Hemorrhoidectomy. My experience.

Hello all,

I had a hemorrhoidectomy on Friday 9th February 2018. My appointment was booked for 0730am that day although I did not actually go to theatre until closer to 1530hrs that day. That in itself is quite hard to take because you are not allowed to eat or drink prior to the surgery.

I woke from the general anesthetic at around 1730hrs. Prior to surgery the surgeon sat me down and advised that there were two options, 1) Stapling the hemorrhoids and 2 cutting them away. He discussed the pro's and cons of both which were,

Stapling - A slower recovery time, less pain but a stay over night due to the probability that I would bleed.

Cutting the hemorrhoids away - Sever pain, faster recovery and can go home the same day so long as everything goes to plan. 

He advised that a decision would be made as to which option they would progress whilst I was on the operating table. In the end the decision was made for full removal by cutting the hemorrhoids away.

The first mistake that I made was to believe that they were wrong about the level of pain. I chose to discharge myself at circa 2130hrs that same evening. The nurse advised me of the medication that I would need to take which included metronidazole, Senna, Omeprazole, Lactulose Solution and Coedine. 

So the biggest mistake I made was to believe that there was no pain and any would be manageable. 

At circa 0400hrs I awoke to some of the worst pain I have ever experienced. I suffer from Diverticular Disease and the pain I get with that I can often take some way before I need to take pain suppressants. I would even go as far as to say that it was worse than when my appendix went and when I broke my nose playing football.

By 0700hrs I was back in hospital and was immediately given liquid morphine which did not make a difference to the pain levels that I was in. Next up was for me to be given morphine by way of a drip. All of the above could have been avoided if I had chosen to stay in the care of the NHS for the night.

I would never try to dissuade anyone from having surgery such as this because the truth is you are having it because it will improve your quality of life. But please do not be as stupid as I was and believe that the pain is manageable whilst you are still under the influence of a general anesthetic. 

The pain is going to be bad. But at the same time it is going to get better.

10 days on and my experience is that it still hurts to go to the toilet. Warm salt baths after each bowel movement are helping with this. I am hopeful that today will be my first post op without me taking any pain suppressants.

I am still bleeding, but it is minor and there is a small discharge so I am having to wear a pad, which as a man is embarrassing but at the same time makes me appreciate what my wife, daughters and other woman have to endure once monthly.

Whilst this blog may not be the best written I wanted to share my experience and ask that anyone having a hemorrhoidectomy is well prepared for the level of pain that you will experience. But again I will say that it does get better and from my experience quite quickly too.

Good luck people. And prepare yourself one hell of a pain in the proverbial. It will get better.

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