Hemorrhoid Surgery Recovery Time

Daniel1969 · Newbie Joined: 10 Jul 2007 Posts: 1

Hi everyone....i found this forum early after my surgery because i wanted to see how other people dealt with it and what the healing time was. I had two internal hemorrhoids removed by scapel as well as fissure surgery and a sphincterotomy so the fissure could heal. It has been 2 months to this day when i had my surgery. It has been up and down. I had no idea what i was in for and how long it would take to heal. There are times i questioned whether i should have had it but i dont think i had a choice. Silly me..i did no research and expected the 2 weeks i was going to be out of work to be the worst of it. That was sooo wrong. I ended up needing 3 weeks and was very uneasy about going back after that. I was still in a lot of pain plus the thought of not taking a sitz bath after i go was no a good one...well i made it thru that and after a while it got easier. I hope this isnt too much info but i'm a private person with my bowel movements..i dont like others to be in the same area so public bathrooms are not easy for me..that did not help my case as it caused me to strain when going when i should not have. i went to my doctor for a checkup last week and to have the progress of my healing checked. I told him i was still having a considerable amount of blood as well as a lot of pain for up to 4 hours after each bowel movement because of i guess swelling...He immeadiately told me that i had to quit straining...he knew. he also informed me that if i did not that i could get several more hemorrhoids as well as a return of the fissure. I hope it was mostly a scare tatic...although i know there is truth to it. I had also neglected the sitz baths. Anyhow he scheduled another followup in 3 weeks because he was suppose to use a scope to look in my rectum but didnt want to because of the pain and me still being a little raw. He also told me to take sitzbats 2 to 3 times a day and use a suppository every other day..i am doing the sitzbaths but the suppository hurt and was hard to insert so im skipping that..however some good came out of it. i have trained myself to let the bowel movements come to me and not strain...before i would try to make myself go....i would figure..well i'll never get the bathroom to myself at work or i had to be somewhere so i have to go now..that was bad..now i let it come to me and not strain..its been beter..i still have some blood...i have a question for those who have has similar surgies...When does the blood stop..i mean its not alot..but it is kind of frequent and sometimes it is older looking like maybe from a reopened wound...is that normal? and how long can this last...also i still have the oozing mucus. How long does this last..is it normal at 2 months? Any answers will be welcome..i would like to put my mind at ease..i try to keep a positive attitude ..sometimes its difficult. I hope everyone here eventually heals and leads painfree lives. My advice to folks after the operation is pretty much what everyone else has said...eat lots of fiber...dont strain after bowel movements...take your sitzbaths..and something else...after each bowel movent i find it good to walk around some before you sit...makes it easier...good luck everyone and i hope i didnt ramble and bore you.

Bibibecause · Newbie Joined: 11 Sep 2007 Posts: 1

Hello everyone!

Firstly I will mention that my surgery was August 28th at 1pm. My Doctor was nice enough to sort of walk me through what he was going to do to me. He drew a picture of it so that things were absolute.

Secondly, I would like to wish everyone who is currently recovering the best wishes. I know you need it because I am still recovering. My recovery has been completely unbearable and I will never defend it in a mild manner. No one knew how bad they were until I chose to take pics of a couple out breaks and showed them to the Dr's and paralyzed the with shock because when examining me that was not what they saw. They did not even think I needed major surgery, but after seeing the pics put me on the priority list so put your camera's to use if need be.

One thing I have observed is how many hemorrhoids people mention they had and had removed or taken care of. No one so far has mentioned my number. I don't know if that means that my experience has and still is more painful than yours. I think so though. I had 4 hemorrhoids; 2 internal and 2 external removed or cut off and then stitched. It was definitely no cake walk. I sort of feel cheated because before hand I was never told how much pain I would endure afterwards.

Once I woke up from the surgery I felt OK. I was in pain which was bearable, but I managed to go home fine. In fact I remember being so happy because of how I felt which was not so bad. The reason for my happiness was that one of the nurses clearly told me that the worst pain I will ever feel will be what I feel when I wake up from the surgery and it gets better after that. SHE WAS ABSOLUTELY WRONG.

Everything was fine as I took the meds and all until the next morning when I was woken up by severe excruciating pain that was beyond unbearable. I was screaming and crying in the kitchen and there was nothing I could do. I was shaking from the pain. Mind you I already had taken the meds necessary. What happened here was that the anesthesia had pretty much completely worn off so I was basically left alone to handle the pain.

