Dear all
I too read the terrifying experiences of people on these forums but finally resigned myself to having the operation. Here is my experience.
I have had the following operations:
Stapled Haemorrhoidectomy - 2010
Three dilatations due to severe stenosis caused by scarring of staple line - 2010-11
Haemorrhoid Arterial Ligation HALO - 2012
Milligan Morgan (excisional haemorrhoidectomy) - 2013
I had the stapled procedure in 2010 but the surgeon was recently qualified and appears to have screwed it up (although getting an admission is near impossible). He didn't check the stapler before he fired it and a non-complete ring was excised. This meant I suffered from severe stenosis requiring three further operations to repair - after which, I was left with residual piles because they were untreated.
Finally, I chose to go private in 2012 and had the HALO-RAR operation due to requiring a quick recovery for a new job. Sadly this failed too.
So, in July 2013 I opted for the milligan morgan / excisional haemorrhoidectomy that is the subject of all the horror stories on this web forum. The surgeon warned me it would be painful but that it would sort the problem once and for all.
I had two piles excised and the wound left open - I was sent home and told that the local would wear off in a few hours and given a box of dihydracodine and some "good luck" wishes.
The severe pain never came, just mild discomfort for which I took paracetomol. Farts stung a little but not enough to make me avoid them. Three days later I went to the loo, it stung a little, but the paracetomol (that's right, just regular paracetomol - no opiods) took the pain away. My backside ached afterward -that's it. I had some fluid seepage for the first week - but nothing major.
It's got better and better as the weeks have passed and now I'm at week 3 and experiencing very little discomfort. I was signed off work for a month, but went back after 2 weeks - I could have gone back a week earlier easily but thought I'd take it easy (plus enjoy the time off!) - I used the time off to decorate several rooms of the house.
Reading back on some of the medical literature, I see that much of it is prefaced with the statement "patient experiences are very wide and varied." Clearly I had it very easy and perhaps predictably these forums attract the worst experiences. I believe the determinative factor is whether you experience post operative sphincter spasm - I didn't and recovery has been a walk in the park. In fact, I'd say it was easier than the HALO and stapled operations by a long mark - plus it should sort the problem once and for all.
So, just go ahead and do it. Even if it hurts, you'll have your life back after a few weeks! I'd have it done again in a heartbeat - in fact, I wish they'd done it 3 years ago.
Best!