Betadine allergy?
 

I had surgery on Friday and they used betadine to cleanse the skin of my chest beforehand. I had very tight bandages covering the stitched areas and the part of the adhesive that was over the betadine area started to blister and ooze. I was supposed to keep the binding and bandages on until this afternoon but last night I had to take them off and see what was burning.

The skin was blistering all along the edges that were taped on so I had to peel all the dressings off and deal with raw skin that felt like it had been burned with a hot iron.

I'm allergic to shellfish but I can have contrast in MRI without a problem. So is betadine more concentrated with iodine than MRI contrast? I also have a fine rash all over the upper chest area where there is still betadine. I'm not supposed to scrub this area at all. I suppose I will have to gently wash it with cotton balls and warm water today.

What a crazy reaction! I'll be so glad when this is all behind me!

Ok, I did some research and I found that being allergic to iodine and seafood has no relation to the ingredients of MRI contrast.

http://www.radiology.ucsf.edu/patien...iodine-allergy


"There is no reason to believe that iodine allergy based on skin reactions to topical antiseptics is of any specific relevance to the administration of IV contrast material."

Maybe it was the tape they used. :confused:

I thought that at first, but now there is a rash all over my chest where the betadine was. So the blisters might have been a combined reaction of the betadine and the tape? Though they knew about my latex sensitivity, unless someone goofed and used latex bandages? The bandages along the bottom where there was no betadine didn't blister.

What a weird reaction!

Maybe there was something mixed with the Betadine that you're sensitive to.

If it gets worse maybe you should go to the ER......if for no other reason than to have it documented in case you have problems down the road.

The ER means a $200 deductible, but I did take photos of it to show the doctor when I go for my two week checkup. I see my neuro tomorrow, I'll show him and it will be recorded there at least.

Sorry this happened, Wiz. If you can live with the situation as it is, getting it recorded at the neuro is a good idea.

You said an oozing rash; will there be scarring? Vitamin E oil on almost-healed pink skin helps lessen scarring.

Maybe the reaction was worse under the tape because the skin couldn't breathe.

I saw the neuro today and spoke to my surgeon's nurses as well. The neuro said I am probably at the end of a mild flare and steroids are optional. I opted out, of course. :o

He said that he considers my MS to be mild to moderately severe and I should continue on with the Copaxone and all of my other maintenance meds.

I got some hydrocortisone cream and benadryl pills at Walgreens though I can't take the pills until tonight because I work today.

The surgeon's nurses said they will put it in my chart that I am allergic to the betadine so for future surgeries (!!) they will not use it. :eek:

One nurse said that the adhesive tape usually causes more problems than the surgery :eek: so I think they need to start using something different!

The rash is pretty bad but I'm wearing a high necked blouse to work and hope that the hydrocortisone helps out.

Wiz.....I'm going to sound like "Dr. Mom" here but you NEED a day off! You work too hard!! :doctor:

Did you have stitches, or staples to close any incisions? My aunt discovered the hard way after a back surgery that she was allergic to something in the stitches/staples that they closed her incision up with. (I can't remember if she had stitches or staples). She had to go and have the incision opened up and the stitches/staples removed.

I have stitches Erin, and those seem ok, thank goodness, and the rash is getting a bit better with the lotions I've been applying all day.

Kelly,

I started a six day stretch today, but I'm going to make sure I get enough rest at home.

Wiz, my Mom had vasculitis which caused her to have a rash anytime she had a pressure bandage on anything. Vasculitis is another auto immune disease.

Doydie,

I'm allergic to shrimp which is related to iodine, therefore the betadine allergy. I don't even want to think about another allergy or autoimmune condition. :eek: I also have latex sensitivity and that flares up with bandages or other latex based products. I think the hospital needs to find a better product for taping patients if that one causes so many problems.

Goodness, sweetie, i missed this thread...I hope Erin is wrong concerning the possibility that you might have vasculitis...my sis also was allergic to regular stitches and she would get swollen and infected if they didn't read her chart and use them.
Wish I could just hug you (gently)...:hug::hug:

When did I suggest that? :confused:

That was Doydie.

The rash is still driving me insane on my chest. :eek: I've used benadryl and cortisone cream and it is still itching almost constantly and very red and inflamed.

When I had a hysterectomy over a decade ago, the stitched area was red and took over a year for the scar to fade. They used metal staples then. I hope this will get better soon.

Sorry Wiz, that sounds just awful..:hug:

do you have staples this time? Are they made of nickel?

No, I think they are dissolving stitches. The incisions were small, no more than two inches.

I did a search on vasculitis and that is no way related to an itchy skin rash, thank goodness! It is more of a systemic illness that also affects the organs.

I just have really strange allergic reactions, always have. I'm amazed I can take Copaxone! :eek:

Arrgghhh sorry Erin...I can't remember from one moment to the next what I've read, let alone who wrote what...
My bad...:(

Betadine left on skin can be very irritating to skin. The latex and/or the adhesives in tape, etc can also do same. Keep up with cream and (as hard as it may be) try to leave it alone - as in, no scratching, hard scrubbing etc.

After surgical procedures I have to get betadine washed off within hours or else I end up with horrid skin reactions. Benadryl, soap& water and cortizone creams are my best friend if I get that angry red blistering rash.

Feel better soon!!

I went to my PCP today to get something for the rash. He is miffed that I went out of town for the surgery, and he seemed a bit smug that the other hospital caused a problem. :rolleyes: He thinks that the rash is also caused from the tight elastic bandages that were over the dressings because there was no rash under the bandages where there was also betadine. I also have a latex sensitivity so the latex wrap combined with everything else seems to have made the rash on the upper and lower abdomen.

If all of the doctors here were as sharp as him I would have no need to go out of town.

He gave me a low dose steroid pack to take for five days to clear up the rash. It is a very tiny dose so I'm not worried about taking it.

glad to hear you on your way to being "fixed" :)

Yikes Wiz:eek:

Just goes to show...you need to be a vigilant health consumer, even under anesthesia;)

Glad you went to the doc to get another opinion and some relief....your pcp sounds sharp. It was worth the "told you so" I guess...

Hope you're feeling better real soon:hug: