6 months after hemorrhoid surgery recovering experience and advice on how to get through it
Posted , 65 users are following.
So i figured i would post my experience after 6 months, since when i got the surgery and was looking for info it seemed like 99% of the posts i found only covered the first few weeks or so. Then the person goes MIA when people ask for a update.
So some back story im 27, and had my surgery on 11/23/17. So in about a week i will be at the 6 month mark. I had 4 hemorrhoids removed all together. 3 smaller internal ones and one medium sized external one. Overall would i do it again? definitely, but there is alot of stuff i wish i knew before hand.
Plan on taking atleast 2 weeks off of work, more if you in any kind of driving job/physical labor job. If you fall into that category take a month off if you can, if your doing physical labor take it easy for atleast 2 months.
My doctor originally told me i would be back on my feet within 3-5 days. But i spent the first week pretty much laying in bed on my side. After about a week i was able to walk around and do normal activities somewhat, but it was not a comfortable experience at all. Bending over hurt, walking up and down stairs hurt, getting in and out of the car hurt and i pretty much carried a pillow around everywhere i went. Overall though i think the 2nd week was worst than the first. You should get some good pain meds to get you through the first week or so, but once they run out you start to feel everything u didnt feel the first week, plus combined with the fact you going to be moving around more. If i had to do it again, i probably would have suffered more the first week and taken less meds then saved them for the 2nd/3rd week. A word of advice looking back is even though you are in pain you should take the minimum amount of pain meds you can. They will make you constipated and the last thing you want after hemorrhoid surgery is to be constipated. Trust me i learned that hard way. Start taking fiber pills a week or so before surgery and dont stop until you feel 100% better. Try not to eat anything hard either. I pretty much ate, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and bought a bunch of those ensure drinks for the first two weeks. You want whatever is going in you to come out as easy as you can. Liquids/soft foods are your friend.
It took me about 4 days after my surgery to finally use the bathroom (why i said dont take to many pain pill) and im not going to lie it was excruciating. It took about 2weeks in total to be able to use the bathroom without being in alot of pain and 3 weeks for it be be "comfortable". But the first two weeks were definitely the worst. I legit almost passed out i was in so much pain a few times. Dont push just sit and wait. If it doesnt work try again later. You will be in there for a bit, take you time. Over all id say it took about a month to use the bathroom normally. I bled almost every single time for the first 2-3 weeks. Then it slowly stopped over time. In the end it took about 2 months for me to stop bleeding. Also dont be afraid if you look in the mirror and see what it looks like. Its going to look horrible the first month or so. But after about a month most of the swelling should have gone down and it will start to look more "normal". Within 1-2 months id say about 50-75% of the swelling should be gone depending on how much work you needed.
It took me about a month in total for me to be back to doing my normal activities without being to uncomfortable. The only real issues i had was sitting for to long, or bending over to pick stuff up. It isnt really a pain, its more of a tightness, kind of the feeling of having a pulled muscle. I was originally told the swelling/tightness would last for 2-3 months. For me i say that more of a minimum. While the swelling went down alot after 2 months (id say about 75%) the tightness and stiffness stuck around. I went back to the doctor at the 4 month mark to ask him about it and he told me i still had some healing going on for the external one and to give it a month or two. After 5 months the stiffness has gone away, now that im coming up on month number 6 and i would say im about 99% back to normal. Which sort of makes sense since scar tissue takes around 5 months to heal. While 6 months seems like a long time to deal with this its really more like 2 months of actual pain. The third month your going to be annoyed here and there by it, and 4-6 you should start to forget you even had the surgery.
The only real issue id say after its all said and done is i still have some loose skin where the stitches were on the eternal one. When i mentioned it to the doctor on the 4th month he said it can be easily removed with a office procedure in about 2 minutes if i wanted. But i should wait to see if it goes down a bit. I originally had a little loose skin on the other side (from the internal one swelling) when talked to him and thats completely gone now. So i figured id wait another month or to see what happens before i have that done. But once that is gone it will almost look like i never had the surgery at all.
Overall im really happy i had it done. Yeah it sucked for a few months, but ive been dealing with them since i was 15 years old. So 5 months of pain to no longer deal with hemorrhoids was well worth it. Id definitly do it again if needed (but i pray i never have to) lol
Lastly this might fall into the TMI catagory but im bi some im going to include this for the girls/guys out there who like anal sex because when i searched i found almost nothing. One of my concerns about this whole thing was my sex life. My advice is take a break for atleast 5-6 months before you try to put anything in there, then when you do start small. I tried around month 4 and it hurt alot, wait till your feeling 100% better then wait a extra month. Your getting a new a**hole in the end. Imagine the first time you ever put something in there, well thats how its going to be again. If you feel any discomfort, just wait a bit longer. I tried again about a week ago, and while it still wasnt easy it was 100x easier then it was at month 4. So you sex life isnt gone, its just postponed a bit and you need to slowly get back into it. It was a night and day difference between month 4 and 6, so i assume its going to get even easier as time goes on.
