*** I am not a doctor, no where near it, I am a 20yr old student studying science of the earth, I know very little of the body, the only crudentials I have on this topic are purely from expirience (which i think has been the best crudential) and word of mouth through others, everybody is different, if some of my advice does not work out for you I apologize, just and FYI ahead of time :-)***
Hello All,
I just got a hemorrhoidectomy 8 days ago (1/29/10), which included the removal of a couple internal, one external and a fissure (tear in my anal lining...ouch). My doctor cut out and stitched everything...including the tear. My roids were basically a result of lack of fiber, stress, bad food that caused constant hard, large stools.
I wanted to write a blog about my expirience to help others...the recovery isnt pretty! I mean everyone is different but I got alot of help from blogs like these and wanted to included a very detailed to do list to add to the other blogs on this subject of my expirience.
First things first- stool softeners, prunes, ointment, and warm baths are about to become your best friend!! :-)
DIET:
I was told be on an all liquids diet for the first 48hrs...yes, I was very hungry but when you feel the tenderness of your bum you wont mind one bit if you can't eat either haha. The imagination of passing stool at that point will change your mind about hunger. I drank alot of water, chicken broth, hot tea, apple juice, ginger ale and anything CLEAR or light colored liquids! After the first 48hrs I started to eat some solids, as told by my doctor to do, this included alot of fruit (strawberries, blue berries, rasperries, bananas, pineapple,oranges) chicken broth, light soups, apple sauce, toast. As the days go on keep track of what your eating and base your diet off your BM, whether they are hard or soft and try to decifer what to have more of and what to have less of. Stay away from red meats, potatoes, pastas, or anything that would be a starch...and cheese, it has been hard for my body to digest cheese so stay away from that for the time being. I started to eat more solid foods but my BM became very painful and hard because of the pain killers so I went back on an all liquid diet for about a day to let my boozum recover :-) Another thing about the food is to look for foods with fiber...see I misunderstood what fiber does to your stool, to my NEW understanding it doesnt make your stool hard or soft....it holds it together to have a formation to help to keep it moving through your system....now before that I thought it made stool soft, so I bought Benefiber packets and had about 2 of those a day, plus stool softner and pain killers...my first BM after taking all of this was hard and painful, I knew pain killers cause constipation but I think with all the fiber in the food plus the Benefiber packets were a bit much and created a little too much form. I cut back on that and it seemed to let up a bit. My doctor advised me to start eating prunes when my BM got too hard...they were a life saver!! I am 8 days in and I have been eating about 6 prunes throughout the day, stool softeners and pretty much anything so far! My overall preference with diet is to stick to as many easy soft foods as possible until pain killers are not longer needed...the pain killers will back you up :-(
MEDS:
I was prescribed a pain killer called HYDROCODONE, pain killers can cause constipation so make sure to take stool softeners as well! I took about 3 a day. I was also prescribed some Ibuprofen to help with inflammatory issues and swelling, a clear ointment was prescribed as well to put on the area after baths and bowel movements....that was a life saver too! It helped to keep the area somewhat moist and lubricated...I noticed a LARGE decrease in itching, or "tugging" from the stitches. The doctors prescribe pain killers for a reason so obviously use them as needed...but the moment during your recovery you feel the pain is tolerable...try to put up with it. Once I stopped the pain killers my BM have been SO MUCH BETTER! It's like night and day for pain. Even though I knew they caused consipation...I still took them about the next 48hrs after my first BM because I knew it was going to hurt whether or not my stools were soft or hard those first few times, and the pain killers definitely helped out post-BM. But like I said about day 6 I stopped th pain killers.
