Lenght Of Hemorrhoidectomy Recovery?

I had my operation 10 days ago 8 hemorroids in total. I would say it is fine unless you have to do a b/m and then it is hell. My advise would be to take a pain killer around 7 am in the morning and then have 2 glasses of water. Have a bran or other high fibre cereal breakfast. I then go for a walk and drink some more water. I then sit down and make mind relax by reading a book or some surfing on the net while drinking a hot beverage. By then I am really desperate to go to the toilet and I go rather quickly takes about 5 minutes and because I have taken the pain kllers about 1 hour before. it takes it from being an over 10 to a manageable 5 on the pain threshold. I take stool softners at night and some laxative. I have been going regularly - once a day and sticking to much my normal diet as I thought changing to much could upset the system. I have always had a pretty high fibre diet anyway. Good luck and yes it is the pits but hopefully we will all able to laugh about it one day.

jeff21, yes, I did have that same problem as you have, the feeling you have to go urgently, but nothing (much) coming out.

The operation apparently makes you swell up inside, giving the feeling that you have to go, when really, you don't. And if you "almost" have to go, the feeling gets worse, causing you to sit on the toilet and strain, without much result, other than potential new hemorrhoids and excessive bleeding.

The best thing to do is to try as much as you can to ignore the feeling. I know that is extremely difficult, but it is the best thing all around. Eventually, when you really are ready, it will come out, you just have to trust that. It will come out without much straining at all, but you cannot force it! Please don't, it will make everything worse.

I had a couple of times that I ran to the bathroom, thinking I had to go, sat on it and didn't have anything happening. As hard as it was, I forced myself to get up again, pull up my pants and try to ignore the feeling. I tried to squeeze and sit on it, acting as if I just "wanted to hold it up". That worked best for me.

I must say, that feeling was probably the worst thing of the whole experience for me, even worse than the actual pain.

It does get better, though; as you're healing, that feeling will get less and less and eventually disappear altogether.

I have just had my 2 month check-up, and I mentioned to the doctor the two small lumps I still have, albeit much smaller than the original.

The doctor explained to me that he removed two hemorrhoids, each more than an inch in size during the surgery, and that there was one tiny little one that he hadn't touched.

I was surprised they had been so big, since I was under the impression that they were no more than about a quarter of an inch, but he told me that most of it was on the inside, so I wouldn't have been able to see that. They were partly external, partly internal.

Anyway, he told me the two he removed had healed nicely, and are mostly gone aside from a little bit of scar tissue for one of them. The scar tissue is what appears to be a small hemorrhoid, the smallest of the two I have still left. The other lump I have left is the third hemorrhoid, the one he did not touch during the surgery since it was so small.

Unfortunately, this one actually increased in size somewhat during the recovery period when I had this extremely uncomfortable feeling of needing to go, but couldn't. I am aware I did strain at that time (stupid enough), and that is what made that one grow.

It is still very small, but noticeable, whereas before it wasn't.

The doctor told me I have the option to have the small one and the scar tissue removed in about 6 months or so, and that the surgery will be much less involved since there isn't much there and it's all external. It shouldn't hurt as much or be as uncomfortable. However, he doesn't recommend it as it is not truly necessary at this point.

I'm now into my 4th week and I feel fine. Probably about 95%. I can sit for long periods, walk, run, etc. All no problems. It burns slightly when I have a BM, but otherwise fine. I don't have strange urges anymore, and no more pea sized poo!

The only problem I have now is the constant yellowish discharge and smell. Once that clears up I'll be back to normal. It does feel strange stealing the GF's pant liners. The smell can be embarassing when in confined places such as a car - its like I've crapped myself.

jeff21, I am really happy to hear that your recovery is going well! I have a friend who is about to undergo surgery like this so I am curious--and please don't be offended by this question because I know it might be a little embarrassing but I do need to know--but do you wear adult diapers so that you can be active? I know you said you mentioned using your girlfriend's liners but do you use anything else? My friends is concerned about recovery so I am sort of trying to figure out what all he'll need. Thanks!

I switched my loose boxers to boxer briefs so that the liners fit more snug, but thats about it really. I also have a daily bath rather than a shower and use antiseptic cream afterwards. Oh, and I bought a 30 pack of Regulan to ensure soft, regular BMs.

