I’m posting this because if you are like me, you were looking for how long it will take you to recover from this kind of surgery. And I want to share my experience with you.
Probably like you, I read all the horror stories about a Hemorrhoidectomy and after having read them I almost decided not to do the surgery. It got me so worked up I actually cried about it. Let me tell you the first thing to do. Change your google search from Hemorrhoidectomy recovery to Hemorrhoidectomy positive results and you will start seeing more posts to the positive, or at least more common. I don’t discount the horror stories these people have suffered and it is terrible and I hope they are all recovering better now.
First thing I can tell you is, do your research, find what has worked for people and adjust it to fit you. For example, I looked at everything people did to assist with recovery, I bought high fiber foods, benefiber, miralax, Ibuprofen, Epsom salt, Mineral Oil and Tylenol because there is no way around the fact that the narcotics will cause you to be constipated.
Ask your Doctor a million questions, ask him or her about complications they have experienced, rates of recurrence, what they expect your recovery time will be. No matter what they say, take at least one week off work, but prepare for two depending on how fast you heal.
Let me start off by saying, I wish to God I had treated my condition years ago before it got to stage 3 prolapsed, but lets face it, it’s not fun to think about someone poking around back there. It’s humiliating and embarrassing. I didn’t even tell my girlfriend about it until two weeks ago and only then because I didn’t know what to tell her if things went wrong and I ended up in months of recovery. Much to my surprise she offered immediately to come take care of me and help me through it. So let me just tell her here, you’re the best babe.
Day 1, day of surgery. Definitely nervous, full of anxiety, but got me to the hospital and prepped for surgery. The doctor came in and met with me, answered any questions I had and had me sign a few forms. I walked into the surgery room, they got me all prepped, I saw the doctors face and next thing I knew I was waking up in recovery, had absolutely zero concept of the hour and 20 minutes that had passed. He told my girlfriend he removed a large grape size hemorrhoid and that it was defintiely the right thing to do. No pain, just groggy. A little blood from the surgical sight, just needed a little guaze
Got home and just relaxed the rest of the day, stay on top of your pain management, take pills whether you’re feeling pain or not.
Day 2 – woke up feeling great actually, made breakfast, took lots of fiber and water, just relaxed and napped most of the day with my girlfriend. Tried to have a bowel movement but am definitely plugged up. Felt like giving child birth but couldn’t get it out. The whole area down there is pretty swollen despite the anti inflammatory. Guess that’s to be expected. Caused the sight to bleed some more, packed in a little more gauze, pain at about a 5 maybe a 6, but it subsided once I sat in the hot bathtub.
Hoping to have a good BM tomorrow.
Day 3 – can I retract my last statement? BM happened this morning. Child birth has nothing on this, ok, just guessing here since I’m a man, but wow, I was actually doing the breathing exercises..lol I highly recommend if you are able to not use the narcotics and stick to Tylenol and Ibuprofen that don’t constipate you, you will be much happier the first time you go. Mine came out like a rock despite all the fiber and miralax. Oh well the soft stuff is above the hard stuff and they should get easier from here. Other than that, feeling pretty good, pain is entirely manageable with Tylenol now. Been off the Percocet since day 2.
Day 4, yep the softeners worked, everything came out normal and soft, no pain at all. I wonder if you shouldn't start doing the stool softeners days before the surgery. Ask your doctor, but I bet it wouldn't hurt and I can only think it would eliminate this first BM attempt. Sadly my girlfriend had to fly back home, I'm on my own now, but doing just great aside from missing her. Still some blood at the surgery sight, it's not bad and seems to be getting a little less each day. Have my follow up appointment on day 8 so if it's still going I'll find out how long that should last.
So to sum it up, is it worth it, hell yes it was worth it. A little pain for a lifetime being free of that condition.