I tried to call my Dr, but could not reach him and my sis was so worried because in her life she had never seen me like this so she skipped work that day. Finally when I got a hold of my Dr. and the nurse they told me to take 2 pills every 3 hours and yet the bottle said take 1 every 4 hours so you can imagine how much pain I was in after taking the wrong doze thanks to some human in perfectionist. (By the way that med I was given that did not work is called Tylenol #3.) It was absolutely accurately useless for me. Now still I insisted that that medication did not work so after meeting with my Doc he prescribed a much stronger medication from Rite Aid (or any pharmacy) called ESGIC PLUS which I take once every 8 hours, but in my case 5 hours. I get refills on it with his permission every time I run out.

It only got worse because soon afterwards I needed to pass a bowl movement and when I fearfully tried I thought I was going to pass out. Here is my description, all the blood and pressure rushed to the top of my head and I became so hot I started gasping for air and banging on the window because I was so hot. I just could not do it so made an immediate decision to push my bowls back inside of me and hold off. I did that successfully. You can imagine I pretty much vowed I was never going to be put in that position again.

I immediately told my sister to go to Rite Aid pharmacy and explain my situation to the physicians and ask them for a laxative for Diarrhea. They gave me something called Bisacodyl which is what I have been using until today and though bowel movements are still painful they are a lot less painful when having Diarrhea instead of a normal stool. That stool medicine that the Dr. recommended called Collace did not work at all for me. Simply my butt hole was way too small obviously. The Dr. said that the laxative I got is fine to use. One thing I also decided to do from the beginning after my nightmare of an experience with my first attempt to have a bowel movement was to only have one when I am in a sitz bath. As gross as it may seem, it is a much better feeling that taking it raw. Everytime I feel it coming I quickly get my sitz bath ready and sit inside until I release and then stay there for about 5 mins more to ease off the pain then get up and clean up thoroughly.

I have been doing this every single time for the past 14 days and it is working for me. One other mistake I think my Dr. did not, but should have told me is for at least the first 4 days to pretty much feed on just soft foods and liquids because what you eat has to come out and remember it will whether you like it or not and the softer or less you eat, the easier it will be. Now since day 1 I have been bleeding and still am which apparently is normal. The first 4 days I was bleeding really badly and then it pretty became what they call, spotting which I still am.

It is only 3 days ago that I started with the itching which again was unbearable. I could not believe how itchy it was and every time I touched it, which I could not help it would hurt me so what I would do is when the itching starts I go into my sitz bath and touch it there because it feels much better and hardly painful. I stay there for a while. Another thing I did not mention is that my pain was so bad where the Dr. told me I just needed to be in the sitz bath for 10 to 15 mins I was there for hours at a time because it would take me that long, but once I got out I was practically pain free or could bear the pain so take advantage of a sitz bath and make sure you have one. You will need it, you will need it, you will need it.

I can tell that I am at least 2 weeks away from any sort of full recovery where there is no bleeding or pain involved (14 days later.) I tried to walk a 1 block distance to the pharmacy 2 days and realized that I am far from recovery because I barely could do it. I would also suggest that during recovery you when sleeping you switch off your phone because you will realize as I did that the only time I was able to escape the pain was when I was knocked out.

I went through many hours and days where I could not sit, sleep or lay down or anything so had to stand and walk around my apt until my feet got sort or until the meds kicked in properly where at that point I had cried myself to sleep.

All I have to say is you will need to do your homework on how to help yourself which is why I am trying to be as descriptive as possible because if you cannot reach your Dr or anything you may need to be creative or you are in trouble. Make sure you have a sitz bath with you before you leave the hospital, fill it with warm water and use it for all your bowl movements and stay in there for about 10 mins longer afterwards so the pain settles no matter how gross you think it is you need to heal yourself. Also for the first few days and perhaps other days make sure there is someone around you who can do the shopping for you or help you with things. You will need it. Like I said it is no where near a cake walk. I have a high tolerance for pain, but this??????

