Hemorrhoidectomy recovery - 3 weeks in and it does get better

Today marks 3 weeks since my hemorrhoidectomy so I wanted to share my experience in case it is useful. I certainly found after my procedure I spent a lot of time searching the internet to find out what was “normal” by scrolling through online forums so i would have found some of this useful myself.

I'm a 38 YO male and I had a hemorrhoidectomy after years of having issues with hemorrhoids. I originally was expecting to be going in for banding so was surprised that my hemorrhoids had gotten so bad they felt a hemorrhoidectomy was the best option.

After a few months it was finally time to have the procedure. My surgeon did warn me of the pain post surgery and did tell me to mentally prepare myself for that (however you do that!). Immediately after the surgery I felt fine and gave the nurse a pain score of 1 out of 5. However, the GA was still in my system so it wasn’t a huge surprise. I was discharged that evening and was grateful to be at home.

The next day was a different story as the pain kicked in and so I took the opioid painkillers which helped. I also had my first bowel movement which was painful but the laxative helped. However, I can’t sugar-coat the first few days, they were really rough. I had pain in that region all the time, although it was improved with the painkillers. I also had random spasms throughout the day which were really unpleasant. Of course bowel movements were painful and did often bleed. I became quite anxious at the thought of needing the loo.

After a few days I realised I had been doing things wrong. I had been eating normally, as advised by my surgeon, but I actually should have been on a soft food/liquid diet and small quantities. Once I did that my stools were much easier and also helped by stool softeners (I found laxatives gave me diarrhea which was really painful at the begining). As i mentioned I did also have the fear of going to the loo so I did also eat a lot less to ensure that bowel movements were relatively small although you do need to make sure you eat to keep things moving.

One thing everyone advices is a bath after a bowel movement and I can’t recommend that enough. I have never spent so much time in the bath but it definitely helps sooth the area. For this reason alone it is unrealistic to think you can work for the first two weeks at least.

As I reached the week mark the pain was more reserved for bowel movements and the immediate aftermath. It would usually mean 2-3 hours of pain after the bowel movement which would later subside with the assistance of over the counter painkillers and as long as I didn’t have to go again. Each day I saw an improvement though and the pain was decreasing.

By the second week I was a lot better and the pain following a bowel movement was not so prolonged. Between the 2 and 3 week mark my fear of going to the loo had more or less gone. Yes it could still be painful after a bowel movement but the pain was only short lived – perhaps 15 - 30 mins. However, I was still taking stool softeners to help. I had however more or less gone back to my normal diet although I continued to drink a lot of water (that is so important throughout your recovery!).

I am 3 weeks post op and feeling a lot better. There are a few things that I would tell anyone getting this procedure which I wish I knew beforehand:

Discharge – this is one of the most unpleasant aftermaths of the surgery and not one I was really told about. It is definitely worthwhile buying some panty liners to help protect your underwear. I never thought I’d end up having to ask my wife if I could use hers! Unfortunately this is still going on 3 weeks in but can be the case for 1 - 2 months apparently.

Diet – as I said above it it’s important to be sensible with your diet, especially at the beginning. I stuck to warm Weetabix (to make them soft) and soup. You must also drink plenty of water throughout the day which also has the added bonus of filling you up so you don’t feel quite so hungry.

Squatty potty – this was a brilliant purchase I wish I had made before the operation. I can’t recommend this enough as it just makes your bowel movements that much easier and helps prevent unnecessary pushing.

Listen to your body - It is important to rest so if your body wants to sleep in the middle of the day don't resist it. However, I would also encourage trying to get into a routine of getting up and getting dressed after a few days as it makes you feel better.

The last thing to say is not to get too obsessed over how things feel down there, especially at the beginning. You will be swollen and likely have stiches you can feel so it might feel a bit odd but it will calm down so don’t panic!

If you are at the beginning of your recovery or about to have a hemorrhoidectomy just remember it does get better. In the early days you can worry it won’t improve but it does and you will begin to notice improvements everyday.

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