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Haemoroidoctomy scheduled (positive stories?)

Posted , 6 users are following.

lou101
lou101

hi. i posted a bit ago that i have had piles for 12 years and around 7 times banding has been done. my last banding was done in may. it didn't get them all and was still left with a very big one.

so I'm booked in to have a haemoroidoctomy done on 27th september. i am absolutely terrified!! I've read all the horror stories on here, got to the point where i thought of canceling it but know it needs doing.

just wondering if people prepped food wise beforehand or anything.

how long did people have off work?

what pain relief people used (i live in the uk) and is there any positive stories out there.

straining on the toilet is a big issue with me. what medications would people recommend to prevent constipation and straining? (not lactulose)

its 3 and a half week away and still can't stop thinking how bad it's going to be and over thinking it.

any help and advice is greatly appreciated

0 likes, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • mary98122
    mary98122 lou101

    Posted

    ill keep tou updated when i get mine done this week. ive mentally prepared myself its gonnna hurt alot. where abouts in uk? im from near manchester but lived in canada 8 years

    • lou101
      lou101 mary98122

      Posted

      yes, keep me updated. don't think I've ever been so scared! i live in bradford but having it done in a private hospital. haven't paid, it's just where my surgeon is based but a lot nicer than bradford royal infirmary

      what day are you going in? is it a day case? it states in my letter i may need to stay in overnight.

      I've read so many horror stories on here 😢😱

      good luck!!

    • mary98122
      mary98122 lou101

      Posted

      i go in thursday i'll find out what time when the nurse calls me tomorrow. As far as i know as long as no complications i shall be in and out same day

    • lou101
      lou101 mary98122

      Posted

      good luck! mine is at 1pm so I'm allowed some breakfast. it's a horrible feeling waiting for the date to arrive

    • valerie38106
      valerie38106 lou101

      Posted

      im surprised you get to eat I did the flush the day before and could have nothing after midnight i had my surgery around 5 that evening long day! I guess all surgeons are different I didnt have to go to bathroom for 3 days after surgery and that in itself was horrible ! BEST OF LUCK

    • mary98122
      mary98122 lou101

      Posted

      yes i feel you! the nurse called up today to go over things she said just so you know it is very painful! i dont need to do a bowel prep which i am suprised about. still dont know what time i have to be at the hospital i have to call them tomorrow. she said hopefully theres no emergencies otherwise it will be cancelled. all going well it will last 30 minutes and then 30 mins in recovery then 2 hours back in room then i can go home, if any complications they keep you over night .

  • valerie38106
    valerie38106 lou101

    Posted

    YES its painful but by week 3 or so is startss getting better! DRINK LOTS of water take softeners and miralax as needed! I WAS OFF for 2 months before I went back to work, be cautious of pain medicine its constipating ! I LIVED in the bath it seemed like the warm water calms the spasming after bowel movements! I LAYED on couch and watched lots of netflix! BE CAREFUL and be patience in the end you will be so glad you had it done! my surgeon gave me a oain pump that worked for 3 days I believe that kept me from lots if pain! i also used 1 tbsp of mineral oil every morning for 2 weeks it lets everything slide out be careful with diet not much meats because they to can constipate! GOOD LUCK listen to your dictor and you should be fine! RECOVERY IS long mentally i believe more than physically fir me anyway I had hemmroidectomy done in NOV AND july had skin tag removal done im still healng from last procedure ! BEST OF LUCK hopefully you have A supportive spouse like I DO!

    • lou101
      lou101 valerie38106

      Posted

      no spouse but a mum who had it done also but 16 years pain free! I'm just worried about straining and tearing my stitches and making matters worse. i have a sitz bath that i bought from an eldelry people site haha but its brilliant and saves me running baths all time. I'm off to see a doctor to see what pain relief they can give me. i need to stay away from co codomal as I'm constipated without them! i do have tramadol that i have saved in the past. i start uni next week and then be off sick but health needs to come first

  • am97815
    am97815 lou101

    Posted

    hi lou101,

    i hope everything goes smooth and well for you.

    you are doing the right thing, it's very important to be prepared both mentally and physically. i had my surgery in August last year and here are my tips for you before and after the surgery.

