Is there a worse feeling out there than stitches that itch?

[charlie and algernon]

I had a mole removed from my head a week ago and I'm now firmly in the period where the stitches are itching like a son of a bitch. Hell, the word "itch" is right there in the word stitches. I'm starting to count down the minutes till I get these damn things out next week.

[HarveyDarkey]

1. My dad had a cast on his leg one time

Chiggers got under it

[charlie and algernon]

3. Damn.

I take it they took off the cast to get the chiggers? I hope to hell he wasn't forced to suffer them the rest of the required length of time he needed the cast.

[HarveyDarkey]

6. He did

He improvised a scratcher from a wire coathanger. It got a lot of use needless to say.

[RebelOne]

9. Yes, did the same thing but didn't have chiggers.

But my leg itched like hell in that cast. Discovered that a coat hanger did the trick to scratch the itching.

[GreenPartyVoter]

13. Yeah, was thinking about my arm cast.

[Blue_Tires]

2. stitches that itch on your scrotum

(yes, I've been there)

[charlie and algernon]

4. I have a feeling there's a story there somewhere

but not sure I want to hear it.

[Chan790]

5. Yes.

Don't look up pilonidal cyst. The pictures are horrifying...but the location and sensation make it terrible. It's a blood, pus and hair-filled cyst, often the size of a golf-ball, rarely the size of a softball, resting atop the coccyx placing it at the top of the crack of the butt. Having one makes sitting down, laying down, or walking excruciating. The pain rivals being shot in the butt. The best part...people that get them will generally continue to get them reoccurring from the age of puberty through middle-age for men and menopause for women. They're generally treated by excising the entire cyst and daily-packing the hole which is left open to heal in order to deal with infection, often for weeks but in the case of larger cysts up to a one year.

Also...shingles, if the commercials are to be believed.

[csziggy]

18. Shingles have got to be the worst thing, ever

Itchy stitches would be a walk in the park compared to shingles.

I've never had full blown shingles, but will probably at some point in my life. I had chicken pox as a kid, and I already have the virus that causes shingles living in the nerves of my left hand. When that virus flares up, it feels as though a hot coal is crawling under the skin. Constantly with no way to get relief.

My virus infection is only in a small area, less than 1/2" across. Shingles can affect square feet of skin and give the same fiery pain sensation over the entire area. For months.

I got the shingles vaccination and it did not stop the virus in my hand from flaring up so I expect I will have a shingles flare at some point. Goody. I want morphine when it happens. LOTS of morphine.

[classof56]

19. Friends who contracted shingles convinced me to have the vaccination the minute it was available.

Understand it may not prevent the disease, but will greatly reduce its effects. A relative recently had shingles, which got into her ear, resulting in partial paralysis, an aneurysm and hearing loss. It was a condition called Ramsay Hunt, with long-term extremely painful results. Her experience convinced my spouse to have the shingles vaccination, which to that point he'd pretty much discounted. To anyone over or nearing age 60, I highly recommend the vaccination.

Sorry for what you're dealing with. I wish you well!

[csziggy]

20. Yeah, my Dad had shingles a few years ago

He was in such agony and nothing helped for six months, even with treatment.

At least this infection in my hand is intermittent. It's been there for 40 years - and for most of that time we thought it was an antibiotic resistant infection. Finally, a new GP figured out what it might be and there was a test for it. Now as soon as it starts to affect the nerves I take Valtrex and it never gets as bad. I hope that I get the same warning for full blown shingles if I ever get that!

I got the vaccination as soon as possible after my 60th birthday - I hope it works for shingles even if it didn't for the infection in my hand.

[Brother Buzz]

7. Ask Tammy Duckworth about unremitting, unyielding, unstoppable pain

"My feet hurt too," Duckworth replied. "In fact, the balls of my feet burn continuously, and I feel like there’s a nail being hammered into my heel right now. So I can understand pain and suffering, and how service connection can actually cause long-term, unremitting, unyielding, unstoppable pain."

&feature=player_embedded

[trof]

22. Just...WOW! She NAILED that fraud.

GO TAMMY!

[sharp_stick]

8. Try anti-itch cream

on it. Cortisone 10 can take it down pretty quickly.

[Neoma]

10. Having no leg and having it itch where there's no leg?

[vanlassie]

15. Yep. I read a memoir of S Brian Wilson who

After returning from Vietnam, disillusioned, became a war protester. He sat on train tracks to protest arms shipments and both legs were amputated. He said he had horrible pain in those missing limbs until treated by an acupuncturist, for which he was extremely grateful. He said that pain had been worse than the original injuries.

[LeftofObama]

11. I had a heart attack at the gym about 4 years ago.

I got to the hospital and they started prepping me for surgery to put a stent in. They opened the artery in my thigh and plugged it til the doctor got there to put the stent in and it started itching. I reached down to scratch it not realizing that it was a major artery and the next thing I know a nurse came charging across the room screaming, "DON'T TOUCH THAT!" Needless to say it scared the crap out of me. Anyhow, he patted it with his hand and finally the itching stopped.

[Arcanetrance]

12. Stitches where the repaired your Achilles and your also in a cast to keep movement from happening

[GreenPartyVoter]

14. Hmm Hemorrhoids? Scabies?? Psoriasis?

Forgot to add sometimes if you _think_ about scratching the itch it will go away. That's what they tell amputees to do with phantom itches.

[snagglepuss]

16. Rubbing alcohol is great for stoppping itching.

[newcriminal]

17. stitches that rip

[charlie and algernon]

21. That's why I need a cone of shame

I keep touching them, I'm afraid I'll accidentally rip 'em open.