Those are some helpful hints and in case my friend has any complications I'll be able to help him out. IT sounds like you're holding up pretty well physically. How about mentally? Are you in high spirits?

Apart from my discharge problem, yes. Saying that, I was working around the town center and ordered a meal and drink at a local restaurent the day after my operation! I was well padded at the time and the effects of the drugs I had whilst in surgery had not worn off at that point. I didn't leave the house after my first BM for about a week, and then I didn't go far.



I still can't walk that far now without being uncomfortable, but its enough to look after myself, fetch the shopping, etc.

Just wanted to post a few words of encouragement for those anticipating this procedure. I think I've probably been better off than the rest and consider myself fortunate as many of those posts detail a very lengthy and painful recovery.

Mid-30's male now 10 days post-op. Very similar experiences as others first week - extreme pain, bowel movements a nightmare. I was prescribed Vicodin for pain but gave it up after 2 days concerned about possible constipation. Long story short - I've tried to maintain a very high fiber diet along with supplements and am still taking stool softener (will do so for at least the next 2 weeks). Especially today, I feel 800% better than last week and have resumed a fairly normal routine.

I'm certainly not qualified to be handing out advice, but one thing that I experienced. Early on, I had a lot of difficulty passing gas and due to all the pain, was unable to differentiate between that and a BM. In several cases, thinking it was a BM I ended up straining and causing some bleeding. My particular solution was to try to wait out the urges, being certain that a BM was necessary. Somewhat unfomfortable, but the BMs were easier and I avoided the false alarms and bleeding/straining.

Good luck - and hopefully your 7-10 day milestone will be equally relieving.

Healthfitguy, I'm just checking up on you and your friend... I know you had a lot of questions for your friend... Did they undergo the surgery yet? I hope everything is alright? Just keep me updated! I'm still hanging in there... getting a little better everyday now and its been 5 weeks post op today... No I'm not back to work yet, not for another 2 1/2 weeks but I'm taking my antibiotics 3x a day for a month, so I feel like this is helping me heal... Maybe I was developing an infection after the surgery and thats why I'm healing so slowly? But its getting better.... Good luck to your friend.. We are all here if you need us!

jeff21 wrote:

healthnfitnessguy wrote:

Those are some helpful hints and in case my friend has any complications I'll be able to help him out. IT sounds like you're holding up pretty well physically. How about mentally? Are you in high spirits?

Apart from my discharge problem, yes. Saying that, I was working around the town center and ordered a meal and drink at a local restaurent the day after my operation! I was well padded at the time and the effects of the drugs I had whilst in surgery had not worn off at that point. I didn't leave the house after my first BM for about a week, and then I didn't go far.

I still can't walk that far now without being uncomfortable, but its enough to look after myself, fetch the shopping, etc.

That's good to know. I think that I'll have to remember to keep him close to home while he's first recuperating because he is normally a pretty active guy.

3lovelykiddos, my friend doesn't undergo surgery until mid-July so I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, we've already gotten a sitz bath, a ton of Tucks pads (we were able to find some after all on the internet), some adult diapers just in case, and lots of comfortable blankets and pillows. I also have already moved his TV into his room and I've got Netflix so he'll be able to watch tons of his favorite movies.

I would also like to share my story about my hemmerhoidecomy. I am a 40 year old male. This forum has been absolute therapy for me through my recovery.

I had 3 external hemmerhoids removed 11 days ago. I had to endure the bother of them for about 20 years but a recent flare up went defcon thrombose and I was out of work for 4 days. I believe I even sprouted a new roid from this flare up. I had only had one flare up prior about 10 years ago that I muddled through. My Dr. told me that will always be a possibility of happening, usually before a vacation or some other very in-opportune time (is it ever opportune?). I probably could have managed my hemmerhoids with ointments and diet, but I blindly opted for the surgery without doing any research. I thought I would be back and running within 3 days….. boy was I way wrong.

It is true that this operation probably has the most painful recovery you can endure. And it takes much longer than you think it will, so make sure you have at least 10 days off of work and do a little bowel pre-maintenance. Also make sure you have a care-giver to take care of you for about 3 days of post-op. There is no way I could have managed on my own. Thank God for my wife.

