Topic: Adhesive Allergy-HELP IT HURTS!! (my skin peeled off)
AliG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9734
posted
Apparently, I've developed an adhesive allergy.
The tegaderm bandage over my infusion site seems fine, but the stat-loc & the styrophome-like piece of tape took my skin off with them.
I had some neosporin + pain relief that I had put on earlier & it was helping, but I lost it.
Can anyone think of anything else I might have in my house that could help?
Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated!
Thanks in advance! Ali
-------------------- Note: I'm NOT a medical professional. The information I share is from my own personal research and experience. Please do not construe anything I share as medical advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. Posts: 4881 | From Middlesex County, NJ | Registered: Jul 2006
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AliG
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Member # 9734
posted
Thanks Tailz
That's some really interesting information on honey!! I never knew it had pain relieving qualities.
Ali
-------------------- Note: I'm NOT a medical professional. The information I share is from my own personal research and experience. Please do not construe anything I share as medical advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. Posts: 4881 | From Middlesex County, NJ | Registered: Jul 2006
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
This isn't something that you would have in your house,
But my kids use a lanocaine based cream to numb their arms when getting blood drawn.
This happened to me with both of my C-sections.
The Ob would come in and just rip off the tape on my incision.
All my skin would come with it.
That hurt worse than the incision itself.
I hope you get some relief soon.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
I am a little confuesd...if it is where your stat lock is...then, you really shouldnt be putting ANYTHING THERE because it needs to be a sterile environment under the tegaderm It is early...so I am sure I have propably missed something...
Has the nurse been using skin prep prior to applying your stat lock??? The skin prep is SO IMPORTANT especially for all of you who have long term antibiotics via PICCS and central ports. However, as with any thing important, its not easy to get and of course...expensive and insurance companies dont always want to pay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Incase I am just losing my mind...If the area is not covered by anything....have the nurse or yourself clean it and cover it with an extra piece of Tegaderm. Tegaderm acts as an extra piece of skin. Just leave it on until it peals off. It will allow your skin to heal. Just keep an eye on it.
I hope this helps a little...if you give me a little more info...I might be able to help a bit more, if I can...
Becky (just someone who used to be a Home Health nurse before all this happened Posts: 68 | From Massachusetts | Registered: Nov 2007
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Cobweb
Unregistered
posted
Yikes- You're going to make me ressurect the Cautionary Tale because I remember some very good advice shared about adhesives.
For you dear ,Picc Partner-I am on a mission.
Enough is enough- you sure don't need this layer of pain.
posted
ACK- I can't find the info I wanted to pass on-all about dressings, etc. and tape allergies and healing.
Anyway- I hope the same helpful people show up here .
The only thing from my experience was that it was the tegaderm itself that did me in- switched to Primapore. And it took a long time for the skin to heal-much longer than just two days.
AliG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9734
posted
Oh Geneal, the horror!
I'm SO sorry you had to go through that.
I wish I knew about that cream before I had my two "ktchen table midlines" placed.
Kit,
I'm sorry for you too.
I did show the Dr. yesterday, he said to keep putting the Neosporin on it. He also looked at my tongue & gave me a Rx for Diflucan.
I hadn't even thought about the fact that yeast can cause you to start having allergic reactions.
I put some aloe on it last night & had bandaged it before I read about the honey. I just remembered Vitamin-E capsules this morning, haven't done that yet.
Thanks for the reminder that I need to worry about scarring too.
Becky,
Sorry for the confusion. The nurse came out yesterday to do the dressing change. She moved the stat-lock around to a different spot and left the raw part out of the dressing. Then we put some neosporin on it & gauze, secured with paper tape.
I don't have any extra tegaderm but I do have hydrocolloid bandages. Would it be better to put one of those on?
I hadn't even given a thought to what's going to happen to the new location of the stat-lock!
Maybe I should call the co-ordinating nurse at the infusion company and see if they can get authorization for the skin protectant? Thanks for the idea.
