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Hemorrhoidectomy recovery experience

Posted , 93 users are following.

neil31417
neil31417

I had a hemorrhoidectomy a couple of years ago and I used this site quite a lot during recovery for tips so i decided id finally share what happened with me in case it helps others. 

My piles were BAD. they didnt cause me pain but they eventually got to a stage where they were bleeding CONSTANTLY. I had appointments with the hospital (UK- NHS) on and off for about 18 months and was repeatedly told that they're been banded and i should be fine. 

The problem continued and I kept going back. After one particular sigmoidoscopy the nurse was wheeling me back and was saying everything was fine. It was at this point i had to stop her and said no, everything wasnt fine. I explained id been in several times before and I kept getting told i was fine only to go home and bleed profusely. The bleeding was excessive to the point that I was anemic and was on verge of a transfusion. 

Upon hearing this, the nurse took me back into the surgeon who said he would have another look. I dont know HOW differently he looked but he told me I had an extreme case of circumferencial hemorrhoids that were actively bleeding as i was on the table and that surgery would be required.  

I had a weird sense of dread and relief. FINALLY they've found the problem but OH GOD, SURGERY. 

I woke after the surgery and was discharged soon after having been told that i may have some discomfort but  healing time would be 2-3 days. 

I say this with no exaggeration or dramatics but that was just absolute inaccurate bullsh*t.  I was in excrutiating pain when the morphine wore off. I couldnt move without severe pain, I couldnt walk or stand up or do anything without help and severe pain. 

I didnt need to go the toilet until the following day and every single minute motion caused severe pain and the act of actually passing my stool was almost unbearable. 

To give you some perspective on me and my threashold. I've been knocked over by a car and fractured by skull, I've broken my hip, pelvis and elbow in a bad fall, ive had tattoos etc etc....NOTHING comes close to how painful this was. 

I dont tell you this to put you off....i tell you this because at one point i found myself sat on the toilet almost in tears (LOL i have to laugh at this now!) wondering if this pain would ever actually end and it was in this mood that i came across this website. It was a weird relief to read that other people have had horrendous experinces too and that it was not just me. I read about having sitz baths and what foods could help with toilet visits etc and I actually had some hope that I would get better.

The only thing that helped with toilet visits was showering after. I cralwed into the shower after each visit and let the warm water wash me up and it soothed the burning pain considerably.  

I was bed ridden for 3 weeks and even when i could move around a bit easier on my own, i had these muscle spasms that would come on unexpectedly, cause a short blast of pain and then disappear. 

All in all i experinced pain to varying degrees for around a month. I had on and off bleeding for around 1 - 2 months to the point that the doctor actually recommended i wear sanitary pads which i did! 

The recovery obviously depends on how serious the piles are but if they ARE serious, you can expect a horrible bumpy ride after. I say this....because I wish someone had told ME this so i at least knew what to expect other than being told id be out of action for 2-3 days. I could have prepared myself a bit for it. 

Do I regret the surgery? No way..... it was a month out of my life that wasnt great but its given me a lifelong solution and i've never had problems since. 

SO my advice is, get the surgery but mentally prepare yourself for a crap ride afterwards but look forward to being rid of them for good! hurrah!

7 likes, 1223 replies

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  • dee57696
    dee57696 neil31417

    Edited

    I had my surgery just over 4 weeks ago.  Without doubt this is the most painful experience I have ever had.  I am still in screaming agony when I try to pass faeces.  I'm also having serious problems passing urine and have had to have a catheter for two weeks.  The last few days I can add feeling nauseous and being sick to the equation.

    My surgeon told me I would be "very sore for two weeks." I'm so grateful to this forum, where I have found more information than any doctor has given me. I wouldn't recommend anyone to have a haemorrhoidectomy unless it is was absolutely essential.  For me it has been a nightmare, and still is more than 4 weeks later!

    • neil31417
      neil31417 dee57696

      Posted

      yeah it is an awful recovery preiod there'd no doubt but it does get better.....eventually! 

    • Myers1987
      Myers1987 dee57696

      Posted

      Dee, I am 8 days post op. Are you doing any better?

  • Treated
    Treated neil31417

    Posted

    Reading your version was like reading my own. Excruciating pain that I wasn't prepared for. I had the halo op and really believed I would be back at work next day as dr had told me. I was off 6 weeks in pain albeit the pain reduced over the weels. I also had a catheter which caused it's own problems and pain to point off couldn't move. I was in and out of hospital for 2 weeks on every painkiller I was offered including morphine. At one point I was told I has overdosed on medication by mixing wrong meds.

    Currently I'm under urologist with minor procedures including a GA and to top it all my piles are still here. Dr said they woukd reduce but it's been a year since op. I dread going back.

    • neil31417
      neil31417 Treated

      Posted

      I only had morphine as I woke up from the general anasthetic ....once that wore off when I was at home all the doctors had recommended were paracetamol and codeine but the latter can cause constipation so there waas no WAY i was touching that. I thought id overdosed on paracetamol at one point because I was waking in the night and knocking them back...lost track of how many id taken but luckily i was ok although having to be weighted in A&E on scales that i had to SIT ON was not a comfortable experience lol

      Id not heard of HALO before (I had a full on hemorrhoidectomy) but it doesnt sound like a great procedure from what iv read- especially if they're still there! 

