Hemorrhoid surgery recovery tips
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Hemorrhoidectomy recovery
I had a hemorrhoidectomy two weeks ago. The doctor warned me that recovery process would be painful. But I didn't think it would be this intense. Here are a few tips to ease the pain. It made a world of difference in pain management for me:
1) ice packs-- most ice packs are not shaped for your butt and the flat ones only numb the butt cheeks, not the surgical site where you need relief. So make your own! Buy diapers (any size 3-6) and fill it with 3-4 cups of water and put it in a ziplock bag (for hygienic storage) and in the freezer. Once frozen, the diapers are curved perfectly to your anus area and won't drip as it melts either because the gel is designed to hold in liquid. I use one diaper several times before tossing. Just put it in a ziplock bag and refreeze.
2) squirt bottles--clean yourself with squirt bottles, not even wet toilet paper or baby wipes were gentle enough post surgery when the area is extremely raw. I bought two big squirt bottles at the drug store and fill them up before any bowel movements.
3) Boneal-- after cleaning the anus with the squirt bottles, I apply boneal (otc lotion for anal cleaning) lotion on toilet paper and dab it on my anus. It relieves the pain and itching that come later in the healing process.
4) sitz bath-- Do this 2-3 times a day and definitely after a bowel movement. Sometimes, I have my bowel movements in the sitz bath to ease the pain. Just remember to rinse it with soap and hot water right away if you have a bowel movement in there so you don't sit in fecal water and develop a uti on top of everything else.
5) if possible, stick to lots of veggies and soups for the first two weeks to allow the wound to heal. No starchy foods and anything binding!!!
These tips were given to me by the maternity nurses after I had a baby, but they are completely relevant here and I am especially grateful for the ice pack diaper trick! It was the ONLY way an ice pack can be applied to that anus area and not to my butt cheeks. Good luck and speedy recovery. BTW-- get all this ready, especially the diaper ice packs before surgery so you will have it immediately after you come home from surgery. You'll be in so much pain and not very mobile, so have all the relief remedies prepared ahead of time!
14 likes, 446 replies
KTM123 gee11215
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jim67005 gee11215
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Got this done 2 weeks ago.but I've been going to the toilet
5 times for bowel movement is this normal
james8525 gee11215
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shaun78993 gee11215
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I unfortunately didn't get to prepare for the surgery. I woke up, surprise, and next thing i know, I'm in the hospital.
The amount of pain i was in before the surgery i can no longer remember, but as a grown man... I claimed it was bad and was grateful to hear that surgery would stop the pain.
Now remember, i said i didn't even know this surgery existed.
So booked into hospital, into gown and wheeled into the "butchers shop". I do remember the anaesthetist was funny and i remember him saying enjoy your sleep.
When i woke up. No pain. Wonderful world in that recovery room. Once fully awake but obviously highly drugged for pain, i was wheeled back to my room and everything was good. I was kept over night and surgeon released me the following morning.
I was told to take FLAGYL and ibupain.
Now starts the real story
The pain. Omg the pain that came, i wished i never had the surgery. But it is what it is. The pain would go and I'll be better. Wrong. First bowl movement was probably what he'll feels like. Then relief.
I walked like a penguin out of the hospital and discovered that our roads are not smooth. I felt everything.
Then when I got home. I researched the op. I saw what I'm in for. This was done last Tuesday. On Wednesday my second bowl movement for the day took a major turn for the worse. Blood. And not just a little. Think kill bill. But i got it stopped and told the doc. Was told it's normal.
Next day. Think kill bill amount of blood part two.
I ended up in casualty and was admitted. I lost close to 1.7L of blood.
Oh.. the pain. Hahaha. I passed out in casualty because of it.
I'm home now, discharged again with all clear, 6 days later. But the pain has gone down alot. No more blood, but I've stayed hydrated, eating alot, if everything, and tons of fibre. Oh again i must say, staying very hydrated.
What they don't tell you is things like this happen. My case was a weird one. No one knows what went wrong or why. No infection, no new tears..
I'm on the road to recovery, staying clean. But still every bowl movement hurts like being stung by a bee.