I'm worrying about taking care of the existing wounds, while I may be sprouting new ones. Oh brother.
Thanks Cobby, you're a peach!
Thank you all for the great information! Ali
-------------------- Note: I'm NOT a medical professional. The information I share is from my own personal research and experience. Please do not construe anything I share as medical advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. Posts: 4881 | From Middlesex County, NJ | Registered: Jul 2006
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AliG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9734
posted
Oh Cobby,
The whole tegaderm dressing? That must have been absolutely awful!
Did you have any yeast issues around the time you developed an allergy, or was it right from the git-go?
-------------------- Note: I'm NOT a medical professional. The information I share is from my own personal research and experience. Please do not construe anything I share as medical advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. Posts: 4881 | From Middlesex County, NJ | Registered: Jul 2006
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cactus
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7347
posted
Ali, I'm so sorry you've developed the allergies, too! Ouch!
I had terrible problems with this the whole time my picc was in - and can still see the remnants, over a year later. It hurt. Tegaderm was a big problem for me, and I even developed an allergy to the skin prep.
If you are using an infusion company, can you call them (or the pharmacist) and tell them what's happening? ...In my case, they sent out several more options - different types of skin preps and different dressings. I tried them all.
I don't remember the name of the dressing that worked best for me, but it looked like it had a layer of gauze under part of it, with a window to see the stat lock area. We tried several different skin preps, too, and I also found that "paper" tape had the least painful adhesive.
The stat lock itself caused the worst problems for me, too, but when the nurse stopped using the skin prep it improved a little bit. There might be other types of stat locks they can use, too. Hopefully, you can ask the pharmacist and they will be helpful.
Sorry I can't remember the type of dressing or skin prep exactly, but I hope the pharmacist can give you lots of options. If you need the names I can probably hunt them up.
Hang in there, Cactus
-------------------- �Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?� - A.A. Milne Posts: 1987 | From No. VA | Registered: May 2005
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Absolutely call and see if they can authorize the skin protectant...alot of times they actually come int he picc dressing kit as a swab or a little square package (looks like an alcohol swab) but a lot of nurses discard them)
This can be applied right under the stat lock and the tegarm but needs to dry before it is appplied...it provides a barrier and allows for easier removal without ripping the skin off!!!!!
Without seeing your wound...the best thing I wound suggest...as someone who ahs dealt with alot of this issues is to wash the area with a little bit of saline (if you have a ton of those flushes...they work great!!!) and they cut a piece of that hydrocolloid dressing and apply 9hold your hand over it for atleast 1-2 minutes, the heat of your hand will allow for better adherence.
DO NOT APPLY ANYTHING ELSE UNDER THE HYDROCOLLOID!!!! it will interfere with the purpose of the hydrocolloid!!! The hydrocolloid can stay on for up to a week...but soemtime that makes peopel uncofortable...leave it on for atleast three days...
Let me know how it is going and I will try to continue to help!!!
Becky
Posts: 68 | From Massachusetts | Registered: Nov 2007
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cactus
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7347
posted
Becky, wish you were around a year ago!
Hey, Ali, the skin protectant helped me, too.
Also, I just did a little search and found out there are other types of statlocks you can try, too - check out www.statlock.com
Hope you find relief, keep trying different combinations till you find what's best for you.
-------------------- �Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?� - A.A. Milne Posts: 1987 | From No. VA | Registered: May 2005
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Cobweb
Unregistered
posted
Yeah the whole tegaderm dressing- in fact the reaction shot out on both sides so the reaction site was twice the size of the dressing itself.
And it happened within the first week. I wish I had more time this AM to research for you. I think it was Cali who worked out dressing on her own that helped.
I don't have an inventory with me of my supplies , or I could tell you which prep the nurse used.
Becky seems to have a good take on the situation-so I leave you at her fingertips.
posted
My kids had PICC lines - one for a year & and the other for 9 months.