PAIN:
For the majority of people I have read about and from myself, there is pain...discomfort laying in positions, itching, some burning, basic movements tend to be harder, slower to do. The Day 1 I was tender but still numb from the surgery...if you are too, take advantage of it because it wont last until the next morning. Day 2 was kinda of rough, definitely very sore and painful to sit down...I pretty much layed down the first 6 days of post surgery. Day 3 was better, I could move more but still very sore. Day 4 was a doozy! I had my first BM that day...not fun what so ever. I am not trying to scare you but from my expirience it was terrible. I advise you to drink ALOT of water and liquids throughout this process because when it came to try and pass a stool...I almost passed out, I started shaking, got very hot and dizzy. I was not hydrated...that showed in my shaking and in my stool. When passing a BM, just understand it will be painful, but I have noticed the first is the worst, the second isn't the best, and the rest get better as time goes on. I have 2 things of advice about passing a stool: be as calm as possible and have a warm bath with Epsom Salt waiting. What I noticed about passing my first BM is I was scared...I knew the pain was coming and I freaked out, I thought it was going to be impossible and I wasn't going to be able to do it. When I got tense in my mind, my muscles down there did too, the more you try to relax your mind...that muscle down there will start to loosen up and relax as well...making the very painful process much easier...not as painful. I would sit down and get a steady breathing pattern going, and do my best to keep that throughout the whole process of passing a stool. I noticed a difference when I would do my best to be calm and breathe versus crying and tensing up. When you feel you have to go to the bathroom..do it! Trying to put it off is going to be worse in the end. Be patient as well, it took me about 30min on average to pass a stool. I would just get out a little at a time and let my body release it when it was ready. Straining to push it out will cause more pain and possible more bleeding! Blood can be normal, my first stool had some dark red blood on it and all the rest afterwards were minor spotting here and there. I was never gushing out blood or had alot...my doctor said blood in the first stool only is a good sign...if you are at that point too then I think your progressing good as well. Trust me I know it still hurts but thats why you have a bath waiting! :-)
POST BM:
After my BM, my bum was throbbing and burning...depending on what food I ate (stay away from anything spicy during this recovery...your butt will feel like its on fire if you eat spicy stuff). After the passing of a BM I would hop in a nice warm bath...Sitz baths are recommened but I loved the feeling of stretching out in a tub and being able to float there...having no pressure on that area what so ever felt really good. I literally lived in the bath tub, I would take about an hour long bath 3 maybe 4 times a day! I think it made a tremendous difference. After the bath I would wipe down the area with medicated wipes; Tucks was a good brand that I used, it was cool and soothed the area, after that I applied the ointment and put on some comfy clothes. The bath process was also a life/pain saver!
REST:
I got my surgery done on a Friday morning...I didnt go to work or school for that following week. Here I am 8 days later, no more pain killers, able to pass stool with minor/tolerable short term pain, sitting, driving, and eating better food, which I believe is because of the amount of rest I got. If I had tried to work or walk around campus I would not be this far in recovery as I am. The more you worry about work or school and try to get it done without resting...the more time it may take to recover in the end.
OVERALL:
Eat good, take pain killers only until abosultely needed, take alot of baths, eat your prunes, and hope for the best!
I know this was long but I hope I help someone out...I know how you feel! Hang in there! At times it will feel it's never going to get better, everyone tells you it will...its hard to believe...I was there 2 days ago and now I am doing much better and writing a blog about it :-) For anyone who's expirience is worse than mine I say hats off to you and cudos! You are a trooper and good luck with everything!
If there are any questions I wouldn't mind answering them one bit! :-)
Take Care to all future hemorrhoidectomy patients!
Hello All,
I just got a hemorrhoidectomy 8 days ago (1/29/10), which included the removal of a couple internal, one external and a fissure (tear in my anal lining...ouch). My doctor cut out and stitched everything...including the tear. My roids were basically a result of lack of fiber, stress, bad food that caused constant hard, large stools.
I wanted to write a blog about my expirience to help others...the recovery isnt pretty! I mean everyone is different but I got alot of help from blogs like these and wanted to included a very detailed to do list to add to the other blogs on this subject of my expirience.
