Stupid C-section Related Question

chickpea912 · May 2014

I did try to call my OBGYN, but I only remembered when it was their lunch hour or once they closed for the day. I have an appointment tomorrow, but hey, why not troll for semi-medical advice before then.

So - y'know those steri strips the use on your incision (I have no idea if this is normal practice across the board or not, but I had them with my cs with M and again this time) - mine have started to come off. Can I just take them off altogether, or should I wait for my doc to do it? My appointment tomorrow is actually a BP check, but since no one said what to do when I was leaving the hospital (ie whether or not I can take them off myself or if the doctor has to do it), I don't want to be the idiot who goes to her doc appt with them partially removed already.

And oy, the itching. Yay for healing, boo for itching.

Taymiller · May 2014

I don't know about c/s because I haven't had one yet but for the other surgeries I have had I was always told to leave them alone. If they fall off on their own that is fine but I was told not to peel them off, even though I wanted to sooo badly.

katekat8721 · May 2014

In my c section class the nurse said if the edges are curling and starting to come off its ok to pull the strip off. If you don't wanna do that maybe just cut the edges until tomorrow?

liberty95 · May 2014

I was told to just let them fall of naturally, by the time I had my incision check they were all off.

ElTrain5 · May 2014

Here is three doctor's offices post-C-section instructions that mention steri strips, concensus seems to be you can remove them 5-7 days post-op:

https://www.lowmg.com/info/ob/ob_book/postpartum_instructions.pdf

https://www.obgynofhampton.com/Post_Operative

https://www.aristaobgyn.com/post_operative_instructions.htm

TunieBee · May 2014

When they start to curl up and come off on their own, you can pull them off the rest of the way.

steprozz · May 2014

@chickpea912‌ usually after 5-7 days they are ok to take off if you want but the general rule for steri-strips is as the edges curl you trim them down and let them fall off on their own. but if you wanted to take them off as long as it's been about a week you should be fine

stephpaez · May 2014

Mine started falling off 5 days after so I helped them along since I was told 5-7 days after C-S I could remove them.

Ashes92813 · May 2014

@chickpea912‌, oh I feel you! Mine itch something fierce today. My doctor said they'd fall off in the shower. I really hope they do soon! I'm too much of a wimp to pick them off.

flerlgirl · May 2014

My doctor told me I could take mine after they started coming off on their own. It was a week before that happened and I just took them off myself.

b48kate · May 2014

Not a stupid question…steristrips come off when they are ready to come off (usually in the shower). Feel free to clip those curly ends off though!

Mom&nurse · May 2014

They will fall off when they are ready. Don't pull then off

chickpea912 · May 2014

The thing is it isn't the edges that are curling up - the entire center section of the incision is uncovered, but the ends are still firmly on. So.... dunno. I'll just wait until I go in tomorrow, I guess.

Thanks, everyone, who responded to my query

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