How Long Does Hemorrhoidectomy Recovery Last?

Hey longtimecoming66,

Glad to hear things are progressing well for you. I kept up with Colace and Senikot for awhile - but after about the two week mark I went cold turkey as I didn't want to rely on laxatives to keep things moving. I'm now back to eating regularly and no problems. My system seems to have changed from 2-3 a week to almost everyday, which is fine with me, as I'm in no pain or discomfort after a BM anymore.

Since your last post, I'm hoping the pressure has continued to subside...and the chaffing...ah the chaffing...I forgot about that which is odd since I still have a little of that going on. While things are getting better, I still have moments of chaffing and insane itchiness down there. The itchiness is all over the area, not just confined to ground zero. But even that has subsided almost 80% in the last week. It was so annoying though, I was this close to sitting on a pine cone and rocking back and forth just to get some relief.

I think it's great that you have a post op appointment. As I may have mentioned, NO ONE has looked at my surgery since the operation. Not even when I was in the hospital for the hemorrhaging. I went for bloodwork due to the anemia last week and my doc didn't look. I asked him if I should call the surgeon who did the op for a post op appointment and he said "Nah. Unless there's a problem." My doc says they won't be able to see anything anyway...seems a little odd, but my doc is fantastic and I trust his opinion.

I do have a smartie sized skin tag down there and I was afraid it was another hemorrhoid but my wife had a peek and told me what it looked like. At least someone's willing to look in that area! Good luck and hope all is well!

I had laser surgery to remove a very large external hemm. last week. No stitches involved.
The most painful part is going to the bathroom.
I have ramped up my intake of fiber and such but it still burns after
I go. Does anyone know if there are any creams I can apply
to help ease the burn?

Thanks.

Hello all! I've spent the last few days reading posts on this site about the traditional hemorrhoidectomy. I have to admit that I've been scared silly after reading some of the horror stories. I have to have this done...I just had the PPH (staple) surgery in February, and now they are back. My surgeon warned me before he did the PPH that they could come back, but I opted for the more "conservative" surgery first.

Well, I'm scheduled for Monday, 11/10. Surgery time 12:30pm. Being that I have already had the PPH, I do have a slight idea of what I need to do...I already have tucks pads and Metamucil, and I just bought gauze pads, more Milk of Magnesia, and the lovely fleet enemas needed the morning of surgery. I will be eating pizza tonight for the last time for a few weeks, starting the Milk of Magnesia tomorrow to help get somewhat cleaned out, and making sure everything is ready for when I come home after the surgery.

I'm hoping that I don't end up being one of the horror stories I've read. I have prepared for the worst - I have at least two full weeks off work and told them it could be 3-4 weeks (I have a desk job). Thankfully my job is very understanding when it comes to health issues. My husband is off work right now (truck driver) due to surgery for two herniated disks in his neck (worker's comp - it's been 8 months), and he's prepared to take care of me.

I just wanted to post a little before the surgery, and I will update after the surgery as soon as I am able to open the laptop. Wish me luck! Expecting the worst, hoping for the best :-)

I had a complete hemrroidectomy 12 days ago. I considered myself a very tough person but this has got me down! I am doing better and then I have a BM, which leaves me feeling like I still have hemorroids. I am physically and mentally drained from the pain, can't sleep and very concerned about getting addicted to the pain pills. I made myself cut back to only taking one or two after each BM.

Does anyone have lots of swelling still? I don't regret this as I am better than I was when I first had the surgery but I'm ready for this to be over.

It's been 5 days since surgery...two of those days I was taking 2 percocets every 3 hours. I also took milk of magnesia in preparation for the BMs. I had a tucks pad (at least one) in at all times, normally some gauze also. After the 2nd day, I had to all the doctor for a refill on the percocet. At this point he prescribed 1 every 4 hours. Not the best at getting rid of pain, but better than nothing. I must say the first couple days were heaven compared to the last few days. I don't know if I have some sort of rash from having the anal area constantly wet from the Tucks pads, or if this is normal. I can't sit. I'm doing sitz baths as often as possible. I'm taking percocet as much as possible. I must say the BMs are the most god awful pain I've ever felt. I shake, sweat, cry...and it takes a few hours to get over the burning feeling afterwards. I have my follow up appointment on Monday, and I know he's going to want to spread the cheeks and look, and that's going to throw me in to another dimension of pain. Does it look any different yet? Who knows! I'm in too much pain to spread them and look. I have resorted to applying preparation H on the area around the anus to try to get rid of some of this pain, which I'm not sure is helping as I've been downing pain pills left and right. Am I afraid I'm addicted? Hell no...I'm taking these for the incredible pain I'm feeling, not to get high. The sad part is that it's only taking the edge off. I can't get rid of enough of the pain to even THINK about going back to work (I have a desk job). I'm hoping the next few days will show some improvement. I have stopped taking the milk of magnesia for fear that it is what is making the burning pain. I'm still taking the stool softener, so we'll see how the next BM goes. Time for another sitz bath and more preparation H and Tucks pads. I'll update after my appointment on Monday afternoon.

