Hemorrhoidectomy recovery experience
Posted , 93 users are following.
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
ken011957 neil31417
Posted
I'm now on my 9th day post surgery. It's been the worst 9 days of my life. I've had prostate cancer surgery, 3 knee operations, and a hernia repair and would trade all 3 for this experience. I was never told how painful this would be. I wish I would have found this forum before I made the decision to go through it. The pain is unrelenting and meds do very little to help. The only relief I get is sitting in a tub of hot water several times a day. The only problem is that the pain returns almost immediately afterward. I feel better after reading the other posts here so I know it's not just me. I've been told that I won't regret it after it's over but right now I cannot fathom feeling good again. They prescribed me Hydrocodone, Valium, and stool softeners. I have added MiraLax on my own to keep my stool soft. Sleeping at night hasn't been a problem for me. It seems that the pain abates somewhat at night and picks back up first thing in the morning. I hope there's light at the end of the tunnel and it's not a train!
jenny0789 neil31417
Posted
Predator Ass Club
After 9 years of suffering with the dreaded roids I decided to finally get them looked at. From having 2 kids, and years of constipation medications it's time to get them addressed. I found a surgeon and he informed me I needed to have them removed. He told me it's gunna hurt a whole lot. I am 5 days post op and have a few things that I've found are very helpful. Firstly a heating pad! my heating pad has seen more ass in 5 days then my husband in 10 years, but it works! After sits baths, going to sleep, watching tv. I lay on my back and have it half under my back and the rest up my front with a pillow pressed against with my feet up. Helps a lot with the pain and only use it on low. I use it on the front, because for some reason feels like I've been kicked in my lady bisquit though he only worked on the back door. Also....sits baths. Doctor should have said this but firstly I do it in the tub atleast 3xs a day. The important part....EPSOM SALTS! It wasn't until the 3rd night at 11pm calling my Dr about the battery acid I done s**t and crying on the floor for 2 hours did he mention I could do epsom salts. This helps so much with swelling and pain and burn!! Get you a few bags and be generous with it! And if you did the bowel prep and you haven't gone for 3 days....that's normal...Do not do Milk of Magnesia that soon because your poor tush can't handle it. Wish I was told. But that is very gentle as far as breaking it up and softening it if you are struggling to go. Or magnesium citrate tablets daily. I'm all natural minus the pain meds prescribed so trying to use the natural options as much as possible. Here's to recovery, hope it helps some.
yusuf21432 neil31417
Posted
Hi
I had my hemorrhoidectomy op done last year 5th December. I had 3 internal and 1 external hemerroid removed. The initial pain was unbearable but now I'm much better. There are occasions where I feel pain when having BM but it goes away.
Just wanted to know if this was normal:
I still have a yellow discharge that comes out it has a bit of an order.
My BM are coming out in very small amounts and sizes.
Are these all normal and part of the healing process?
TeamPayne neil31417
Edited
I had a hemorrhoidectomy on Feb 02/2021, the first 2 days after surgery I felt fine probably because of the morphine. The third day I had my first bowel movement and I was not prepared for what the next 2 weeks of my life was going to be like. I have never experienced the high levels of excruciating pain that came with each bowel movement. The doctor did not give me any warning that it was going to feel like pooping out broken glass. I was pretty close to being bed ridden except for when I had to take my dogs outside. Thankfully they knew I was in pain and were very gentle most times. Doing the stairs was horrible, who knew that walking, and going up and down stairs would be so difficult. Going up stairs was not bad, it hurt a lot more trying to go down stairs. After every bowel movement, I was immediately in the bathtub soaking in a sitz bath but eventually had to just soak in plain old hot water because the Epson salts were drying out my skin. It's now March 7th and I still have difficulty with my bowel movements, it does not hurt as much as it did in the beginning but I been taking my stool softners, and chia seeds have become part of my diet with plain Greek yogurt and fruit in the mornings to assist with smooth bowel movements, however even though my stools are mushy most times or very thin, it feels like I'm having massive bowel movements when I'm not. And I am still bleeding from time to time, sometimes more then others. I have passed some small blood clots and I wonder if this is ever going to get better.. How long did it take before things got easier for you?
breeanna51687 neil31417
Edited
hey yall i had my surgery yesterday. dr said ill be numb for about three days. than what do i expect? does soft stools cause a lot of pain too
Gabby76 breeanna51687
Posted
did they do anything to make you numb?
jeff58837 neil31417
Edited
Thank god I found this blog! Thank you to the original poster and everyone who has commented.
I had my surgery 17 days ago and I think I may have finally turned the corner this morning. The surgeon told me that he thinks the "magic number" of days is 10 days until the pain stops. Boy was he wrong.
I was suffering just like everyone else here and was so fearful of any BM's. I lost 10 pounds so far by eating mostly jello, watermellon, oatmeal, etc.
I read about psyllium husks on here and then got some metamucil with psyllium in it yesteday. I also read that coconut oil in the sits bath may be helpful so I got a huge tub of the coconut oil and put it in the sits bath and also ate a bunch. I think the psyllium really helps to coat the bm and make it come out very smooth and then I think coconut oil has so many healing properties.
