My experience 5 weeks after Haemorrhoidectomy
Posted , 172 users are following.
After 5 weeks of doing the operation and especially after passing through some really horrible times of pain and misery I promised myself that I owe it to everybody out there to share my experience so that you can derive benefit out of it. I had suffered from haemorrhoids for 20+ years and it is only because I became severely anaemic due to blood loss from passing stools that I was forced to do the operation. With hindsight I could have avoided 20 years of misery, of lost sports, of severe discomfort in cars and planes by taking the plunge and doing it earlier.
First and foremost, Haemorrhoidectomy is a very common operation and albeit there is a very small percentage where things get complicated the cases are getting less and less each year. I'm saying this because each and every person that does this operation will pass through so much pain that instinctively he or she will think that they are one of the few that is unlucky.
Secondly the pain WILL PASS!
I repeat it WILL PASS!
The absolutely horrible, can't take it anymore, about to throw up, about to faint, never going to be the same, never going to be happy, stuffiness, bloated feeling, blade cutting through your backside pain WILL PASS!
Realistically a person who does this operation will experience two annoying factors namely pain and discomfort. In the first few days the pain is so bad that you cannot think of anything else including the discomfort. After that the pain between going to the bathroom will slowly subside but the discomfort will increase primarily due to constipation. Hereunder please find my tips and what I would do differently if I could go back in time.
1. Increase your intake of fresh fruit and vegetables and water weeks before the operation to soften your stools and prepare your body for a life change. This diet change is a must EVEN AFTER the operation unless you’re a masochist and want to pass through it again.
2. Cut out anything that might make you constipated – research. This includes alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, refined foods etc.
3. Do a fresh water enema the day before the operation.
4. Do a list of all the things you missed out on because of your condition and promise yourself to enjoy life more after the operation and to take care more of your physical well being.
5. Mentally prepare that you are going to be in severe pain but also be aware that this is only temporary and that you’ll be tons better after that and the effort would have been worth it. Incidentally I was in excruciating pain for about 5 days, in agonising pain 5 days after that and in manageable pain 5 days after that. By the end of the second week I was 60% better. By the end of the fourth week I was 90% better with only the annoying leakage to take care of. By the end of the fifth week I’m 95% there.
6. Try and limit pain killer as much as possible as they will slow your digestive system and the resulting constipation is worse than the pain.
7. The feeling of still feeling massive haemorrhoids after the operation is normal. This is due to the swelling. The importance of having formed stools that are SOFT is important. Underline formed not diarrhoea as you need your system to re-function even if it means a little more pain.
8. The feeling of passing sharp blades during the first few days is unavoidable. This mixed with blood and excrement is not a pretty felling or site but I PROMISE YOU it will get better.
9. Keep the are dry otherwise you’ll develop sever rash – been there done that – more pain to avoid.
10. Keep moving. The more you move the better your digestive system works, the less laxatives, the less bloated feeling, the happier you will be.
11. Be prepared to go the bathroom at a moments notice.
12. Run a warm sitz bath often – it does wonders to sooth the pain
13. Squat not sit to pass stools. It’s easier to excrete, less painful and quicker. I’m still squatting and there is no way I’m going back to sitting. Before I sometime spent between 30 – 45 min on the loo. Now I’m in an out in 3 minutes.
14. Keep the area clean. Use a bidet, shower or whatever you want. Use only toilet paper to pat dry the excess water. Again with hindsight this should be norm. After all if you covered you hand in excrement you wouldn’t simply wipe it off with toilet paper but you’d wash the hell out of it.
15. Drink lots of water and take a reasonable amount of fibre. Taking fibre without water is a recipe for disaster.
16. You are going to have to live with sanitary pads for a few weeks until the area heals sufficiently. It will get gradually better. I have gained a new respect for women who have to wear these things once a month; very annoying.
17. After you recover promise yourself to share your positive experience and the things that worked out for you on a blog for the benefit of others. It’s kind of a chain get better advice blog.