Take care everyone!

Thank you so much to all who have posted on this topic. I have had the worst week of pain in my life following a haemarrhoidectomy four days ago. I was beginning to lose hope and think that I have been permanently crippled or something. Reading other peoples horror stories has given me hope and such relief that I wept while I have been reading them. I am not alone after all!

I am a 53 year old male in the UK who had two haemarrhoidectomies four days ago. I went in for injections under general anaesthetic but the surgeon found I needed surgery instead. That had been mentioned but never discussed in detail.

After it was done I was put in an orthopaedic ward overnight, (the only bed available I guess). Next day I was given a three minute talk about what had happened and when I would be discharged. I was not told what to expect when I got home, I was not given any new written information relevant to the procedure that I had had, rather than the one I had originally gone in for. And I was discharged without having the medication I was given properly explained to me, and one of the three items lacked any instructions whatsoever.

I had expected to be back at work within days, but have had the most severe pain of my life which terrified me. It has left me in despair and exhausted. It takes me three hours to recover from a bowel movement.

It has shaken my confidence in the medical profession (up to now, pretty good). After such experience you don't want to go back to the hospital in case it is made even worse.

There used to be a tradition in the UK that you don't mention side effects and complications because it only encourages people to have them. Maybe that tradition lies behind the terrible lack of information I was given. But If someone had told me 'this may be incredibly painful' and given me details about what might happen then I would have been in as much pain, but I would not have not felt such bewilderment , despair and aloneness. In fact the pain would have been less because I would have felt less despairing.

So thanks again to all those on this discussion forum. I am reassured that I am not alone and that this is (probably) not the end of my world or my life, and that things will get better. Glenn

Hi Glenn

It gets better.

I had mine done on Sept 11. First 7-8 days were BRUTAL pain.

Twice I was damn close to going to emergency room.

I stopped all pain pills and any kind of pills after 2 days. Simple reason is I just don't trust putting drugs into my body....who knows what side effects will result years down the road. So I decided to "tough it out"

When I got the hemorrhoids initially about 8 years ago I had to literally spend a couple days at a time laying on my stomach the pain was so bad. But the pain on day 6 was well above that pain....a whole new pain scale I never thought possible. There was similar pain for about 3 days after each bowel movement.....it hurt like hell but nothing compared to that 1 hour or so of THE MOST SEVERE PAIN IMAGINABLE. But that episode ended after another quick defecation.....very weird.

For the first week I remember not being able to get comfortable at all......not one second. So I'd contort my body and this resulted in a scary pain in my leg/lower abdominal area. My guess was the CONSTANT tensing of the muscles to try and get less pain.

I also remember sleeping may 2 hours per night (if that) during the first week

I went for my checkup a couple days after week 6 ended.....of course the doctor said I should be pain free now......I wasn't.....he said OK let me take a look.

He found it wasn't healing as quickly as it should so he performed a quick procedure by sticking a needle in the wound and cauterizing it. A few days later I was 95% pain free for the first time in 8 years. It took 7 weeks and 3 days. But I'd guess others would be shorter recovery since mine wasn't healing right and need that extra needle in the butt (and that wasn't a pleasant experience...but he said it would help so I said go for it)

All in all I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I can finally walk and jog again....I still have a VERY SLIGHT pain but no throbbing at all.

Thanks for the encouragement, abc123def.

Yes, you are right about the pain. Those of us who have suffered from 'rhoids think we know what pain in that region is like. To find that the cure is worse than the illness is a real shock! It is great to hear that it has an end, and is worth it!

much appreciated,

Glenn

I had surgery yesterday morning for external hemorrhoid at 8am I was back home by 9am with little or no information as to how I would feel, heal, etc, I left with no medication or instruction other than warm sitz baths would be my best friend for the next few days. After I got home I had to have a BM which was severe pain. Yesterday afternoon I was in tremendous pain and could not sleep due to the pain last night, it is the worst pain immaginable I spent a geat deal of the day and night in a warm bath. I have only been taking motrin for the pain. This morning I woke up with very little pain and had to have a bm first thing so I was terrified, but I sat there and did not push but let my body do what it needed to on its own, I kept waiting for the pain but very little came, until I wiped with the prep h wipes it was that stringing burning pain but not unmanagble. For most of today I have had very little pain and mostly discomfort. I feel my body healing and wanted to share this to say everyone experience is different not to say that I wont have anymore pain I know I will and I know this is a pain I will never forget but think in the end it will be worth it. God Bless You! :-D

