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
cindy51948 gee11215
Edited
*hello, i wish i would of found this forum Before my hemroidectomy 17 days ago, oct 26... so many helpful tips. i had 2 very large hemmroids removed and to be honest the pain wasn't so bad for me. what is bad is the recovery.. i am still very sore and feel like i have 2 big hemmroids still in there. i went to the dr's yesterday and he reassured me its very normal to still be swelling down there and could be for months!!!! does anyone else feel like there hemmroids are still there???? they itch terribly. i was told not to use any creams or ice but im going to try the diaper with the frozen water!! what a great idea!! it still uncomfortable to walk, sit,... when will i start feeling like myself???? in so worried that they will never go away... i also feel that after a bowel movement theres more to go but i would have to push alittle and i dont so i end up going 3-4 times a day and that makes the area even more tender... any feed back would surly help
jane16431 cindy51948
Edited
cindy, I remember when i had this done i spent countless hours reading here, and in other forums/articles. There is alot of information out there. Place most credibility on the information from those of is who have gone through it. Give far less weight to the medical opinions that saying healing time is 2-3 weeks. That is ludicrous! Most of us measure healing time in months not weeks.
cindy51948 jane16431
Posted
omg Jane, thank you, i needed to hear that! i feel like im going to be this uncomfortable forever and will have to go through this again:( im back at work and i litterley sit on my left side because i feel this big lump on the right side still and very tender. im not even eating much because im afraid to poop.. this whole surgery has done a number to my head. i actually where a depend because i think im going to have an accident.. this whole expierience has taken its tole on me:( inlnow im only 2 1/2 weeks in but im scared because so many other people are back to there normal activities.
eileen18091 cindy51948
Edited
I was still out of work for 3 weeks and still extremely tender after that. I think there's a big difference depending on what you have done and how much trauma you have. I would heat up a heating pad and put it under a cushion for relief at work.
cindy51948 eileen18091
Posted
good idea!! thank you!!!
jane16431 cindy51948
Edited
At 2.5 weeks you should be over the worst of it. But the overall healing time takes far longer. I am at 5 months post op and still dont consider myself 100% healed. Dont get me wrong, there is no day-to-day problem. Still my butt is not quite fully back to normal yet. I am starting to question if it ever will be.
No question that this is traumatic for most of us.
Hang in there, it does improve
cindy51948 jane16431
Posted
thank you Jayne, today is 3 weeks post-op.. yesterday i felt was my best day yet. i was able to move around better and overall felt good. only 1 sitz bath! my biggest problem at this point is im not able to control my BM... when i feel i need to go if i am not within 2 min of a bathroom i am doomed.. it has happened a number of times and for that i wear a "diaper" i mentioned this to my Dr. and he said over time it will get better. it mostly happens when i first wake u p in the morning and i have to run to the bathroom. sometimes i dont make it. im on metmucil twice a day, maybe when everything is healed down there it will get better. does anyone else have that problem? could d it be nerve damage?
jane16431 cindy51948
Posted
"Over Time" is the key. Yes, "Over time" it all works out ok. But I still have occasional incontinence issues - not major and not requiring pads - that I attribute to this procedure. I never leave home without a container of baby wipes along, and that goes for travel, running, or even nights out - just in case.
cindy51948 jane16431
Posted
does anyone fined a more comfortable position to sleep to reduce the swelling fro m the hemmroid surgery? left side, right side, back, stomach. i just cant cant comfortable.. 3 weeks post surgery and i swear it feel my hemmroids are back
jane16431 cindy51948
Posted
I preferred laying on my side with one leg draped over the other.I also found that an alcoholic beverage helped just before taking that position - seriously.
cindy51948 jane16431
Posted
funny jane16431 but im way AHEAD of you with that alcoholic beverage!!!
jane16431 cindy51948
Posted
;)
tankity_tank cindy51948
Posted
yes I have this problem, I had my op last year, thankfully no more pain but controlling toileting has gone out of the window, I carry a "poo bag" everywhere, people dont understand how much it causes problems, I literally get a split second alert and then the world falls out of my backside, I cant offer any useful advice, just always have a poo bag with you, wipes, toilet roll a change of under wear, I have tried pelvic floor stuff,spoke to my gp and asked if physio was a option, apparently not, I went through the whole post op pain, it is unbelievable, I was curled up on my kitchen floor crying with a ice pack pressed in place, (cringe) my lodger found me and got me some pain killers. The pain has gone thankfully, but the surprise toilet needs continue, my heart goes out to you all, it was so bad I stopped eating, and everyone commented on how ill I looked, which isnt very helpful
ainsley27168 tankity_tank
Edited
I totally get the no eating thing. unfortunately the body doesn't work as simply as what goes in must come out. i know having read a lot now about post op 'most' people in the long run r happy that they had the surgery. I just think no one really prepares you for the pain you will b in. hope u get some help coz that's no way to live x
darlene47573 jane16431
Posted
I am 3 month out and I am still having bathroom issues. I have never gone to bathroom more than once every couple of days and now I go 2 times a day. I still suffer with pain. It is better than before the surgery but it is like the signals are crossed down there and when I have a hard time going it hurts still. Still a little bleeding. I would like to know if anyone else is a few months out and still struggling?
Dr said it was normal, and that the scar tissue takes some time to heal. Poo bag is always with me. Traveling has been hard but I don't want to stop activities because of this. I take 2 stool softeners and Metamucil. If I can get a good combination down on my diet and softeners I can have an easier time going. But then something will throw it out of whack and get impacted. Once that happens I am in for a miserable night.
cindy51948 darlene47573
Posted
hi, i am almost 4 weeks post op and i am still having the same bathroom issues, but its getting better. they say its normal for months after surgery for everything to get back to "normal" what ever that is! whatever you do dont push!! my problem is still i feel like i have golf balls still in there when i walk and pressure.. its still really uncomfortable but no pain.. i just started icing back there to see if i can get the swelling down. YES, i still feel them in there but my dr said over time theyy will shrink.. i mean didnt they get cut out??? hang in there.. you will have good and bad days, i guess thats this whole process..
ainsley27168 cindy51948
Posted
I am now 15 days post op. Just called My Dr, as I am having real issues in trusting myself with going to the loo. if i take too many laxatives then I am in pain at my back-end (a heavy feeling that goes right under me and down my thighs) she said it's a bit of trial and error with this medicine. That's fine but I wasn't informed about all this and working working in a call centre where i sit for extended periods of time and timed when I go to the loo is really too much. so needless to say I wont b going back til I can trust my body again
cindy51948 jane16431
Posted
Hello, how are you feeling? 3 1/2 post op and getting there... slowly.... the Bm's are getting better and i have better control. i have no pain but i am still very uncomfortable and what i mean by that its still very uncomfortable to walk, it feels like i have golf balls in me or as they say "a stick up my butt" i can still feel my hemmroids in there even though they say its just still swollen.. im getting frustrated.. i just start using ice to see if that helps. anything else anyone can suggest..
cindy51948 jane16431
Posted
hi! been thinking if you and hoping your doing much better! i an doing good! 2 1/2 months post op and im about 80%.. my hemroids are still there but much smaller and dosent give me any problems. every now and then they itch but i can live with that. still have issues with my BM's im either constipated or running.. if i take a laxative i cant get off the toilet:( need to find a happy medium! but defenitly happy i did the surgery! i dont think i would of said that in the begining, but you told me to be patient!! happy and healthy new year!