Anyone have a wound vac for c section site?

[lolc]

Hi! I meant to visit this board frequently while I was pregnant… Unfortunately that never panned out! I used to be on boards like the knot, and the nest, way back in the day and made the migration over here when the mass exodus happened LOL (was that a decade ago now?) Anyway had my baby last week, a repeat c section. The OB used a “wound vac” on the incision site. There’s a battery pack and tube connected to it, and every so often it seems to “go off” (vacuum seal?) a little bit. I don’t feel it, but I hear it. And I’m not sure if it goes off due to a sensor, or if it’s pre-programs. I haven’t been able to pick up a pattern time-wise.

I guess my question is, for anyone who has had a wound VAC, what can you tell me about it? Specifically, how do they remove it? I feel like removing it would open the incision again? I just don’t know that much about it and Google has not been particularly helpful. Also, when they remove it, is it painful? And is it possible my OB stapled the incision under the wound vac? I thought I remember his assistant saying that they used staples and not glue, but I can’t remember now. I see my OB tomorrow and I just want to know what to expect. He is not the type where I feel I can ask questions; he is quite ornery.

Congrats to all the new mama’s and the mommy’s-to-be!!

[somersault72]

I had one after my c section 2 years ago. It was a PITA to carry around the stupid battery pack but otherwise it was fine. It didn't hurt when they removed it other than taking the tape started, but my scar healed beautifully, I can barely see it.

[jennistarr1]

Congrats...we missed you! But we were a quiet board. haven't heard of a wound vac for C-section...I'm assuming surgeon preference

[lolc]

So the OB removed the wound VAC today. Apart from the tape-stuff making me feel like I was getting waxed LOL… It wasn’t painful to have it removed. The staples, on the other hand, were quite painful. The doctor wasn’t exactly gentle and even got annoyed and remarked to his assistant how some of the staples were bent… As if that was somehow my fault (The tone of his voice made me feel like that’s what he was getting at).

That’s a story for a different thread - my OB has treated me like garbage and he got to me so much today I haven’t been able to stop crying since this afternoon.

But anyway so if anyone is ever looking up wound VAC experiences, it was not painful to have it removed. But whether it’s because I’m a big girl or something to do with the surgeon, apparently I have part of my incision still open. I couldn’t tell whether he was referring to it as a gash or a gap but it’s basically the length of a fingertip.

[lemoncupcake]

I’m sorry your dr is an ass - just because he did your surgery doesn’t mean that you need to see him for any further follow up. Are there other doctors in the practice?

[jennistarr1]

Awwww man big fucking hugs from me!

It's way too easy to internalize shame

I really hated my first delivery experience with an OB. So much so I went with a midwife practice this time. That ended with a csection too. The last thing midwife said to me was "I know you feel like a failure but you shouldn't".

She said nothing to me during C-section and I rememberb asking the anesthesiologist "did they start yet" and he said "they started before you got into the room" (apparently referring to my husband but WTF he didn't ask the question). But seriously couldn't she or someone say "we are getting started"

After I never saw her. A nurse came in to ask about my overall experirnce and I said that I was upset to had never seen any of the midwives again. She came back to say they didn't realize noone had been back to see me and they would be in tomorrow. Never happened

If you don't want me to feel like a failure, maybe don't drop me like a bad date

I tell you, it's the nurses that make a difference...and they were awrsome

[somersault72]

That makes me SO angry for you, lolc. I didn't have staples (or at least anything that needed to be removed besides the wound vac). Your doctor should not be being shitty to anyone let alone a post partum patient. I would call the office manager, that is NOT ok. I'm so sorry that happened. Congratulations on your baby!

[achi]

Ugh, I'm so sorry your doctor reacted like that to the bent/broken staples. With my c-section a couple of my staples were bent/broken as well but my midwives definitely blamed the surgeon, not me for that. Nor did they bitch about the extra work to take them out.

[jennistarr1]

I'm also wondering why I didn't get staples...I think all my stuff disolved?

[statgirl]

Aug 28, 2020 14:15:37 GMT -5 jennistarr1 said:

I'm also wondering why I didn't get staples...I think all my stuff disolved?

I had staples with kid one but not kid two. Same doctor both times.