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
thorpeclan glen79281
Posted
Elsabe13 thorpeclan
Posted
Hi, my husband had a hemorrhoidectomy ( surgically removed) on Feb 17th and is still in extreme pain, he's also a Diabetic type 2, since you're a nurse, why is it SO painful? I can't believe how much pain he's in! He was given Hydrocodone with acetaminophen 10-325, to take every 6 hours but after 4 hours he needs more. Out of desperation he's also taking 200 mg Ibuprofen as well. He also had extreme swelling so that he had to wear Depends ( adult nappies/ diapers- we now live in USA) as the urine is just seeping out, I had no idea it would be this challenging! Thanks to everyone for posting on this forum, hope this isn't too much info!
Goldenluck glen79281
Posted
RoidbGone glen79281
Posted
I'm on week 4, almost a month after I had surgery. First week I wished death on mutiple ocassions as I was in bed for almost 2 weeks.
So far heres what improved:
- bm's no longer hurt like they did on the first week. I never experienced this agonizing
- swealing has gone down a bit
- I can sit on a pillow
- even though the doctor said to take laxitives everyday, I just take them if I go a day without having a bm (which I did since then). The laxatives gave me diahrrea which is worst than having hard stools. I just take a lot of fiber and water.
- post pain after bm is also very minimum now
- less anus spams
Now at 4 weeks, I still have some issues that are slighty annoying:
- Worst of all is having this constant urge to go to the bathroom. Even after a bm, ~1 hour later I still feel bloated and in need to go there again. I cant leave the house because of this. I think its improving because first 2 weeks I was going at least 3 times a day, now I go once. But still, its really the worst thing atm
- Still have leakage/blood, specially after a bm or if I let some gas go. Still wearing pads for that, though the blood isnt as much as it used to be
- constant urination, but also because I'm drinking a lot of water. Also retention, probably due to the operation.
So overall I feel much better, with the only problem being the urge to go multiple times a day to the bm, its super annoying.
The first week was awful and I never felt this much pain. Second week I began to feel better (torelable bm pain) and began to sit on a pillow. Third week was also better (less swole, pain) and went to the doctor that said everything was normal. Now im on the forth week. I already knew the recovery was going to be long, but I really hope to be better in these next 2/3 weeks.
joy21914 glen79281
Edited
1)Go on a total light and vegetarian diet for few weeks. Esp increase fibre content. Eat more fruits except apple. No burgers pls
2)Good quality non spicy soup will help a lot esp vegetable soup
3)Add juice to daily intake.
4)Water is the life saver. Have it without thirst and without limit.
5)Avoid painkillers except when pain is unbearable. They add terribly to the constipation.
6)Walk enough after each meal. Do not lay in bed whole day. This will make digestive system more inactive and add to your daily trouble.
7)Do not miss the laxative at night, put alarms for that otherwise next day you will pay for it with cry.
8)Go in hot tub multiple times a day. That really helps
9) While in bed keep yourself active, read some books. I started learning German language which was long pending item in my task list. Utilize this time properly. You may never get this again.
10)Keep positive mindset. I am reading Bible and pray. This helps me mentally to keep stable and strong. I am sure many blame and accuse God for such situation but we got here because of our own ignorance and lifestyle.
11)During BM never push your stool. This will bring all of your and doctor’s efforts to nothing. Drink warm water if you do not have enough pressure. Let this go naturally. This is best you can do to add to your recovery.
12)Sleep well at night, try everything to make yourself in comfortable position to sleep. My wife supported me very well in this to give me all the space required to get good sleep even massage my legs that pained.
13)Avoid sex till you get back to normal life. Don’t try to be Superman or you have risk of getting in big trouble.
Take this time as a challenge to bring about a lifestyle change for the rest of your life cos you are never going to forget these days. But be rest assured it will go away quickly if you are carefully doing everything. Obey your doctor and do not do experiments.
God bless you for your recovery.
mal206 joy21914
Posted
Thank you, thank you so much! I hear your every word
Elsabe13 glen79281
Posted
Hi Glen, thanks so much for sharing your experience! My husband had a hemorrhoidectomy a week ago, it's been a trip from hell! This was very encouraging thanks. I have to help him now, will write more later!
silver47 glen79281
Posted
I'm glad I found this post. This helped me a lot on my journey to recovery.