14 likes, 75 replies
Happybum neal0270
Edited
I find it hilarious when I read and when I hear that they say you'll be back on your feet in a few days and back at work after a week to three. Yeah, right! LOL! Liars. I had one small and one large hem removed and let me tell ya, it was no cake walk. I STILL can't sit properly and it's 4 months since my surgery. The surgeon told me that it would take 6 months to a year to get back to normal so that fits with what you are saying Neal0270. I had pain, a fissure (which healed after about 2 months and a cream that I was prescribed and used religiously along with sitz baths - several a day). I also had a horrid smell and leakage that ebbed off by the third month mark. I also developed tenesmus (google it) that I still have along with spasming. And like I said, I cannot sit properly and I also had coccydnia (terrific coccyx pain) that started last May and I STILL have it, much reduced, but it does not allow me to sit either. So, depending on your situation, yes, maybe you can be back in the saddle after a few weeks, or it may takes month. It all depends on your own unique situation. My surgeon is a colorectal specialist so he knows his stuff and yes, after 6 mos to a year I should feel back to normal again.
Now, having said all this, was it worth it? Yep. I lost a year of my life to hems and who would have believed they could cause such absolute misery and loss of quality of life. I was literally house bound and bed bound. I could barely stay on my feet and I lost so much sleep, etc. The pain, burning, etc. was brutal. The surgery wasn't easy but at least it's over and hopefully in a few months I'll have my life back. Thanks for this post, Neal0270. Oh and by the way, NO ONE is going near that area EVER! LOL!!!!
samantha71007 Happybum
Edited
Hey!
Thanks for your input. I'm 6 weeks out from open hemorrhoidectomy for 3 large internal and a large external pile. I've been struggling with tenesmus and am having a hard time finding anyone (other than yourself) that has also experienced this. How is that symptom going for you? I have a very large hardened area (under where external incision was), that i am sure is putting pressure and sending signals to need to go. Did/do you have a localized firm area under the skin too? ugh, this tenesmus is so anxiety provoking and I hope it resolves...the studies ive read say about 8% have issues relative to this after 87 MONTHS!!! Please lets hope not, although I seem to always be the outlier.
I appreciate your feedback and willingness to share!
maria22935 Happybum
Posted
hey! how is your pain now? im still in stabbing pain when i sit and am 18 months post surgery. wondering if its tenesnus like you mention.
neel34670 Happybum
Posted
Do you still have tenesmus ? any updates ?
Danny715 Happybum
Posted
How are you now?
lora00496 neal0270
Posted
thank you for this! i had a hemorrhoidectomy in August 2019 and it went pretty easy, well it was much like yours, except the bleeding went away after 6 weeks or so. HOWEVER, I had anal skin tags removed in the office in December 2019 and developed an abscess. It was awful! It burst, but I'm still having a yellowish discharge, especially post bm. Its been two months, and I'm relieved to read yours didnt go away fully until around the 3 month mark. It's the only symptom left, but its making crazy because I'm not going to have sex until its really done, and it feels like its never done! gah. I just want to date...
cristine44950 neal0270
Edited
hi!! you posted a long time ago, i dont know if you are still here. but if you were, i wanted to ask, did the skin tag resolve on its own? i now have what i think is a skin tag near or at the area where the doctor removed my external hemorrhoid. its not painful but it is uncomfortable... will it go away on its own ?
AAM0 cristine44950
Edited
hi, i was checking this post and saw your comment, how long has it been since your surgery? its been about a month and a week since mine and i believe i may have a skin tag or a lump or something...
charles61767 neal0270
Edited
im glad I came across this post. I had my initial surgery Dec 23, 2019. was slowly healing and then on Jan 3rd, i had an artery burst. almost bled out and died in the ER. had to have a blood transfusion with 4 units of blood. lost those 4 units in less than an an hour and a half. 8 hours later while still in the hospital, the same artery opened up again and 2 more units and a second emergency surgery in less than that 10 hours apart. As of now, i am recovering pretty good. I'm pretty much back to my normal routine, but taking it easy when i can. The only concern i have now is, from time to time i get some slight burning and itching after a BM. the only other issue it have is slight discharge after BM. not really a discharge as it is almost like i didn't wipe good, but i did, so its happening after. just curious if anyone else has had any of these types of issues. I don't have any pain other than the slight burning sometimes after a BM.
