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Does anyone else have slow wound healing?

Messages
1,478
Hi

Since I got ill in 2013, I have noticed that small skin scrapes and cuts take forever to heal (around 8-10 weeks). My GP doesn't seem to think it is a problem (but he doesn't think anything is a problem really).

Does anybody else have this? I read that zinc can help, but so far supplementing with this has had no effect. If this is a common problem does anybody have a good alternative solution/ remedy?

I feel a bit stupid asking since in the scheme of things it's a bit minor, just wondered whether there was a simple fix?
 

Butydoc

Senior Member
Messages
790
Hi

Since I got ill in 2013, I have noticed that small skin scrapes and cuts take forever to heal (around 8-10 weeks). My GP doesn't seem to think it is a problem (but he doesn't think anything is a problem really).

Does anybody else have this? I read that zinc can help, but so far supplementing with this has had no effect. If this is a common problem does anybody have a good alternative solution/ remedy?

I feel a bit stupid asking since in the scheme of things it's a bit minor, just wondered whether there was a simple fix?
Hi Arewenearlythereyet,

I far as I know, there is no relationship to wound healing in CFS/ME. Wound healing is actually a complicated process. The solution is generally dependent on the cause and the condition of the wound.

Best,
Gary
 

Crux

Senior Member
Messages
1,441
Location
USA
I have slow wound healing.

Adding copper to my regimen has helped. Zinc works better with copper and vice versa.

Also, too little or too much iron can interfere with healing. I tend to accumulate iron.
 

Butydoc

Senior Member
Messages
790
I have slow wound healing.

Adding copper to my regimen has helped. Zinc works better with copper and vice versa.

Also, too little or too much iron can interfere with healing. I tend to accumulate iron.
Hi Crux,

I'm not discounting your personal experience with Copper, Zinc and Iron, but in general, unless there is severe malnutrition, supplements make little difference with wound healing. I was the director of a large wound care program for more than a decade, and never ordered these supplements unless the patient was severely malnourished.

Best,
Gary
 
Messages
1,478
Hi Crux,

I'm not discounting your personal experience with Copper, Zinc and Iron, but in general, unless there is severe malnutrition, supplements make little difference with wound healing. I was the director of a large wound care program for more than a decade, and never ordered these supplements unless the patient was severely malnourished.

Best,
Gary
Hi @Butydoc

Do you kmow what would affect the speed of wound healing? This definitely coincided with my illness but may be another one of those associated things rather than specifically CFS related.
 

Butydoc

Senior Member
Messages
790
Hi @Butydoc

Do you kmow what would affect the speed of wound healing? This definitely coincided with my illness but may be another one of those associated things rather than specifically CFS related.
Hi Arewenearlythereyet,

Radiation, diabetes, vascular disease, certain autoimmune diseases, drugs, etc. The problem is that there are so many different causes of delayed wound healing that it is impossible to specifically determine the cause without the patients history and a thorough physical exam. So many of us have co-morbitities which could effect the healing process. Sorry that I couldn't be more specific, but that's the nature of wound healing problems.

Best,
Gary
 

Butydoc

Senior Member
Messages
790
I have problems with peripheral blood flow. The latest wound that took forever to heal was near my pinky finger knuckle.
Hi Diwi9,

Peripheral arterial disease generally causes problems in the lower extremities with healing. I've seen finger tip ulcers from Raynauds disease and certain autoimmune diseases but can't recall seeing problems in the fingers from PAD. My mother had an autoimmune disease that completely occluded the major arteries to both upper extremities, but never had a healing problem. As I stated earlier in this thread, very difficult to figure out your problem without a good history and physical exam.

Best,
Gary
 

SilverbladeTE

Senior Member
Messages
3,043
Location
Somewhere near Glasgow, Scotland
Same.
I used to heal extremely well and fast
Now I always get "Black blood bruising" under the skin etc that takes months to clear up form even small things.
NOT just from getting older, ever since this damn illness got worse 13 or more years ago now and long before I had neuropathy.

very annoying and worrying for long term health

had my hand fried 3 times from grabbing red hot steel over the years before (oh one feels SOOOOO dumb grabbing a pipe you've been welding, and forgetting you'd taken of your leather gauntlet...doh! :p ) and that healed perfectly,
as well as numerous deep cuts (never even needed stiches bar some surgical operations) and uncounted bruises
so this is not normal for me.
 

