My hemorrhoidectomy recovery

Well, after the set back I had with the bleeding on day 10 (you can read about it on another post on here), I can say that on day 20 from original surgery and day 10 from second surgery, I am doing great. It wasn’t a progressive thing, I felt pretty bad on day 17 but by mid day on day 18 everything changed quick. I felt almost completely normal. As of right now I am pretty much able to do anything I did before the surgery, my pain level is way down to almost nothing, I do still have some pain after BM but nothing to really talk about and I do soak in the tub afterward as a precaution. There is still some swelling but that has gone WAY down and gets better every day.  I am hardly taking any pain meds. I am still gonna take it easy for a couple more weeks as far as strenuous activities go just as a precaution. I will not be updating this forum anymore but will check it every once in a while to answer any questions. 

I almost talked myself out of the procedure after reading different patient forums. 1 persons post convinced me to have it 3 days ago as he said he had it that way and never used pain pills and felt fine. I am in his boat!

So here is some good news to someone considering fissurectomy and hemroid removal. I had 2 tears and 2 hemroid. I started having pain issues with bowels a year ago, after csection. I finally went to doc and 1 attempt of hemroid banding worked for the 1 internal hemroid but the real issue was the anal tear and the expensive compound pharmacy cream didnt work, nor tea tree and coconut oil. However, I finally was healed of It! For 3 weeks no pain so I got off still softeners and was so happy but then my cycle time came. I dreaded the week of cycle as the constipation and bloating made the anal fissure worse and sure enough, I tore again. My cycle was due this week and I said nope, I cannot do this horrid pain every month. Doc said at this point it was chronic and surgery was done the next day, which was 3 days ago.

I was in pain and extreme dry mouth upon waking up. I just wanted ice and pain meds. I have the med log of everything they did from entry to surgery to exit but I'm too lazy to get the form but I know the pain meds started with a D and did not help. Ww tried hydrocodone at 230 amd that did it. I felt no pain lol. I woke up at noon and left facility at 3. I called uber to just drive me right after they gave me the hydrocodone. I only live 5 miles from facility so I just had uber turn around and drove myself home. Picked up kids meal chikfila. I could only eat 1 nugget and 1 fry. I went Thru 3 cups of their ice though. I dropped off pain meds and picked up the other meds doc called in.

I had a huge bm within hours of coming home. I was sooooo nervous. But it was all soft and no issues. I still felt numb from hydro. I went to work at 6pm. By the time I got off, that 1 hydro she came me at 2pm had wore off and I felt pain. But they told me only use pain meds as last resort as it'll make you constipated. So, it's been 3 days and thank God I haven't touched a pain pill. Only Tylenol and Motrin 2 times a day. I take the 1 antipiobitc but refuse to take the metal tasting flagyl.

My period was due this week but I'm so scared of how that will affect my great healing that I googled it and realized thousands of woman skip the inactive 7 day pills and start a new pack immediately to keep period free. I wish I had known that before as I'm certain that the extreme constipation the week of period is what made the fissure return months ago. So, thats my story. I had surgery Thursday, went to work Thursday. I was supposed to work Friday and today Saturday but I took off because my son's birthday party is today. I know all pain tolerance is different and I've had a lot of people praying so I just post this to encourage someone to not always think post op will be bad. My surgery unit prepared my in every way and I have countless faq forms they gave me. Friday, day after surgery I ate small bites of greens, peed, smothered turkey, macaroni. Enough to fit a small toddler plate, like 8 bites. I am taking the 2 stool softeners a day but not the Miralax as she said too much causes diarrhea and I've had soft bowels each day so I'm ok.

I feel pain when I need to pass gas actually. Like the pressure sitting there on top of anal area hurts. But once I pass it, I'm good. My doc and surgery unit were rated amazing and better be for the 4k I had to pay for deductible to be met.

I was hoping I'd lose some dogfone weight lol but not yet. Today I've just had a yogurt cup. I'll try a small plate of the greens, beans, cabbage later again. But I honestly am hungry but still scared to eat more than 4 or 5 bites a meal.

I'll keep you posted as days and weeks continue. Oh, doc said no creams and keep area dry. I bathe in morning and try to have a bowel movement before I bathe. So far it's been once a day right in morning. I blow dry butt area after I get out of shower. I know I need to up the water drinking asap so that's my main goal today and rest of recovery time.