Bibi

MR2STEVEN · Newbie Joined: 28 Nov 2007 Posts: 1

I'm currently at the 3 month mark and I'm still bleading with every bowl movement and spend hours in the bath after. My Dr told me that I had one of the worst cases he had ever seen and he call it a 360 degree condition and to this day don't know how many total that I had but it was alot. I was suffering from both internal and external. this is the first suergy i have every been through and i hope my last ever.
I have to say I was 100% mis lead on the recovery time and I have to tell you from what I have read sure some people can be better 2 weeks later and then other like myself it can be months. I'm currently taking Tylenol number 4's and about 4 times a day.
bottom line... the recovery is 10 time worst then the pain prior to the suergy and the only plus about the suergy is the very low chances of the riods ever returning. and at this point in my life Keeping in mind i'm a 24 (at the time of the surgey) 25 now year old male I will never do this again for just about any reason inless it life and death.

SCZEPP · Newbie Joined: 05 Jan 2008 Posts: 1

Gang, Sheww. Its been 7 weeks for me. I thought 2 weeks I will be fully ready to go. Wel lI was good after 1 weeks, went back to work then whamo. The pain is awful. I sit on the pot thinking please be soft,please be soft....... About 2 weeks before Xmas I really had a bad BM. I mean it was very painful. Since then it has been a day of pain free BM then the next day the pain returns. I have my pain mainly on the left lower just inside and outside. It was an external roid I had taking out. Back when it 1st appeared I thought I would let it go then I had a pot full of blood and thought I better go see my Doc who me to the Hsopital where I spent a few days because im on blood thinners for life. I dont if I would of went right away if I could of aovided this pain in the long run or not.
Its something I dont talk about to friends or anyone else for that matter except my wife. My chirporactor gave me the best advise to take chewable fiber pills every day and to rest as much as possible when Im not working. I have a desk job and I could imagine anyone who does hard labor having this.
Anyhow Im there with everyone with the pain and being deprssed about it and all. 2 weeks, yeah right. Hopefully the pain will subside. I did not take the pain meds until that bad BM 2 weeks before Xmas. I have only taking 3 since then, Jan 05,2008. I dont think they help other then wanting to put you asleep for 15 minutes.
I know Im all over the place here but Im just not with it as I am normally. Pain,depressed,frustrated you name it. I dont wish this on anybody.

mark1972 · Newbie Joined: 05 Jan 2008 Posts: 1

Thank God for this forum!! I just want to say a big thankyou to everyone who has posted on this forum - I no longer feel alone in my suffering since reading all your posts

I was beginning to feel like there was something wrong with me as two weeks after the op to remove one internal and two external roids I was in intense pain and all I was told before the op was 'my botty may be a little sore for a few days' - ha!!

I am from the UK and the op is day surgery over here and I was told this was 'minor surgery' and the only after-care advice I was given was that I may need to take time off work, and to eat lots of fruit and veg!! I feel totally conned into not being told about the seriousness of the recovery time required for this op and the lack of info.

I have had to learn the hard way about recovery. Here is my story in brief:-

- After op in lots of pain despite pain killers recommended (neurophen and paracetamol which didn't touch the pain) + bleeding loads

- First BM (solid poop) was two days after operation and I began to find out what pooping razor blades felt like - nearly passed out with the pain

- After second week had to plead with GP for prescribe me oral morphine for the pain (downside causes constipation) but was also informed I need a laxative (senokot) and a stool softner (magnesium hydroxide) - why was I not told this before???

- Things improved a little after this as 'Mr Whippy' poops although stingy and painful are alot better than passing solid bullets like I had to endure in the first two weeks. Also didn't feel like I was going to pass out/shake uncontrollably/sweat profusely at every BM as I had previously.

- Tried very hard to come to terms with the 'two steps forward - one step back' (sometimes it felt like one step forward - two steps back!) type of recovery this was going to be.

- For me keys for recovery management (self learn't) were warm salty baths after each BM, hot water bottle under bum thereafter, pain relief in the form of morphine/codeine when pain gets too much, but make sure laxative and stool softner used at the same time. Also, hard for me to say this as a bloke, but the investiment in an ample supply of pantyliners essential to mop up those unwanted leakages!!

- Stuff learn't from this forum:- pressing down on your coxix does wonders for the pain during a BM - I wish I had know this earlier. Also stool softners should be used from day 1.

- Anyhow I could write an essay on all the problems I have had during this recovery but I am at 7 weeks after the op now and consider myself to be about 75% recovered. I finally don't dread each BM, and although it is still painful and unpleasant, and I am still bleeding, it is nowhere near as bad as before. It usually takes about 3-4 hours before my bum feels 'normal' again but when it does all discomfort totally disappears most days.

