My husband has been having two stage four pressure ulcers for about a year now. Everytime the plastic surgeon would go in to close them they would reopen even larger than before, so we've basically told him that we would rather lay off of surgeries unless they are highly necessary.
He's been in the hospital at one point during the year for these dreadful things for at least four months last year. He was sent home on the KCI wound vac; I've noticed that it does heal them very well, the downside is I can't get him to keep the darn thing on. Especially if he is having higher levels of pain. He will arguse with me constantly to take it off and do Dry2dry bandaging.

I'm actually to my breaking point lately. I've seen them heal greatly, but the minute they get to that point he complains about pain. Then I have to take it off and then its like they double in size over night.

Does anyone know what can be done to ease the pain so we can keep the wound vac on so the wounds can close

What type of injury does your husband have?...Where are the ulcers located? From your post I can't see a wound healing great then doubling in size over night, just because vac was removed. As far as pain, I'm not sure why he doesn't feel pain until the ulcers are about to heal. I have had plastic surgery many times for decubiti ulers on my bottom...I know from experience how hard it is to deal with these things..

I have not had to have any plastic surgery for sores nor have I used the wound vac on a sore. I have had to deal with sores before and I know they take a long time to heal. The Most Important thing is to STAY OFF the sore. If it is on his bottom then he Must Not sit on his bum. It sounds to me like he is not staying off his sores. I know from experience that once your sore starts to heal if you sit on it before it is Completely healed it will reopen and be worse than you first started. Even after it is healed completely you have to pamper that area for some time and even then it will always be more vulnerable to sores.

Depending on how deep and serious the sore is something else that works to quicken the healing process is baring it to the open air and sunlight. If the sore is deep and open to much you might not want to do this. I would talk to the doctor first. I know it is very effective when the sore is beginning to close up.

Stay Off It is the key. If he don't stay off it then it will never heal and only get worse.

My friend just went through 4 months of basically bedrest trying to heal one wound. it finally healed , only to have an old one slightly open a little which means another week or two off of it. How do I encourage him..it is very frustrating for our relationship and I know he is getting depressed and almost pushing me away...I just try to stay positive, but I don't now what is the best thing to do inthis situation.

I currently have one that is 15mm x 10mm. Down from 20 x 10mm. It has been over three months with dressings up to daily and this time it is only stage two. One of the nurses said it may never heal while I am in a sit down job, particularly as it is on an older skin graft. Unfortunately if he has to sit down while waiting for a skin graft or pressure sore it isn't going to just heal on its own, at least not for a long while. Mine has been healing a bit quicker since I stopped using waterproof dressings which seem to trap all the crap and moisture in there, like a bacteria greenhouse. The two other sores I had were stage four. The first time one didn't heal and the second graft it did after they put me in a stryker bed for 23 hours on my front and one on my back. Not practical or possible now but back then it worked.

from alex even though im in a nursing home and wat a job they are having, being dressed whenever the dressing gets dirty or wet i have been bed now eight weeks they also turn me every 3 to 4 hrs by my carers only allowed in my chair every three days only 2 hrs wilst my bed disifected due to the stench comes from my ulser i feel very lucky i cant feel it im no were on the mend yet so im very sorry for our friend trying to cope whith this and work accept my blessing>>>alex

The one he has been working on..healed after 4 mo, then an old one just open up all of sudden just a little bit. he doesn't have to work, he is very well financially taken care of. he has been totally compliant from diet to staying off it. So it is just weird that after 4 months of this finally healing that this other one would open just a slit. it is very frustrating when he is used to driving , hunting and fishing, to be on bedrest since March except for doc appts. He has two nurses come in everyday besides his care givers..so it is just been very depressive watch him going from being happy that is healing to go being depressive for the doctor to say one more week again...I wonder why this only happens to certain people..he has the best kind of bed and his body just want cooperate at this moment.

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I know what you mean it does get very frustrating. My husband takes his anger out on me all the time , because I stay on him so much about doing what he is suppose to. More than anything he won't stay on his bladder program to keep urine out of them. He lets himself get wet and then changes the brief. I feel as if he is being very difficult.

Been trying to get the ones on my heels to heel for over 2 years now. Pretty much done now, but at the point where they could easily slip the other way very quickly. The one on my backside formed after 3 days in ICU (Ignored Care Unit?) because I had not cathader, and my bowels were just doing there own thing, and I was getting washed (barely, maybe throw u a wet facecloth to wipe off your face) every 2-3 days. The 1 on my arse was at 1 point 3"x5" and so deep you could literlly see my tailbone. Eventually I got a woundvac on it, but 1's I had to go back to the damn RAH they pulled the woundvac the 1st day and left it off for almost a week "waiting for the doctor to see it". of course, it got worse again. My doctor here started using honey dressings eventually, but it still took 22-23 months for that to heal.

I wish you the best of luck!

My fiance has a level 2 pressure sore a couple of months ago-one of few- he tried his usual cures- sea salt and a hot rag, saline and gauze, nothing was really helping until I found these Hydrocolloidal banages that act like a second skin - after using them for about a month the sore healed! Also, for the pain, he was taking Norco-and smoking medical marijuana to ease spasms. Also, staying off it as much as possible and making sure the fabric of clothing isn't irritating it- like blue jeans on a hip sore are not good-the seams, rough fabric etc. Sweats may be the way to go- also, if you can get him to go to a swimming pool, that will help dry it out. Keep it clean and wash with saline daily!
Insist on the hydrocolloidal bandages, they have worked wonders! Hope this helps