I'm not sure if it was the coconut oil or metamucil with psyllium or maybe the combo but thank god I had a BM this morning that was almost no pain. I was experiencing 8-9 level pain when having a BM so this is really an incredible feeling. God I hope it stays like this.
I sure hope this helps others to prevent them from having to go through the most incredible pain I can ever imagine.
EDIT: I forgot to mention how my pain seemed unusual and unbearable....I would have excruciating pain even when I wasn't having a BM. It seemed like every time I had digested food that got near my anus then I would be in incredible pain until the BM happened which was even worse pain. What a crazy cycle of pain and fear of more pain! Has anyone else had this happen to them or was the pain mostly only from when you were passing a BM?
greg61057 neil31417
Edited
Just had my surgery. Pain level for surgery or wound healing never over 2.5. First BM rose to 3.5. Didn't even use the pain pills after about day 3. Used the Lin/Nif ointment.
Gabby76 greg61057
Posted
i hope i can be so lucky! what painkillers dud they give you?
Gabby76 neil31417
Posted
I just had my surgery. im back home - i was ok-ish at first and now the pain is creeping in and im panicking.
unlike many people here, i got a total honesty from my doctor. he told me i would be in a lot of pain. i got Percocet , valium and a stool softener.
this was a battle for many years. i did have banding which made little difference. i was losing so much blood, i had 3 transfusions, lost all my hair and the last one was so bad i got a permanent hearing and vision loss from lack of hemoglobin.
they were hesitant to do this surgery because of an underlying condition, but at this point there was no choice.
im so scared. i feel the pain increasing. whats the best way to find relief? from everything i read i have very little hope
Gabby76 neil31417
Posted
I just had my surgery. im back home - i was ok-ish at first and now the pain is creeping in and im panicking.
unlike many people here, i got a total honesty from my doctor. he told me i would be in a lot of pain. i got Percocet , valium and a stool softener.
this was a battle for many years. i did have banding which made little difference. i was losing so much blood, i had 3 transfusions, lost all my hair and the last one was so bad i got a permanent hearing and vision loss from lack of hemoglobin.
they were hesitant to do this surgery because of an underlying condition, but at this point there was no choice.
im so scared. i feel the pain increasing. whats the best way to find relief? from everything i read i have very little hope
DayDay1 Gabby76
Posted
Gabby I hope by now you are feeing better. You posted 13 days ago. I took Oxy as directed every 6 hours and in between i took Advil. I set my alarm to get up, eat something small and take a pill. Staying on top of the pain is important. I wish you well.
DayDay1 neil31417
Posted
neil31417 I cannot thank you enough. I had surgery on 8/3/21 and it is now 10/3/21 and i still cannot leave my house for fear of having to go to the bathroom and then needing a shower or being in pain or stuck in traffic. I cannot stand for very long and the pain after using the bathroom can throb for hours on some days. Some days are better. When i went in pre op for the surgery the doctor said TWO WEEKS and you'll be back at work. Two months later and i thank god for this forum to read that i am not the only one out there that is battling this longer than was told it would be. I started to think something was horrendously wrong and after reading the messages i felt so much better. I still have bleeding and i still can't seem to find a happy medium between stool softeners and foods that will keep everything moving easily. Diarrhea can be horrendously painful and constipation is a nightmare. The happy medium is hard to sustain. I live on fruits, soup and yoghurt. I am praying every day that this gets better soon and some days I will say I am down right depressed at how long this is taking. I live alone so the first weeks were a nightmare like when i passed out in my shower at 1am from the pain. I am thankful I have friends who bring me groceries every day. So from me to all of you messaging regarding your recovery, i cannot thank you enough. When i'm feeling down or feeling disheartened....i take to these forums and always come away feeling better. Bless you all.
scott78722 neil31417
Posted
Had laser hemorrhoidectomy 6 days ago. Honestly little to no pain at the site of the removal. 2 internal grade 2 hemorrhoids. But i have had painful bloating and gas for 4 of the 6 days. Keep feeling like i need to have a bowl movement several times a day but its nothing solid, most wind, mucus and some bloddy discharge, some inconsistant stools. Pretty sure the normacol stool softner the doctor provided screwed up my intestines or the picoprep before the procedure damaged my gut flora. Even stopped all pain medication on the third day because i thought it might be contributing to the stomach problems. Now today i have serious pain around my anus. Found two small pin head sized white bumps around my anus. hopefully not abscesses maybe a mild cyst will speak to surgeon tomorrow, may need to go see him.
Anybody else experience anything similar? the bloating or the painful whiteheads?
erica216 neil31417
Posted
Hello- i am on six weeks post op from my hemorroidectomy surgery. I had one grade 4 prolapsed hemmeroid that was removed.
I now have 4 large post operative lumps that are extremely painful, especially after a BM. I can barely sit down. And i cant take advil because i messed up my stomach from all the painkillers i was taking after surgery and now have gastritis. 😦 Im taking tylenol but it hardly helps.
Wondering if other people experienced this at the 6 week mark and how long the pain lasted? Did your lumps eventually shrink down and not hurt? When does the pain actually stop?? I just feel like im back to square 1 and its incredibly frustrating/maddening. My doctor said he can clip them off if they continue to bother me but i would rather not have anything else done down there. Any advice and tips would be much appreciated. Thank you all!