If you have decided to go through with this surgery (believe me this is a big decision), first, a good idea is to make sure you have begun to soften your bowel a few days before the operation. I didn’t do this – big mistake. Until now I actually never realized that my bowel was so hard and this is probably what brought on the roids in the first place as I spent a lot of time on the john when I went as if it had become a ritual. Start using Metamucil and stop eating meat, starches and cheese (my favorites) a few days before the surgery. Fruits, vegetables, yogurt and plenty of liquids with the fiber supplement will save you from a traumatic bm after your surgery.

I was instructed to not eat 12 hours prior to surgery and use 2 Fleet enemas, one the night before and one the morning of prior to surgery. I already am very touchy about this part of my body so the enema was my first hurdle. I did make it through it though. Little did I know that there were much bigger hurdles to come.

My surgery was at 12:00 noon and had a couple of glitches I was told after waking up. My nose started to bleed and I vomited after the surgery. They had to intabate me and drain blood from my windpipe. I also, unbeknownst to me, scratched my left eye with my finger that had the heart monitor on and scratched up my cornea. The next 7 days I had whacked out blurry vision in my left eye.

My wife drove me home and post-op and I felt fine as the local had not worn off yet. I was luckily even able to urinate. Urinating was very difficult for about a week after surgery. I would just go in the shower or sitz bath when I could. I was prescribed oxycodone and antibiotics. My initial mistake was eating what I wanted for my first post-op meal which was KFC mashed potatoes & gravy with biscuits. I chased it down with 2 oxycodone and passed out. When I woke up at 10:00pm I was nauseated from the oxycodone and decided not to take more. I drank some water and fell back to sleep.

I woke up at 5:00am in the most hellish pain I have ever experienced in my life. I was writhing in bed uncontrollably and then yelled for my wife who had slept in the other room so as not to disturb me. She came in and immediately called the Dr. ‘s office to get a new prescription. She gave me 2 acetaminophen pm’s and I then fell asleep – also to escape the horrible pain. I then woke up at noon and tried walking around with this new sadistic pain I could not escape. I also attempted a bm which resulted to a very miniscule amount and hurt. My new pain prescription was hydrocodone. The oxycodone also had given me the most outlandish dreams I have ever experienced. The pain endured that day even with the new pain killers but I endured as well. At this point I believed this surgery had been invented by Satan.

The next few days were still very painful down there and now there was the build-up that would bring my next huge hurdle. I realized I wasn’t going to be back to work as I planned. I was taking the Metamucil every day and eating very little and had the worst bm urges that resulted in a little leakage but no bm. I was having gas every night with a lot of disgusting seepage of blood and bowel (panty liners are a must from day 1 and I am still using them for seepage). I would spend an hour or so trying to have a bm but the mental block had set in. My brain would not let me open up for fear of ripping the stitches every time it started to happen. At this point I was crying and sweating from the pain and fear of trying to have a bm. Panic set in and I began to fear becoming septic.

By day 7 I was in such pain and discomfort and also went in for my 1 week follow up. I told the doc about my situation of no real bm yet and he prescribed magnesium citrate. By this time I was already reading this forum and had also read about an experience with magnesium citrate from a healthy person with constipation somewhere on the internet. More fear set in... I decided to get some Milk of Magnesia on my way home from work as I actually went in for 2 hours on the 7th day sitting at a tilt the whole time.

That night was my biggest hurdle. I took Milk of Magnesia at about 7:00pm with much fear and trepidation. I laid down for a while and then the moment of reckoning had come. I am a man but I believe this is what giving birth is like. I had read about the breathing techniques on this forum and I also just convinced my self that this was not that big of a deal and I could do it. I finally could not control the upcoming movement and spent the next 2 hours in the bathroom crying, moaning, sweating and praying to God. Bit by bit I made it through and I had to finish in the shower as the warm water really helped with this, and I was also careful not to clog the drain. Believe me, your body can take more trauma than you think…. or want to allow after this surgery.

I worked day 8 for 5 hours, still feeling constipated, and then had to go home as I couldn’t make it any longer. I had to go through the trauma all over again but now I was a little more confident from the previous evening’s experience. More Milk of Magnesia and another 2 hour session in the bathroom of pain and prayers (This experience really brought the religion out of me). Finally!!! I had cleared the way and survived. What a freakin’relief!!!!