- This has been a horrific experience for me and I feel I have been given no warning by the medics about the recovery required from this op. It is good however that I found this forum and know I am not alone with this- and thanks to all for posting here. I feel you really have to go through this to fully appreciate the trauma involved!!

- Finally can anyone out there tell me roughly how long it took until they achieved a 'full recovery' - I dream of that day......

Guest · Guest

Gang, Here are a few tips I have taking from this site.
-Fiber Diet
-Warm Bath
-Warm Sitz bath
-Epsom Salt for Sitz bath
-Drink lots of water
-Prop legs up as much as possible
-Take Fiber Con Chewable pills
-Use heating pad
-5 minute walks
-stay away from food that may bind you up
-eat lots of fruits/veggies
-no skin on food like potatoes,chicken, etc....
-little to no read meat
-take pain killer when needed but not often
-if stopped up,Senekot could be taking
-check out supplements
-eat less qty's in your square meals a day,stay away from sweets,eat fruit instead
-Try to follow the fiber diet that works for you the rest of your life.

diane66 · Newbie Joined: 20 Jan 2008 Posts: 1

hi found this site last week and thought id reply,,had surgery 3days b4 xmas,,was only meant 2 have removal of skin tag in my peranium,,so i thought,,doc did say if found anything else he would remove them/it,,didnt think had any so signed consent,,holy crap,never in a million years did i think it was going 2b that bad ,,honestly thought id be back to work in2 days ,,i right,,ive had a few ops and dont remember the pain being that bad,,wouldnt go thru it again,,wish hadnt2 start with ,, 1st 2weeks the worst,,1st bm was day after op and sat with head between my knees so woulndt be as bad,, still do same position ,,dont know when thatl be bak 2 normal the baths the greatest comfort,,but spent more time checking my ass out in mirror,,never have i looked at it so much not a pretty site,,lol .,, its been 4weeks and apart from bleeding which really freaks me out im great,,used antiseptic wipes and cream,,,ate more healthily,,and used reiki healing from myself and friends,and relatively back 2normal,,the odd bit of pain in loo ,,but mainly internel left side ,which i take was where they cut me,, have found the posts great help and know that others are in same boat,, wish u all well and hope u heal quc Smile

ikly2

Guest · Guest

Gang,
Well here it is Jan 22nd 2008. Last week, Monday into Tuesday things really improved for me. Far less pain. I thought it would never go away. Was roughly 2 months after my surgery date. Today I had a follow up appt with the surgeon and he was happy to see the improvement. He mentioned I did everythign right and if not it could take 3 months to a year for the healing. Anyhow it takes a while longer to feel less discomfort he said but as long as it doesnt feel like im having a BM of broken glass or sitting on nails.
Gosh I feel much better gang. Its a whole new world to me. It was all that wa on mine the last 2 months. I didnt enjoy my holidays as a result. Had to fake smiles like I was running for office or something.
Some of the pain wouldnt come until an hour or two after a BM. Standing would seem to send a pain up my left leg into my rear. Sometimes the pressure made me feel like I had to have a BM or pee but I couldnt. Either I did not have to go or the pain withehld my brain from wanting to go? I dont know but its much better now. I though I was goingto have retire from softball this coming spring but right now this 35 year old man wants to run 10 miles.........

dfenn · Newbie Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Posts: 1

Hi,
I can appreciate and sympathize with everyone that has posted. My surgury was on 01/09/08. I have suffered from pain that was previously thought unimaginal. My Dr. said that for the ten to fourteen days following my procedure I would probably want to kill him. He was right (but I didn't ). I am now on week three of recovery and know I have a long way to go. I have gone throught experiences like having BM's in the tub and having to wear Depends for that unexpected, unplanned blast of uncontrable BM's and urination. This has been an experience that I wish on no one............ Best of luck to everyone.

pabou · Newbie Joined: 03 Feb 2008 Posts: 1

Hello It's been 4 weeks since my hemmorroidectomy sugery I had 2 thrombosed hemmorroids removed. I am doing much better, but never took so long to recoever from such a surgery. My problems are 1. I have now 6 smalll hemmorroids, that I am hoping will go away with thecortisone ointment. 2. have an average per day 4 bowel movements!!! The surgeon told to to continue with the colace(stool softener) once per day. I am concerned that I cannot resume my normal once per day bowel movemnt. does anyone have any suggestions.

Hemorrhoid Surgery Recovery Time

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