First things first- stool softeners, prunes, ointment, and warm baths are about to become your best friend!! :-)
DIET:
I was told be on an all liquids diet for the first 48hrs...yes, I was very hungry but when you feel the tenderness of your bum you wont mind one bit if you can't eat either haha. The imagination of passing stool at that point will change your mind about hunger. I drank alot of water, chicken broth, hot tea, apple juice, ginger ale and anything CLEAR or light colored liquids! After the first 48hrs I started to eat some solids, as told by my doctor to do, this included alot of fruit (strawberries, blue berries, rasperries, bananas, pineapple,oranges) chicken broth, light soups, apple sauce, toast. As the days go on keep track of what your eating and base your diet off your BM, whether they are hard or soft and try to decifer what to have more of and what to have less of. Stay away from red meats, potatoes, pastas, or anything that would be a starch...and cheese, it has been hard for my body to digest cheese so stay away from that for the time being. I started to eat more solid foods but my BM became very painful and hard because of the pain killers so I went back on an all liquid diet for about a day to let my boozum recover :-) Another thing about the food is to look for foods with fiber...see I misunderstood what fiber does to your stool, to my NEW understanding it doesnt make your stool hard or soft....it holds it together to have a formation to help to keep it moving through your system....now before that I thought it made stool soft, so I bought Benefiber packets and had about 2 of those a day, plus stool softner and pain killers...my first BM after taking all of this was hard and painful, I knew pain killers cause constipation but I think with all the fiber in the food plus the Benefiber packets were a bit much and created a little too much form. I cut back on that and it seemed to let up a bit. My doctor advised me to start eating prunes when my BM got too hard...they were a life saver!! I am 8 days in and I have been eating about 6 prunes throughout the day, stool softeners and pretty much anything so far! My overall preference with diet is to stick to as many easy soft foods as possible until pain killers are not longer needed...the pain killers will back you up :-(
MEDS:
I was prescribed a pain killer called HYDROCODONE, pain killers can cause constipation so make sure to take stool softeners as well! I took about 3 a day. I was also prescribed some Ibuprofen to help with inflammatory issues and swelling, a clear ointment was prescribed as well to put on the area after baths and bowel movements....that was a life saver too! It helped to keep the area somewhat moist and lubricated...I noticed a LARGE decrease in itching, or "tugging" from the stitches. The doctors prescribe pain killers for a reason so obviously use them as needed...but the moment during your recovery you feel the pain is tolerable...try to put up with it. Once I stopped the pain killers my BM have been SO MUCH BETTER! It's like night and day for pain. Even though I knew they caused consipation...I still took them about the next 48hrs after my first BM because I knew it was going to hurt whether or not my stools were soft or hard those first few times, and the pain killers definitely helped out post-BM. But like I said about day 6 I stopped th pain killers.
PAIN:
For the majority of people I have read about and from myself, there is pain...discomfort laying in positions, itching, some burning, basic movements tend to be harder, slower to do. The Day 1 I was tender but still numb from the surgery...if you are too, take advantage of it because it wont last until the next morning. Day 2 was kinda of rough, definitely very sore and painful to sit down...I pretty much layed down the first 6 days of post surgery. Day 3 was better, I could move more but still very sore. Day 4 was a doozy! I had my first BM that day...not fun what so ever. I am not trying to scare you but from my expirience it was terrible. I advise you to drink ALOT of water and liquids throughout this process because when it came to try and pass a stool...I almost passed out, I started shaking, got very hot and dizzy. I was not hydrated...that showed in my shaking and in my stool. When passing a BM, just understand it will be painful, but I have noticed the first is the worst, the second isn't the best, and the rest get better as time goes on. I have 2 things of advice about passing a stool: be as calm as possible and have a warm bath with Epsom Salt waiting. What I noticed about passing my first BM is I was scared...I knew the pain was coming and I freaked out, I thought it was going to be impossible and I wasn't going to be able to do it. When I got tense in my mind, my muscles down there did too, the more you try to relax your mind...that muscle down there will start to loosen up and relax as well...making the very painful process much easier...not as painful. I would sit down and get a steady breathing pattern going, and do my best to keep that throughout the whole process of passing a stool. I noticed a difference when I would do my best to be calm and breathe versus crying and tensing up. When you feel you have to go to the bathroom..do it! Trying to put it off is going to be worse in the end. Be patient as well, it took me about 30min on average to pass a stool. I would just get out a little at a time and let my body release it when it was ready. Straining to push it out will cause more pain and possible more bleeding! Blood can be normal, my first stool had some dark red blood on it and all the rest afterwards were minor spotting here and there. I was never gushing out blood or had alot...my doctor said blood in the first stool only is a good sign...if you are at that point too then I think your progressing good as well. Trust me I know it still hurts but thats why you have a bath waiting! :-)
POST BM:
After my BM, my bum was throbbing and burning...depending on what food I ate (stay away from anything spicy during this recovery...your butt will feel like its on fire if you eat spicy stuff). After the passing of a BM I would hop in a nice warm bath...Sitz baths are recommened but I loved the feeling of stretching out in a tub and being able to float there...having no pressure on that area what so ever felt really good. I literally lived in the bath tub, I would take about an hour long bath 3 maybe 4 times a day! I think it made a tremendous difference. After the bath I would wipe down the area with medicated wipes; Tucks was a good brand that I used, it was cool and soothed the area, after that I applied the ointment and put on some comfy clothes. The bath process was also a life/pain saver!