Jrose85 charles61767
Edited
I am so sorry to hear about this but iv just had a similar experience and made a account on ere hoping for some answers i am 37 male pretty fit never had any other health issues other than piles for the past 6 years that have worsened in the last 2 with bleeding ever time a passed a stool so i had no option but to get this op and on the 27/05/22 I went to have my hemorrhoids removed the surgeon i had was very rude from the start and I was not confident in him from the first time we met as he made a statement when I asked if surgery was the only option as i had stage 4 piles and had about 5 big external piles and his reply was I could get a gun put it to your head and pull the trigger and laughed so from the start I did not feel safe but knew I had no option but to have the surgery I then went back to my GP and explained what had happened my GP apologised for him and asked if I would be willing to see him a second time but I bring someone so I agreed and took my mother with me he apologised for what he said and I agreed to have the op even tho I still didn’t feel safe, On the operation day I seen him again before I went in to the operation and did not say hello when I came in the room all he said was "you know this is going to hurt don’t you" I replied yes you told me before and he gave me the paper to sign which I signed gave him back and he just said see you soon, Which made me feel even more uneasy, I don’t think the op he did went well from the start. After my operation i was sent me home within 30mins already bleeding pretty bed I was told that it’s normal they gave me a biscuit and drink and sent me home anyway, I felt something was wrong but was told it was normal, I got home about 17:00-18:00 I layed down and did not move because my stomach was hurting and I was in pain later that night I went to the toilet about 22:30 for a wee I trumped and blood started pouring out I could feel myself dying as I nearly bled out, I lost a lot of blood roughly just under 2 liters and my partner saved me by calling the ambulance keeping me awake and holding a towel on my rear end untill the ambulance came, the ambulance staff and the nurses and second surgeon was amazing ppl so good with me and I really appreciate what they did and if I recover from this I would like to find them to to say Thankyou in person to show my gratitude for saving my life, during the second operation I had to have later that night I had a blood transfusion and another general anaesthetic for the operation, I woke up in hospital and slept on the ward where there was some amazing nurses that shift, I rested in that day and did not move from the bed. The next day the new morning staff was on and was trying to rush me to go and pass a stool so I could go home I personally thought it was to soon as I have just undergone 2 ops in the past 48h but I put my trust in them I did what they told me they brought in the commode and helped me out of bed and onto it, as I sat down I knew it was too soon and did not and could not push because of the pain and lack of strength I just sat and waited for it to come, I then began to bleed again so I rung to buzzer and no one came so another patient across from me asked if I was ok I told him what was happening he got up out of his bed and walked down to the nurses to ask them to come and help as they was all stood talking and laughing and replied they would be there in a second while I was dripping with blood, when the nurse came which took them quite a while to come over to me I was then asked do I want it whipping in which I replied I want to know if this is normal or can you get a dr or surgeon to take a look, i then had 4 surgeons turn up about 1 hour later to tell me I will have to have another operation as it wasn’t looking good so at this point my faith in some of the British nhs is lowering by the second and I was scared and now I’m back in the operating room, I had the third op on 29/05/22 and went back to my ward to recover I stayed in there for another 3 days but while I was in there I had been poked with needles and blood taken to the point I don’t know what was going in or out I had a cannula in my left arm for days which had caused a blood clot in my left arm and causing my left hand and fingers go numb, since I left the hospital I also feel constantly dizzy, my stomach feels like a uncomfortable pain, my bum hole hurts abit but not that bad, my left testical is tender and have lost a considerable amount of body mass since this whole op I was never told what I should expect after the op other than my anus would be in pain, I never had any of these other issues before the operation I was fit and healthy and went to the gym 4-5 times a week run about 2 miles 2-3 times a week and had paid to have a full body check before I went in to have this operation and was fit and Healthy on paper. After all this traumatic events I then I had to go back to the hospital on 2 occasions to find out if what I was experiencing was normal and I was worried and scared and could not get seen right away so I had to wait 9 hours before I was seen in the triage and it’s only because the lady in the triage put me straight up stairs and got me a bed and mentioned I should not have been waiting all that time after all I have been through, I stayed over night and was seen the next day and was told my head lightness would go they
