Anal skin tag removal
Posted , 50 users are following.
I wanted to post my experience because I read a lot of horrible things about anal skin tag removals.
I thought I had a hemorrhoid. I bled and felt the little lump. I lived with it for 4 years until it got too irritating. I booked an appointment with a colorectal doc who did a quick physical exam and told me I have an internal hemorrhoid and an external skin tag. She said they don't remove the internal hemorrhoids unless they really have to because the recovery is difficult. She said the external skin tag was created from a fissure when I was constipated. I had chemo 4 years ago for ovarian cancer so that is when I was most constipated.
She said the skin tag could be removed in office with shots in the anal area. Um, no. She then said, because I have a previous cancer diagnosis and my aunt died of colon cancer, I qualified to get a colonoscopy. She could take it off the skin tag during the colonoscopy. She would cut it off and cauterize it.
I decided to do it. I was told I would need a week to recover.
The prep was the worst. I got through 7/8ths of the prep before I threw up. Then I waited two hours to drink the remaining prep. The next day I felt nauseated but didn't throw up again.
The colonoscopy portion went ok. The IV was fine because they gave me some numbing medicine. I have had a lot of IVs and they are way easier with the numbing shot first. However, when I was in the procedure room, the anesthesiologist pushed the meds through my IV way too fast, it totally burned, way more than it burned with chemo. Then I quickly fell asleep.
I woke up afterwards with gauze in my bum. They sent me home and I drank a milkshake to calm my stomach, then I went straight to sleep. I woke up later and ate a small dinner and took a normal dose of Miralax. Then I took a bath. I tried removing the gauze early on in the bath but it hurt. So I waited for the bath water to let the gauze float off. Then it didn't hurt.
That night I took another normal dose of Miralax. The next day I pooped, but it didn't hurt. It was very loose. So daily I have been told to take 3 baths a day AND after every poop. I have been taking two doses of Miralax a day and it has totally worked to keep my poop loose and pain free. My doctor had said to take a different stool softener but I know Miralax works for me so that is why I am taking it.
My doc gave me a SPRIX prescription. It is an anti-inflammatory pain reliever that is a nasal spray. Follow the directions and it won't burn as much. Holding your breath is key. I have found it to be helpful in reducing the swelling of my anal wound and the pain has decreased.
I am on day 3. So far, little pain and I am up doing laundry, etc. I will update when my week is up.
I think the baths are key to not getting an infection in the anal wound. I want to avoid an infection at all costs.
0 likes, 105 replies
jen94000 candice43816
Posted
I'm glad I came across this thread. I just had one removed 5 days ago now and it's still hard for me to walk, shift and sit properly. I also have this mountain that everyone's talking about haha. The second day was horrible for me, my bm was slightly more solid than it needed to be (not hard by any means) and I was light headed/ on the verge of fainting ALL DAY. No joke or exageration, I couldn't even sit up without almost falling over - it was mad. I take miralax now everyday and add a few prunes to smoothies often. Word to the wise - keep your bm as soft as possible.
I guess a question I had was how long did it take for the mountain to go down & back to normal? Will it continue to be painful / sore to touch until it does? I can't even wipe / touch back there, I rinse off after bm's and add some toilet paper in between my cheeks to dry. Bought a sitz bath for the toilet, I'm hoping to have it in soon to soak.
Any answers are welcomed!
ess01646 jen94000
Posted
im 2 weeks post op with a huge mountain too! bms still painful and i have a long piece of stitch coming out. ugh.
hazza87 candice43816
Posted
also is anyone else based in melbourne australia?? because based on my research i can only seem to find surgical solutions to anal skin tags in my city whereas in the usa they seem to have more less invasive options. has everyone here gone the hospital/ surgery route or are there other viable treatments??
ally06189 hazza87
Posted
I went to my family doctor & asked for a referral. I'm 2 hours from Melbourne & had 2 tags removed surgically 6 weeks ago just at the local hospital. I'm booked in to see my doctor about a missed skin tag in 3 weeks to see what my other options are as I had the tags removed during a colonoscopy.