Good luck all.
anne70831 shaun78993
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I laughed I couldn't help myself but I'm in such pain. Everything you said as far as pain goes describing me to a T* typing this sitting in my bath, that's the only way it helps my pain a bit. Thanks for sharing your experience with us! =D
anne70831 shaun78993
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PITB31896 anne70831
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I am 1 week post op today.
After having quite a substantial bleed on Sunday evening , I am now on "bleed watch" and will have to present myself to A and E should it happen again. Everyday I wake up hoping for improvement, No such luck at the moment 😑. My pain threshold is very high but OMG this is unbelievable. Did anyone use any cream after BM ? Have tried the frozen witchazel,aloe gel soaked into the pads, but its only gives relief short term. Also was anyone else BM incontinent ?
clewis2c18 shaun78993
Posted
Anyhow, thank you again, Shaun, I certainly needed that smile from your story. I will buy diapers later and make my butt mold and keep drinking warm prune juice and taking colace and more pain meds. But hey, my new butt hole is prettier now. Bahaha!
shaun78993 clewis2c18
Posted
I can't believe it's been eight months. And I'm still haunted by that pain. I hope you recover fast. What I didn't mention, which actually really helped and I see no one's mentioned this. The cheapest and most useful pain relief was filling condoms with water son they were two fingers thick, freeze. And then you have ice fingers that can rest rather perfectly against the OP spot and they are sterile
Tiptop shaun78993
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Really interesting info. I'm just under a week since my surgery and coping with these first BMS. What I'm not totally clear is quite what a BM is!! At the moment I'm very tight and I'm not getting a huge amount - blood and fecal matter. I don't want to strain and I'm largely filled with fluid fibre. So do I chalk it up as a BM or will something more happen. Presumably the swelling will go down of its own accord? As for going anywhere - that is just a memory. Thanks for any guidance. My surgeon gave me none!!
Guest Tiptop
Posted
i will tell you that I am very focused on what I eat to control what I discharge hours later. Liquids, sliced pears, lots of water, iced tea, tuna, finely chopped veggies. However, I am trying to keep my portions small for these first few weeks until my wounds have healed just a bit. I use a lidocaine cream at all times as it is mixed with an antibiotic.
Eat Nothing heavy and no dairy as it constipates. Avoid acidic juices and coffee. They burn- hurt on the way out. Don’t need that additional burden. Take your meds and don’t be a hero by stopping too early.. I had one night where I thought I had made real progress, reduced my Hydrocodone and, much to my misfortune, it was a more solid bm than my others and I wound up on the bathroom floor curled up in the fetal position just trying to catch my breath. Never had such pain in my life. Ever. Nearly called the paramedics.
imdo feel,like I am slowly making progress but it’s not linear. Two steps forward. One step back.
my doctor told me to be really careful about movement. Try to stay still. The stitches will pop and the wounds will open. That doesn’t mean that they would have to go back in to close it up, but it will add additional discomfort when I don’t need that.
by the way, not reading much about this in the blogs, but I’m getting more benefit from Advil than anything else. It’s really helped my swelling.
good luck with your progress. We just have to get through it and we are on the way.
kim30180 shaun78993
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louweeis shaun78993
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Thank you for sharing your story about what you went through. It has helped me with mine as I went through the exact same scenario. My bathroom looked like a murder scene.
I am on day 12 since the operation and spent 7 days in a hospital bed.
Feeling much better except for the migraines and full effort to do things which I think is from my low blood levels.
Just asking how long it took you to go back to work and feeling better from after the care stay? I was thinking of going back to work in the next week but with the new regiment in the bathroom I feel like it will take me so long as my job is a 9-5 one.
Cheers.
dscottesco27110 clewis2c18
Posted
clewis2c18 I am crying 😭..Just reading your story, It is one of the worst experiences of my life, and I gather u can concur! I am on the 17th of Feb 2 months post OP and let me tell ya, First I have had kids all vaginal 4 to be exact secondly everytime I even think they are being a smart ass I'm gonna pitch the heaviest object I can find at them,(They DID THIS TO ME)😑...SECONDLY ....it does get better, however I cant go back to work yet because its physical, maybe another 3 weeks or so😞, still sitting on a pillow and I'm still constipated..but the pain is better. What kills me is the feeling of constantly having to go ...😞☹Ughhhhh, I just wish i could go!
csaba71689 gee11215
Posted