URGENT PLEASE-going on hol 2 days and just had stitches!!UPDATED...

hostertlady

we are going on holiday in two days and my friend has just fallen over and has had to have 6 stitches in her hand!! she has to have them taken out in 5 days which is when we are away..
my question is:
her EHIC should cover this shouldnt it? cos the insurance doesnt cos it happened before we go..
do we just turn up at a local hospital (obviously not a private one) and ask them to take the stiches out and show them our card??

Little_Miss_Winner

Where are you going and how long for?

hostertlady

we are going to gran canaria (plays del inglid) for 7 days..

Mrs_Thrify

Hi. just wondering if you would be able to take them out yourself's?
Or WAIT TILL YOU GET HOME?

Heva2015

You should be good to wait until you get home.

hostertlady

funny enough the nurse said that anyone with medical experience would be able to take them out for her. hopefully we will find someone, but failing that should we just go to the local(nhs) hospital?

McDuck

Having played years of rugby had plenty of stiches, best way is to take them out yourself (will need help if on your hand) simply pull tight with tweezers (is that how you spell it) and sharp pointy scissors cut them away. It doesn't hurt infact it tickles.

But why not call NHS direct and see what the experts say?

hostertlady

McDuck wrote: »

Having played years of rugby had plenty of stiches, best way is to take them out yourself (will need help if on your hand) simply pull tight with tweezers (is that how you spell it) and sharp pointy scissors cut them away. It doesn't hurt infact it tickles.

But why not call NHS direct and see what the experts say?

hey i could do that! got my scissors and tweezers which i will boil first and away we go.....><><>

Mrs_Thrify

go for it girl, us mums can do any thing!

ps, I think you would pay for the hospital to do the job.

Dumyat

I wouldnt leave them till you get home. might be too long. can encourage infection and cause problems.
might be best to get someone to do it if you have never seen stitches come out.
you need to be careful that you get all the stitch out and dont lop off the knot leaving some suture still under the skin.

mcfisco

Like an earlier poster - I too have had a few sets of sporting related stitches, in my case as a result of motorcycle racing.
It's a doddle to take them out yourself or if you can't reach them for someone else to do.
Last time I got my knee stitched up they used a sort or running stitch instead of the usual seperate ones so have a good look at it before you take them out but I used to just snip off any knots I could see & then pull the ends out with a pair of tweezers, slap a bit of Savlon on it & leave it to finish healing on its own.