Hemmrhoidectomy done Feb. 1, 2008 by a General Surgeon. Three Internal Hemorrhoids. I am 38, have one child and gave birth naturally (not even a Tylenol) the pain from this surgery has been more painful than natural child birth. I would rather give birth three times in a row than to have to put up with the pain this surgery has caused me. It will be (4) months coming up since the surgery and I am still in terrible pain. I was told there would be pain, but that in 2 or 3 weeks I would be back in the swing of things....WHAT A JOKE!! I had the Milligan-Morgan Technique surgery which is where there are not sutures/stitches involved. They leave the wound open (butterfly cut) to heal. This is type of surgery is mostly done in the UK, but I just happened to get the General Surgeon in the US that likes this method. She said there is less of a chance of having anal Stenosis (narrowing of the anus) which may happen with the stitching due to the swelling pushing on the stitches causing scar tissue which in turn creates the narrowing.....ANYWAY... 2 1/2 weeks in to my ordeal (I survived the first Bowel Movement, which I am not sure how I did seeing as how I nearly fainted...) I called my Dr. to tell her that things didn't feel right, I was screaming, contorting, moaning just to make not even a dime sized BM. They told me that they understood what I was going through and that this was all part of the healing process. I was exhausted (and that is an understatement) from all of the baths I was having to get in and out of just to help with the pain. Well, I will speed this story up for you:
Dr. didn't listen to me and I ended up in emergency, they gave me meds and sent me home.
Called Dr. again, they didn't listen to me again (we are 3 weeks in now) and I ended up in emergency again.
I explained to ER that I was taking, Colace/stool softener, laxatives, Metamucil, Milk of Magnesia, Dulcolax and still unable to have a BM. I also told them I was having a hard time urinating. They made me drink two large cups of liquid so that they could conduct a CT Scan w/dye so they could see what was going on. They gave me Dilodid while I waited (4) hours before I could get scanned. The Dr. came in and said "Well, your full of it"....He wanted me to drink a gallon of Golightly (the stuff you drink before a Colonoscopy), I said with all due respect, if I am taking everything under the sun to try and go, why do you think the Golightly will work? He paused for a moment and then left the room, 10 min. later he came back and said that I should go home drink Mineral Oil and that should get things moving. I ended up in the hospital for (4) days with a fecal impaction and my bladder was so distended they had to put in a catheter. This was really becoming a nightmare. Now the General Surgeon who did the surgery was back in the picture and instead of believing that I had a fecal impaction, she made me drink the Golightly and I became even more miserable and still no BM. She finally agreed on day (3) in the hospital to do an X-Ray and saw that the dye that the ER inserted (days ago) never even moved an inch through my system and I was indeed impacted. HELLO...I was trying to tell her that (2) weeks ago (I honestly felt like I was dying). So I had to have another procedure which caused more pain, more swelling, back to square one, after I got out of the hospital, I had to have the catheter in for a week. I missed a month of work (unpaid) and even when I finally did return to work, it was hell. I was still in so much pain. Pain, Blood...with every BM. Sometimes the blood was a lot and sometimes really a lot, it was never a good day, it always hurt. It was becoming too much to bare, the pain was/is never ending and I needed some help. I went to my family Doc. and asked her to please refer me to a colon/rectal surgeon, not just the General Surgeon. She did, and just last week Friday 5/16/08, he did an exam under anesthesia due to the sensitivity of the area still being so extreme. He said that from the original surgery I was about 80% healed, but that I was having some narrowing of the anus and he did an anal dilator to help. Let me tell you, I feel worse off now than I did before I went in for the exam. The anal spasms that I am having are off the charts. I am in so much more pain and I have missed this entire week of work (unpaid) and I am just hoping I will be able to go to work next week. I feel like I have taken 10 steps back and none forward. Not even a bath seems to help at this stage of the game. So, would I ever have had this haemorrhoidectomy had I known the pain involved? HELL NO!!!!!! My advice to anyone...ANYONE considering this surgery....do your homework, you must really try every other remedy first. Don't just let your General Surgeon suggest this surgery and then go for it. Think long and hard. Who knows what your experience will be, I have read where people are up and going in no time, I have read posts like mine. I have been in constant pain for (4) months and I have never gone a day without bleeding. It is really starting to take its toll on me. I have been depressed about this lately and really can't imagine life as it was..........I really can't. Every day for months has been hell, has been pain and blood and pain and blood, spasms and more pain. I want to be better so bad, but it is so hard to think that one day things will be normal again when it's been so long, I am getting a bit depressed over this. I have been crying a lot and feeling so miserable, but nothing seems to help. Pain meds only do so much, but I am not big on taking the narcotics, plus I am allergic to most of them. They have me taking Valium to relax the muscle and using numbing creams, but seriously, nothing is helping, it's the same pain everyday. I take Tylenol as well.
