Complications after hemorrhoid surgery

I just got back from the post op visit to the doctor. I am feeling a ton better than I did last week this time, and I can safely say that for all of you considering this procedure, or scheduled to have the procedure. DO IT. Without a doubt it's going to suck your first week, the pain is incredible, but the outcome is that the current pain you suffer will no longer exist.

The dr. didn't clear me to work yet, but I walked quite a distance today and felt really good after I got home. I know I suffered some serious pain going into this but the outcome was worth it. I wish all of you the best!

"Better prepared", hmmm, to me that means canceling the procedure! If I had any inkling of the pain and suffering that would come from this surgery, I would never have had it! Hang in there and if your surgeon does not help you, find a good GI doc. Answers are slim and solutions hard to find. 1 . 5 years since my surgery and most days are still challenging.

it's now exactly 2 weeks since the surgery and I can comfortably say that I am probably past the worst of it. I've gone into work two days this week, and today I did some serious cleaning up around the house. 1.5 yrs of the pain from the beginning of this procedure would be absolutely unbearable.

I have only a couple of complaints now:

1. I am still experiencing some minor spasms that seem to be diminishing slightly more day by day
2. I haven't quite figured out yet how to balance my diet with just enough fiber that I don't have to go every hr (even though it's no where near as painful)

To all of you considering this surgery in the future, I still recommend it but I would say definitely do your research and find a physician that you can really believe in. But only consider this surgery as a last resort. I truly believe if you have hemorrhoids that aren't really bothering you in any capacity - live with them, but if you are in the 3 - 4 range - DO IT, DEAL WITH THE PAIN, because I can attest to the fact that it DOES get better but you are going to REEEAAALLLY have to be patient.

Good luck, and I am terribly sorry Prep H that you had to deal with this for such a long time now.

I am trying to use my little tablet here because I can't sit at my computer.  I had the staple surgery on Jume 20. it has been eight days now and I think I made a mistake. when I need t poop, it is a NOW event. If there is anything in there and I am not near a bathroom, I figure I will make a mess.

The pain was unbearable for a few days, but has let up a lot. the two biggest problems tbat I am have  as  far as pain now os a nig tag that has been swollen since the day of the surgery, and what I think is an errant staple that is tearing me up right inside my butt.

I  went back to see the surgeon, but he claimed he could not find anything wrong. well, there is something wrong. i even have a picture of it that I took with mt cellphone.

I am not mistaken, but I don't think we are supposes to see any staples. This thing has a sharp end and it moves when I move. It is extremy painful.

 

 

 

Sorry. That was supposed to be skin tag that is all swollen up.

I am also having a lot of teeth cracking butt clenches. If I reach for something that is falling, butt clenche. if I take a step and falter, butt clenche. they dont just happen randomly. it is always when I am, how to say it, suprised? startled? 

just since that last post the thing right inside my anus is sticking the heck out of me.

Does ANYBODY have ANY idea what this could be?

 

mybutthurts,

I had the surgery that required stitches so I can't comment on the staples but I am now in my fourth week of recovery and it still is sketchy, but I can promise you that it does get better. The worst of it is the spasms and how my digestive system is completely out of whack. The best advice I can give you is the following:

1. Use a Sitz bath (like it's a religion) sit in the damn thing for as long as necessary

2. Fiber in your diet like its going out of style

3. Milk of magnesia if you want to accelerate the first movement

 

Try to remember that your body is trying to heal itself so think of it in terms of when you had a scrape or cut on your body, how long did it actually take to heal? 4 weeks? 2 months?

 

Feel better and keep posting to let us know.

The pain got so bad that I had to go to the emergency room Sunday morning at around 1:00am.

After a few pokes and prods, a nurse practitioner pulled out a three inch long piece of plastic suture that was doubled over and curled up. I immediately felt better.

A surgeon couldn't find it but a nurse practitioner did. Somebody is getting paid too much, or not enough whichever way you want to look at it.

Mike - I am doing Metamucil, and also the clear fiber. I don't have a Sitz bath, but I am relaxing in my bathtub at every opportunity. I am not sure if I could use a Sitz bath. When I am sitting, it hurts like it is pushing my insides out. Lying back in the tub feels pretty good though. I have done the M.O.M. two times, and have been doing the fiber since day one.It just hurt way worse than it should and now I know why.

I have not had a bowel movement since coming home from the emergency room a couple of hours ago, which is good because before that thing was removed it felt like I had to go every hour. Maybe I can start the REAL recovery process now. I hope that thing didn't cause any permanent damage scrapping around down there.