REST:
I got my surgery done on a Friday morning...I didnt go to work or school for that following week. Here I am 8 days later, no more pain killers, able to pass stool with minor/tolerable short term pain, sitting, driving, and eating better food, which I believe is because of the amount of rest I got. If I had tried to work or walk around campus I would not be this far in recovery as I am. The more you worry about work or school and try to get it done without resting...the more time it may take to recover in the end.
OVERALL:
Eat good, take pain killers only until abosultely needed, take alot of baths, eat your prunes, and hope for the best!
I know this was long but I hope I help someone out...I know how you feel! Hang in there! At times it will feel it's never going to get better, everyone tells you it will...its hard to believe...I was there 2 days ago and now I am doing much better and writing a blog about it :-) For anyone who's expirience is worse than mine I say hats off to you and cudos! You are a trooper and good luck with everything!
If there are any questions I wouldn't mind answering them one bit! :-)
Take Care to all future hemorrhoidectomy patients!
Bing,hope your still out there .one big word gas .did you have this problem? Some times I'm sure I'm ready for the big bm but get nothing but gas and pain and some blood,but that's it. The problem is I always feel backed up since the surgery.so don't know if that's just surger pain or o realllly have to go. Day 4 very flustered and worried
I had a hemorroidectomy on Wednesday 4/4/12. I supposedly had a special kind of surgery (used a ??harmony scalpel??) due to the severity of my condition and the likelihood that traditional surgery would cause too much scarring and eventually put me right back where I started, which was with severe internal and external hemorroids and fissures. The first day to day and a half, I felt like things were going well...then the numbing mess wore off and I have been in hell ever since. Every time I have a bm or even gas I am struck with fear and agonizing pain. The most relief I got was found accidentally when I was trying to get to the toilet and ended up going all over myself. I immediately jumped in the shower and had another bm! But, it wasn't that bad! I think standing up relieved some of the pressure of sitting in the toilet. Although I had a disgusting mess I deal with, I was relieved to have found a "better" way to poop! I am probably taking way too much stool softener (Docusate) but I am terrified of the pain. When I have a bm on the toilet I am screaming and sobbing in pain and the pain and throbbing lasts most of the day. My family was home today so I tried to go back to the toilet. But they are just going to have to deal with it because the pain is unbearable. I am taking 1 to 1.5to 2 hydrocododone 5/500 pills every 3 to 6 hrs with basically no relief. I also take 1 to 3 sitz baths a day ( usually after the bm episodes). My dr told me to take a warm soapy bath every evening but I have yet to do that as the sitz baths several times daily are about all I can stand. I do make sure I am clean down there and I blot dry with a bath towel. Also I have started laying face down with a pillow under my middle after the baths, which seems to help, if only in my mind! I am trying not to eat very much to prevent excess bm but I have to eat a little because of the pain meds!