Taylorx candice43816
Posted
Hey i just wanted to jump on here i am just looking for some advice, I had an anal skin tag removed 3 weeks ago, it was basically burnt off and stitched. The stiches have all dissolved now but there is still like a flap of skin from were the doctor cut it off he did say the swelling would take a full month to go down but i feel like i am almost back were i started weeks ago its making me so miserable i have a follow up appointment next week but i am just worried that the skin wont go down i was just wondering how long it took before it looked normal again and is it actually just swelling i just want to feel confident again
Morgan1234 Taylorx
Posted
Hi! I know you wrote to the OP but i wanted to say that we are in the same boat! I had my removal almost 7 weeks ago and I still have the three tags she removed. At my 5 week check up, my colorectal surgeon said i was healing well and it was swelling. I read online it can take up to 3 months to heal! I think you are on the right track!
Taylorx Morgan1234
Posted
Thanks for sending me a message, It was just one tag that i got removed but it literally looks the same as before its just like a flap of skin if that makes sense it was hard when the stitches were in it but its softened up now, do you mind me asking if you had stiches with your skin tag removals? I know i should give it a couple more weeks but i am freaking out thinking it might stay like that after already going through the surgery. It is so good to know that i am not alone in this. did your surgeon say it should eventually go back to normal?
Morgan1234 Taylorx
Posted
Mine looks exactly the same, too! It looks how it did pre-surgery. My doctor said that it is swelling not new tags. However, I feel exactly the same as you! I am anxious that I went through this procedure for no reason. I am checking it multiple times a day with a mirror. Believe me, 3 weeks post op is too soon to tell! I was still swollen at 5 weeks! If my surgeon is right, I am still swollen at 7 weeks. My next check up with her isnt until June! I made a post on her a few days ago where i posted two pictures, if you want to look. It might make you feel better seeing someone else going through something similar.
I had 3 tags removed by laser with no stitches. I wasn't put under general anesthesia. My doctor numbed each tag and lasered it off.
Taylorx Morgan1234
Posted
I feel like we are in the exact same situation, I also cant stop checking it either magically hoping i wake up and its just gone. It makes me feel more positive knowing that its still too early and that it is probably still just the swelling. Please keep me updated on your journey ill let you know how my follow up goes next week. I did speak to my doctor who said it might need a little bit more work on it but i am just hoping i wont need more stiches cause i feel like i am going around in circles. Did you find after it was lasered off that the area around were the skin tag was removed that its kind of purple is this scar tissue? Do you know how i could find the pictures i am new to this forum. it would defintely help me to get through it to see someone else is dealing with something simular
Morgan1234 Taylorx
Posted
If you go into the main section where all the discussions in this forum are, mine is titled "Anal Skin Tag Surgery - botched recovery?"
The only purple I had was bruising! My skin was very sensitive and I even had bruising on my butt cheeks! I do not know how scar tissue forms but my doctor did mention that to me too. She said that because the area is so sensitive and you are constantly agitating it, we cant predict how it will heal!
I read this online a few days ago, "Swelling after the procedure is very common, and for the first few weeks, it is not uncommon to feel as if there are more ‘tags’ than before. Depending on the degree and duration of the postoperative swelling, the skin around the anal canal can stretch, and new tags may form." I think for now, try to remain calm, go to your follow up next week and share all your concerns! Let me know if I can be any more assistance!
Taylorx Morgan1234
Posted
sorry i meant to reply to you but i clicked the original persons post by accident
bee54278 Morgan1234
Posted
hey how long was it in the end for you till you completley healed?
loudsouth67772 bee54278
Posted
hi have you healeed? i am looking for support i got this done 11 days ago and am wrose than i was before. i'm struggling to see the light right now 😦 i didnt know i'd look soooo much worse.
Taylorx candice43816
Posted
I managed to find it nice to know i am not the only one struggling. Thanks for sharing your experience with me it has helped me. I am going to go to the appointment next week and ill give you an update then. ill also give it a couple more weeks and hopefully everything will go back to normal. Best of luck with the rest of your recovery and i hope it all works out in the end
Morgan1234 Taylorx
Posted
good luck! let us know what the doctor says next week!!