And, somebody owes me $65 frigging dollars that I had to pay to the emergency room. This should not have ever happened. Either the hospital is going to give me a refund, or the doctor is going to write me a check.

Oh yea - As for the butt clenches or spasms (I didn't really know what was going on down there), they are not as numerous the past couple of days, but I still feel like my teeth are going to crack when I have one. I know my neighbors can hear me hollering when it happens. I hope they cover their kids ears because some of the stuff I am hollering is not fit for youngsters to hear.

 

I appreciate your reply and hope you a speedy recovery.

I had my procedure done at NYU. I would be furious if my Dr. did something like leave a 3 inch suture there. If your doctor prescribed valium, I would say take double the dosage if you still haven't had a BM, and lie in the tub until you have no control of your sphincter muscle then you might in fact be able to have your first movement.

Right now I still have swelling (I'm in my 4th week of healing) and yesterday I tried to do the entire day without any kind of pain killers - I wasn't able to do it, around 5 pm I had two advils and it helped. I've stopped taking the prescription drugs because I wasn't benefiting from them at all. Oxy sucks.

I've always been pretty regular about my movements pre and post op but the spasms and the digestive system being out of whack really makes this thing difficult to deal with. I am just hoping that sooner or later I have a sense of normalcy again. I find that when I push myself to do normal activities (go out, walk, clean up around the house) I get bad the following day if I overdid it the day before.

This AM I had a pretty comfortable BM and even though as I sit in front of my computer writing this, I feel like I still have to go but I am being patient and allowing my body to lead. Don't force and even though it's easier said than done - try to breathe and remain patient.

I don't envy anyone who is suffering the first week of healing but keep hanging in there! Speedy recovery to all of you as well!

The only prescription I got was for Percocet. I already have a few hydrocodone and Oxycodone at home (for a back problem I have had forever), so I tore the prescription up as soon as the wheel chair cleared the hospital doors. I told the nurse to trash it for me.

I have been taking a 500mg naproxen two times a day. But now, My penis is hurting, my back (Right Side) feels like it has been kicked by a mule, and my stomach below the belly button is getting sharp pains. I am fervently hoping that it is the naproxen and that I have not gotten some kind of infection.

 

The fiber thing worked a little at first, but now things are starting to come out hard. That's weird because I have not really had a hard BM in many years. I went three times a day. Morning, sometime in the afternoon, and before I went to bed. That's all to hall now. I am going several times a day now whether I want to or not, and there has only been a few instances where it has been a lot.

 

I get these feelings all of a sudden that something is coming out whether I am sitting on a commode or not. I have not ventured far since I had this done because of that.

 

I had a BM today that almost caused me to have a stroke. It was the biggest thing to exit my behind in a great many years. I am about ready to ditch the fiber stuff and just start eating normal again.

 

Hot water has absolutely no impact on whether I can go or not. The hot bath just feels good for a while. Two minutes after I step out, it is like I was never in.

 

As for the suture: I AM furious. The trip to the emergency room last night was totally unacceptable.

It would not have been made if:

1 - He had done his job to start with and counted the sutures when he was done.

2 - He would have paid attention to me at the last visit and found it before he shoved it back up my butt - twice.

If it had not been for that thing, I believe I would be well on my way to recovery. That set me back many days. I can still feel something scratchy in there. I don't know if it is another suture or a staple rubbing on something. At this point, nothing would surprise me.

 

I am really hoping that the urge to squat NOW will pass soon. I do not want to go through life like this.

 

(Please pardon any spelling mistakes. At times, my mind tends to type faster than my fingers.)

07-01-13

I am able to at least walk now without being in agony. It hurts, but walking is not something I have done a lot of since June 20th. I am still pissed at the suture he left behind.

Going to the bathroom is still a chore, and it hurts pretty bad at times. Although, it is significantly better than last week. Before that thing was removed, it scraped my insides every time I did a number two. I am able to sit more, but it is still very uncomfortable. I suppose it will take time. I hope this works so I can make the drive to see my kids on occasion.

My next appointment is two days from now (Wednesday 3rd). I had been thinking that it was tomorrow, but I called to make sure. Besides, I forgot what time it was supposed to be.

There are a few things I need to discuss with that doctor.

1 - How many more visits before he officially cuts me loose.

2 - I have a scraping feeling inside me when I move. What is it and is it going to go away in time?

3 - At times, it feels like ants crawling around in my butt. Did that thing he left behind cause nerve damage?

4 - When is this "Immediate" urge to "Go" subside? It is hard to go anywhere when you might have to "Go" at anytime.

5- My butt stings when I do a number 2. Do I have a tear and what do I do about it if I do?

