Postitive Hemorhhoidectomy Story

Hi everyone. I am a 30 year old teacher and mom of two toddlers and have been dealing with hems since I gave birth to my oldest. I finally went to see a colorectal specialist who examined me and recommended surgery for my two grade 3 external hemorrhoids. After I agreed I started googling...and oh boy that did not help my situation. I am writing this down to give any of you who are researching surgery, a story that isn't terrible. After long talks with hubby I realized that most people who take the time to come to an online forum are having issues and that it may seem skewed in favor of bad outcomes. So here is my long story. I hope this helps someone- it was very therapeutic for me to write down.

(1) Thursday June 28th- Surgery day! I have been taking 1 cup of miralax each night at the advice of my surgeon and eating a high fiber diet. I have been having one easy bm each morning and have one this morning before I head to the surgery center with hubs at 7:00. I was very scared but they took great care of me in prep. When I came out of anesthesia I was informed that I stopped breathing on the table and they had to intubate me so now I have a sore thorax in addition to a sore bum When I came to it was only like 9:30 and I had a huge pain in my rear, They injected something more into my IV and I was discharged very quickly. Hubs took me home and we got me into bed and got the first percocet into me.I was doing one pill every 4 hours to manage pain and this day passed in a bit of a haze from the effects of being put out.

(2) Friday June 29th- Today was the day we realized that I was having a major reaction to percocet. I couldn't stand up without starting to black out, was itching like crazy, and vomited twice (it hurt my stitches sooo badly!). After talking to the amazing nurse at my surgeons office, we decided to half the percocet and supplement with advil. In retrospect this was probably the worst day/night. That night I felt like I had to have a bm and was up and down all night. I finally sat on the toilet and let out mostly watery poop. I was up in the sitz bath and lightly dozing on the couch most of the night.

(3) Saturday June 30th- Another bad day. Today we decided that percocet wasn't going to work, even at half a dose. I was still so nauseous from it. Somehow hubby got it into his head that I should try medical marijuana (side note- I have never smoked weed in my life!). We have a friend who has a card and brought over a vape pen with oil in it but I don't think I was doing it right. My lovely little sister heard about it through the grape vine and offered me some 'edibles'. I tried those too and didn't feel any affects. So then mommy that I am, decided to alternate tylenol and ibuprofen every 4 hours the way that you do with a sick kid. It wasn't perfect, but with the lidocaine numbing cream I made it work.

(4) Sunday July 1st- this was an ok day, I pooped liquid a few times and it was a very burn-ey feeling. I laid on my side out back in a hammock for 20 mins and that did a lot to perk me up. When taking one of my doses of advil, I choked on the pills, gagged, and threw up so that hurt a lot! This was another night where I didn't sleep well, I was up a lot on the couch.

(5) Monday July 2- I was done dozing for good around 5 when my body decided that I needed to bm. I probably went 3-4 times that morning and 7-8 times total that day. That was the day I decided to stop taking miralax. I wasn't on constipation inducing opioids anymore, and I was drinking 90 oz of water and eating right so I think the miralax was just too much for my system. I am still on around the clock OTC pain meds and feeling ok. Also, my mom came over this day and somehow we got on the topic of what my butt looked like (she had this op done 20 years ago). She got me bent over on my bed and took a picture for me so I could see myself. OMG I am soo bruised! I am black and blue all the way up my butt crack. I can see small sutures where the two hems were and a large swollen area between them that looks like a new hem. but have been assured it is just normal swelling. 

(6) Tuesday July 3rd- Today I was up at 6 and had a bm, another around 8. I was able to get it over with and not take a sit bath although I did put some frozen peas back there. I haven't needed round the clock tylenol either. I still can't sit right on my butt but I can lay on my back for 30 mins or so which is a nice break from being on my side. I am up walking around and not waddling so much like a penguin. What I want most now is for the swelling to go down, and for my GI tract to regulate itself. I was having a soft but formed morning bm every day for over a month and I just want to get back to that. 

I am a teacher, and was committed to summer school. I was planning to go back to work the  9th but I still don't know if that will work out. I need to be able to poop before work (and only then) and sit for at least an hour at a time. I have my follow up appt thursday and I am hoping I get good news from my dr. 

In summary, yes the pain was bad and sucked, but I got through this and every day is a tiny bit better than the one before it. It's so hard to see the progress when you have to live through it every day, but you will get through this just like I am!

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