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Nancy C. Caregiver

This community needs more resources, help and input

Mon, 03/20/2023 - 11:06PM

This comment is great for first timers going through or about to go through surgery. It's great for getting answers to some quick questions and for getting support in times of fear of the unknown. But, this community really needs support from medical professionals. It needs to have moderators and good up to date information. I won't go on a rant but this community could be so much better and so much more helpful with some thoughtful planning.

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Stan C.

Mon, 03/27/2023 - 4:17PM

I agree with your post, Nancy.  However, one of the things I've noticed reading answers to questions here is it seems like each LVAD team has different procedures, practices, etc.  Case in point is my team requires me to use a 3M Tegaderm cover over the sterile bandage while showering and then change the sterile bandage after the shower.  I've seen on here people have been told by their LVAD team to use plastic wrap (Saran Wrap for example) to cover the sterile bandage while others were instructed to remove the bandage and use a deodorant soap on the driveline and area during the shower.  I discussed some of these things I've read on here with my LVAD clinic and they told me they even had a patient who moved into the area from another state and he was told not to wear a sterile bandage.  Again, I agree with you but who is right?

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Robert R.

Mon, 03/27/2023 - 7:42PM

Nancy C I agree  with you there is another patient in my home town that had is LVAD implant and we were both in the hospital for 6 weeks and then therapy  for 5 months.  His wife and him talk  and I have visited is home couples and there team and mine are the same and they told him things completely different then me.

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Larry B.

Mon, 04/03/2023 - 1:09PM

There are other forums on Facebook that are much more active and moderated. But, I will never expect to get a professional answer from anyone other than my team. Watching all 5he lunatics that believe everything they read on the internet is like watching comedy hour. Like Stan said, there is no one size fits all when it comes to teams. After reading many posts about how teams dish out guidance on showering I actually asked my team about changing my dressing after my daily shower. I also use the tegaderm. My team asked me if my wound got wet? I said no and 5hey just laughed. They asked my why I would throw away a perfectly good dressing if it hadn’t gotten wet. You will find all the nay sayers that say don’t shower. It causes infections. Might or might not but there is no definitive studies showing* it does. What is documented is that drive line infections are5he number one reason of death in our group. Drive line infections are for the great majority, caused b trauma to the driveline, not taking showers.