I really feel for all of you that have had this surgery and are in pain, it is truly the worst pain ever! What works for some will not work for others, Warm Baths vs Hot Baths, Ice Packs vs Heating Pad, Pain Meds that work for you and don't constipate and make you sick. What we all share in common is the pain, frustration, desperation of this surgery. I wish you all the best and hope that your recovery is a fast one.
09-15-08- Update. It has been (9) months now since the initial Hemmrhoidectomy and I am still dealing with complications from it. I had to have another exam under anesthesia in August 2008 due to bleeding, pain and anal narrowing. My anus is still not healed this many months later and is now ulcerated. My doctor says I need to have an anal flap surgery to cover the wounds to help them heal. Unless he can do the surgery without touching me…it won’t be happening……….AT ALL! I am still in pain, but am bleeding much less…I can even go a couple of days to a week with no blood and my pain is down to a 3 or 4 with some days being worse than others. There are times when my pain number is way up and the blood way there! However, I will live with the lesser pain, I just can’t even imagine for one second having to endure a month more of hell…………I have been through too much as it is. Hope this post helps someone make an informed decision, or really just thanks for reading it! Let me know how you are doing or if you have any questions that I might help with e-mail me *****
Dr. didn't listen to me and I ended up in emergency, they gave me meds and sent me home.
Called Dr. again, they didn't listen to me again (we are 3 weeks in now) and I ended up in emergency again.
I explained to ER that I was taking, Colace/stool softener, laxatives, Metamucil, Milk of Magnesia, Dulcolax and still unable to have a BM. I also told them I was having a hard time urinating. They made me drink two large cups of liquid so that they could conduct a CT Scan w/dye so they could see what was going on. They gave me Dilodid while I waited (4) hours before I could get scanned. The Dr. came in and said "Well, your full of it"....He wanted me to drink a gallon of Golightly (the stuff you drink before a Colonoscopy), I said with all due respect, if I am taking everything under the sun to try and go, why do you think the Golightly will work? He paused for a moment and then left the room, 10 min. later he came back and said that I should go home drink Mineral Oil and that should get things moving. I ended up in the hospital for (4) days with a fecal impaction and my bladder was so distended they had to put in a catheter. This was really becoming a nightmare. Now the General Surgeon who did the surgery was back in the picture and instead of believing that I had a fecal impaction, she made me drink the Golightly and I became even more miserable and still no BM. She finally agreed on day (3) in the hospital to do an X-Ray and saw that the dye that the ER inserted (days ago) never even moved an inch through my system and I was indeed impacted. HELLO...I was trying to tell her that (2) weeks ago (I honestly felt like I was dying). So I had to have another procedure which caused more pain, more swelling, back to square one, after I got out of the hospital, I had to have the catheter in for a week. I missed a month of work (unpaid) and even when I finally did return to work, it was hell. I was still in so much pain. Pain, Blood...with every BM. Sometimes the blood was a lot and sometimes really a lot, it was never a good day, it always hurt. It was becoming too much to bare, the pain was/is never ending and I needed some help. I went to my family Doc. and asked her to please refer me to a colon/rectal surgeon, not just the General Surgeon. She did, and just last week Friday 5/16/08, he did an exam under anesthesia due to the sensitivity of the area still being so extreme. He said that from the original surgery I was about 80% healed, but that I was having some narrowing of the anus and he did an anal dilator to help. Let me tell you, I feel worse off now than I did before I went in for the exam. The anal spasms that I am having are off the charts. I am in so much more pain and I have missed this entire week of work (unpaid) and I am just hoping I will be able to go to work next week. I feel like I have taken 10 steps back and none forward. Not even a bath seems to help at this stage of the game. So, would I ever have had this haemorrhoidectomy had I known the pain involved? HELL NO!!!!!! My advice to anyone...ANYONE considering this surgery....do your homework, you must really try every other remedy first. Don't just let your General Surgeon suggest this surgery and then go for it. Think long and hard. Who knows what your experience will be, I have read where people are up and going in no time, I have read posts like mine. I have been in constant pain for (4) months and I have never gone a day without bleeding. It is really starting to take its toll on me. I have been depressed about this lately and really can't imagine life as it was..........I really can't. Every day for months has been hell, has been pain and blood and pain and blood, spasms and more pain. I want to be better so bad, but it is so hard to think that one day things will be normal again when it's been so long, I am getting a bit depressed over this. I have been crying a lot and feeling so miserable, but nothing seems to help. Pain meds only do so much, but I am not big on taking the narcotics, plus I am allergic to most of them. They have me taking Valium to relax the muscle and using numbing creams, but seriously, nothing is helping, it's the same pain everyday. I take Tylenol as well.