      My surgery recovery was horrendous but at least now mine are all gone and havent come back (been about 3 years since my op now)

    • june91785
      june91785 neil31417

      Posted

      Hi Neil .... The HALO is supposed to be less invasive it is new. on Nov 24th 2016 I was booked in for. hALO but my surgeon asked me to sign for a full haemorrhoidectomy just in case he found out whilst operating that the HALO might not work for me. After my op he came to see me and explained that he had attended to 3 haemorrhoids . One he used the HALO procedure and the other 2 a haemorrhoidectomy. All 3 were grade 3 haemorrhoids .He told me that in two weeks I could drive and in 6 weeks I could fly. My check up is to be on December 28th. I still cannot stand for more than 15 mins or walk much or sit. Not been out of the house since leaving hospital on 24th Nov.

      Had my 1st. Bath last night as I was told that I could only shower for the first 7/10 days.

      they gave me paracetamol, movicol, Tramadol and I added ibuprofen after talking to my doctor on the telephone. He advised to take painkillers every 2 hours. I am reducing this now, but still in pain.

      i live on fruit and veg and fish and sometimes chicken, this has been my diet since 1974. I have never been constipated in my life, just the opposite. I eat and 30 mins later I run to the loo. So all this rubbish about not eating properly does not apply to everyone and yet I still got the horrible haemorrhoids. I hate alcohol, never smoked, walk 2 miles everyday swim a couple of miles per week, do Pilates daily, once per week a Pilates class with a teacher. My surgeon tells me that in some cases haemorrhoids are hereditary, this could be true because my son had the op 4 years ago and he was under 40 years old. Also my Mother had the same problem.

      anyway reading your blog I feel that there might be a better less painful life waiting for me after I get over the horrible operation. Thanks for your encouragement. Gloria 

  • billi0721
    billi0721 neil31417

    Edited

    I'm scheduled to have this surgery on thursdsy September 15th. I am a college student, and I am hoping I will get back to class by the following Wednesday (6 days post op) does anyone think this is possible?

    I have stage iv thrombosed internal and external hemorrhoids. I am in quite a bit of pain already, and I was told this was my only option . I'm escactic to rid myself of these hemorrhoids. I've had them for over ten years.

    But I'm a mother of two and a college student. I've read so many different things. I can't decide if 6 days is enough recovery? I just sit in class for a few hours.

    • jim67005
      jim67005 billi0721

      Posted

      I got it done on 12th October still going through hell with this and still in pain
    • carl43580
      carl43580 jim67005

      Posted

      Hey Jim, mine was end of Sept & im the same. Just been the loo, still painful, blood, can't even wipe myself so have to use the shower head.

      My thoughts are constantly on b/m as I really don't want to need the loo when in work. so far I've been lucky but I dread the day!! I just want pain free poops!!!

    • jenniferslice
      jenniferslice niasbae25199

      Edited

      Hi naisbae,

      Welcome to our discussion on painless pooping! LOL

      I had my surgery 11 days ago, so we're pretty close to being at the same point. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean we're going to be at the same pain level. Every surgery is different and everyone heals differently.

      My best advice is reading this group to see how others are managing. The only orders my doc have were to take a stool softener twice a day and manage pain with meds. Boy was I mislead! Thank God for this group. I now know I'm not alone and a lot of what I'm going through is completely normal.

      Ask questions. Everyone here is happy to help.

      Jenn

    • niasbae25199
      niasbae25199 jenniferslice

      Posted

      Thanks for the encouragement! Seems a little comic relief is what the doctor should have ordered! Today the pain is actually manageable. I'm a little worried about my stools, they seem to be little pieces of something big to come. My diet has been oatmeal pears water fiber sub. I'm trying boiled eggs and Lima beans for lunch, just trying to get fiber and not get constipated. I can't get out now and I'm trying to work with what I have. Any combs you all can suggest? Broth isn't filling! I'm hungry!! 😃

    • carl43580
      carl43580 niasbae25199

      Posted

      Hi - be careful with eggs, they can constipate! I'm 2 months on & it's been 1 hell of a bumpy ride. Best advice is keep up the fibre, drink plenty of water & adjust the stool softener so that stools are soft but not too loose or it makes you go too often! Plenty of hot baths as it keeps things clean, relaxed & helps with the pain management!

    • jenniferslice
      jenniferslice carl43580

      Posted

      Eggs are constipating? Why didn't someone tell me? I have 5 chickens and a lot of eggs! I've had scrambled eggs several times over the last 12 days.

      Ugh... 🐔🐔🐔🐔🐔

    • carl43580
      carl43580 jenniferslice

      Posted

      If you have too many eggs they can constipated you. If you're use to eating a lot of eggs your digestive system might be ok. Maybe google it, as I'm not a nutritionalist, just going off what my mum says & she's normally right lol ??!! X

    • melissa45115
      melissa45115 jenniferslice

      Posted

      We have chickens to and the eggs haven't bothered me. The only things that have bothered me is if we got fast food somewhere. It would cause me to have stomach cramps, nausea, and diarrhea. That is still happening. My body got used to eating home cooked meals quickly and started rejecting the junk food.

    • june91785
      june91785 niasbae25199

      Posted

      hi Nia think you an I are neck and neck had mine on 24.11.16. Go slow on the eggs they can be very constipating. I now take half movicol a.m and p.m. And for breakfast I have a homemade smoothie with banana, satsuma, 2 tablespoons blueberries one tablespoon yoghurt and one desertspoon of finely milled linseeds. Fill the container with water and then liquidise. The linseeds prevent constipation, BE CAREFUL with them or you could get the runs and makes sure you mill them to fine powder before you put them in the mixer. Lunch is usually poached fish with loads of veg and a parsley sauce. Supper is homemade soup.

      today is day 11.. Still in pain but managing better even on reduced pain killers. Let me know how you get on... Peggy

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