Treatment options for non healing wound after Lumpcetomy

Hi dhaoo,

I'm sorry you're having trouble healing. Can you tell us a little more? When was your lumpectomy? What have they had you try so far? Have you asked for a referral to a wound care specialist?

Best wishes,

LisaAlissa

Hi dhanoo, I have several suggestions, although LisaAlissa is right, it would be helpful to have more info. Have you had any rads? Do you have any issues that would impede healing, like diabetes or do you smoke? Even if you do or don't have had prior issues that would interfere with healing there are a lot of things you can do to improve healing. The two prior posters are right in asking if you have a Wound Care Center nearby? Or have you looked into Manuka Honey. There is a more expensive version of it called Medihoney, which is specifically useful for wounds, and is sterile until you open it. You can buy it at Amazon.com.

Wounds need good circulation to heal well, I had problems because of rads damage, so I went to a Wound Care Center for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. There are all kinds of people there getting therapy for poorly healing wounds, so that is a potential help for you.

Do you have an infection interfering with healing??? Redness, warmth, or increased drainage? I assume you have been spaking wiyh your surgeon and they haven't been very helpful. Can you bug them more,? Squeeky wheel gets the grease as the old expression goes.

Surgery is well known to deplete Vitamin C. Sufficient Vitamin C is necessary for wound healing/collagen formation and wound strength. Vitamin C is also crucial for immunity. Most people do not get enough Vitamin C for one reason or another, so titrate your intake to bowel tolerance. Since Vitamin C is water soluble, you can not overdose on it, unless you have bowel or kidney issues. The amount of Vitamin C a person needs is dependent on their health/physiologic stressors, so if you have a cold you might need between 2 to 5 grams of Vitamin C per day, but if you are well, you might only need 1 gram per day. The bowel tolerance part of the equation is that when you have reached the maximum amount that your body needs of Vitamin C per day, you will get loose stools. The idea is that gradually over time as you get well, you will need less and less Vitamin C. Also Zinc is very helpful for wound healing, perhaps a good multivitamin as well as making sure to get plenty of vegetables and some fruits.

Also make sure you are getting an adequate source of high quality protein several times per day.

Good luck, let us know more about what is going in, you will get lots if helpful suggestions from all the great women on here.

Take care,