My younger son didn't have any problems with his PICC line. My older son had problems with the first adhesive bandage. He developed a rash and skin irritations. At one point, he didn't use a adhesive, his site was wrapped in gauze. He did need to have the dressing changed every 2 days.
There are several types of adhesives. I can't remember the name of the adhesive he used.
-------------------- Peggy
~ ~ Hope is a powerful medicine. ~ ~ Posts: 2775 | From MN | Registered: Apr 2001
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Foggy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1584
posted
I was allergic to Tegaderm. Caused awful skin blisters/oozing etc. I swithed to Op-Site dressing & the allergy went away.
Posts: 2451 | From Lyme Central | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
OUCH!!!! Sorry to hear this!! Hang in there, my friend!!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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AliG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9734
posted
OMG - YOU POOR PEOPLE!!!!!
The infusion company nurse co-ord's solution is to have the nurse come out & remove the stat-lock, if I want, and just secure it with two pieces of?? (I forgot what). Assuming the thing I've forgotten has adhesive, I'm wondering if that would be any better.
I'm hoping that taking care of the yeast will stop the allergic reaction. If Dr would hurry & get the approval from the ins.
I found out from the pharmacy, the reason for the insurance problem is because usually Diflucan is on Rxd as one or two pills & Dr. wrote Rx for 10 days.
Thanks for the hug TuTu!
-------------------- Note: I'm NOT a medical professional. The information I share is from my own personal research and experience. Please do not construe anything I share as medical advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. Posts: 4881 | From Middlesex County, NJ | Registered: Jul 2006
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I had the same thing happen (although my skin did not peel off). About 2.5 months into IV, my body totally rejected the statlock. With every dressing change they put it in a new place, but it was all I could do to keep myself from ripping it off (with all the itching and irritation). I had oozing blisters near the statlock too. I couldn't sleep... I couldn't concentrate it bothered me so much.
I just suffered through it because I only had 2 more weeks of Tx to go.
I think that benadryl helped (but I hated to put more drugs in my drug laden body).
They did use the use the cleaning/barrier medicine with each change and let it air dry. And it still happened.
I didn't think about it being from yeast, so hopefully diflucan (or whatever it was you're taking for yeast) will help. Beware -- diflucan is used to treat lyme too and I herx like crazy on diflucan/fluconazole.
Good luck and I'm thinking about you.
Posts: 300 | From Northeast | Registered: Dec 2006
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
ali, i'm like you completely!
i think it's 3M company's "sporem" or something like that you SPRAY on and then place tape over it so skin STAYS INTACT that helped me!
1 female dr. tore off ALL MY SKIN ON MY BACK once after an epidermal i feel for you/others like us! good luck. i'll add this thread to my newbie's package also!!
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AliG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9734
posted
OMG!!! Betty how terrible!!
I couldn't put the hydrocolloid on because I had already put the neosporin on. I just put a little gauze w/ paper tape over until the morning.
I did that again after the nurse came to change the dressing.
When I woke up this morning, I felt my arm & there was moisture at the top of the dressing. A rather large blister was trying to repell the tegaderm dressing off. It was REALLY gross!!!
I guess my body decided it doesn't like the tegaderm either anymore.
I called & the nurse came out. The statlock is gone because it looked like the skin was a little irritated under there already too. Thank goodness no blister there yet!
The nurse said it was OK to just use the suture strips(?) to hold it in place because I have it stiched onto my arm.
She put an "IV 3000" dressing on it. We put a piece of gauze & paper tape over the other blister too.
I'm taking some vitamins I had in my cabinet called "Aller-Avert" and ran out and got a bunch of more serious probiotics. I had been putting that off. I thought if I wasn't having gastrointestinal issues, I wasn't in yeast danger.
NEWBIES - TAKE YOUR PRO-BIOTICS REGULARLY and DON'T BINGE on simple carbohydrates (like chocolate )!!!!
The nurse said she saw the same exact thing happen to another patient, but at 5 weeks. I asked if he was professing to taking his probiotics regularly. She said he wasn't taking ANY.