18. Most important of all – KEEP POSITIVE and take care of your health. You only have one body.
36 likes, 343 replies
Jonlb79 glen79281
Posted
Officially at the one week mark. The pain did subside. It still hurts sometimes and for a few hours after I poo. I haven't had any blood yet, which is a good thing. I've had a few smaller bowel movements, but last night I really had a big one. It hurt a little, but not nearly as bad as the first few times. I'm hanging in there. I'm doing ok.
Dazinpain glen79281
Posted
michael87035 Dazinpain
Posted
I went a week with out a proper poo, lot's of muck and bullets before hand, I only have shower but I found that it helped to ease the pain and keep me clean and the small amounts that came out weren't so painful.
Exercise and plenty of fibre and water my surgeon has told me and you can't expect to go as it was before the operation, just don't compact and or start straining and things will improve. 5 weeks in and I'm still having irregular motions but I'm told it's healing well.
Dazinpain michael87035
Posted
niasbae25199 Dazinpain
Posted
Exercise?👀👀Huney i couldnt walk properly!
michael87035 niasbae25199
Posted
Yes I know, I'm sure we have all been there but sitting or laying around doesn't help, a little stagger will encourage wind and so on, at this stage you wish that you never had it done, so did I but it will get better.
Dazinpain michael87035
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michael87035 Dazinpain
Posted
My sympathy goes out to you, yes I have been there as have many others, it will get better, I'm in week 6 and it's feeling a lot better, I have left off the pain killers, no nappies and the swelling is reducing, just the laxatives left. The pain is enough to bring any one to tears, scream away all you want I'm rooting for you
Dazinpain michael87035
Posted
michael87035 Dazinpain
Posted
Had a set back, I became blocked, regret I had to strain, eventually I did go (two days worth) feels like I have had a red hot poker inserted, a bit concerned by the colour, mine is very pale, don't know if this is normal, try lots of fruit and water, it's supposed to help, glad the pain has reduced. Best of luck.
Dazinpain michael87035
Posted
niasbae25199 Dazinpain
Posted
I was going up to 5 times in the morning, my doctor told me to decrease my fiber, twice a day is plenty. The pain does eventually subside, I put petroleum jelly directly on my outside wounds and that made the healing time increase, it was also like a barrier to protect that area from the acid coming out with the poo. If your able, send someone out to get a raw ginger root. Ginger is a natural healer, slice it a boil, drink it like a tea. You will start feeling better inside and out. Best of luck to you.💖
rahul007 glen79281
Posted
Hii
Thanks for being so informative. Such experience keeps us tough to bear the pain since we see a pain free andand hemorrid free tomorrow.
However I ust want to share my experience, I've been suffering from 3rd grade hemmoriod , bleeding was nominal since I was taking homeopathic medicine for last one year but after passing the stool I had to bear with the prolapse and much discomfort for at least 3 hours after BM.
I showed it to 3-4 surgeons , initially he advised me daflon,n sitcom.
Later he said that permanent solution is surgery.
Day before yesterday I finally gathered the courage, and went for stapled hemmoriod surgery.
As per Der it went well. But the night after surgery it was hell since no pain killer was working and anal was on fire, but in the morning when Dr removed the pack it soothes.
I cud not sleep for a moment, 1st post op was normal. As I didn't go for BM. Some gas release which released few blood drops which I expect for few weeks.
But today when in BM I passed little stool it was like blade moving in anal.
One more thing after surgery I cud not pass urine myself. Had to use some tube... To pass urine medically.
However except passing stool I see a good recovery in near future.
Only advise need from you is.
> How much bleeding can we neglect in BM
> How many days will it take to disappear the bleeding.
> Is it a good idea to be on liquid diet for few days. Healthy juices.and fruits.
I also try to avoid pain killer.
Dr seem t be genuine as he discharged me very next day after surgery. Was not intended to make money.
I am taking sitz bath with betadine after BM, which makes the pain less horrible.
Please advise me some good tips
Thanks
michael87035 rahul007
Posted
Like you, I'm in unknown territory, as to bleeding, I still have some but it's only when I strain to much, I don't see it in the poo, only when I wipe myself. I'm into about week 7 so I don't know when I will stop seeing blood.
