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
joyce51858 gee11215
Posted
This advice was great. I was so nervous after reading the comments that I almost cancelled. I'm 4 days in and the pain hasn't been that bad at all... partially thanks to those frozen diapers. My first bm wasn't bad either because it wasn't hard at all. I followed all of the instructions and I'm able to get around pretty good thanks to you.
Sadi.26 joyce51858
Posted
You must eat vegetable everyday. Avoid any kind of red meat also chicken.
Do not use painkillers so often.
k23652 joyce51858
Posted
Hi Joyce,
Cancelling would be your biggest regret. I did the surgery early June and I'm SO glad I did. After 12 years of suffering in silence, it's great to know I can finally be more "normal" again. Keep up with the icing and yes, eat your veggies and avoid meat. Basically you eat like a rabbit... hehehehe.... veggies all the time and salads is what I did. Warm baths and just lay around. I'm so glad to hear you're 4 days in and the pain isn't that bad. OMG, most people say the pain is THE worst pain ever, and it is. But if you're feeling great, you're lucky! Happy Healing!!
chan15155 gee11215
Posted
I'm on the 3days after the surgery. The first day 1 can't even poop out as I was scare of the pain that I have to endure. On the 2 nite was my first poop. It was so pain that I sweat and almost cry for help. It was much painful than giving birth. Today is the 3 day and I poop 3 times. My legs feel shaky after every poop on the 1st and 2nd. But the 3 poop was so much better. But I still feel that I have not finish pooping. Still I'm worrying to poop as I'm afraid what if I fainted in the toilet.
Salex gee11215
Posted
This blog and all the comments give me hope to go on. I had my hemorrhoidectomy 1 day ago. Thanks to this blog I went in prepared. Bought supplies ahead of time and asked my doctor to prescribe lidocaine for me post op. The surgery went smooth and I came home and in about 4 hours excruciating pain started coming. So I dosed up on percocet. Today, day 2, I had my first BM. This is what I did to combat the pain and prepare for the post op BM and the severe pain:
1- I started a diet of clear liquids and taking psyllium supplement about 2 days before the surgery. And after the op I continued with clear chicken and beef broth, fresh apple juice, fresh mango juice. I intend to do this for one week at least.
2- I'm on Metamucil 3 times a day and docusate stool softer twice a day
3- when I feel the pressure I apply lidocaine on a gauze and sick it on top of my anus
4- then I take a percocet
5- I started my BM in a sitz bath of warm water but it was seriously too painful. So I got up and moved to the shower. They I ran hot water over my body. Then half bend my knees and with legs apart I let my derrier go and the stool eased out with the help of gravity and very little push and very little pain.
Luckily my mom was there to help me clean out and sanitize everything. Tomorrow I'm gonna line up a bucket with a couple of trash bags and poop aiming at it.. Same as today. Wish me luck with the recovery.... And I wish everyone else reading this good luck as well... Hang in there the days go fast and soon we'll be victorious...
tonya67036 gee11215
Posted
fitz45054 gee11215
Posted
Thank you all for all the tips. I had my surgery yesterday and currently still not able to go for BM. Finding it difficult to pee too. Already tried to drink lots of clear fluid and took stool softener but no go still. They told me that they can only remove half of my Hem since it was so big. I have to go back in a couple of months for the rest. OMG. As other previously posted, the pain killer doesn't seem to work. I can't imagine I have to go through this again in a few months while still recovering now and have not reached the worst part yet. Thank goodness I have a great family support "behind" me.
Brokenbum gee11215
Posted
I wish I would have seen this group before my surgery. I am 10 days post op and I'm pretty sure I'm broken more! I went 8 days with no BM! Then when I did go I think I popped a few stitches and pushed everything back out. I had 3 done on the outside and 3 on the inside.
Has anyone else taken pictures to see how it is healing? I did and now I'm scared since my BM it has gotten a lot worse. I don't have my follow up for another week. Also when your taking your sitz baths can we use soap to clean? How do you get your butt really really clean?? So worried about an infection.
Just worried now because it looks so much worse today then it did at the beginning of the week :-(
k23652 Brokenbum
Posted
After 10 days you should feel a lot better. Peeing will be difficult at first but that goes away within a week. Is it any better? Also, don't push. I just drank lots of water and ate a veggie and fruit diet mostly, no meat. I found I was going up to 7 times per day. It was very uncomfortable and painful. Talk to you doctor and bring up your concerns.
As for clean ups, I used a squeeze bottle with a pointed nozzle to get up into the area. A hand held spray shower would be very useful too but my shower didn't have that. I've heard it can take up to 6 months to fully heal. I'm about 2 months post op and I still have discomfort at times. Today I saw a little blood in the stool but I'm not going to worry about that unless it sticks around for a little longer. But I'm feeling great and trying to live a life without the worries I had before.
Brokenbum k23652
Posted
It does feel better and everyday I can sit on it a little bit more. I think because I was constipated and it took 8 days to go to the bathroom I may have pulled a few things. I have severe IBS-D so I try really hard not to push. I am so scared of being constipated again I'm trying to stay up on the fiber and water in take.
