Advice Needed from Medical Personnel (NSR)

To set the stage, I idiotically sliced a 5.5 cm long semi-deep (well into the fat) gash into my mid thigh last Monday (10 days ago) with an x-acto knife.

I got five stitches at the old ER, and being too poor to afford a visit to Dr. Nick to get them out, I had the attending explain to me how to do it. Thing is, I was distracted by the parade of inmates through the the triage area who were shackled to themselves, eachother, and the walls and chairs. No shit, and no one wuld tell me why?

Anyway, here's what I need advice on:

1. They said wait 12 days. It's been 10, and the thing itches like a motherfucker. Also, the holes around where the sutures penetrate the skin on both sides of the cut are red, getting redder, and getting hot (infected, right?). So am I good to take those fuckers out now if the overall cut looks to be pretty sealed up? It's a low-skin stretch part of the body, and hasn't bled for 6 days.

2. Four of the stitches are easy enough looking, they go over the cut, with one knot on each side. Simpy cut below the knot, and pull out, right? I've been moving them around every night, so they're definately NOT stuck.

3. The stitch in the middle is different - it goes THROUGH the middle of the cut itself. On one side, there is no knot, but the suture comes out from the skin, surfaces, and goes back in through UNDER the cut to the other side, where two pieces of it energe and form a knot. To remove, I cut the middle of the part on the side without the knot, then just grab the knot on the other side and pull, right?

4. Hydrogen Peroxide, or Rubbing Alcohol, or Betadine to stem the flow of bloood that will emanate from the holes?

I really wanna get this right so as to not have to go back to Dr. NIck and give him another $500 for my own idiocy.

Thanks.

Red and oozing? Dood, you have an infection. Do not fart around with this, infections are major bad juju. Figure out some way to get it looked at by a pro asap.

Yep just snip and pull. A quick pull is easier thatn a slow pull. I have pulled all my own stitches since I have been about 18yo or so unless I could not reach them (biopsy on my back a couple months ago) then I had my wife do it. It's real easy.

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Originally posted by Buster Highmen
Red and oozing? Dood, you have an infection. Do not fart around with this, infections are major bad juju. Figure out some way to get it looked at by a pro asap.

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Yeah, I guess I made it out to sound worse than it is - it's only red around the sutures (like it's always been since the beginning) and not really oozing, but I can feel that it's on the way...guess it's time to go find some scissors.

What you got there son is inflamed tissue. I had my appendix out two years ago. They figured it had burst so they went in under my belly button. I had/have a cut/scar down to about two inches from the unit. I had staples and after 10 days when they were to come out I had the same skin. The nurse started pulling the staples out closest to the bottom. After the 3rd one I nearly had passed out from the pain, she peeled me off the ceiling and said "well, maybe I'll give you a few minutes." Holy crist it HURT. It'll prolly hurt when you take 'em out but I don't think its infected. Just snip and pull, but don't sue us if you have problems. We're not dr's we just play them on the intraweb.

Mine always get a bit pink around the sutures. I hit it with hydrogen peroxide or whatever other disinfectant (not lysol...)I have handy before I pull the stitches. That way I figure there is less chance of draging some shit under the skin when I draw the sutures through the hole.

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Originally posted by Beaver
Mine always get a bit pink around the sutures. I hit it with hydrogen peroxide or whatever other disinfectant (not lysol...)I have handy before I pull the stitches. That way I figure there is less chance of draging some shit under the skin when I draw the sutures through the hole.

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That must feel good.:rolleyes: ;)

When I had stitches in my ankle the area was still pretty red/pink and warm when I took the stitches out. Also itched like crazy about the time they were due to come out, but it didn't hurt at all removing them. I think if it's infected vs. warm and reddish from extra blood flow because it's healing, you'd be feeling extra pain along with it, and oozing and stuff.