but the dull stomach pain has not changed which I am concerned and worried about and seems to be all over my belly area but mainly on my left side under my ribs and my left testical is still sensitive, I am still leaking out my anus like iv not whiped properly im still wearing a mens nappy, i stopped taking laxatives on the 15/6/22 and my stools are getting harder but it feels like when i need a poo its like trying to get a orange through a keyhole i feel tight inside and my diet has been very good and consistent but my weight has not moved up yet which is also concerning i it is now the 19.06.22 it has now been 3 weeks since my last operation and hoping i can get some answers on here please as i am very worried and if anyone can help or been through something similar and has advice i would very much appreciate it
Thankyou for reading this
jan54904 Jrose85
Posted
it sounds like you've had a really rough time, i am also in Britain ended up with bad hem's after having a very big baby (bad labour care due to covid and not being allowed in until 5 mins before delivery) had the worst time ever with thrombosed external piles, ended up postnatally depressed and feeling completely crap about life in general, lost loads of weight cause i was scared to eat because i didn't want to have a BM. GP spoke to me on the phone and tood me to lose more weight without ever seeing me or asking me my height or weight, at this point i wad almost under weight. Needed a blood transfusion at birth which i didn't get, got sent home the same night passing out and hardly able to stand up, no one even took my blood pressure! I feel your frustration, i sought help privately in the end as the nhs said id have to wait 3 years to fix my child birth injuries which is crazy considering most people get sorted on the day. Found a Dr in Bristol who specialises in this type of removal, she was amazing but informed me fully that it would be a rough ride. Im 6 months on and really getting there, its been hard trying to manage the pain with work and small children who need lifting and assisting and at times i have felt like there is no paint die to how much pain i have gone through. BM's were traumatic for months, i couldnt face it everyday but i kept to a very bland diet woth lots of fruit, veg and fibre and only drink water. caffiene and alcohol made things worse. It sounds to me but obv i have no medical training im just going off my own experience that oerhaps the tightness youre feeling (kills you all day after a BM) might be cause by anal stenosis. If you think about it you have a wound in the area much like a fissure and after a bowel movement spasming occurs and it feels so uncomfortably rigid you can barely cope. I looked for solutions to anal stenosis and it has helped mega and i can honestly say I have turned a massive corner because i was so depressed. For me Yoga moves really helped and breathing exercises to push the blood onto the area. Relax on the toilet, easier said than done when you know the pain is coming but my Dr advised to apply vaseline to the area before hand, use a foot stool and sit up straight and breathe to relax your muscles, dont push or tense. I dont even think about it now which is crazy because 2 months ago i was still crying. Use a cream like vaseline or lidocaine ointment to ease the tightness/pain. Take epsom salt baths to ease the pain and cleanse. I hope this helps.
Nemi2022 Jrose85
Posted
So sorry to read of your ordeal. Hope you're in much better shape by now. Maybe you can do the pelvic-floor exercise ( Kegel exercise) to strengthen the pelvic floor muscle. There is stool softener you can take so that passing motion will be less painful.
noonah80 Jrose85
Posted
oh my goodness! your journey sounds like a living nightmare. i just wanted to say I am so sorry you went through this traumatising experience. i went through an awful trauma with an op in 2022 too and it still give me anxiety, something I had never had before. how are you doing now?
I had a haemorroidectomy last Thursday, its now Tuesday and the pain is horrendous but your story makes mine seem easy.
jack99106 jan54904
Posted
hi - wondering if you could recommend the Dr you used in Bristol? looking for someone in Bristol myself.
trex neal0270
Edited
This form barbaric surgery doctors call the gold standard must be banned. We dont live in the medieval ages anymore there are newer more safer and painless forms of surgery which do not cause severe excruciating pain and bleed - it is called "HAL (Hemorrhoidal Artery Ligation) also known as Transanal Hemorrhoidal Dearterialization (THD) or Doppler Guided HAL (Haemorrhoid Artery Ligation). In fact, if there is any pain caused by it is only mild.
Doppler Guided Haemorrhoid Artery Ligation is the new 21st century modern medicine/technology surgery. It has actually been out for the past few years. If your surgeon is not up-to-date with this then you need to refuse and seek a surgeon that knows about Doppler Guided Haemorrhoid Artery Ligation. Its does the same thing as Hemorrhoidopexy (stapling the hemmoroids) or any form laser surgery or hemmroidectomy - these are all very painful afterwards, even any form of laser surgery. The laser is a hot beam of light used to cut away the hemmoroid but in the end the after effect is still very painful.
If you have some money and they dont want to do it on the NHS, beleive me it is worth spending the money than spending horrific agonising months in severe excruciating pain.
Toddy0191 trex
Edited
Well, I was told my surgeon pre operation today that they had decided to go from THD to a full hemorrhoidectomy as there was less chance of recurrence.
I was losing dangerous amounts of blood and never want that to happen again so went for it.
Have had 4 units of blood transfused since Saturday so hopefully this is then end of this 2 year nightmare.
I'm out and awake and the pain is bad but bearable.
maria22935 trex
Posted
but HAL doesnt work for externals, unfortunately.