With a 1 year old and 3 year old and teenager , I haven't had luxury of laying around so I've had to change diapers and cook and play at park these past 3 days and now birthday party. But, I can say when I do take the Tylenol I do want to take a nap and I doze off for an hour or 2 and I think that is my body forcing itself to recover.

Guys Im 3 weeks post op, pain doesnt bother I guess it goes away on scale of nothing at all, 2 stitches fell off on the 2nd week, sorry to mention or to gross you out but im still discharging some brown leakage and I dont know if it was a pus but pretty felling...My doctor only gave me vitamins 1x a day and daflon 3x a day. I still have some wound and it itch after bm and clean ups, my concern is the other stiches still wont fell and these smelly discharge.. Im still using sanitary pads.. is someone experience the same? I appreciate any advice.Thank you.

I am now 17 days post op. I required 3 columns of internal and external hemorrhoids removed, with cauterization of the site afterward. I did a clear liquid diet and colonoscopy prep before hand, to postpone the initial bowel movement. Unfortunately I have had an unusual side effect of the anesthesia in that my sense of taste is almost completely gone. I also have a cotton mouth. This has made it just about impossible to get in any calories or solids. I have lost about 20 lbs post op and if I'm lucky I get in 500 calories a day; everything just tastes slimy and weird. I get hungry but can only drink fruit juices and I take in 2 protein shakes per day (dairy free due to other gut problems). One bite of normal food kills my appetite. In online forums there are a few patients with various kinds of surgeries who get this effect and all you can do is wait for it to improve; apparently it starts to get better after 2-4 weeks.For what it's worth, this has delayed resumption of normal bowel movements; I will pass small stools every few days because there is basically not much in there. I do not know if that has slowed my recuperation from the pain because bowel movements can still elicit excruciating pain. I have zero energy and I have just had to take off a 4th week from work, which is very worrying to me. All I can hope is that my sense of taste recovers.

One big problem I had is the surgery team was reluctant to prescribe adequate pain medication. I got a prescription for 20 oxycodone 5 mg and ibuprofen. They refused to refill anything; I wonder if they were following their protocol and wouldn't allow for outliers? I was able to get hydrocodone/tylenol 10 mg from a local doctor. I have slowly been weaning myself because I hate the drugged feeling but if the pain really kicks in and I did not intervene right away I may be fighting pain for more than 12 hours. 

The only good news is the pain is slowly abating. I am going for a 2 mile walk each day to build up stamina. I basically only use the hydrocodone once or twice a day now, depending on bowel movements. I use fiber supplements to keep stools soft. It is very important to get in enough water because dehydration makes stools harder. So far I have no great ideas how to improve my caloric intake.

My suggestions are to emphasize the sitz baths;I still use the tub for hygiene after stools, using the faucet like a bidet. A good soak15-20 min in hot water helps after stools or if I am otherwise uncomfortable. I try to avoid any other medications that affect bowel motility like benadryl or antihistamines. Ibuprofen, gabapentin and Tramadol don't do so much. I think my experience has been tough because of the very extensive surgery and my inability to get in normal food.

Hi bas84, thanks for sharing. I had the same surgery (hemorrhoidectomy) about 3 weeks ago and the pain was out of this world,after I woke up from surgery I was having IV meds every 10mins which wasn't helping. I am still sore but getting better. FYI the hot water do gives u some relief of the pain..THE PAIN WAS WORST  THAN GIVING BIRTH 

