, (neuropathy), & walk a little crooked. My surgery was October, 2017.Prior to the GB surgery, I was in very good health. i think the surgery triggered an autoimmune condition which I have not found easy to solve. I would be anxious to hear how those who have had their GB's removed are doing now.
Moderator comment: I have removed the link(s) directing to site(s) unsuitable for inclusion in the forums. If users want this information please use the Private Message service to request the details.