I don't know if what I'm doing is helping or even right but I feel so helpless and I feel that I was not prepared at all by the dr or staff! They were giving me instructions after the surgery, When I was all doped up on pain meds and coming off anesthesia!! Duh!! I am very disappointed in that part of the ordeal. Today is Sunday 4 days post surgery. I am currently sitting in a bath of Epsom salt and melaleuca oil(tea tree oil). I plan on making an appointment to see the dr ASAP as I could not get in Friday due to it being Good Friday. If anyone has any additional advise I would really appreciate it!!
Thank you so much for the Info. it was so details i loved it, i am having on done this coming Thursday my mom will be with me.i already stoped eating solid food so i will feel t ease with my bowel at surgery day and there after. I gess i wont be able to work with my handicap patient for at least 3 weeks since no weight lifting is allowed.but i am happy i am finely taking care of this problem since its been 22 years sonce i gave a natural birth to my twin girls who are as of this may graduating college. I am so damm proud!
I've read so many stories and maybe only 1 or 2 are suffering with my issue which is my sphincter muscle wont stretch during my bowel movement. However I think your story was a lil helpful. I try to control my bm too with breathing....very difficult to do with the contractions and pain. I'm in week 3 and can barely pass any stools and when i do, it's tiny. Can u relate to this at all?
minnie123
I am now 12 weeks post op.
I also had horrible pain post surgery. I ended up at 3 weeks having another surgery to unblock me. I did everything by the book. But still ended up in a mess. So I can totally relate.
I am now 12 weeks post op.
I also had horrible pain post surgery. I ended up at 3 weeks having another surgery to unblock me. I did everything by the book. But still ended up in a mess. So I can totally relate.
The route to recovery after hemorrhoidectomy is indeed a very painful journey, but it will turn out well if you take good care of yourself and stick to the necessary treatments.
thanks a lot
just got mine done last week. this sux! l;Didnt really sign up for this! Any all help would b sooo totally appreciated! Glad to know i am not alone!
Thank you for your info it really helped me. I got mine done on march 17/13 and I was terrified 2 days later when i had a BM dam i said i would never get this done and wouldnt reccomend it either. That changed as after 12 days i was going to the bathroom hardly any pain and didnt realize till then how much this surgery helped. The big thing i learned was rest and I went downstairs layed on couch drank alot of water and time flew by as I watched all season of Sons of Anarchy, Game of thrones, True blood. As I decided everyday when i was to have a BM I ran the bath water Hot but not scolding and put epsom salts in, right after i went i jumped in the tub and waited till pain went away and had a shower after too as I couldnt wipe all as it hurt so much after BM. Today 6 weeks after the only thing that hurts is my mouth LOL, they tore up my gums putting breathing tube in, how ironic.. get surgery on my ass and my mouth hurts yikes! I can go with no troubles and didnt realize how much those internals and externals and fisure was bothering me, I have no issues at all atm (knock on wood). Thanks again for your info it helped me alot!
I'm day 2 post op and haven't passed BM yet was starting to panic but you have settled me quite a bit. Feels like razor blades ever time I move but hopefully I can use you experience as a gage. Agree with the hot baths, every time I woke up through the nite I ran one. I will gladly take your hints and tips and use them , thankyou so much for your blog.
Thank you so much for this information! I am going to get my hemorroidectomy done on the 30th and I am only taking 5 days off. After reading this, I might take the rest of the week off!
Hope your surgery went ok! Mine is only a week away!
I am 6 days post op and feel like i'm doing pretty good...kind of following the same pattern you have described...finding a balance. Just a question since my Dr. is out of the office this week! I don't feel that I have strained at all but it feels like I have a whole bunch of new little hemmorhoids now..I'm hoping this is temporary and they will shrink back in...sound familiar or is it just me...
denisej- I am 6 days post op also and I too have what looks like an external hemorrhoid, but really hoping it's just swelling. I can tell there are stiches on the part thats swelled so hoping for the best! I had this swelling before my first bm, I didn't go until day 3. I never even had external hemorrhoids. I had to have surgery for a prolapsed grade3 internal hemorrhod. I am praying that this goes down, it would suck to have a new hemorrhoid already. Sounds like we are in the same boat. If you hear anything please share. Hope you continue to heal well.