I'm 30,female, no kids. I've been suffering from hemorrhoids for more than a decade. My grandmother, mom, aunts and siblings have it so I thought it's just a normal thing. I didn't seek medical attention until recently the bloodloss everytime I poop is scary. Not to mention the pain. I was often dizzy which we later found out resulted from the bleeding (my hemoglobin level dipped). I went to the doctor and decided to remove it.
April 11, 2017 - i had my hemorrhoidectomy and partial sphincterotomy. They had me on spinal anesthesia then made me sleep all throughout the procedure. When I woke up, I was in the post-anesthesia care unit then was transferred to my own hospital room after i was able to move my feet.
Though i was mentally prepared (i was reading this post nonstop before the op and until now) it was still hell-ish. The pain and discomfort were sometimes unbearable. I had my BM 2 days post op and it was excruciating. My knees would tremble because of the pain. I did hot sitz bath 3x a day, had a fiber supplement and high fiber food religiously and it got better on day 5 onwards. Skin tag is still there but the surgeon said it will take a month. I also have some smelly leakage, thankfully i found out here that it's just normal.
It's been almost 2 weeks and I'm feeling a bit of discomfort again. I went back to my normal diet pre op and im heavily constipated. I was a big foodie before I had this operation. I'm just lucky i don't gain weight. But now, just a hotdog would not go well. We really can't have it all
. I want my old life back. I want to eat steaks and burgers but I feel like im back to day 3 post op discomfort.
josh59089 glen79281
Posted
I'm 1 week post-op, dealing with constant tenesmus, most likely related to all the swelling. Just hoping this gets better soon
SFlor josh59089
Posted
I didn't even know there was a name for it... it does get better. It took a long while for me but I had complications. If that's your only issue you're doing really well, hopefully soon the feeling goes away and you forget it was ever there.
robert36483 glen79281
Posted
Just wondering (and this is a bit graphic so sorry) and this has me comcerned. Has anyone had trouble post op with having blood in their ejaculate. Ive twice now done what a man has to everynow and then and my ejaculate has been full of blood which scared me but just presumed was because of op. Any one else had this issue?
thanks
ArabSting robert36483
Posted
Hey Robert
I had my surgery on the 20th April, I am still in recovery mode after 4 weeks. I didn't attempt to releve myself until the 3rd week which resulted in some minor discomfort afterwards but no blood
Emoh1 glen79281
Posted
Breafast is either porridge oats or whole meal bread with hummus in either case i follow with a banana and a handfull of dried figs.
Lunch is a sandwich (salmon or cheese) but followed with about a cup of dried apricots and a hand full of almonds or walnuts or red peanuts (unsalted)
Mid afternoon I have an apple or snack on dried figs or dates.
Dinner is lentils (dahl but hold off the chilli but use turmeric, corriander and ginger) or beans / chickpeas or veg casserole.
Have lots yoghurt with it and for carbohydrate either red rice or potatoes (boiled with skin).
For supper I have an avocado, half it, remove the stone and squirt on some lemon juice.
I think i am getting 20 to 30 g of dietary fiber each day. When i go for a BM i just squat and relax and whoosh, soft stool as long as i also drink plenty of water or mint tea. Avoid coffee.
Emoh1
Posted
Actually I have just calculated my dietry fiber intake and it is over 50 grams per day. No wonder it is a wooosh each bowel motion. 😊 looking forward to 12 weeks time when i am hoping to be healed and comfortable.
Elsabe13 Emoh1
Posted
My husband is now on week 7 post-op - those early days it seemed as if he'd never recover or feel normal again! But for those just embarking on this journey, there is hope! Eventually the swelling goes down, the wounds heal and the pain becomes bearable and fades. He is not able to control his bladder at night or when he's lying down, and still needs depends - but we're hoping it will resort to pre-op normal. Maybe this us still due to some internal swelling. Speedy healing to everyone, thanks for all the good advice!
Emoh1 Elsabe13
Posted
Next week i am going to try life without pills or cream and i see the surgeon again in a week so he can check on The wound. Will be glad when it is all over. Am thinking of what to do to celebrate in 10 weeks or so.