Recovery from hemorrhoidectomy

After reading the horror stories on here i was terrified to say the least when my proctologist recommended a hemorrhoidectomy. after delivering my daughter in October 2020 i was left with an external hemorrhoid that hung out with no hopes of ever going back in. it didnt necessarily hurt but it made me so insecure during sex and it was also becoming such a chore to clean up after a poop. my doctor offered to do it in office under local anesthetic. i know most people go under general but i didnt want to make a huge deal and go to the hospital/ be put under so i sucked it up. my appointment was Monday (2/22) at 9am. the entire procedure was about 30 mins and the only pain i felt was the local anesthetic. my doctor didnt prescribe me any pain meds (he said alternate tylanol and advil) and sent me on my way. i was numb without pain until about 2pm. from then and through the night it got progressively more unbearable. i spent the entire night alternativing between soaking my ass in warm water, crying, and wanting to die. i slept probably a half an hour that night. i called the office as soon as they opened on tuesday and demanded pain meds. they prescribed me percocet with no problem.

Tuesday (day 2): i spent a majority of the day sleeping on and off from the percocet. it definitely took the edge of the pain off but mainly made me sleep. i took probably 6 sitz baths that day and night. still pretty miserable. i hated my doctor for letting me do this and regretted it entirely. still no bowel movement

.

Wednesday (day 3) a little improvement from tuesday. some hours i was in agonizing pain, sometimes it was very manageable. i had my first bowel movement and it was surprisingly not painful. i did have some sharp pain afterwards but nothing that a sitz bath couldnt fix.

Thursday (day 4) the first day ive felt human since the surgery. i was up most of the day and was able to take care of my 4 month old, get some laundry done, and even do the dishes. another painless bowel movement and i only took 1 hot shower today no sitz baths. im hoping each day from now on i feel better and better.

my tips :

instead of being in a percocet coma all day, i only took it at night to sleep. during the day every 6 hours i took 2 extra strength tylanol and 3 advil. it seriously is life changing.

i started taking stool softeners 4 days before my surgery and then every day post op. i also take medemucil

i was up on my feet caring for my baby by day 2 . i think laying in bed for days would have made recovery much worse.

sitz baths are so relieving after bowel movements.

i sat on an ice pack most days while sitting

it definitely is a painful surgury but i think you just have to make the best of it. i distracted myself with my family, a book, and lots of netflix.

i know everyone heals differently, i prepared myself for the worst but so far it hasnt been the excrutiating pain i was expecting and i definitely dont regret it at all!

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