6 - Is my sphincter OK? When I get the urge to do a BM, it feels liek it is already knocking on the door to get out.

7 - When will my digestive system be back on track. I want to be normal again.

That last thing is aggravating. I used to go like clockwork every morning. Then again at night before I go to bed. And sometime in the afternoon at times.Now, it is just random. I feel this urge and I better be near a commode. I just hope it was all worth it and I am able to drive my truck or ride my motorcycle without being in agony.

As the days have gone by, I have taken bigger diet risks and this AM I paid for it. I had a pint of beer and a "lime a rita" (both alcoholic) and I was woken up at 2 am to use the bathroom. It's now 5:30 am and I can't stop using the bathroom every 1/2 hr. Even though it's not anywhere near as painful as it was, it sucked and it still sucks. That sense of "relief" after using the bathroom has been seriously elusive and I still can't achieve that (almost 30 days since the procedure). I really hope that specific aspect changes and I am able to get as close as possible as I can to what "normal" was/is.

All I know is my digestive system is not cooperating. I just had a Metamucil drink, and I am now just trying to cope with this feeling.

 

I had my surgery the beginning of December, so it's been 7 months.  While I can no longer just "hold it in" like I used to, I don't usually need to make a mad dash like in the beginning.  I'm still dealing with my complications (anal stenosis) and have another doctor appointment next week.  I do remember the first time I just cried a little, rather than sobbing, while having a BM.  That was after a couple of weeks for me.  But I was also keeping my BMs soft (actually almost runny) because of my then undiagnosed stenosis.

I think that Miralax is the best thing invented.  I wish I'd known about it when I had the surgery.  That doctor didn't recommend anything as far as laxatives or fiber supplements.  You can overdo the fiber and get large and/or hard stools as a result.  The Miralax makes them soft and easier to pass, without giving causing diarrhea.

Happy Independence Day folks! I am happy to say that I have had two very good days in a row so far, in fact it's gone so well that I am going to take a big risk today and have a burger with fries. I will however mix that up with a fiber drink. (I figure why take unnecessary risks?)

I have no real complaints today, but for all of you who are early in your recovery keep hanging in there!

:-|

Mike

Its good to hear that you are doing well. As for the burger and fries: I had one a few days after my surgery. I have been eating pretty much what I want to as I didn't want my system to have to get used to regular food again.

It has now been two weeks. The pain is subsiding a little each day. The teeth cracking spasms are all but gone as well. I think that was the worst part of the healing process for me. Those suckers hurt.

As for the suture that was found: I had my last doctor's visit yesterday, and I asked him all my questions that I noted in an earlier post. He seems to think that everything is doing well.

The funny thing was that as soon as he walked into the exam room he told me again that there was nothing in my butt. I waved him off and said we would get to that later and asked my questions.

When I told him that I had to go to the emergency room because the pain got so bad, he got a little miffed. He said I should have called the service on the discharge papers I was given. Well, I didn't have a lot of faith in calling THEM again as I had been complaining about the pain in my butt ever since I left the hospital. I showed him what the F.N.P. pulled out of me and he said they should not have pulled it out that it was a dissolving suture. O_o

I just sort of looked at him. He had told me over and over and over again that there was NOTHING in my butt causing the pain that I was describing. Now he tells me that this was a dissolving suture? It just doesn't add up. The suture in question was not from something being sewn up, it looked like the one that was put through the excess material to pull it down into the stapling device. From everything I have seen and read about this, the suture was pulled BELOW where the stapler connected so there should not have been anything left in there.

He also refused to give my my $65 that I had to spend at the Emergency Room (As noted, he said I should have called his service - that wasn't going to happen). Bu the time I went to this appointment, I wasn't nearly as peed off as I was a couple of days before, so I didn't raise too much of a ruckus about it.

He was a little miffed. He said he was sorry I was unhappy, and that I could leave whenever I got dressed.

Well, first of all, this man is a damn good surgeon. He just made a little mistake that just happened to cause me a lot of pain. As for being unhappy: I am NOT unhappy. I am getting better a little each day and hopefully will be back to normal within a few weeks. Normal except for the painful 'roids that I used to have.

I was aggravated and in pain. But I am happy with the way the old body has responded since removing that thing.

As far as the doc goes: Like I said, he is a good surgeon or I would not have let him do this to start with. A week ago I would say that I would never go back to him. But that was the pain talking. I would not hesitate to put myself in his hands again in the future or recommend him to my friends and family.

But I do wish he would have given me my $65 back.

 

(Forgive spelling mistakes or anything that might be repeated)