Hemorrhoid Surgery Recovery Time

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I've had hemorrhoid which looks very small on the outside ever since my second child's birth.Tried ointments,creams and suppositories to get rid of it, but always came back after a while.Never gives me any discomfort or pain other than slight bleeding at times and the fact that I know it's there.I've decided after being examined by a doctor to have the surgery done(small exterior but larger internal he said) on April the 23rd.But after reading this site now,I'm not sure if I made the right decision.Recovery of 2 weeks sound like a BS to me now, aside from the suffering of pain afterwards.I just wanted to be confident and comfortable in my lingerie as I could be...but now thinking...IS IT WORT IT ? I am so confused and scared at this point and thinking of canceling my surgery.Please help !

Argentina · Newbie Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Posts: 2

After reading these threads, I am not sure I have even had the same operation. I am a 50 year-old female and had a history of hemorrhoids dating back 20 years to childbirth. When an internal one came out and became thrombosed in January, I decided to look into surgery. We are currently posted in Argentina, so this is where I had it, on 7 April. I have had almost no pain, and no other significant problems. For what it's worth, here is what I did:

-For several weeks beforehand I played around with fibre supplements and finally settled on ground flax seed, 2-3 tablespoons per day (my weight is 120lbs). (My doctor did not say to do this, but I was forewarned by research on the web)
-I was not prescribed anything with codeine, but was going to refuse it (in theory) if prescribed because it constipates me terribly. I had a strong NSAID, which I needed only for the first 1.5 days.
-I have a very healthy diet anyway, no sugars, low on red meat, low on carbohydrates, no alcohol, and ate even more sparingly prior to and just after the surgery
-my surgeon prescribed sitz baths with Malva tea (a loose tea/herb I buy in a health shop). Malva has anti-inflammatory and antio-biotic properties (apparently)
-my surgery, which removed three hemorrhoids using laser, also involved a lateral incision beside my anus, underneath an external hemorrhoid. It will drain some pus for about a month apparently, and was left open for this purpose. Confusingly I find no mention of this on the web, and plan to ask my doctor to give me more details on it. It has been uncomfortable but nothing more.
-I was up and about immediately, and could sit without pain, and now feel almost normal except for some gas, and not being able to walk for a long time
-the first BM was 2 days post op. They have been regular, and yes, uncomfortable for the first week, but nothing more
-my doctor was not expecting me to have pain so I don't think I'm exceptional. He has done 5,000 of them, 2,000 with laser. When I told him before the operation that I had been scared out of wits by this thread, he said it was hard to compare recoveries because the procedures can vary so much.

Perhaps there will be some surprises to come, but so far, the experience has been uneventful. Truly, though, my sympathy for those who have suffered above.

Extreamly scared · Newbie Joined: 24 Apr 2008 Posts: 1 Location: Colorado

First Thank You to everyone for sharing your experiance. I am absolutly scared out of my mind to have this surgery. Crying or Very sad

I am schedualed for May 9th. I have read all your blogs and find them helpful, I found this site by mistake but thank the lord for all of you. My dr told me it would be exruciating pain (sorry for the spelling) but like so many were told the recovery would be 1 sometimes 2 weeks. I am starting to think they get a major bounes to schedual this sx. I have repeatedly asked for pre -surgery prep from nurses and dr's but have only been told about the no food etc 12 hrs before surgery. I am 30 and have had this problem for 6 years and was told I needed to have it done a while ago but really don't want to and know the doubt is even greater. Any and all advice to make this horrible sx better I welcome it. Its also nice having people to talk to about this because its really not a comfortable conversation to have with friend and co-workers. Embarassed

I also have a 6 year old and would like to know if anyone knows how long I should expect extra help? Will getting her ready for school going to be possable after a week or should i expect longer. I know I will not be able to drive her ecspecialy being on pain medication but what about everything elese?

munchkin1960 · Newbie Joined: 04 Apr 2008 Posts: 6

My personal experience in response to your q's - my doctor told me I would be in extreme pain and out of work, in bed, for 1 week; back to normal in 4-6 weeks. I was in extreme pain and out of work for 1 1/2 weeks; still in a lot of pain to 2-3 weeks. Now 4 weeks past surgery, I still have pain after BMs that requires taking percocet an average of 1 pill/day. I am definitely not back to normal - still very swollen and sore. But I'm able to function and do most of my normal activities except jogging. I find the pain makes me tired, however.