I really feel for all of you that have had this surgery and are in pain, it is truly the worst pain ever! What works for some will not work for others, Warm Baths vs Hot Baths, Ice Packs vs Heating Pad, Pain Meds that work for you and don't constipate and make you sick. What we all share in common is the pain, frustration, desperation of this surgery. I wish you all the best and hope that your recovery is a fast one.
09-15-08- Update. It has been (9) months now since the initial Hemmrhoidectomy and I am still dealing with complications from it. I had to have another exam under anesthesia in August 2008 due to bleeding, pain and anal narrowing. My anus is still not healed this many months later and is now ulcerated. My doctor says I need to have an anal flap surgery to cover the wounds to help them heal. Unless he can do the surgery without touching me…it won’t be happening……….AT ALL! I am still in pain, but am bleeding much less…I can even go a couple of days to a week with no blood and my pain is down to a 3 or 4 with some days being worse than others. There are times when my pain number is way up and the blood way there! However, I will live with the lesser pain, I just can’t even imagine for one second having to endure a month more of hell…………I have been through too much as it is. Hope this post helps someone make an informed decision, or really just thanks for reading it! Let me know how you are doing or if you have any questions that I might help with e-mail me *****
Omgsh, what a terrible experience. I am one week post op from a lateral internal sphincterotomy (LIS) and hemorrhoidectomy. The pain has been excrutiating! Forturnately, I think I may be turning a pain corner.
I went in just for the LIS, with an expected recovery of a week before I could get back to school, but ended up with a major hemi done, and a 4-6 week expected wait before I can go back to class (30 yrs old doing pre-req's for nursing). I now have to drop my classes and retake them. There is NO way I could go and sit through 2 hours of lectures. I can't sit up just yet. Is ort of lean/prop in an uprightish position...
This has been the most horrific experience of my life. I'm feeling a bit lucky right now because I have some diarhea, although I am terrified it will cause anal stenosis.
Thank you for sharing your story. I would really be interested in hearing how you are doing now, hoepfully much better.
MamaShiz
I am 2 days post op and was experiencing the most excrutiating pain in my life despite 1mg hydromorphone every 2 hours. I sent my husband to the pharmacy to ask the pharmacist for something to stop muscle spasm and he came home with Robaxicet, the OTC backpain medicine. The anal spasms are pretty much gone and with them 85% of the pain. ALL doctors should reccommend this after hemorrhoidectomy.
I be profen 800 sorry best for this
I'm on day 5 of recovery I had 3 hemorrhoid removed. I have never been in so much pain in my life. Everything is uncomfortable sitting laying standing. I had my first by yesterday morning and that was when the pain became unbearable I have not been able to be comfortable since. I feel like I will never go back to normal and the pain meds are a joke. No relief at all. I have had a lot of muscle spasms and that is pretty rough to sit through. I had no idea the pain I would have and I am at the point where I wouldn't have done this if I had known. Thank you for listening it's nice to know I'm not alone
I has my hammerhoidectomy 1 month after coming home from my honeymoon. I had a few internal hemmorhoids and one that was external that refused to go back in at all! So day of operation my surgeon advised that the pain would be more but was necessary as I left it for too long and was at the point could explode and kill me. So I did it (mind you I was initially going in for banding).
As soon as I got out of the operating room and woke up all I remember was screaming loudly from the pain and the nurses telling me to put my pants on and go home. They weren't advised I had a hemmorhoidectomy and refused to believe me. Ended up in hospital for 3 days (no bm) and each day being woken up at 6am to be told to go home that day and that the nurses still we're not advised I had a hemmorhoidectomy. I was in pain for about 7 months and underwent another 2 operations in the same are after that. I thought anything to TRY heal the pain cause there was nothing worse than the pain I went through so what more could they possibly do. Last operation was the lateral internal sphincterotomy and I literally woke up with 0 pain. (Best $3000 I've ever spent!!)
There's so much more I can say but I'll leave it as that. I am now pregnant with my first child and after going through that pain, I'm now a little horrified as to the pain of labour but praying it is as the first post says - better than that pain. All I hear is I went through it for 7months, this will only be a few hours so it should be easy for me.. Praying it is!!! Say a prayer for me! Due feb 24 2016
Hi. I had my hemorrhoidectomy in Oct 2013 and the experience was as hellish as one can imagine. I swear(sorry) the two labours I've had didn't even come close to the post op pain. I'm expecting my 3rd due any day now, and I still feel hemo pain was the worst ever.
