I think most will find my post helpful.
Im a 42 yr old male, mildly fit, non smoker, casual drinker. Ive had hems since I was a kid. No one told me not to strain when I pooped,lol. No one said not to spend 30 to 40 minutes on the toilet; reading, thinking(pooping,of course). Anyway , I lived with them forever...... About 12 yrs ago I had a bout of serious bleeding hems. I lost so much blood after a BM that I would be naseous and almost pass out. Took days to recover strength. Anyway, after 3 days back to back of this I sought out a doctor. I had heard about the extreme pain of hemroidectomy's and wanted a different option. When I was examined by doc, he said I had a serious case of internal & external hems. Said "You need surgery". I was there on a Friday. I asked how soon I could get it done and the following wednesday I was under the knife. My doctor specially in a relatively newer procedure(only doc in my area at that time, clearwater). He performed a PPH (Procedure for Prolasped Hemrohhoids) In this procedure, your internal hems are stapled up inside to your rectal wall, well above the pain recepting nerves. I loved it. Went under. Came to. No pain after and mild bleeding. I had insurance at that time and was oblivious to the cost(whatever it was). Bad news is the surgery only helped my problems for 6 months. :( After that I just "dealt" with them. You other "roiders" out there know what I mean about dealing,lol. Over years I would have bleeding spells that could last for weeks at a time. I'm not talking about a few drops in the bowl. I mean like cut your finger with razor type. Again just dealt. Then my older brother told me I should push my hems back in after a BM. Sounds nasty , but this worked for me for years....What a time saver. I used to walk around after a BM with my hems hanging out all swollen, and uncomfortable; and waited until they went back in themselves. Now I just push them back in. Rather simple.
Things gonna get ugly.... Last Friday I decided to go to the ER because of a super painful bout of hems I had been carrying around for almost 2 weeks. The pain was intolerable. I have NO health insurance and have avoided places like doctors or the ER. Im not one to take / or abuse the system. *****side note: During the 2 weeks I was having these hems, I had been doing alot of weightlifting/ exercising***** My hems were sooooo swollen that they were about to burst. However that were not bleeding. My anus had a mega cluster of hems that reminded me of a cauliflower cluster.
I go ER at 9pm. Placed was packed , and only seemed like one doctor trying to handle everything. I really just came because the pain was so overwelhming and I didnt know what to do. After 4 hours, doc comes in and says "what seems to be your problem"? I say I have an extreme case of swollen hems. He says let me have a look. He immediately says you do not have hemroids.....??? What??? WTF???? He said you have a "rectal prolapse". He rolled me over and began shoving his hand up my @$$ trying to push these "non hems" back in. OMG. As if I thought the pain could not be any worse......IT WAS. He was holding me down on my stomach and repeatedly tried pushing them in. I screamed and cried and ask him to stop, and he said just sit still and stop moving. Oh my was I so livid after this. I cried in my wifes lap for 3 hours in that exam room. He decided to give me pain meds after he did that. 2 mg of IV dilaudid. I never had before this. It was strong to my head, but does nothing for the pain. They decided to admit me. I had a bed @ 5am Saturday morning. At 12:41am(while in exam room) they gave me 2 mg of IV dilaudid. 4 hours later, I was given 2 mg of morphine(absolutely worthless), and 4 hours again with 2mg of morphine. This brings me to my 12pm Saturday dose. I had complained that morphine was doing nothing. They went back to 1 mg of dilaudid every 6 hrs. That sucked too. I was seen Saturday afternoon by a "general surgeon" from the hospital. He said I had a "severe" case of hems. He said he would perform a hemrhoidectomy. He said this would be very painful. I was already in pain anyway. I opted to think it over for the night. Sunday morning brought a 7am call from doc wanting my answer. I said lets do it...... 30 minutes later I was in OR getting prepped. All moving quick. I asked not to be cathedarized during procedure and they obliged. I had wisdom