I worked 6 hours on day 9 and had to get home to a much easier bm. My life is really dictated by my bms right now.

On day 10 I made it through the whole day at work and the pain had decreased and I felt about 75% healed.

I am now 11 days post-op and feel about 85% healed. I am now healing much faster since I can eat a little more. I continue to use Metamucil twice a day and I just eat fruits, vegetables and yogurt. BM’s still hurt but not as much and I can tell it is getting better each time. I have lost 12 pounds and I am just now starting to think the surgery was worth it. I can’t go back and change anything and as a positive consolation, the Dr. says there is a 90% chance I will never have roids again. I will make sure of this by eating better and using a fiber supplement every day.

If you are considering this surgery I recommend that you think about it very seriously. Ask yourself if you can manage with creams and a good diet. If you can, then manage your roids and get healthy as a bonus. If you are having the surgery for aesthetic reasons then I suggest you deal with your vanity issues first as this surgery will literally kick your arse.... very hard.

Rapid healing to all of you who are enduring the recovery from this challenging procedure.

Tim in AZ

dude, THIS FOCKING $HIT HURTS REALLY REALLY BAD AND IS BY FAR THE WORST PAIN I'VE EVER/WILL EVER EXPERIENCE IN MY LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!DO NOT HAVE THIS SURGERY UNLESS YOUR HEMORRHOID IS EXTREMELY PAINFUL! I am in teeearrrsssss and i am far from tear jerker! I have had numerous broken bones, surgeries, etc...so i figured i'd be in pain for few days and will be ok, I did not anticipate taking a $hit in a bathtub while i am still in the tub and picking the $hit out and dumping it in the toilet and all the other c**p like constipation, diarrhea, waiting for bowel movement, praying, crying, convulsiions...holy $hit, this is bad.

I am current on day 5. DID I MENTION, WOW THIS $HIT HURTS REALLY BAD! painkillers are only good for making you tired and constipated. I am scared to death of taking a mega dumps! I never thought i'd ever see the day where I'd think that taking a painfree mega diarrhea dump would be focking great but i'll take that! I've been in constant sharp/burning/thumping pains 24/7. don't think that the painkillers make the pain go away, it does not. the one spot where you need the painkiller the most, it does not work. you'll feel tired and drowsy but you still feel burning sharp pain nothing you can do to make it go away. they gave me dibucaine, but i had a tube of lidocaine laying around and thats worked better for me. i have no idea why stupid surgeon didn't give me lidocaine to begin with, i had to call them to prescribe it. lidocaine makes the burning bearable....i am sooooo scared $hitless of taking a $hit. they should hospitalize you for full week before releasing you. I came "this" close to going to emergency room and beg for dimeral....this is horrible guys, take it from a straight shooter, this focking HUUUUURRRRRTSSSS...i just wanna be knocked out and not wake up til day 21! fooooock is the days jusst dragging!

I am also going through divorce right now and divorce is NOTHING compared to this....I'll gladly go through10 divorces if it means that i won't have to have the surgery. then, I read this thing aboout skin tag, oh sweet jesus.....so why da fock did I do this to myself..its one downer after another....GOOD LUCK IF YOU DECIDE TO HAVE THIS YOU'LL REGRET IT BUT WE ALL DO.

HI,
I had hems removed 4 weeks ago......I am 32 weeks pregnant. Needless to say my recovery has been extremely painful since I could not get strong painmeds/laxatives. Also I was somewhat skeptical of taking too many painmeds due to being pregnant though the surgeon assured me that it was absolutely safe. Is there anyone out there who had this surgery while pregnant and can give me some insight into the kind of recovery after surgery and as to how I can possibly avoid them after and during delivery????..... I dread tothink of them coming back during or after the surgery.
Thanks.

redcap, why would you have this done while you're 32 weeks pregnant? Huuuuuge mistake! Your surgeon put you under while you were pregnant??? How did you have it done w/o anesthesia? OHhhh Jesus, what da hell were you/ your surgeon thinking???? Painkillers are NOT GOOD for your fetus! Trust me, your baby will have down's syndrome or ADD if you get on pain killers.

Usually, people wait until AFTER the pregnancy to have this done and would have made muuuuuch more sense. I am one month out and Im still sore down there and can't $hit properly and can't sit straight on chairs for more than couple hours