What to expect after Hemorrhoid surgery

I decided to start this post for a few reasons.   The first is to give me something to do while going through this.  Second, is maybe get some support from others who have been where I'm at.  And third, to let people know who are considering this surgery what to expect.

I turned 50 back in March and my wife has been telling me that I needed to go ahead and schedule a colonoscopy.  Well like every stubborn male I kept putting it off.   So we had been doing a lot of work outside in some hot weather and I ended up getting severe heat dehydration.  Spent a few hours in the ER and was told I needed to drink a lot more water than usual.  Because of the dehydration, I ended up becoming very constipated and developed some hemorrhoids.  The hemorrhoids weren't hurting but they were large.  So I went to see a Dr thinking that I could just get some magic cream and poof they would go away.  Well, he said those are bad and since I was 50 I needed a colonoscopy also.  He set up the surgery for both.  Like most people I got on this site and several others and became scared to death.  But I went ahead and went through with the surgery on 9/15/17.  The colonoscopy went well but here is where the story really begins.......

As I was rolled out of recovery and back into my room where my wife was waiting, I was in a good mood.  Wasn't in any pain at all.  Obviously I was still medicated.  They told me that as soon as I was able to urinate I would be able to go home.  That was harder said than done.  I tried and tried and just couldn't pee.  As time went on the medication started to wear off and the pain came with a vengeance.  At this point all I wanted to do was go home.  The nurse who was checking in on me must have felt sorry for me so she snuck in a shot of Demerol.  I even lied and said I was able to go to the bathroom so she started my release paperwork.  The Dr. came in and told me to take my pain meds, drink plenty of water, and take warm baths for relief.  The Demerol helped and my wife was able to get me home and in bed.    The first day really wasn't that bad.  Oh don't get me wrong, I was in pain.  But the worst was still yet to come.  I have a high tolerance for pain also. The second day the pain hit.  The best way I can describe the pain is a lot of pressure, stinging sharp pains, and a feeling of being cut down there. (Obviously)  I also had trouble urinating which only added to the pain.  With the help of pain meds I made it through the second day and night.  I woke up on the third day actually feeling pretty good.  I got up and soaked in a hot bath and then took a nice long shower.  I even felt like getting dressed and trying to feel like my old self.  For the best part of the day I was doing great.  Still not pain free by any means and still walking like a 90 year old man. Now understand, I haven't had a bowel movement yet.  So later that day, about 5 pm I guess, the pain came.  It felt like a lot of pressure like I needed to have a bowel movement.  But the Dr stressed not to strain so I just waited until I needed to go and then go to the bathroom.  Well that time never came.  But the pain got worse and worse.   I put in a call to the Dr.'s office and they had the on call Dr call me.  He told me to double up on the laxatives.  So I followed the instructions and did that.  Even with all the laxatives still nothing but pain.  So on day 4 I called the Dr.'s office and was able to speak with the Dr. who did my surgery.  He told me that everything that I was going through was normal and I could go to the pharmacy and get a bottle of Magnesium Citrate and try that.  My wife ran to the pharmacy and got a bottle.  The pharmacists told her to tell me to drink the entire bottle and I should have a bowel movement between 30 minutes to 6 hours after drinking the bottle.  Well almost three hours later Hell came.  I just made it to toilet before the bottom fell out.  Even though it was soft, mostly diarrhea, the pain was horrible.  The burning was way too much to handle so I jumped directly into the shower and started spraying myself off with the shower head.  Then I just laid in a hot tub of water until the pain let up.  I have continued to take all of the medications the Dr prescribed.  As the evening of day 4 came around, I was totally spent dealing with all of the pain.  My wife was trying to get me to go to the ER but I knew that all they would do is give me pain med and tell me to follow up with my Dr and then give me a nice bill.  I made it through night 4 and on the morning of day 5 my wife called my Dr.'s office and made me an appointment for 2 pm. (That is today by the way).  The Dr came in and looked at the area and said everything was looking like it is supposed to only 5 days after surgery.  He could see that I was in a lot of pain and reassured me that this would all pass.  He told me that some people can't take the pain and have to be admitted into the hospital.  He said that things should start feeling better in a few days.  He changed my pain medicine from Lortab to Percocet and added Neurontin to also help with the pain.  

So that's where I'm at right now.  Day 5 and still hurting.  Some of you that have had this surgery may have been doing much better by day 5 and some worse.  I think we are all different and react differently to pain.  I do know this is not a surgery to just jump into without getting some facts first.  It's going to hurt.  That's the one truth that I think all who have experienced it will agree on.  

I would love to hear other's post op stories.  I know that I still have a ways to go before I am pain free.  

As I am able, I will update everyone with how my recovery is going.

Take care,

Randy 

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