God bless you! Thanks for the encouragement! Due any day now and still very nervous cause of what I've been through!
Sorry about your experience.
That said, why, in the Hell, would you allow a general surgeon do a specialized procedure is beyond me.
A little, possibly unwanted, advice...always try and find a professional, whether doctor/lawyer/engineer/etc, who specializes and has extensive experience in the area of your needs. Then say a prayer just the same.
That said, why, in the Hell, would you allow a general surgeon do a specialized procedure is beyond me.
A little, possibly unwanted, advice...always try and find a professional, whether doctor/lawyer/engineer/etc, who specializes and has extensive experience in the area of your needs. Then say a prayer just the same.
I had a Hemorrhoidectomy Monday afternoon. The surgeon "Specialist" did NOT discuss anything about the procedure really, and did not discuss alternatives. My hemorrhoid was thrombosed, they said they needed to move the clots. I was in a great deal of pain, esp in the morning prior, but by the afternoon time, it wasn't so bad. I was using lidocaine, and I still am. Anyway, he did the procedure. I have had some traumatic, painful experiences in my lifetime, some of the worst imaginable, but this by far topped the list at least on the pain scale. He warned me when I'd feel something cold. He warned me when I'd feel the needles. He did NOT warn me when it was time to pull the largest clot, which had me shaking, and screaming in pain. I informed him that if he had to do that again, to prepare me. After the procedure, I got very little post op instructions, and they were communicated to me verbally, as I was still naked, shaking, in pain. This is when he told me I'd need to wear pads, and all the other side effects it could cause. Not prior. I was upset. I could barely walk to my car and drive home. I was told it was just a consultation, and he decided to do it there and then. I would've had a driver lined up to take me home. No prescriptions were given, no pain meds, nothing. I was told to go home, take fiber, stool softeners, wear a diaper or a pad, and take a sitz bath. Oh... and Tylenol. Pffft. So... the first day, nothing but incredible, overwhelming pain. I regretted EVER getting this done. I should've rode out the hemorrhoids until they shrank, or at least until I had more than one week under my belt. I just wanted to get back to work asap.
Day 2 I felt great relief from the initial pain. Still using lidocaine, and taking Tylenol, it's was bearable. I felt like I did before I went in, and that was a huge deal for me. I was more swollen than I was before I went in, and still looks like the hemorrhoids are there. But the pain relief.... thank god.
Day 3 (today), I am feeling a tiny more relief than yesterday. Not much, but a small amount. The pain is worse when I first wake up. However, the BIG reason I am happy at this moment, is that the swelling has gone down slightly. I am scheduled to go back to work in 2 days, and I would like to be able to do so without having to run to the bathroom to put cream on constantly. Which I know is wishful thinking. I did have a BM today for the first time as well, and I can say, I have had worse pain without hemorrhoids. Though it was still painful, and I still had to do some straining, it wasn't near as bad as I was thinking it would be. It only took about 5 to 10 mins for the pain from that to subside.
I can sit down without a pillow now, and only after several hours will I feel some pain from doing that. I am drinking a TON of water, I am taking 3 stool softeners a day, 5 fiber pills, 2 gas pills, plenty of Tylenol, my regular medication which includes clonopin, and B12. Maybe because I am still in my early thirties I am not having as much difficulties as many, MANY others are, or maybe I am just lucky. The first day I was ready to jump off a bridge. But since then, I can say that if the path I am on now continues this way, it'll just get better, and less painful until this is all but another memory.
BTW, I have gone through withdrawals from heavy medications, I have broken major bones, I have had stitches where local anesthetic didn't work, I have been in several major car accidents, and been through may other, extremely painful incidents, NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING compared to the PHYSICAL pain of the surgery. NOTHING. Though quick, thank god, it is something I probably would not do again, and would opt for rubber bands or cryotherapy, or something else, anything else. I have gone through prolonged pain, for a period of months, that was worse in terms of length and mental anguish, but again, the PHYSICAL pain is unlike anything I could ever describe on this earth. Though, I have not gone through childbirth, I have heard some women say that their procedure was more painful. Not saying that is true, just what I have read. I can offer advice to get some lidocaine (5%) asap if you have not, Recticare makes a good one. I paid $30 for a bottle, but knowing what it's done for me, I would have paid $100. My other advice, even though I haven't done so, get some decent pain meds, take them as prescribed, and seek relief. I am sure you have tried, but don't be afraid to go in demanding pain relief. Lidocaine was definitely my savior. If it hadn't helped so much, I would be on heavier meds as well.
