hemorrhoidectomy recovery time

Any updates Jane Doe? I'm 4 days into my surgery and am trying to stay positive.... Not easy :-(

I am not Jane Doe but I had my surgery on 5/21/15 and it was not nearly as bad as everything I read on these boards. I rescheduled this surgery three times because of all the scary things I read. I finally did it and am glad I did. Today was my two week follow up and my doctor was really pleased with my progress. She said she was surprised that I was not still in pain because she "took a lot out of" me. A couple of things... everyone said that they sat in the tub and in sitz baths to relieve the pain. My doctor told me not to do that. She said that I could shower 48 hours after the surgery but not to sit in water. She said to keep it dry and clean. I told her that this was contrary to what I was reading on the internet. She told me to listen to my doctor, not people on the internet. I honestly don't know if this meant anything as far as easing my recovery but I followed her advice. Also, I will say the high fiber diet is extremely important but the pain in passing gas was almost as bad as the pain from a BM. I can't believe it took me 6 days of painful gas before I thought to use gas-x. The pain from the BM was painful but it was no worse than my worst flare ups with the roids and I did not take the pain meds because hey make you constipated. All in all, it was definitely uncomfortable and initially painful but I was back to work 6 days after the surgery without any pain meds so it definitely (for me) was not what I've been reading on here. I hope this helps someone know that there are some positive experiences.

Glad to read alls gone/going well...I'm not quite there yet. Day 5 today and bm wasn't as bad as yesterday I have to say maybe it's the squatting position I think that is helping me. Im back in bed with stinging feeling which I think is the stitches...what is the reason not to stay in water? I have say it does help you just have to make sure you dry yourself well afterwards....

Squatting is definitely key. My husband bought me a squatty potty and it is a lifesaver. I assume it would be no different to use a kid's stool. I actually am not sure why she was so adamant about not using the bath / sitz except that she said it was important to keep it dry. I definitely took a shower after each BM and she was ok with that. Also, I've been doing what others said about using a heater to dry off. Definitely feels better than a towel. No pain with BMs now and I'm at Day 18. It will get better!

ha ha ha - no issues - you haven't even pooped yet - big deal it's coming buddy

Had 2 grade 3/4 external hemis removed on 3/17/16. I was not prepared for the nightmare the first week of pain brought. I was sent home with 50 oxycodone & 30 Valium and basically slept for 2 days straight. I never had a BM so on day 3 I switched to IB profen (every day I've taken the max dosage of collace and ate high fiber foods drank a tons of water) and on day 3 once off the around the clock pain killers I was feeling amazing. On day 4, I had my first BM and it was just as, if not more painful then having my son, there was lots of blood, and terrifyingly painful. I could only have a BM in the sizs bath. I felt like I was back to square one with my recovery and still haven't felt as if my bowels were completely cleaned out and looked like I was 5 months pregant and had the same experience on day 6. I knew something wasn't right and actually called my OBGYN friend who had the same surgery years ago and assists in surgeries with my Colorectal surgeon. He said I should be regular by now and to stop taking the fiber supplements etc., go get magnesium citrate and mineral oil. Well, let me just say this was a lifesaver. The following morning I literally had a ginormous 5lb BM-it was painful but felt like a million bucks after. Everyday since my BMs are soft and come out painless. I would highly suggest having these on hand because I wouldn't have suffered so much with the constipation and I believe I was impacted. Now I'm on 11 and pain is at a 1, but the itching is super annoying-I'll take that anyday over the first 6 days post-op. If I get external hemis again, I won't be doing this surgery again because it was unbelievable painful.

