Hi everyone.
I have adverse reactions to latex, synthetic rubbers, and petroleum, and I fear my surgeon either doesn't understand the implications of this or doesn't accept it as reality.
Latex allergy is well known and medically accepted. But synthetic rubbers and petroleum less so. If my skin is exposed for a short time, it causes minor inflammation. Prolonged exposure causes blistering leading to skin sloughing. My mucus membranes (mouth, rectum, vagina) react with blistering and skin sloughing within hours. I cannot, for example, use latex nor non latex condoms without severe burning pain and blistering in my vagina.
My surgeon installed a silicon (synthetic rubber) seton despite my concerns, saying she has "never" seen a reaction to the matetial. I paniced and objected as soon as I was awake, but was convinced/placated/told if we removed it now I might backslide medically/have no other options. So I suffered for 4 weeks of agony and spasms til I insisted it be replaced with silk. Upon exam, the silicon seton caused fissures, skin tags, and a constantly bleeding rectum.
My doc offered 3 rectal ointments to help the pain/healing, but THEY ARE ALL PETROLEUM BASED. She wasn't aware; I had to ask for ingredients lists from the hospital pharmacy and report to my doc. These are compounds formulated in the hospital pharmacy; I feel like they must have alternative bases for the ointment, but my surgeon doesn't seem interested in pursuing that course.
A week after removal, its just beginning to improve, but the silk seton feels like sandpaper against all the raw flesh. I feel the cause of the damage is obvious, but my surgeon simply characterizes it as "patient could not tollerate the seton." She will not countenance that it was the material of the seton causing blistering and skin breakdown, and suggests instead it was the size. She has also seen topical patches containing petroleum cause blistering on my skin, but dismissed it out of hand.
I'm becoming afraid of what I will wake with next time I'm in for surgery. I am afraid she is completely dismissive of what could be a life threatening substance. And I'm doubly afraid that this is the status quo in the medical community, and that all surgeons would be similarly dismissive, because it is a poorly researched phenomena.
Help! Should I be scared? Should I find a new surgeon? Is there any way to ensure my health concerns are adequately addressed when I am unconscious? Do you have any experience with this? Please share.
I have adverse reactions to latex, synthetic rubbers, and petroleum, and I fear my surgeon either doesn't understand the implications of this or doesn't accept it as reality.
Latex allergy is well known and medically accepted. But synthetic rubbers and petroleum less so. If my skin is exposed for a short time, it causes minor inflammation. Prolonged exposure causes blistering leading to skin sloughing. My mucus membranes (mouth, rectum, vagina) react with blistering and skin sloughing within hours. I cannot, for example, use latex nor non latex condoms without severe burning pain and blistering in my vagina.
My surgeon installed a silicon (synthetic rubber) seton despite my concerns, saying she has "never" seen a reaction to the matetial. I paniced and objected as soon as I was awake, but was convinced/placated/told if we removed it now I might backslide medically/have no other options. So I suffered for 4 weeks of agony and spasms til I insisted it be replaced with silk. Upon exam, the silicon seton caused fissures, skin tags, and a constantly bleeding rectum.
My doc offered 3 rectal ointments to help the pain/healing, but THEY ARE ALL PETROLEUM BASED. She wasn't aware; I had to ask for ingredients lists from the hospital pharmacy and report to my doc. These are compounds formulated in the hospital pharmacy; I feel like they must have alternative bases for the ointment, but my surgeon doesn't seem interested in pursuing that course.
A week after removal, its just beginning to improve, but the silk seton feels like sandpaper against all the raw flesh. I feel the cause of the damage is obvious, but my surgeon simply characterizes it as "patient could not tollerate the seton." She will not countenance that it was the material of the seton causing blistering and skin breakdown, and suggests instead it was the size. She has also seen topical patches containing petroleum cause blistering on my skin, but dismissed it out of hand.
I'm becoming afraid of what I will wake with next time I'm in for surgery. I am afraid she is completely dismissive of what could be a life threatening substance. And I'm doubly afraid that this is the status quo in the medical community, and that all surgeons would be similarly dismissive, because it is a poorly researched phenomena.
Help! Should I be scared? Should I find a new surgeon? Is there any way to ensure my health concerns are adequately addressed when I am unconscious? Do you have any experience with this? Please share.