I'm curious-
Did anyone else with these issues miss doses of pro-biotics or eat simple carbohydrates like sugar, bread, potatoes, etc.. before you had issues?
Had you been on oral ABX before IV?
Becky,
How should I clean off the neosporin to put the hydrocolloid on? Another thought I had...any possibility of reacting to that too?
Another note:
I had asked the pharmacist about Benedryl cream & he said NOT ON OPEN SKIN!!! He told me to stick w/ABX ointment & keep it bandaged so it doesn't get infected. The neosporin + pain relief has been helping to keep the pain & itching down.
Allie,
Thanks for the heads up on the Diflucan. I had remembered seeing a study on it & brought that up to the LLMD. He said he was "PRESCRIBING THE DIFLUCAN FOR THE YEAST, NOT TO TREAT THE LYME......but let me know if it works ". I thought that was cute.
-------------------- Note: I'm NOT a medical professional. The information I share is from my own personal research and experience. Please do not construe anything I share as medical advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. Posts: 4881 | From Middlesex County, NJ | Registered: Jul 2006
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
quoting....
I'm curious-
Did anyone else with these issues miss doses of pro-biotics or eat simple carbohydrates like sugar, bread, potatoes, etc.. before you had issues
when this occurred, i was eating sugar, bread, potatos, etc.
did NOT know i had lyme bck then ... so NOT ON ANY PRO BIOTICS! hope this helps your survey!
also, call 3M HQ in Minneapolis! they put me thru to a wonderful informed woman, who was involved in this type of thing. she worked with me and even sent me FREE sample, etc. to be used for surgery and for hospital to know of to ORDER for themselves!!
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You can clean off the neosporin with the saline and some guaze...but honeslty Ali...if the neosporin is controlling the itch and pain right now...than I would say dont change a thing!
This is about making you comfortable and if it is working, then let it be.
Let me know...you can send me a PM too...
Becky
Posts: 68 | From Massachusetts | Registered: Nov 2007
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CaliforniaLyme
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 7136
posted
ALIG- I HAD this!!!!!!!!!! And here's what I did:
At your local drugstore they have burn bandaids in packages- they used to be like 2.99 or so, don't know how much now. They were the only tihngs my skin would NOT be allergic to. I would get one and they are square- and I would cut ONE line with sterile scissors for dressing change every week (would just use once and throw away, those small sterile scissors, NOT safe to re-use for this)-
So I would get the small square- and I would cut halfway into it on one side and then put it around my line site like that. It would fit perfectly and it worked perfectly and I never got irritation at the site again!!!!!!!!!!!
I did have to buy burn bandaids- the big ones- fromthen on- and use sterile scissors every week during dressing changes- but IT WAAS WORTH IT)!**!)! (And actually that was cheaper than the offical bandages!!)
Best wishes, Sarah
-------------------- There is no wealth but life. -John Ruskin
All truth goes through 3 stages: first it is ridiculed: then it is violently opposed: finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer Posts: 5639 | From Aptos CA USA | Registered: Apr 2005
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AliG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9734
posted
Thanks for the info Sarah!!!!
My nurse cleaned her scissors with an alcohol pad before cutting a nick in the IV 3000 dressing.
I wonder if that would be OK instead of buying new scissors each time. ????
Or do I now have to worry about this dressing change?
OH NURSE BECKY......
I would sure appreciate your experienced, professional opinion on this one!
-------------------- Note: I'm NOT a medical professional. The information I share is from my own personal research and experience. Please do not construe anything I share as medical advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. Posts: 4881 | From Middlesex County, NJ | Registered: Jul 2006
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posted
Bare with me...I am really having either a blond moment or really bad lyme brain today...
Did she put the IV3000 Dressing with guaze over the old sight or under the PICC dressing? Cause honestly neither make sense to me...IV 3000 shouldnt be used on any type of open wounds. And that is per the IV 3000 Datacard. And if she ordered the IV 3000 dressing for the old site, why didnt she jsut get you tegaderm...cause that would have been the BEST thing for you???