So I am one week post op and seriously cannot stop googling every piece of info that will help with the healing process. Yes it's the worse pain I could ever think of, what's worse is the dr never tells you how the recovery process goes and I wish she gave me more info. The pain does not even come close to child birth, I've had two kids and il rather give birth to them both at the same time over this pain. I was severely constipated from all the pain meds I had to stay in hospital for three nights because it was so bad I started reacting to a lot of the meds so I was so bloated and yet could not have a bm so so painful and when I finally did after 3 enemas and all the constipated meds that weren't working I resorted to chucking back a whole 500ml of prune juice whiting a hour it worked. However that was only the beginning of the pain after each bn my whole body will go into panic mode my butt was having spasm which was deadly and I started losing track of how many showers I had within that hour. After one week still not 100% if not worse because I ended back in hospital with a ul fissures, they gave me morphine and Loctain gel to numb the area which didn't really work. Constipated again from the morphine, so the next step was glycerol suppositories and prune juice, painful and yes I wanted to die. But then my desperation kicked in I started googling everything and stumbled across a forum where a guy used coconut oil so of course sent my husband down to get me some I went crazy with it. And then had a good nap. Wokeup and yes I needed to go again, surprisingly it wasn't as bad as my previous bmfrom this day onwards it got better each time I went to the toilet. I started feeling hopeful I still was showing atleast ten times a day but the cocnut oil was working I wasn't spasing out anymore and from what it looked like we're fissures healing that same day it was a miracle. Of course I believe my numerous amounts of prayer with the help of my families prayers also I do believe they were getting answered and to me this kind of relief after this operation was a miracle to me. I still feel a bit of pain but only when I move my bowels and I'm off all my pain meds I swear by the coconut oil it's a life saver. But lastly I want to thank my father in heven I sure did feel his love and comfort as I was in pain and regretting this whole operation. My diet is bone broth vegetable soup and fruits i have cut it all dairy and it has motivated me to look after my body from the inside out because I do not have the strength to go through this again. Anyone getting this op done prepare yourself throughly. Have pre made home soups and veges and fruits ready. Prune juice, pain meds,coconut oil, sits bath and salts, panty liners, washing powders, a baby sitter, parents or partner for a minimum of two weeks, you will need it other than that I believe only the strongest people who can preserve can handle a surgery like this.

The "Med" type web sites really sugar coat the true recovery times. I'm on day 1 of week 4. Saw the doc yesterday and she would not permit any movement beyond light duty and short walks...after 3 weeks and follow up care. Hardly returned from normal life. This pain is real. Get off the opioids because they slow the digestive process resulting in constipation (really? Big pharma can't develop a solution to this?). It's a rough process. A compassionate care taker or loving spouse is the best way to get through it.

Thanks for that! I am on day 7, it's been rough and I am to leave for the beach exactly at the 2 week mark planning on stopping the pain meds they don't help actually didn't even take them until day 4, hoping I can get a drink at the beach and your post made me feel so much better!

Thanks I needed to hear that someday I too may be 100%.and thanks for the advice

Hi ,
To all I feel your post hemorriodectomy. Dave from the UK. I'm post op 12 weeks. This operation takes up-to 6 months to fully heal. There are some rules I would love share with all who experience this operation. Tips I guess to help. That really has worked.

1/ Ask the hospital for instillagel. Local anesthetic in a syringe. Prior bowel movement. Post movement for two weeks post op.
2/ Have a shallow bath. Add a little salt to the bat water, bathe Straight after BM. As your muscles down there are relaxed. Soak 20 minutes.
3/Use Fibrogel, sachets 2-3 a day. These are a god send. Bran sachet . They help to keep your BM formed but soft. Not runny. Which will cause more prone to infection if your BM are liquid. After week 6-8. Drop down to 1 sachet per day. Drink at least 3 pints of water through the day.
4/ You will experience a yellow discharge. Some poop leakage too. Don't be alarmed. Your muscles have been opened to extreme. Lol. Anyway. When you feel this leakage. You must try to clean up straight away. Little water, soap etc..
5/ So take a dip in a warm/hot bath for 20 mins after BM. Plus have another bath at night before bed. All this helps with healing the area.
6/ I get all the degrading leakage, one thing I forgot to mention. If your a man. Be glad of lady monthly pads. There another god send. Helps to suppress the leakage. Change 2-4 tines a day. Happy days. the pain is hard mentally, physically drains you in and out the tub. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. Use the items, make a list. You won't go far wrong.
7/ Don't sit on your butt for any long periods for the first 8 weeks. Try an walk when you can, not to much. Little by little. This operation will take up-to 6 months. Due too the area. It's a roller coaster of 1 step forward. Two steps back. Blood, tears, anxiety, frustration. But listen. Use the things above with a good diet. Bingo you will come through this. It's a long one. Good luck to all. Feeling your pain and discomfort. Dave. England. UK.

