I am wondering if anyone, post-surgery, has had a stitch appear along their incision?  Over the past months my 2 incisions have each developed a slight dip.  I think the dip is where the temporal artery actually goes under my scalp, so I am not concerned about the dips.  However, directly above the dip, along my right-side incision, a slight bump has recently developed.  It is this bump that is VERY tender to the touch and throbs all day.  I had my husband look at it and he said it looks like a stitch or an in-grown hair.  WHAT?  I am confused!  Even if it is merely an in-grown hair---couldn't that get infected?  

Sorry for all the dips and bumps!;;D
Thanks all,
Stephanie

Stephanie-
Forgive my memory but I can't remember where you had surgery.  I had surgery with Dr. Steinberg and will tell you that experience.  I too have a dip!  I also had some red painful bumps and actually called.  They explained to me that it was internal stitches that came to the surface.  I actually had some of them come out when I would wash my hair.  I had a few little "holes" for awhile.  Obviously I'm not a doctor and I don't know if that's it.  I was also concerned about infection which is why I called.  You might contact whoever did your surgery or have a family doctor take a look.  Better safe than sorry and if it's nothing, at least you'll have peace of mind!
Your dippy, bumpy friend~
Chelsie

Chelsie,
I had it done by Dr. Steinberg as well.  I tried to contact Teresa Bell-Stephens, but she is out of the office for 2 weeks! How dare her go on vacation! ;)  I then forwarded the email to my local neurologist.  I will let you know.  I bet it is the same experience you had, internal stiches.  Thank you for your response.  I feel relieved, but will also let you know what my doc says.

Thank you for your MM humor! [smiley=laugh.gif]  It helps me to laugh at the absurdity of all this--I mean, we had brain surgery...twice.  That is simply absurd.

From one dipped head to another!
Stephanie

Hi Stephanie,

How ironic!  I just asked my husband yesterday about a "dip" I was feeling along side my head, and if it was always there...prior to yesterday.  [smiley=huh.gif] I don't know why, but we were at the park yesterday, and I was feeling around my incision and felt the "dip."  At first I was worried and couldn't remember if it had been there all along!  My husband said it looked normal, or the same it always has.  I haven't noticed any "stitches" or "internal stitches" though....

Hmmm...Let us know what your local neurologist says.  If Teresa isn't available, can anyone else help you?  I would continue to do what you're doing...keep a close eye on it.  ;)

Take care,
Shan

Hi Stephanie,

Tara had a similar occurrence, too.  It still wouldn't hurt to talk to someone in Dr. Steinberg's office.  Have you tried Joli?  Her email address is jvavao@stanfordmed.org.  Yes, Teresa is on a well-deserved vacation, but Joli's great, too, and I'm sure you'll get some answers from her!

Good luck and hugs from out west,
Jill

Stephanie...
...I had a knot stitch that never dissolved on my head and the end of the incision (for my cochlear impant) never healed for 11 months !!!! when I finally felt I pulled a hard tiny ball out...it was a knot that was as solid as a rock...very tiny but very annoying...once that was out...my incision healed without any problems.

I had the neurosurgeon looked at it...he thought it was fine..every time he looked at it..the rock stayed hidden...then few days later it kept pushing out.  I just kept the area clean but was glad to finally get it out.

:) Carol

Hi Stephanie,

Bob actually has more of a bump. It looks like it is healing okay but he has had to be on antibiotics twice now because he has had two infections. We have caught the second one now so it isn't as bad as the first time.

He also had some small white like thread on one side. I would try to pull them but they really wouldn't budge so I left them and one finally fell out and was really hard and left a small hole but once it fell out it healed nicely the others either fell out or dissolved.  [smiley=huh.gif]

As I have said before things WILL get better especially with the examples of those who have had this done years ago. I think it will just be a slow recovery for most.

Terry