In closing, I really wish you all the best. My heart goes out to you all. It's a painful, embarrassing, horrible thing for anyone to ever have to go through. I hope my story helps some of you, just to know that there is a light on the end of the tunnel, or even to know that some of us heal differently than others, and maybe you should be seeking some different pain treatment, or second opinions. If anyone can take anything from my story, it was worth writing, and I thank you for listening.
I'll come back and update later. Much love to you all, you ALL have my best wishes.
~
Day 2 I felt great relief from the initial pain. Still using lidocaine, and taking Tylenol, it's was bearable. I felt like I did before I went in, and that was a huge deal for me. I was more swollen than I was before I went in, and still looks like the hemorrhoids are there. But the pain relief.... thank god.
Day 3 (today), I am feeling a tiny more relief than yesterday. Not much, but a small amount. The pain is worse when I first wake up. However, the BIG reason I am happy at this moment, is that the swelling has gone down slightly. I am scheduled to go back to work in 2 days, and I would like to be able to do so without having to run to the bathroom to put cream on constantly. Which I know is wishful thinking. I did have a BM today for the first time as well, and I can say, I have had worse pain without hemorrhoids. Though it was still painful, and I still had to do some straining, it wasn't near as bad as I was thinking it would be. It only took about 5 to 10 mins for the pain from that to subside.
I can sit down without a pillow now, and only after several hours will I feel some pain from doing that. I am drinking a TON of water, I am taking 3 stool softeners a day, 5 fiber pills, 2 gas pills, plenty of Tylenol, my regular medication which includes clonopin, and B12. Maybe because I am still in my early thirties I am not having as much difficulties as many, MANY others are, or maybe I am just lucky. The first day I was ready to jump off a bridge. But since then, I can say that if the path I am on now continues this way, it'll just get better, and less painful until this is all but another memory.
BTW, I have gone through withdrawals from heavy medications, I have broken major bones, I have had stitches where local anesthetic didn't work, I have been in several major car accidents, and been through may other, extremely painful incidents, NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING compared to the PHYSICAL pain of the surgery. NOTHING. Though quick, thank god, it is something I probably would not do again, and would opt for rubber bands or cryotherapy, or something else, anything else. I have gone through prolonged pain, for a period of months, that was worse in terms of length and mental anguish, but again, the PHYSICAL pain is unlike anything I could ever describe on this earth. Though, I have not gone through childbirth, I have heard some women say that their procedure was more painful. Not saying that is true, just what I have read. I can offer advice to get some lidocaine (5%) asap if you have not, Recticare makes a good one. I paid $30 for a bottle, but knowing what it's done for me, I would have paid $100. My other advice, even though I haven't done so, get some decent pain meds, take them as prescribed, and seek relief. I am sure you have tried, but don't be afraid to go in demanding pain relief. Lidocaine was definitely my savior. If it hadn't helped so much, I would be on heavier meds as well.
In closing, I really wish you all the best. My heart goes out to you all. It's a painful, embarrassing, horrible thing for anyone to ever have to go through. I hope my story helps some of you, just to know that there is a light on the end of the tunnel, or even to know that some of us heal differently than others, and maybe you should be seeking some different pain treatment, or second opinions. If anyone can take anything from my story, it was worth writing, and I thank you for listening.
I'll come back and update later. Much love to you all, you ALL have my best wishes.
~
Sorry to hear that you had such a difficult time, but glad that the final outcome was positive.
Certainly not all "specialists", nor patients, are perfect, some are excellent, others awful. All we can do is our own due diligence, and put the odds in our favor, and the best, first, place to start is with a specialist in the field of your needs.
Certainly not all "specialists", nor patients, are perfect, some are excellent, others awful. All we can do is our own due diligence, and put the odds in our favor, and the best, first, place to start is with a specialist in the field of your needs.
THESE STORIES ARE SO HELPFUL AND FUNNY BUT NOT FUNNY, BECAUSE I HAD THE SURGERY TWICE, AND HAD A 9LB BABY.THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE THE PAIN ESPECIALLY THE INITIAL BOWEL MOVEMENT IS LIKE HAVEING A BABY WITH NO MEDS THROUGH YOUR ANUS. THE PAIN IS NO JOKE. ITS BEEN A YEAR AND IM HEALED. I JUST FEEL FOR ALL THE WOMENS PAIN. IM NOT GOING TO GET A TUMMY TUCK AND BRAZILIAN BUTT LIFT AT THE SAME TIME AND WANTED TO KNOW IF I COULD HANDEL THE PAIN, BUT AFTER HEARING THESE STORIES I THINK I WILL BE FINE. GOD BLESS