Allergic reaction to drapery adhesive

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Moonrabbit59
Moonrabbit59 Member Posts: 65
edited July 2018 in Surgery - Before, During, and After

Please, I need some help. I had a double mastectomy this past Friday and now I have a severe allergic reaction on my skin to the surgical drape adhesive. I am on steroids and 2.5% hydrocortisone cream as well as benedryl but It just keeps getting worse and worse. I will call the surgeon again in the morning to see if there is anything else that can be done but I am now extremely irritable and very very itchy. So much that I will soon be breaking through the skin if I scratch any more. Anyone else with this allergy? What did you do to combat it? I still have drains so I cannot do an oatmeal bath. I am at my wits end.

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  • MelissaDallas
    MelissaDallas Member Posts: 7,268
    edited July 2018

    Is it located where you can ice it?

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  • Moonrabbit59
    Moonrabbit59 Member Posts: 65
    edited July 2018

    yes! I can’t believe I didn’t try that. I’ll give it a go, but it’s all over my upper chest arms and back. Who knows? Thanks

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  • Luckynumber47
    Luckynumber47 Member Posts: 397
    edited July 2018

    Just don't ice anywhere the skin was involved in the surgery itself. My surgery told me absolutely no ice because the skin was healing and ice would burn it. I'm sure everywhere else on your body is fine, just not where they lifted the skin during the surgery

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  • Lula73
    Lula73 Member Posts: 1,824
    edited July 2018

    Vagisil cream can also help. I have the same problem with adhesive. Vagisil is just skin moisturizers and benzocaine...nothing in there that treats anything yeast related. The benzocaine will numb the itch. Just be sure not to put it over any incisions.

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  • sheila888
    sheila888 Member Posts: 25,634
    edited July 2018

    Moonrabbit..I have the same issues...allergic to any adhesive tapes that the skin gets raw.

    My BS used paper tapes but didn't change the condition that much.

    At least in the future you know what to do. Tell your Dr only paper tapes.

    Good luck...

    Sheila

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  • gb2115
    gb2115 Member Posts: 1,894
    edited July 2018

    You can also use a washcloth soaked in cold water, and wrung out. Place it gently on the itchy areas, and then when the wash cloth warms up, repeat. It's safer than ice, and may provide some temporary relief.

    I had severe allergies to the surgical glue they used on me during surgery. I ended up having to get a steroid shot from a dermatologist to calm it down. Those were rough times. I hope you feel better soon.

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  • Moonrabbit59
    Moonrabbit59 Member Posts: 65
    edited July 2018

    thanks everyone! The ice packs and cold cloths seem to be working the best. I keep them far away from my stitches and worked on areas but it really helps on the back of my neck and my back

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  • MelissaDallas
    MelissaDallas Member Posts: 7,268
    edited July 2018

    I feel for you. I am inconsistent in my reactions to adhesives. Sometimes a bandaid (out of the same box) will make me red, whelpy & itchy when they otherwise haven't bothered me. Steristrips on my belly didn't really bother me, but on my breast the lit me up like I'd been burned and blistered. Nothing as severe as yours. I wonder if maybe whatever they used to scrub you contributed to it? Whatever they painted on my dogs' bellies when they had surgery would set the inside of my forearms on fire when I touched it

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  • Moonrabbit59
    Moonrabbit59 Member Posts: 65
    edited July 2018

    it’s finally starting to calm down although it’s still there. There are scabs all over me from the scratching. The ice packs helped. Now it’s the stitches that are itching, which I can’t get to because they’re under tape. I guess that’s a good sign, though, so I will keep positive about that. I’ve been positive this whole time but I think today might be a grumpy day.

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited July 2018

    I had only a mild sensitivity to adhesives before BMX. Since surgery, any adhesive on my torso causes welts. When I recently had an office procedure that required a 3-lead cardiac monitor, I alerted the staff to this. The leads were only in place for 25 minutes, but caused welts on my torso.

    When my port was installed, I had a terrible blistered rectangle under the dressing adhesive after less than 24 hours--clearly, someone missed the instruction. After 3 years, the scar from that is mostly faded. Next time I have any surgery where I'm knocked out, I'm writing the instruction on myself in Sharpie.

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  • Moonrabbit59
    Moonrabbit59 Member Posts: 65
    edited July 2018

    ksusan: I just burst out laughing! Not because of your unfortunate reaction but because of the sharpie marker comment. That might be my next step! But thank you thank you thank you for the reminder about all of the other sticky situations that I might be encountering.

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited July 2018

    :)

    I tried to get my partner to write an arrow and "this uterus" on herself before her hysterectomy, but she didn't think it was as funny as I did.

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  • Moonrabbit59
    Moonrabbit59 Member Posts: 65
    edited July 2018

    ksusan: thank you for your humor! Love it! I was going to put an arrow with “cut here” but I chickened out

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