No pain then pain back, anybody can tell me why?
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Hello, I had the surgery for 3 internal hemoriods 18 days ago. I have read all the encouraging and horror stories on the blogs. So I think I am probably doing about normal in recovery for the most part. There is something I am searching for an answer to though. I went through the hell of the first 2 weeks .I went back to work 6 days after the surgery even though the pain after a BM was a 6 / 10 everyday. On day 10 and 11 after a BM the pain was not bad at all maybe 4 / 10. On day 12 hell came back with a BM pain of 10 / 10 for 10 hours. Then back to the normal of 6 / 10. On day 16 I thought I was there with a pain level of 2 / 10. Yesterday was day 17 and hell came again with a 10 / 10 for 10 hours. I changed nothing, been drinking lots of water, take stool softness 3 times a day. Why the pain roller coaster? Will I ever get off the pain train? Thanks
0 likes, 18 replies
teresa34100 dan89663
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dan89663 teresa34100
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teresa34100 dan89663
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Happybum teresa34100
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Hello Theresa,
May I ask, if you are not experiencing pain or bleeding, what is now not normal for you? I am sorry that it isn't yet, for you. I am now at 5 1/2 weeks and things are improving but not nearly as fast I had hoped.
dan89663 Happybum
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Happybum dan89663
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Well, it seems to be there is a general prognosis of healing but that everyone heals at their own pace according to their specific surgery (internal or external hems, how many, etc.). I actually for a few days there back in weeks two to three had a few bms that had no pain or bleeding. But now I have pain every BM (have them first thing in the morning and usually one upon waking and another 20 mins to a couple of hours later). I have pain (2-6) and some faint bleeding. I then get into a sitz bath. I then have varying levels of comfort or discomfort throughout the day. I still have my stitches in and I think that also adds to the feeling of something still being in there and some discomfort with that.
I have muscle spasms one to three times a day. I also am too sore to sit fully on my bottom. I have to sit on my side. I don't sit much at all yet. I can stand but have to be careful picking up anything or bending down to do something. I can feel it.
I think once I get the stitches I may feel it less but we'll see. I am set to see my surgeon for a follow up middle of April but am going to contact him to see if these stitches should have fallen out already or not.
I am having less urgency now and my system seems to be calming down. Having some little flatulence that just happens sometimes - I am not even aware that there is any gas trapped but then it comes out - just a little and silent - SBDs lol! There is less, usually, seepage as well and no real blood with that either. Basically, as the surgeon has said, I have two anal fissures now as the incisions heal. I have sitz baths still and will do that until I no longer have any more bleeding. I am one day shy of the 6 week mark, post surgery.
dan89663 Happybum
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How are you doing? I am at 6 weeks and a day now and still having problems at times. This week I had 4 days in a row that were relatively easy with pain levels in the 1 of 10 range. Yesterday I was in the 4 of 10 range for 7 hours and today has been 10 of 10 for 10 hours. Some days I have one BM others I have two. So yes I am fed up with this slow recovery process but I have no choice but to keep moving forward one day at a time.
I was just wondering how you are 20 days or so ahead of me.
Thanks
Happybum dan89663
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Hey Dan : ) Yep, it's a long process, that's for sure. I am at about 8 weeks 5 days. Here's the update:
- no more seepage! YAY!
- no more unpleasant, again, YAY!
- still having pain with BMs - 3-6 on the pain richter scale. Usually settles after BM. I STILL take a 15-20 min sitz bath after it.
- The wounds are still tender, but improving - slowly.
- After mostly my morning BMs I bleed from what are now, my surgeon tells me, fissures. Some bright red blood on moistened toilet paper. He prescribed ointment that has a pain reducer and anti-spasmodic in it to help things heal. It IS helping but it's a slow process. I was told to be on it for 6 weeks.
- I rinse off in the shower after any BM just to keep the area clean and to guard against infection of the fissure.
The bowel issues continue to settle and that helps as well. I find eating meals that are soupy help alot and continue to take my metamucil 2xdaily. I don't do the propylene glycol anymore. Don't need to. I continue to drink A LOT of warmed water - that helps with digestion and comforting my digestion. I am still not exercising the way I want to yet - can't do stretches properly as it stretches the skin which breaks the healing of the wound. I found this out the day I over did it at work. Paid for that for a couple of days.
So two months now and I can see that the propaganda of "one week and back to work" is a complete LIE and 6-8 weeks is more like it. Some people may do better at 3 weeks - I was no where NEAR ready to get back to work at that point. Again, I had internals, not externals.
All in all though, good progress. I am hoping that at 3-4 months this will all be, truly, behind me. Pun intended! LOL! Hang in there, treat yourself often (I did some MAJOR damage to the chocolate inventory at my local store). Whatever it takes : ) take good care of yourself. This truly is one of the most challenging surgeries.
teresa34100 dan89663
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dan89663 teresa34100
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Teresa, I am doing good with the once a day program for now. I am able to go the bathroom before work most days which allows me to do the sitz bath before I have to leave the house. And by the way my returning to work on day 6 was a mistake, I should have stayed off for 2 weeks, but I couldn't stand it.
Can I asks how long before the pain of an actual BM goes away? I am having some days where the lingering pain that last for hours later is manageable or even not that big a deal like yesterday when the day before was hell. But regardless of the lingering pain and how long it last every BM is very painful. I don't have to stain of push much but it hurts a lot during the event. When did that get better for you?
Thanks
Happybum teresa34100
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Thanks for explaining that, Teresa. I wonder if it is stenosis and if that is why you are having to go more than once a day as in your bowels don't push it all out at one or two sittings. I know that the treatment for stenosis is dilation. Have you spoken to your doctor/surgeon about this?
saj86598 dan89663
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Same here,I'm on day-10 I had 3 hemorrhoids n 1 fistula,I pray everyday for quick healing
dan89663 saj86598
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teresa34100 dan89663
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Happybum teresa34100
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Oh I hear ya there, Teresa! I had a stitches on one side that were mostly out but not and was actually causing me discomfort. I thought, oh man do I HAVE to go back and see to this with the surgeon but thank goodness that they came out today! YAY! Google "dilation rectal stricture" and you'll see more on this if you are curious. Man, I am so ready to be done with all of the surgeon's and doctor's appts on this. This is all such good motivation to do everything I can to have perfect BMs for the rest of my life! LOL! NO MORE HEMS EVER!!!
teresa34100 Happybum
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Here’s hoping! 🤞👍🏻😊