I do have a shower head but I wasn't using it each time. I was just sitting in the tub and moving my bum around. I guess I'll start using that every time!!
When does the leakage stop? Or when does it stop burning every time you go? I have my follow up next week. Nervous to see him because the day after surgery he came into my hospital room to check on me and he asked to see my bottom. I rolled halfway and he ripped my packaging out with no warning. The nurse pushed my morphine button and then they left me there crying. Wasn't the best day of my life.
Also keeping it dry.... my period started yesterday and I'm 10 months post partum so they are really heavy. Any suggestions on how to keep to 2 areas cleaned.. ugh what a stressful time!!
I'm glad your doing better!!! Thank you for responding to me.. it's comforting to know there are other people out there going through the same mess.
k23652 Brokenbum
Posted
I'm glad you're feeling a little better. The leakage stopped probably after 3 weeks to be safe. I just wore period pads until I didn't notice much on them anymore. As for the burning, that was about the same amount of time, 3 weeks.
Baby wipes work best after a shower after a BM. Sometimes I even had to have my BM in the shower in a tub of water to relieve the pain and discomfort. Others I have read have done the same. I soaked in Epson salts everyday and took lots of rinses and baths to keep clean. You can ice the area too if you wish. It's sort of difficult in that area but I've heard all sorts of ways such as frozen diapers, frozen hot dog buns. I just used a towel that I folded flat and tucked it as close to the area as possible.
Take it easy and you'll be good. I know it seems forever until you'll feel "normal" but I was the same. I thought, "OMG, this is agony and taking forever to heal" but some heal faster than others. So reading all the stories, everyone is a little different. Good Luck and stay healthy.
K5rosequarts Brokenbum
Posted
Hi can I ask if your feeling any better? I had my op fri (6days ago) I'm laying in a bath as we speak it's my only relief. I've been for a poo four times - still soft thank goodness but the worst pain, I'm regretting the surgery. Suffering from bleeding and leakage, due to start a new job next Tuesday 5/9/17. How long did it take for your pain to go? The area looks worse with bigger swollen pile than before? Thanks
k23652 K5rosequarts
Posted
You're halfway there. It took me about 10 -14 days to get relief. I was going 7 times a day one time and almost every 1-2 hours. I regretted the surgery like most people but wait, the pain will be over and your life will change. Trust me! I've waited almost 12 years to get rid of this issue and now I'm a lot happier and can live a little more carefree and not worry about it all the time. The swollen pile does look scary but I read that most people thought the same and worried the hemorrhoid was not gone but that swelling will go down. I'm surprised you weren't prescribed to be off for more time. I got 6 weeks but that was more than enough time. I think after 3 weeks I could have gone back to work. You will have leakage. That stopped for me after about 2 or 3 weeks. I still wore pads just in case and also to monitor how much leakage I had. But after about 3 weeks it's safe to be without pads. But everyone is different. Just hang in there. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
dan53747 k23652
Posted
Brokenbum K5rosequarts
Posted
The first 2 weeks was absolutely horrible. But by the 3rd week I was able to start sitting on my bum and doing somewhat normal things. The leakage lasted awhile so I just wore panty liners and changed them out often. I have a little kit at work that I take to the bathroom now. Wipes, panty liners, underwear for those just in case this happens. And this sounds weird but I actually sat on a hard item in my chair for awhile. Made it feel SO much better!! The first week of work I had more bleeding then normal but your on your feet or sitting. No laying around. And I had to get one stitch cut out becauae it was just hanging around and causing problems. I also found a few stitches while cleaning up. That was interesting. I think they got worse before they got better. Now I can feel a few bumps but the swelling has gone down. I'm on the road to recovery. The BMs hurt for awhile and I was scared to go the bathroom. I took the stool softeners for awhile and now I drink Metamucil 2 times a day. That helps tremendously! I can tell if I eat horrible or not enough fiber for the day. That makes me want to cry. I'd say by week 3 you will start feeling like a birmal person again!!
Kk2007 k23652
Posted
Hi im am now 4 weeks post op & still feel like theres is a hard painful "skin tag" im scared its another one hopefully its just scar tissue or something, im generally pain free except during a BM which is still extremely painful & lasts about an hour after & mild bleeding still. Does this sound normal? Iv contacted my Dr they but said everyone heals differently & to come in when im 6 weeks post op... im just scared this pain will be forever
KFrei Brokenbum
Posted
Nezbug KFrei
Posted
I started my period the day of surgery. Like I had surgery, and when I stood up to get dressed to go home, I started my period. 😑😑 thankfully it wasn't so bad. I used a tampon (I normally use a cup)) And idk if surgery or the trauma played a part. But it was one of my lighter periods. (I'm usually very heavy for 5 days). But it wasn't bad keeping everything clean. as per my doc I couldn't shower until my first bm, which wasn't for 3 days. So I washed up in the sink because I felt gross on my period not showering.