And when she cut the slit with her scissors, I am hoping you are going to tell me she didnt cut a slit in your PICC line dressing...
Straighten out my bad brain and I will get right back to ya!!! HAHAHA Posts: 68 | From Massachusetts | Registered: Nov 2007
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CaliforniaLyme
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 7136
posted
I cut a slit in my burn bandaid to make a picc line dressing every week- and YES I DID use brand new sterile scissors every single week & then just throw them away- it is worth the $2 (you don't buy them from store- they SHOULD be in dressing change kits anyways!!!) for me it was the only tihng I wasn't allergic to- the burn badnaids were lovely for my skin-
-------------------- There is no wealth but life. -John Ruskin
All truth goes through 3 stages: first it is ridiculed: then it is violently opposed: finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer Posts: 5639 | From Aptos CA USA | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH CALIFORNIALYME!!! It is so worth the 2.00 a week for new scissors if they do not come in the PICC DSG kit...however, the scissors have to be packaged in a sterile packaging of course or it defeats the purpose.
You guys have probably learned more and become more aware of sterile technique than a lot of nurses out there. And that is sad. It will probably frustrate some nurses if you question their sterile technique...but who cares. If the nurse gets frustrated, I beleive it is because you are catching them in something they shouldnt really be doing!
GO WITH YOUR INSTICT, TRUST YOUR GUT, AND QUESTION THEM, if they dont like it, well, that is their problem. I never had a problem when a patient questioned anything I did. I explained everything and why I did why I did and the reasoning. THE PATIENT HAS A RIGHT TO KNOW...IT IS YOUR BODY!!!!
Posts: 68 | From Massachusetts | Registered: Nov 2007
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AliG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9734
posted
Oh great!
She cut a very small slit, at the top of the dressing, after it was secured over the insertion site. I'm hoping that the fact that it was already in place makes a difference. ????
I was reacting to the tegaderm adhesive, so she used the IV 3000 instead, with no gauze over the site.
The IV 3000 was not placed over the blistered, draining rash. The neosporin ointment was applied and covered with a gauze pad which was fixed in place by paper tape.
This was done at both bistered locations.
-------------------- Note: I'm NOT a medical professional. The information I share is from my own personal research and experience. Please do not construe anything I share as medical advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. Posts: 4881 | From Middlesex County, NJ | Registered: Jul 2006
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AliG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9734
posted
quote:Originally posted by beckyM:
GO WITH YOUR INSTICT, TRUST YOUR GUT, AND QUESTION THEM, if they dont like it, well, that is their problem. I never had a problem when a patient questioned anything I did. I explained everything and why I did why I did and the reasoning. THE PATIENT HAS A RIGHT TO KNOW...IT IS YOUR BODY!!!!
Boy I sure could have used you to kick my butt when I started all this!!
You'd probably get a real kick out of Cobweb's IV "Cautionary Tale" in general support,I thought Carol was hysterical. I believe my nightmare starts around page 5.
-------------------- Note: I'm NOT a medical professional. The information I share is from my own personal research and experience. Please do not construe anything I share as medical advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. Posts: 4881 | From Middlesex County, NJ | Registered: Jul 2006
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posted
I wouldnt worry about it...did she cut it so that it would secure around the bottom of the tubing??
As long as what she cut is not next to or near your insertion site I wouldnt worry about it.
So, you are reacting to the tegaderm too??? UGHH!!
Actually, I am thankful she atleast wiped her scissors with alcohol...although, I always recommended to my longterm patients to have their own bandage scissors (that I would still wipe with aclohol) only because you dont know where her scissors have been...and It seems she is very diligent in cleaning...but...you have enough problems...
Posts: 68 | From Massachusetts | Registered: Nov 2007
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posted
Ali...I just read it and posted a reply in there... I think I am going to quit nursing and go into sales... Posts: 68 | From Massachusetts | Registered: Nov 2007
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