okay..i had my surgery on July 31st and it is now November, and Im finally comfortable talking about it. First off, I read this forum before surgery and i will go with the others and say PLEASE REALLY think about having this surgery before you actually do it. As my surgeon told me, it is the most painful surgery he knows of. I woke up screaming in pain post-op and morphine didnt even touch it. i had to go ti the ER multiple times because the pain meds werent even touching it. It truly feels like you have a rusty hot knife just shoved in your butthole sitting there..and theres spasms on top of that pain..which feels like 2 of those knives at once...and that pain lasted me 3 weeks. It still took about 5weeks just to sit properly. I couldnt sleep because of the pain. you cant cough, sneeze, stand/sit/lay, sit up or sit down, roll over, move in general...nothing. Anything i did HURT. i was in tears all day every day. I regretted it so much, i said it every day in tears. the worst part- i can NOT stress it enough...you NEED to poop after surgery. i went TWO WEEKS post-op without any poop...I was admitted to the hospital for 3 days to get me to go. they gave me EVERYTHING they had in the hospital laxative wise multiple times..nothing but extreme cramps the whole time. since i never pooed..my stitches were so tight, they couldnt even get a fingertip in. As the nurse told me the reason why you have to poop so often is one- they dont want you getting constipated becayse it makes it worse. But either way..soft poo still hurts BAD. But two, because when they stitch you when you have a BM each time it stretches your sphincter (inner and outer) so it DOESNT stay one size and making having a BM even harder. Just imagine your poo trying to go through a stitched hole smaller than your pinky. Which is why my butthole wouldn't even stretch enough for a fingertip..because i never went. The only thing that ended up working was an enema (just getting it put in HURT)...and with my butthole not even letting a finger tip in the pain was EXCRUCIATING. I screamed, i bled a ton, i ripped stitches, and i ended up passing out from the pain on the toilet. it was the most embarrassing time of my life between all the nurses and doctors (more than 20) coming in to check me out. Then having nurses fish through the toilet to make sure i got the impacted stool and everything out. thankfully my night nurse has had the surgery before and understood (she had it twice, because first time was botched). i can not stress it enough..POOP. it felt like surgery all over again. after that i was able to go normally...but after that up until 10wks post op, i screamed and cried when i had a BM. it took forever. it hurt so bad. i was always shaking. and so nauseous. i dreaded every morning when i had to go. 10-13wks it slowly got less painful and i still bleeding occasionally. now it doesnt hurt, but does take awhile at times. do NOT get constipated or it is horrid. stool softeners...DO NOT FORGET. go EVERY DAY. ive had 4 children, and i would go through childbirth again and again than to ever go through this pain again. it mentally took a toll on me. my butthole looks weird now lol. i had multiple internal and external and surgery was my last and only option..im only 28 but part of me wouldve rather dealt with them than have the surgery. if you REALLY need it...then do it. but if you have other options first, try those. my surgeon would only do it as a last resort because how painful it is. you WILL need help at home, and you will NOT be able to return to work at 2 weeks. im not doing this to scare anyone..but to prepare you. i read this forum pre-op and was scared, but it was nowhere near what i thought the pain was going to be. it was 100x worse. i couldn't pee the first 3 days because the pain, i had to stand in the shower for a half hour to pee. and to poo...if you have to stand in the hot shower or hot bath..do it. or in the sitz bath..do it. plenty of stool softeners, TONS of water, laxatives, pain meds galore, ice like crazy, hot/warm bath/sitz, lidocain, hemmoroid pillow to sit on. lidocain & ice before and after BM seemed to help a bit..but this was also 2.5wks post op. I did have to wear my kids diapers/pads at times because of incontinence..but that was only after my 1st BM after the hospital because the ripped stitches. After CTscan i was told i was backed up all the way through my colon, and about "a foot worth" of rock hard stool..but the smell..the smell of blood and stool is HORRID. HORRID. Stay home. The hardest part is the percocet is what backs you up, but you need so much and it barely covers the pain. I was double dosing and sooner than the recommended time..barely touched the pain. Expect your stitches to be hanging too. I had an internal one that just hung there until 10wks post-op. Do not touch it, it will come out with a BM eventually. Sorry this is so messy, my kids are going crazy and reliving this kindas hurts my heart. But if anyone has any questions, just needs support before or after, or just someone to talk to that understands (because honestly..family will say they do, but after awhile i just felt like a burden and it sucked complaining to people that just didnt get it)..feel free to email me any time. Because i wish i had it when i went through it. A friend meant well, and said she understood because she tore during birth..but it is nothing like that. At all. Email me, without the spaces, at:

Im an open book. If you just need someone to yell at or vent to,..Im here. But please...take all this advice. Dont overlook any of it. And REALLY think about it and make sure you have no other options. This surgery is no joke. You dont realize how much you really use your butt until you cant use it at all. Which is for everything. Have someone there who will help you. My amazing husband, bless his heart. Helped with my lidocain being put on, checked the incision sight, even helped trying to "break up" impacted stool (hence the fingertip- last chance before enema) after the 25 doses of diff laxatives (normal lax's, mag citrate, and even the giant jug gallon for colonoscopy prep..NOTHING helped just extreme cramps that brought me to tears.) Stood in there and wanted to hold my hand after enema, but i just couldnt. Its an embarrassing surgery..so have someone there to help you that youre comfortable with. Even if theyre not going to help you like "that", you will still need help. Oh and NO TOILET PAPER. Baby wipes or water.

Again...email me if needed.

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