I had my 'ectomy' about 4 weeks ago. like alot of these folks, I couldn't pee. So I had to wear a catheter for a week, which turned into a urinary tract infection. I must have been really blessed because I had pain the first week, I was having a hard time having a BM due to the swelling, but after about a week my stool was moving and I was feeling fine. My problem came from straining that first week, it caused me to developed into an external 'roid and of all the times to have a problem I had this problem right before the Thanksgiving holidays. How dare I have a problem before the holidays ! My appointment is in a few days and I'm sure my Doc will take good care of me.
Anyway, This surgery was pretty painful but I just had Bypass Surgery about four months ago and the comparison was very close to a tie.
My diet has changed and I'm feeling pretty good, though I don't want to do either surgery ever again.
If I were to do this surgery all over again , I definitely would !
I was tired of suffering with 'roids for the past thirty years and I would definitely do it all over again !

First of all I am so thankfull for finding this board and to everyone that's shared their experience. You all have helped me tremendously.

Today is day 13 post surgery, I had 3 extremely large external, and 2 stage 4 prolapsed internal hemorrhoids. They were so bad, I was unable to sit, stand, walk or even concentrate. I had to have emergency surgery. So the first week of pain after was actually less than what I had with the roids. HOWEVER! Day 5 or 6 was pure hell. I think I spent about 4 days shuffling from the bathroom to the bed, laying on the bed rocking and crying, and mostly living in the bathtub. I was told not to do the sitz baths, just warm to hot tub baths with no additives. Because last week was Thanksgiving, my doctor was out of town. Yesterday was my first chance to call her about the pain. She wanted to see me immediately and it turns out that the stiches are dissolving and that was giving me all the problems. She went ahead and pulled them out and gave me some numbing cream. Thank you God, but why didn't she give me that 2 weeks ago? Anyway, I'm starting to see an end to this.
Here is my question to you, does anyone else get the shakes? After I poo, I immediately get into the bath and that helps much, but then I have the shakes all over my entire body for several hours afterwards. I've no fever, not to hot or cold. I think it may be just my bodies reaction to pain.
I'm probably going to have to take about 4 weeks total off work. I don't understand how some people go back to work so fast. I guess we all started with different degrees of problems and we all heal differently.
I will be taking stool softners for the rest of my life. I don't want to ever go through this again. The doctor says they can't come back, but I'm not taking any chances!! :-)

It is AMAZING to have read all your experiences in this and the previous thread.

I was thinking of how UNLUCKY I was for having undergone this dreadful surgery. But after reading these posts I realize that my recovery time has been bettter compared to others (but boy! It is painful!).

First up, I have to say, the day of the surgery was the WORST DAY OF MY LIFE. I when I say worst I mean WORST multiplied by 100000000000000. No other day has come even close. The opearation itself was very smooth, and I did not feel any pain as I was under anaesthesia. But a few hours later the pain began : if you could call even call something that severe as pain. It was the most UNBEARABLE, UNSPEAKABLE pain ever.

I consider myself to be a very sensible person, and would never use words such as 'dying' lightly. However, this pain did not make me want to die, I felt I HAD TO DIE. That, I felt was the only way to escape that pain.
I was HOWLING in pain, and a painkiller injection did not help me one bit. The nurses were just blinking as they looked at me. One of those wretched people (I am sorry to use this language, but I am just SO angry!), gave me a tranquilizer to shut me up. Thus, I had astounding pain, but just could not shout out for help.

One horrid nurse asked me to hush up, and told me that this pain would last for at least 2 days. I had enough. When my surgeon came in sometime later, I BEGGED him to kill me, as I felt I simply could not take the pain for 2 days. He assured it would not take 2 days, and gave me an injection which provided HUGE relief. After the injection the pain was still VERY VERY severe, but it had come to fathomable levels.

Since the next day, the general pain has been very little. But passing bowels is a HUGE problem. I was on a urine catherter for 2 days, as I could not pass urine on my own. I was in the hospital for ONE LONG WEEK, and I have just reached home today. I chose to stay in the hosp for so long, as I have no one to look after me at my home. I've got to do it all, cooking, cleaning etc. by myself. After one week, BMs are my only major problem. The pain during BMs are 15 minutes after that is VERY severe, and I am paralysed for 3 hours after that, as it takes time to recover from the trauma. After that I am back to normal life, cleaning the house, buying groceries etc. though excessive walking does put a strain on me, I have no other option.

I have a query. I have no bathtub at home, and would like to know if any other way of relieving pain after BM exists. Does putting my showerhead on my butt help? I tried it in the hospital, but I noticed that while it relieving for that while, the pain returns once I get out of the shower anyway, and remains for the same span of 15-20 minutes (the severe pain, that is). I don't have access to Sitzbath in this part of the world. Any
other solution?