I no someone that had that done its been 8 weeks.and this person started back drinking beer.and when he makes a bowel movements its painful drinks heavy beer.and he haves pain in his side.could you tell me what is causing that

Please respond.thank you

Hello all, it's 4am coming up on my 6th day of recovery and since I can't sleep due to gas pains I thought I'd share my experience so far in hopes of getting some advice and maybe helping someone out who is considering a hemorrhoidectomy.
I'm a 20 yr old female and I just had 2 internal hemorrhoids removed on June 15th. I was told that one was so big they had to cut it in half to remove the whole thing. I had those bad boys since the age of 16, I believe I had constipation issues as a young child and apparently (according to mom) I used to be afraid to go number 2. Silly 3 year old me. Every time I had a BM, both hemorrhoids would prolapse and I would have to push them back in when I was done. This was very painful and after each BM I had to lay down for at least an hour so they wouldn't stay inflamed. I dealt with them up until a couple of weeks ago when one of them was inflamed for over a week. Had to go to the ER where the dr cut it open to relieve the pressure from the blood built up. I knew that the recovery period was not going to be easy, but I never expected it to be THIS bad.
First of all, months prior to this, i decided to have a lifestyle change after a 20 pound weight gain and placed myself on a paleo diet (lost that 20 pounds and now working to lose 10 more!). I'm also extremely athletic, I played water polo up until my sophomore year of college and love weightlifting. So I don't know what was causing this flare up. Either way, it was definitely time to have this surgery. Although to be completely honest, if I knew the amount of pain I would be put through I probably wouldn't have done it or at least would've put it off longer. Here's how my recovery has gone so far:
Surgery day: surgery @ 3:30pm. Dying of hunger. Got released an hour after surgery without having had a BM or urinating and in extreme pain by the end of the 45 minute drive home. Takes Norco prescription and straight to sleep.
Recovery day 1: so sick from the anesthesia. Can't hold anything down. Pain level varies between a constant 5 and an 8/9. Slept most of the day.
Recovery day 2: finally able to eat and boy did I go to town. Whole wheat toast with little jelly, half of a turkey sandwich on whole wheat with spinach, some watermelon, and a creamy soup.
Recovery day 3: started to become gassy but my bottom was so swollen i couldn't get anything out. Discovered the sanctuary that is the bath tub filled with hot water. Tried one of those sitz bath bowls that you place on your toilet but my legs fell asleep so quickly and actually irritated my swollen areas. Started to stick with regular baths.
Recovery day 4: wasn't shy on eating again and pretty much had the same things as I did on day 3. The gas started to become unbearable and I could only get a little out at a time. Still had no BM and was deathly afraid of it. Started taking milk of magnesia as I read online to do because stool softeners weren't cutting it for me.
Day 5: milk of magnesia honestly just made things worse, the gas is so bad I roll around in pain until my meds kick in and I can finally fall asleep. Decided I'm not going to take my norco anymore because I know that's what was constipating me. Instead just taking Ibuprofen 800's. Went to the bathroom about 5 times, straining on the toilet each time and blood/blood clots racing out of me with not even an inch of stool coming out each time. finally took magnesium citrate as directed by my doctor when I called him and had another 3 BMs (all in the bathtub as it really relaxed me and reduced the amount of blood). Still really Small amounts of stool.
Day 6: 3:30am the magnesium citrate is killing me. Sat in the tub and finally some relief and had a complete BM. The gas has still yet to pass and is extremely painful. I don't think I'll be getting much sleep until it passes.
Well, that's me so far! Really trying to stay positive as I hope I didn't just waste $900 on a surgery. I was straining really bad during each BM so I'm hoping I didn't just cause another hemorrhoid even though I'm sure it's all just still extremely swollen. Does anyone know how to relieve the gas? Also I'm afraid my bowels didn't completely empty, do you feel when it's all gone? My bum is so sore from all of this trauma I still feel like I might need to go but my stomach also feels empty and just filled with a ton of painful gas. Just hoping this pain goes away soon and that it'll all be worth it in the end.