I have 2 kids (12 and Cool

and I would never have made it through the first week if not for my husband who did everything. I did not come out of the bedroom for several days. After a week I was able to do about half my normal routine. By two weeks I was doing everything around the house I used to do (meals, laundry, care for kids, clean, etc. - plus work) but I was (really) grumpy a lot because of the pain.

I can't say yet that this has been worth it because I am not yet healed and don't know what the final result will be like. I can say I think it is the worst experience I've had, worse even than following childbirth when I had major tearing and a grapefruit-sized hematoma that req'd surgery due to damage following forceps delivery. I was sitting on a donut for a month after that. (Although my memory of that pain may have faded by now). But, I can also say that I'm getting through it and you would too. Early on I thought there was no way this could be worth it but now I think maybe in the long run it will be. Others that have posted have said it has been. A few have had less awful experiences - maybe you'll be lucky - but it's probably good to have realistic expectations. I know that my doctor had to remove a lot of tissue so my experience may be worse than normal.

Guest · Guest

Thank You munchkin1960! It helps to know how much help I will need. My husband did not help me after my hysterectomy so I tore and prolonged recovery. This time I wanted to make sure I have help long enough to hopefuly not make it worse. My surgery is in 7 days and I hve to say I get more scared each day. Did anyone find any little things that made recovery easier? Any foods, home remadis, a certin stool softner, laxatives, etc. I don't eat very healthy now am slightly over weight but trying to find high fiber food now. Did anyone also have any problems with nausea and pain medication I have in the past. Do you know anything to help lower the nausia and do the pain meds cause a lot of problems with constipation. I am sorry for the million questions, honestly not sure I can go through with this Crying or Very sad

I hope in the long run it is worth it! I hope everyone the best of luckfor recovery and my prayers to help everyone move past the pain

allesdas · Newbie Joined: 07 May 2008 Posts: 5

I had my surgery this past Friday 5/2/2008. It was a very tough decision to go thru having read lots of posts on internet about the extreme pain and regret of having it done. All I know is I tried EVERYTHING I could to rid myself of the pain with external hemm. since starting treatment with gastro doctor JAN 08 (I had pains before starting NOV 07 but I guess before January I just thought I was having stomach issues or just felt altogther crazy cause I never had experienced that pain before)..we went thru enemas (ohh not pleasant to try and retain all night), suppositories (again not pleasant), creams, ointments (god in heaven took nitro BID (nitrocylcerin)..NEVER take this I landed up havng side effect of muscle pain all over I couldn't move, it was extremely painful!), Proctofoam (awful awful stuff, burned like hell), took flex sigmod test, etc. etc. Analpram was only thing that worked, although for only about 3 weeks then it was back to the constant throbbing/stabbing pain and need to use restroom. I just didn't feel like I was living anyhow, just getting thru the days. It has caused stress with my boyfriend cause he wanted to help me but of course he couldn't all he could do was listen and hold me while I cried. It affected us even doing anything anyhow, the pain was so intense and having to strain to have BM since not trying hurt as well. I am hoping the external hemm. was my only issue (I say this because flex sigmod didn't reveal anything major but I feel I led them to the external hemm. possibility) because the pain of the surgery IS extreme! Its no lie! I have cried off and on constantly since my surgery. Friday night I didn't sleep at all, crying , taking 1 percocet every 4 hours to no help. My boyfriend came home from work at 130am or so and called doctor, he said to up it to 2 percocets with advil as well. I did this and it finally helped, I had to continue that every 4 hours as pain was unbearable. I backed off as much as I could but still landed up taking percocet multiple times daily since then..which I didn't want to do since constipation can be caused of course, not to mention my desire to return to work..but sadly that is just not realistic that quick... (I should note I AM following other directives such as Benefiber in morning, at least 4 sitz baths with hot water, stool softner in evening). Now I ran thru all my percocet and doctor office prescribed me Loratab (Vicodin). Guess we will see how that goes along with Advil or Motrin. Rolling Eyes

