5 mths after hemorrhoidectomy

Posted , 6 users are following.

Hi guys,

I'm 5 mths out of this awful surgery and have been through hell. Here is my feedback, hope it can be of help. I'm a 38 yrs old female, no kids.

Still have some sort of pain, anus muscles are tight and pooping mechanism is nowhere to normal. Small amounts pass several times a day.

I eat a full vegetarian diet and cannot eat carbs as they immediately cause constipation, no matter how much water I drink. My digestion has changed completely to the worst after the surgery despite having taken probiotics, high fiber food and lots of water.

However, I've just realised recently that omega3 helps a lot as it is anti-inflammatory and also works as a lubricant.

Otherwise I still sit in sitz bath occasionally and take magnesium for muscle cramps.

The worst part is the leaking and the agony of pooping, not mentioning how awful my anus looks like. I was told the skin tags never really disappear.

I use Aloe Vera gel on the wounds inside and Rectogesic on the rectum to make scars softer so let muscles loosen up. I made some improvement with these.

For sure, this recovery is challenging both physically and mentally. Sadly, I lost my confidence as a woman since I always have to put some cotton pad on my anus to absorb the leaking poo so it is hard to feel good in my skin. I'm not sure when I will be able to have sex again...

If I had known about all these post-surgical complications, I would have chosen to have hemorrhoids.

Meditation, light sports, self healing qigong are all helpful to stay strong and I highly recommend all.

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Posted

    I feel you. Mine looks awful as well. Multiple skin tags. It looks far worse than it did before surgery. 
  • Posted

    Hi Emma im 6 weeks out of surgery Im also experiencing the tight anus thing, my surgeon is telling me to massage the area daily and it will loosing up, on the other hand all leakage and staining has stopped for me, may take longer in your case. The skintag deal I do not have, and I wonder why surgeon would leave excess skin...
    • Posted

      Hi,

      Yes, massage and muscle exercises help a bit but sometimes make the tightness worse, seems the anus muscle got shocked/trauma or such so doesn't wanna loosen up by force.

      I can tell you I've tried breathing techniques, kegel, anal dilation already...I just want my life back

  • Posted

    Dear Emma - So sorry to hear about your condition. It really is sad that doctors don't tell the patients what could happen. I had doctors in my family who have haemorrhoids and they simply never go for the surgery and have advised me to refrain for it too. I think there is a huge commercial aspect associated with haemorrhoids treatment.

    I have done a lot of research and have found that certain things really do help in healing and making the process better. The reality is that not two individuals have exactly the same GI track and straining is purely related to how your GI track is and whether it is twisted, dry, constricted or simple and straight. 

    There are things that can definitely help. 

    Hope you recover soon.

     

    • Posted

      Hi,

      Yes, I started to believe the surgeon forced this op due to sheer financial benefit as my insurance paid a lot.

      I asked for the non-surgical treatment like the rubber band thing but he refused saying that is temporary. Altough, I only had small hemorrhoids internally. Well, I was stupid not to look it up on Google for more info...

      I was told that recovery time would be 5-6 weeks...when I went back after 3 months with still serious pain and all, my surgeon shrugged his shoulders saying it had never happened to his hundreds of patients and blamed me for not treating myself properly.

      I almost gave up on my life at that moment...

  • Posted

    Hi Emma, I am sorry to read your story.  I am just under 5 weeks post op and I both hear and feel your pain.  I would avoid this procedure at all costs unless there was no other option.  I saw my Regular doc this past week for an unrelated matter and spoke with him about the Hemorrhoidectomy.  He said that it is one of the worst operations from a post op healing process.  The majority of his patients regret it.  I’m one of them.  Yes, there are some few who sail through it but that is clearly an exception.  

    I also wonder about a commercial aspect to this as someone said above.   My bill for the procedure was over $16K.  It’s covered by insurance but I do question the rush to surgery, at least in my case.

    For what it’s worth you are not alone!

    My healing is now going fairly well.  At almost 5 weeks out I am about 95%.  I still use 3-4 gauze pads every day.  I can’t sit for more than 3 hours at a time.    I have reduced the amount laxatives so that I am now “regular”.  I still take daily Citrucel and fiber gummies.  My exercise is back to normal - although to be fair I never stopped running.  Just back in the gym this past week.  So all in all I’m ok now, but it’s been a long journey and I do not yet consider myself fully healed.

    Sex.  To be honest the first few weeks this was far far from my mind.  As a male this procedure also impacted my frontal parts creating a sort of numbness which still has not entirely dissipated.  I expect (hope) that will fade.

    I hope you improve as quickly as possible.  

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