    1. increase water intake from now, minimum 4 liters.
    2. avoid anything that makes you constipated, red meat /low fiber diet.
    3. take regular laxatives, to make sure you have soft stool and regularly empty your bowels. my consultant prescribed me Resolor. you can ask your GP for this, i took it with movicol 2 to 4 sachets with 1-2 sachets of fybogel. this combination worked really well for me .you need to find what works for you and its best you do before the surgery.
    4. i strongly recommend that you buy a squatty potty (foot stool) and a portable bidet for sitz bath. i got these from Amazon. bidet helped me so much specially in the first 2 weeks, i opened my bowels in bidet filled with water and it kind of took some of the pressure off. also after every bowel movement i sat in bath tub (with epsom salt added after i think 2 weeks or so). believe me sitz baths help a lot to relax your muscles.
    5. whatever you do please DO NOT get constipated. lots and lots of water and high fiber diet and salads, helped me. i didn't eat much, just drank water and a lot of water.
    6. Use ice packs to help swelling/ numb the area after bowel movements. one member on this forum suggested how to make your own icepack. so i took couple of baby nappies, filled those with water, put in zip lock bag and put it the freezer. they were perfectly creased for the purpose.
    7. i didnt take co codamol pain killers,(even when they prescribed me at hospital after surgery)they are known to cause constipation. i spoke to my gp before and got naproxen instead. please speak to your gp about pain relief as well

    i dont mean to scare you inn any way but the truth is that there is no shortcut for recovery, and please remember that it might take weeks or months and not days to fully recover. rest assured it will pass and you won't regret getting this surgery done.

    Best wishes & good luck

    • lou101
      lou101 am97815

      Posted

      thank you for the tips!

      I've had a sitz bath for a while. saved me running countless baths when I've been really bad. i shall have soaks in there.

      I'm going to go shopping and get food in that are high in fiber.

      it's the constitution that worries me, I've had trouble with my bowels and constipation all my life. when i had my piles banded i didn't go to the toilet for 9 days! laxatives make my tummy cramp up and eventually kick in but sometimes not the same day and when they do kick in i will be on the toilet for hours on and off. it's my straining that is causing the problems. I'm seeing someone about this problem. but in the past i had them banded and even with straining they went away for 2 years.

      I'm going to buy an ice pack off ebay.

      sooo scared but kinda want the day to be here to get it over and done with.

      I'm getting myself into a state and a panic now. this is how i always am but this is the biggest opp I'm having done.

      was yours a day case? and did they give you pain killers? when did the pain kick in?

      sorry for all the questions ha

    • am97815
      am97815 lou101

      Posted

      please please dont strain at all. its straining that caused all the trouble for me in the first place, started with my first pregnancy 12 years ago. try prune juice, prunes and figs. i don't take lactulose as it gives me bad cramps too. please ask your GP for Resolor(prucalopride).

      it helps your gut move in natural way, and along with movicol, its helps me go to toilet everyday without any straining. it does take some time to kick in though.

      i would suggest that you don't take stimulant laxatives, the ones that make you run to the toilet. stool shouldn't be runny otherwise it causes more irritation. try taking bulking agent like fybogel regularly

      mine was day case, i was home by the evening. yes i was given pain killers; paracetamol ibuprofen and cocodamol. but i only took paracetamol and naproxen (given by GP)

  • adamsdp
    adamsdp lou101

    Posted

    I have had grade 3 hemorrhoids and have had them reduced so they are not noticeable with CRH O'Regan banding which uses a suction tube to draw in the hem and then deploys the band over it. On the plus side, it is gentler with less complications from what I have read. It does usually take more bandings then traditional banding however. I lost count but it took 10-12 bandings for mine to be reduced. The doctor banded a different column each visit and the discomfort was very tolerable and only lasted a day or so.

    If it were me, I would pursue the banding until all hope is lost with that before resorting to surgery from the stories about how painful and difficult recovery from surgery can be.

    • lou101
      lou101 adamsdp

      Posted

      even my surgeon agrees the banding needs to stop and resort to having them cut out because then they are not there at all. 3 did fall off, i think it's just this last one that's not budging and he told me this would happen, he said it was so big it wouldn't band properly. he did the best he could. i have a really big skin tag next to the pile too which I'm assuming he will get rid of that too. i just keep having banding to then be in pain and not work for a week or two and then go back to work back at square one and still in pain. i was having two or three opps a year

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