Basically I just wanted to say if you suffered for months with the hemmrhoid as I did with no relief and its affecting your life, take the time to get the surgery done and see if it helps. At this point obviously I don't know what my end result will be -- I have good days and bad (and worse Crying or Very sad

). Now it seems I can deal with the throbbing for most part but once I have BM it tears me up and the stabbing unbearable pain returns. Right now I am looking at 2 weeks out of work to return mid May, which I think is more realistic then having been told everyone heals differently but you may "need a few days". HA HA HA. A few days??? I think they try to not scare the hell out of you but honestly I'd rather they just tell the absolute hard facts which I knew basically when I went into it by researching and getting 2nd opinion from my doctor then just the surgeon.

Good luck to everyone, I will try and post more as I continue my journey to hopefully a pain free life (I have plans to go to Beach in June, hopefully I will recover fully by then to enjoy it! and start living again)

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This has been great for me to read. I also had a hemmoroidectomy one week ago today. I had no idea of the amount of pain I would go through. It appears that by what others have written, it is pretty normal. I dread having a BM. No one seems to realize the pain that comes by sitting there and letting it pass. It feels like ripping of flesh. I have not tried having a BM right in the Sitz bath. I will try this whenever it comes. (not looking forward to it however). I am glad to see that I am not the only one

flex712 · Newbie Joined: 19 May 2008 Posts: 3

Argentina-I think your recovery went better compared to others who posted in this blog because your surgery was done using laser, which supposedly speads up recovery and less post op pain. My surgery is scheduled for May 29th and my doctor will be using traditional scapel method. I'm a little anxious reading all these postings and having second thoughts. Can anyone compare the pain of a BM between having a thrombosed hemmorrhoid excised and the actual removal of hemmorhoids?

For those who were prescribed pain medication, any thoughts or preference on either vicodin and percocets?

wishing everyone speedy recovery.

Guest · Guest

Hi I had my surgery on the 9th of may. One thing I really recomend is a spinal tap / epideral foe anastisia. I get realy nausiated with general and my anastiologist recomended this. I recoverd so much easier and quicker. You have to wait untill you can get up and pee before you leave. Even waiting my bum was numb longer wich kept it from being as painful at first. It made the car ride home berable. I take vicodine, normally I take 1 1/2 every know and then 2. I had to up the amount of stool softners to 4 a day (not all at once) and metamucil at night. I tried to keep away from food that would cause a hard BM. I also started taking aleve or ibu every six hours wwhich seemed to help. Lots of baths, I would just have enough to soak escpesially (sp) right after a BM wich seemed to help with pain and swelling. I also added some epsom salt -about a 1/4 cup then up tp 1/2 cup - I would switch on and off between each one. Also get long panty liners for the blood and discharge will help keep from ruining your underware, sheets, chair etc. Good luck, I am at 2 weeks and BM are much better but still hoping in the long run it will be worth it.

SCZEPP1 · Newbie Joined: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 4 Location: Maryland

Hey gang. Well its been 6 months since my op and I am doing better. Had the surgery Nov 16 2007. November wasnt so bad although I moved slow. Decemeber was brutal. I mean brutal. BM's oh boy. This went into January. January did get a little bit better but it was February I started really feeling better. 12 weeks I would day.
Once in a while I still get pain but nothing like it was. I had Open Heart Surgery in 2001 at the age of 28 and that was more of a prolong brutal rehab but this op was more painful afterwards because of the BM's. Even taking a leak made it hurt back there.
The pain would come while you where sitting doing nothing but it made you feel as if you had to go. But its May 21st and things are much better. I am back to Mens softball 1 night a week and doing politics door to door 2 nights a week.
It will get better and I am with anyone that goes through this. I met someone who said it was far worse then giving birth. I only had to feel better reading and hearing others expierences. Thats something I did not do when I had Heart surgery. Talking about it is the best rehab!

Hemorrhoid Surgery Recovery Time

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