teeth removed (under) and that other hem surgery(under) without cath and was fine peeing afterwards. After surgery I was told I had to urinate with a few hours. After 8 I found I could not. So they "quick" cathed me. I never had a cath in 42 yrs, and I was now asking for one. My bladder was killing me and my anus was flexing/ firing off like a machine gun. I just couldnt go. *******side note again . Waiting in ER Friday night I walked to pee twice while waiting in exam room. After I was "violated" I had pains in my stomach and I had to pee once more only to find my pee was just coming in little squirts/ stop and starts... remember this note****** The cath made me feel soo much better. This was at 5pm Sunday. At 12am Monday I had to have it done again. Like I said it was a quick cath. They put in; drain ya; and then removed. At 3 am Monday I was full again and nurse said I had to have a folly........what?? This is a bigger cath that stays semi - permanently. The nurse was not nice. This hurt more and was rather uncomfortable. My 7am nurse shift change brought me a nurse who was for sure on the side of the patient. She looked at my chart; heard the horror stories I was telling about this ER doc and said "man, your meds need adjusting. She called doc. Monday, Tuesday. & Wednesday found me on a "round the clock" cycle of 2mg of IV dilaudid every 3 hrs. After 1 1/2 hours they padded that with 20 mg of oral percodets; followed by the 2 mg of dilaudid at that 3 hr mark. The drugs were nice. They calmed me down, but truth be told, nothing helped my @$$ pain. The meds only took the "edge" off. And man was I edgy. Wednesday they wanted to take cath out and discharge me. Fine. Cath removed. Now you got 6-8 hrs to pee. DID NOT HAPPEN. They suggested I get in shower to listen to water,lol. I took 6 30 to 40 min showers on Wednesday. NOTHING HAPPENED!! Had to quick cath me again. Took out. Try to pee so you can leave. 6-8 hrs later still no pee, Try showers......OKAY. I showered half dozen times...(you know I loved the showers because the hot water was ONLY thing that mildly helped.) They stopped dilaudid on Wednesday. Only oral percocets every 3-4 hrs since. Something was wrong . I could not pee. Thursday morning ; 1st BM since last Friday. That pain was ffffing unreal. Along with pain meds, I was taking metamusil with morning meds. hdrocort suppositories, with hordrocortizone anal cream for swelling. At night meds I got metamusil and miralax. this was everyday since I got there(every before surgery) So they were prepping me. Man all I can say is that BM almost killed me. I mentioned having problem peeing after that ER doc examined me. I said I think he damaged my prostate. People with enlarged prostate have issues peeing. Also had no feeling in my penis....well except for the burning of the folly,lol. Thurday night they started me on Flowmax. I also tried cutting away a few perocets. Friday morning BM twice since of 1st day. Same amount of blood in stool which I was told looked to be about that "right" amount", but about an hour later I crapped a 2ns "smaller "time and I almost blacked out. Felt like I sh*t to rocks. They removed my cath and 2 hrs later I pee, I pee!!! I was so happy. Conclusions. You'll need pain meds for sure , but you'll be reminded that pain meds will constipate you. Theres your tradeoff. Man I highly suggest metamusil, miralax(or some type of fiber bulker and mild laxative. Hot baths(or sitz baths helped. Before and after BM. I told many hot showers . They help. I home for 1st solid day. Gotta love your own house. Pain meds now are Percs every 4 hrs, alternate with 800mg ibruprofen. My mornings seem they will be the worst . Two BM's today about hour apart. Both hurt. Smaller amount of poop in 1st but fair amount of blood. 2nd one decent amount of poop, but hardly no blood. BTW; I am still considering bringing suit against that ER doc. I may have issues with prostate stuff as a result. And mentally its was traumatizing. I felt "violated". Anyone have a similar story?? Anyone ever sue hospital? Remember I had no insurance. Hospitals finance dept trying to help me get medicaid for this stay. They brought me a bill for over $50k for the time I was there. That bill did not include anything for Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. and also did not include any of the "room" charges. comments?? suggestions???