Liquid diet may help but it's important that what ever you do, try not to block up.
I also couldn't pee, the surgeon explained that it was the bowel pressing on the bladder, I found that when I was drained, I was able to poo and wee which was a great relief as the pain was terrible.
Some pain killers block you and I was told not to take Ibrufen 400mg tablets but I was on others but stopped taking as quick as possible. (No pain killers know)
I think wind is to be expected and as this is a very painful operation and we are all different, keep clean, don't strain, keep taking laxatives to make going easier, warm bath's / showers will help and try and move around, it does get better.
When I don't know but I'm a lot better now. Hope this helps
Jonlb79 glen79281
Posted
Hi Everyone,
I thought it was a good time to stop back in and update folks on my experience. Before the surgery I was sort of obsessing over this site and reading it constantly. The fear of the unknown was driving me to read every blog or website that I could.
It's now been three weeks. I'm a 38 year old male, 6'1", about 200 pounds. Pretty healthy.
The first week after the surgery was absolutely unbearable. Oddly enough, the pain killers they gave me at the hospital during the surgery didn't wear off until about 24 hours later for me, so after about 12 hours I was convinced I was going to work on Monday. I changed my tune around 6 p.m. on Saturday.
The first week was incredibly unbearable. I couldn't sit, couldn't stand. I put a heating pad on a pillow, then put a towel on top of the heating pad, then I laid on the pillow. The warmth from the pad kinda duplicated the Sitz bath effect so if I wasn't in the tub I was laying on a pad. I didn't ask my doctor if that was a good idea or not, but it really helped.
I found during the first week that the pain killers (10 mg Oxy) made it impossible for me to pee. It was really odd. I would stand there and stand there. I felt like my bladder was full but nothing came out. Sometimes I would stand there for 15 minutes waiting for pee.
Pooing was excruciating. I cried. I screamed. I cussed. When a pregnant woman in labor screams at her husband saying "You did this to meeeee!" That's exactly how I felt, except I didn't have anyone to blame so I screamed at the wall. When I finished pooing, I looked in the toilet and I was like "That's it? All that work for one stupid 2 inch poo?" Coughing hurt, sneezing hurt, laughing hurt.
At exactly the second week mark, things were better. I was eating normally. I didn't dread pooing, but I wasn't excited about it either. My poo was more formed, I wasn't screaming at the wall anymore. I was off the Oxy so I could pee again, and I actually drove to Walgreens and to Dairy Queen (I do not regret the Blizzard I ate. I earned it and it was totally worth the effects of dairy when I pooed later).
I went back to work this past Monday, so week 3. I went the full 8 hours on Monday and then half a day on Tuesday before I decided that wasn't the best idea. So I reduced to half days Tuesday-Thursday. Then on Friday I worked about 6 hours (yesterday). I believe on this coming Monday I will be able to work full days all week.
Mostly the pain is gone. It's still uncomfortable after I poo, but it's not painful. What's difficult at work is sitting. The pressure sometimes gets to me and I have to stand up for a while. By the end of the day I'm exhausted and my bum feels really sore, even though I feel like I haven't done that much to make me tired and sore. After being at home two weeks, I thought everything was fine. It's not until I actually tried to power through work this week that I realized in hindsight that it might have been better to stay home a full 3 weeks. Oh well, too late now. I took about 13 hours of leave this week and worked 27 hours.
Surprisingly, I've only seen blood a couple of times this entire time, and both times it was very minimal. I did bleed a little the first 24 hours so I am glad I had pads on the bed. But after that, not much.
Also surprisingly, I absolutely do not regret this surgery. I already do feel tons better. I'm not worried about bleeding walking down the street. I don't feel big swollen bumps on my bum anymore. It doesn't itch like before the surgery. I actually feel like I can even ride a bike again when I'm totally healed.
This has been one of the best decisions I've ever made. I know the unknown is scary, and yes, it truly is a week of excruciating pain, but the memory of that pain is already fading, and I'm truly looking forward to my new life without hemorrhoids!
michael87035 Jonlb79
Posted