Kati

Patient in training
Messages
5,497
While I agree with @Butydoc regarding unnecessary supplementation, I would like to mention vitamin C in helping with wound healing. My surgeon prescribes it routinely post ops for her patients for that reason. With many folks here going on a low carb or ketogenic diets, it may be worth mentioning.

As for Raynauds, I too am affected. Avoidance of cold stimulis, heating pads and electric blankets will increase circulation to your extremities and help wound healing. I would not put myself in the slow healing wound category though.
 

Crux

Senior Member
Messages
1,441
Location
USA
I'm not discounting your personal experience with Copper, Zinc and Iron, but in general, unless there is severe malnutrition, supplements make little difference with wound healing.

There is some research that has had success with copper.
This is with animal models :
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/734329_1

Here's an abstract :
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23019153

An article about iron and wound healing.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4091310/
 

PennyIA

Senior Member
Messages
728
Location
Iowa
I, too, have experienced slow wound healing. For the most part, we're looking at very minor scratches and cuts. And taking multiple weeks for it to heal sufficiently that the scab can come off.

FWIW, I looked at a lot of factors related to wound healing - and the only 'oddity' I know of, is that I clot quickly (have a disorder that means I'm prone to blood clots)... but that tends to make wound healing a lot quicker as it tends not to bleed very long and the healing process starts more efficiently.

I'm partially convinced that between MTHFR and related genetics, other dietary restrictions for my 50 years, then adding in the serious gut issues I've had since getting ill (severe diarrhea easily 10 days out of every 11 for around 9 to 10 years) has all led to a combination of factors that have led to nutritional deficiencies. I've done a lot of supplementation which seemed to help with more than a few symptoms, but hit some kind of wall with it. At this point I don't tolerate the majority of my supplements.
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
Since I got ill in 2013, I have noticed that small skin scrapes and cuts take forever to heal (around 8-10 weeks). My GP doesn't seem to think it is a problem (but he doesn't think anything is a problem really).

Does anybody else have this? I read that zinc can help, but so far supplementing with this has had no effect. If this is a common problem does anybody have a good alternative solution/ remedy?

I definitely noticed an increase in would healing time, especially for the more minor cuts and scratches. They seemed to remain unhealed for weeks, rather than repairing themselves within days. The larger cuts were not so bad, but with the more minor cuts, it was almost as if my body had "not noticed" there was a cut there, and so did nothing about repairing it.

Anecdotally I did get the impression that topical zinc worked well to speed up healing (I'd crush a 30 mg zinc supplement tablet, and put the tiniest dab of the powder on the wound, probably less than 1 mg worth of zinc — I found less is more when it comes to zinc).

Not sure whether this might be due to the nutritional effects of zinc, or the fact that zinc has antimicrobial properties.



The virus I caught caused some skin changes, creating fine crêpe paper-like wrinkles on the skin (this occurred in many people who caught my virus), the wrinkles looking very similar to those of the skin disease of mid-dermal-elastolysis. I think in my case, the slow healing might be connected to these skin changes.

I don't have the slow healing problem so much these days though.
 

alex3619

Senior Member
Messages
13,810
Location
Logan, Queensland, Australia
There appears to be a return of scurvy to the modern world, largely in diabetics who avoid fruit. If your diet is devoid of fruit than a short course of vitamin C might help determine if this is the problem. If you do not respond then its probably not an issue. Anyone who eats fruit probably will not have this issue either.
 

PatJ

Forum Support Assistant
Messages
5,288
Location
Canada
Low vitamin d can cause slow wound healing.

A few years ago I had a burn on my leg that refused to heal. My doctor told me to keep it covered with Polysporin. After a month of no change (at all) he said it might need a biopsy to investigate further. I went online and looked up 'slow wound healing' and found that low vitamin d is one possibility. I usually avoid vitamin d because it makes some of my symptoms much worse, and I haven tested low for years, but I started supplementing and my burn began to heal almost immediately.