Staples

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi Everyone,  I am getting my staples out on Friday and have some questions.

Did you take painkillers before you went?

Did they take them out while you were standing? or did you have to get on the exam table and how did that go?

Was it painfull?

This has given me something new to worry about, oh happy day's.

L

2

don't worry it doesn't hurt at all...a few tiny pin pricks...i had 64 and stood up on my crutches ..one or two were a little harder to get out but the nurse has a special little tool and it was fine...kept the dressings on for another week and then really ok.

3

I was really lucky and the Physio Home Care came and took mine out at home (BC, Canada) 

I laid on my opposite side a bit with pillow between legs and she snipped away. No pain but I was on painkillers still. Felt better with them gone as some of the pinching went away.

She put some steri strips across, for safety, and told me to leave them on for 2-3 days or until they fell off 

4

thanks Crissy, that makes me feel a lot better.

L.

5

Hi, I am also in B.C. but no one has offerd to come to my home !!! you must be special.  Thank you for your reply, isn't this site amazing?

L.

6

I'm in the Okanagan so it's Interior Health. I think it sometimes depends on whether you mistakenly asked the right question

I've also been going to the Kelowna Hospital for pool therapy sessions which made a huge difference. Because of my age they assumed I wouldn't want to drive in to KGH for Physio (and they're really busy so were probably hoping I wouldn't) but I said I definitely wanted to do the pool sessions. Because of that I also got assigned a physio so that's nice just to pop in to ask questions and get reassurance by seeing others at similar stages so you don't feel like you're a total mess.

Yes, this site is great. Nice to have the Internet where an Ocean's distance doesn't mean a thing 

7

Are stitches used in UK...I was sewn up and stitches eventually fell out.

So much is very different in many ways in UK and US... Just curious.

8

Hi Joy,

I am in Canada and as far as I can tell they only use staples.

L

9

I had mine out at home and I didn't take pain killers.  The first one stung a little bit but it didn't hurt at all.

10

Hi Lorraine

The district nurse when she came to check the wound said I'll take them out the next time I come.]

She took them out.....I was standing propped on crutch, It didtnt hurt at all

As for painkillers......just the normal....paracetamol and an anti inflammatory. I didnt miss any of them because you can never be sure what time they are comining

I wouldnt have been allowed to drive at that stage.

Eileen

{North East England}

11

Hi Lorraine. I had mine taken out in UK two weeks ago. Not sore at all. I sat on a chair in the practice nurse room but was asked if I wanted to stand or lie down. They were out before I realised what was happening and there 30 staples. Nothing at all to worry about. I had worked myself up a bit before I went. Good luck.

12

Hi Lorraine, yours are coming out quicker than mine!! They said 14 days, I have clips. I still have another week to go. the district nurse is coming to the house to take mine out. Hope yours goes well

13

Hi Jean. I had mine out at 14 days. Good that the district nurse is coming to take them out. I would really have appreciated that but was not an option. I walked from car into surgery and was really dizzy by the time I got there. Had to get wheeled into practice nurse! However the removal was totally painless. Just a bit of a trial getting there.

14

How are you today? Did you have a better sleep last night? 

15

Hi Lorraine, I had staples in my recent surgery, it wasn't a hip replacement but reconstructed ankle surgery where I had 28 staples.

To your first question, I was on pain relief already and took them as normal. But I found it to be sore more than anything. To your second question, I was on the table, lying on my side.

If it gets to sore, let them know and they will pause for a couple of minutes, but it will feel sore when they continue. But if you can tolerate it then get it out the way.

One last thing is when the surgical sight has settled down and your able to get into the bath, then have a bottle of baby oil to massage into the scar tissue then pat dry as it will help the muscle weakness, that is what the physiotherapist told me. Massage in circular motion.

16

Hi Joy.

I had Dissolvable stitches, am in the UK, you had the dissolvable stitches as they just desolved

17

I also had dissolvable stitches..2wks after surgery my local nurse just removed the dressing..the wound had healed perfectly and I had my first shower in 2wks which iirc was absolute heaven..

It seems to be the norm here in the UK.

18

I took my pain pill beforehand and it went fine. For me it is the thought of it!

Happy healing!

Dawn

19

Hi Lorraine, I had my staples out after 14 days & it really doesn't hurt at all, the nurse at my practice always takes every other staple out 1st to make sure the wound has healed all the way through, then if she's happy she takes the rest out, you'll be amazed at what a relief it is to have them out as you seem to be able to move a bit easier, you can also have a good little scratch as well (gently) honestly, it's no different to having normal stitches out, take care & good luck on your road to recovery 

20

I had metal staples on the outside and dissolvable stitches were used inside. 

With a wound cover on I was allowed to take a short shower whenever I wanted and just needed to recover the incision site with a new dry dressing.

Now having baths and that feels super awesome