by diamond2 » 16 Dec 2013, 13:04
Found your thread :)
Smelly pus could mean an infection - keep an eye on it and make sure that the smell doesn't get worse - you will have drainage as long as there is a draining seton in there. However, it shouldn't smell funny. Then again it hasn't been that long since surgery so that may just be the infection from the abscess that's still draining. Ensure you take lots of sitz baths with sea salt or epsom salts to keep it draining and draw out all the pus.
Regarding getting "clean" after a BM - I still find that a challenge. And I almost wonder if I was ever really clean before this whole ordeal - I probably just didn't fixate as much before. Get a hand held shower if you don't already have one. It's been my saviour. After a sitz bath I was the area with the shower and it really helps ensure you've got everything.
I also used to feel "gas" coming out of the wound/incision where the seton was. After I had the LIFT surgery that stopped. In general, I am more gassy and I find it harder to control - I assume this is because of a weakened muscle.
I have never really seen any of my wounds - I did have my husband take a picture of one of the tiny ones after my first surgery when it was almost healed. It looked like a scratch at that point. I know that after my last surgery I had an awful found - about 6x3cm I think? It's now down to 1.8cmx0.2cm and is pretty much a surface wound. Interesting how the body can heal itself!
Keep drinking water, eating apples and yoghurt - I also took vitamin C for both healing and as it's a mild laxative. Are you taking any pain meds? I was on percocet and this caused me horrible constipation twice - If you are taking any strong pain meds, definitely take a laxative and stool softeners with it. I found drinking a fruit smoothie in the morning helped to get things moving as well.