Also, here's a warning for those who are considering the open wound surgery : PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE seriously try out other options. I knew of the stapled surgery, but my surgeon reccomended not to go for it, as did one more surgeon, so I went for the open surgery. BIG mistake. The open wound surgery is the MOST PAINFUL surgery in the world, and don't go for it. Just don't.

Try your level best to find other alternatives, WAIT IT OUT FOR A FEW DAYS, SAY A WEEK, to in trying to find other kinds of surgeries, no MATTER HOW URGENT THE SURGEON CLAIMS THE OPERATION NEEDS TO BE. What is the most that will happen? There will be more pain? Well, that pain is NOTHING compared to the post-operative pain! Just don't go for this surgery!

Thank GOD I found this site!!! Help!!!

OK, let me try not to rant and get to the point. I am 41 years old. Two children, vaginal births, episotomies, no hemorroids. So on Monday before Christmas, I have this terrible pain and I feel a lump when I wipe from a BM. So, i tell my Mother in Law who tells me it must be a hemorroid and I should Vasaline up my finger and push it back in.

BIG MISTAKE.

So now I am doubled over in pain... can't stand up straight... embarassed that I am writhing in pain because everyone (my mom in law, best friend, sister) seems to think this is just a little problem...

Call my doc... can't see me - sends me to urgent care.

Doc at urgent care said I have an External Hemorrhoidal Thrombosis which is "the worst kind because it has to be surgercally removed." She sends me back to my doc and my doc says to try to wait until Monday (today 12/29) but if the pain gets worse (Ummm yeah... HOW?! I'd be deead) or it starts bleeding, to go to ER.

Christmas Day... had the thing surgerically removed in ER and left open to drain.

Yesterday, back in ER, literally CRYING in Triage from the pain. Same doc on duty says it's looking great, a lot smaller, continual bleeding and drainage is normal and gave me more pain meds and stool softers and creams and foams.

So, here I am...typing in bed... can't sit, can't drive... can walk but it aggrivates it.

I have managed to have BM without problems cuz i doubled-up the softners in order to take the pain meds... OMG!

So... how can something that is an open wound on the inside of your butt cheek heal??? it never gets air. Doc wants me to keep 4x4 gauze in there 24/7 with the creams and stuff to keep pressure on it and keep it draining and shrinking.

but how and when will it ever heal?

I am completely incompasitated by this thing and the VERY WORST PART IS... no one takes it seriously! Why does everyone think hemorrhoids are funny? I have taken to lying and saying my episotomy site ripped open. Cuz it's just as bad - no, it's worse.

I'm getting depressed from lying around... and people expecting me to be over it (like a paper cut)...

:'(

when and how will this end??

Should I be trying to push through the pain and exercise, sit, etc? Or will that make it worse (even if I can medicate myself enough to stand it)?

Does anyone else blow up like a blow fish from the pain meds (vicodin)? I have moon face and feel like a marshmellow.

I see my doc for follow up tomorrow... I will ask her these things but i really wanted to hear from people who have been through it.

So, thanks for reading and writing if you can.

This sucks! And I feel for all of you.

Hi, omg, you have our sympathy, and like me you will, I hope, gain comfort from reading other posts on this thread, and finding you are not alone.

As far as your question about healing goes, it took 5 weeks for my wound to heal. It wept a lot of pinky, sticky fluid to begin with and this gradually and slowly got less. I thought it would never heal, but it has done. I tried using gauze between the buttocks despite it getting dislodged fairly easily, and having to put it back in place fairly often. And the usual washing with water after every BM to keep it clean. I put salt in the water, but it seems that some people recommend not adding anything to the water.

I felt too bad to read, or watch TV, lying down seemed to be the only thing that helped.

People joke about piles, but this operation has been the worst physical pain that I have ever experienced, and the most prolonged, for weeks. But it has come right, after over a month.

I wish you well.
Glenn

After coming back here a few months after my surgery I see there are still no miracle cures for the pain you all are having. For those of you who have no bath tub, a sitz bath is the way to go. We only have showers but I was advised by my DR not to use a bath tub and to use the sitz baths which I don't think I could have lived without.

The bad news is Yes, you will be in pain, and I too prayed for a few days for God to call me home, really the pain was that bad. The good news is YES the pain will eventually go away and you will heal and you will be so glad you had the surgery, even though as painful as it is, it is well worth it. For some the recovery is short for others not so short. It took me 2 months to be completely pain free.

At the time I was thinking WHY did I ever do this, oh my gosh, but my life is so much better now. The thing to do is after you heal never forget the horrible pain you were in before and after surgery and change your lifestyle so you never have to go through this again because YES it can happen. Change your eating habits, and your diet, never let this happen to you again.

Good Luck to you all.