On first doctor visit, he banded 3 external hems, total torture for 4 days until the rubber bands fell off while I took bath to try to relieve pain. BTW 8 Vicodin did nothing to ease this pain! Doc tells me he shouldn't have even tried banding due to my extreme condition. I was set up for surgery within days. Twice I was on my way into surgery and turned away because of low potassium, they even tried to directly give me potassium via my I. V. ..omg the pain was unbearable. Third time, finally I was taken into surgery. Thank God because I had serious thoughts of taking a knife and cutting them out myself ( no joke the pain was like no other). I woke up from a 3-4 hr surgery to find out I had 12 hems removed, many internal and one the size of a golf ball which they used skin from to repair fissure. The doctor explained all of this to me and apologized for everything, especially trying to band anything not totally knowing the severity of my condition. I was in the hospital for 4 days. The worst was first 24 hrs. This whole thing from start until I walked out of hospital went on for 5 months. The pain of the surgery was nothing to the banding and potassium I.V. Anyone with hemorrhoid trouble, get it taken care of right away. Yes it's painful I won't lie, but it will only get worse. The outcome is totally worth it. Do not let anyone talk you into being banded! Stay strong and brave, you can do it.