Swelling and Pain After Hemorrhoidectomy Surgery

Sorry to hear you're going through this right now. I know how miserable you feel. My only advice is to try and relax and go with the flow. There is absolutely nothing you can do to lessen the pain or misery. It just takes time to recover and heal.

My advice is simple; Don't go over board with the fiber and/or laxatives, limit yourself to one BM a day and take lots of baths.

You're at week one now, the worst of over. You still have 1-2 more weeks of moderate discomfort ahead of you. But after that you should be well on your way to recovery.

Good Luck!

I recently had surgery on the 12th, both hemorrhoidectomy (harmonic scalpel) and sphincterotomy. I had read the experiences on here while considering surgery. I had two friends that had procedures done in the office at the end of their visits. I was thinking, it can't be that bad off with outpatient surgery. Well, I had the pain and such as others had, but I have been able to manage it somewhat. I was given endocet for pain and given a list of things to do afterwards. One which was 4 times a day soak in hot bath for 45 mins. Mineral Oil as a laxative at night helps as well. I changed to high fiber diet before survery, so I was covered there.

Surgery was Friday afternoon, and Saturday evening I had my first BM. It was painful, and I thought I had given myself more hemorrhoids, but that was just the swelling. I read amongst the posts, and one did me justice with my first BM. I jumped from the toilet, with nothing happening into the tub that I got started running with hot water. Once in there I dealt with the BM lying down in the tub. My first BM shot out of me with the force of my insides getting rid of everything. Relief came over me due to the pain being over with. The next one #2 slid out no problem on the toilet, same with #3 but I did think I shot up off the toilet literally. Now, #4 on Sunday, was starting off as wicked as well and I hopped in the tub again, again instant relief but it was far less pain than #1.

From that point on, I've had no real pain, just some irritation I think from the sphincterotomy. There is something back there that hurts like a cut, but I believe the keeping things moist (bath)/clean helps healing the cuts/leftovers clotted blood. I use baby wipes, as I have a young one in the house. I use some left over pads my wife does not use, from after child birth. I also use a sitz bath to switch things up occasionally, right after a BM just to clean keep that mystery cut under control.

I'm on day 10, and around day 7 I could sit down relatively comfortably with pads and pillow. Today was the first day back at work, and made it through. I sit a lot, but managed to make do. I'm still also on endocet, but that will come to an end eventually.

Hopefully this helps some others.

I am a 26 yr old female, I had surgery done 6 days ago. to remove two internal thrombosed hemorrhoids. I still have pain, mainly from the incisions and the stitches that are suppose to dissolve while healing. I have already had to trim them, talk about awkard! I had my first BM on the third day, and then I went 6 times, I thought I might actually die. After that, I have had about 2 to 3 a day, still hurts alot, I jump into the shower and then a sitz bath and a good cleaning with wipes, then tucks and desitin. I do have some swelling, it does look like another hemorrhoid but I am encouraged since it seems to be getting smaller. I have a check up in two weeks, hopefully it all goes well. I do have some discharge, but it does not have a foul smell or anything, its not to bad, only have ruined a few pairs of panties! I am not working, my doctor told me that I would be out for at least 4 weeks, maybe 6 weeks. I have been going crazy not doing anything! I am able to walk, not fast and my butt sticks out cuz it hurts to walk normal. I am only able to lay on my side. Laying on my stomach does hurt sometimes. Sleeping sucks. I quit taking pain meds after day 3 bc of constipation. I do take some aleave and that helps. This is my first surgery, so the pain was horrible, I woke up after surgery saying omg my ass hurts. Luckily they just gave me some morphine and sent me on my way. My advice, if you can get pass the first few days and BM then you will make it! Good Luck!!

I'm glad that things are getting better for you as they have gotten better with me as time has gone on with this. I was pretty much in a good place when I wrote that except I had one minor issue, which turns out was a stitch that did not dissolve. One side of the stitch was no longer attached. This made it catch on tons of stuff while wiping, sometimes walking, etc. Funny thing was, I didn't realize I had stitches down there, I think I was out of it when they told me about it. Well, on that Wednesday taking a bath I stumbled across it. I thought it was a hair with some extra stuff on it. Turns out it was connected to the spot that shot pain when it caught on stuff, and that it was the stitch being pulled. Well in trying to trim it, it came off completely. Looked like blue thread with two nice neat ends that were once tied around something.

Now, I can tell you how that felt when it came off of the spot. Like one of the M$FT commercials for Win7, I had that epiphany that I was no longer in pain and could wipe completely without getting something caught. The stitches time must have been then and I may have somehow loosened it trying to trim it. I was so happy that I went for spicy Mexican food the next day to try this new puppy out, sorry humor helped me through this along with my wife and son.

I had my two week check up on the 30th, and everything was looking perfect! Check up in 6 weeks. I still have some leakage but it is more mucus related but I also had the other procedure along with my external hemorrhoids removed. After the stitch came out I stopped using pads as not as much was there. I have gotten through this week and last with no leakage worth having to change boxers, etc. New advice, keep on the high fiber diet till things are back to normal.

Otherwise, loving life now!

Well I thought I was doing great, however, my stitches have ripped and I literally have a ripped ahole now. I am having a nasty yellowish discharge and it itches like crazy, swelling is the least of my problems. I called the dr on friday when it happened, and he put me on bed rest til Monday when I can get it. Having a BM is is the most painful think I have ever experienced since the stitches ripped. Is the itching normal? Has this happened to anyone?

Wow. Read all these posts of peoples' horror stories, and I just had to contribute.

I had a hemorrhoidectomy for an external thrombosed yesterday in the colon-rectal surgeon's office under local anasth. No stitches--left open. I was sent home with a script for vicodin (a boatload). Knowing these pills have a tendency to make me sick, I took 1/2 of one 500mg pill last night--and nothing since. I won't claim I'm not in pain--I'm in a good deal of it, actually. But it's not unbearable. I've suffered through three bouts of kidney stones (THAT is pain) and while this pain is second only to that for me, it pales by comparison.

I have swelling, as others have indicated, which my surgeon told me (over the phone when I called him yesterday) that this was very normal and would likely resolve. Reading others's stories here, it seems this may or may not be the case since some peoples' swelling resolved quickly, others in weeks, others not at all. I guess it will be what it will be.

But my experience with this surgery has not been horrific. It's uncomfortable and unpleasant, and it's requiring that I rest myself--but I'm not in excruciating pain or discomfort, and I'm not in desperate need of pain relievers, narcotics, or anything else.

I share this not to diminish or poo-poo (pun intended!) others' stories of their terrible and seemingly traumatic experiences. Rather, I just wanted to add my story to the mix since for me, this hasn't really been so terrible (yet). I vow to return to report my OWN experience with the reduction of swelling, the original starting point for this thread.

my surgeon never told me there was a possibility of growing satans gonads of stabbing pain on my butt but there they are. It started out small the evening of sugery which was 09/24/10, called the surgeon on call who said it was normal. It got bigger over the weekend and by Sunday morning 09/26/10 I was walking like I just rode a horse 'cross country, called the surgeon again who made me feel ignorant for calling again - like "I told you once it was normal' (arrogant sh*t) then huffed and said meet him at the ER then hung up. I had a small loose BM and it relieved some of the pressure so I called back and said forget it, I'm not going to you, I'll wait until Monday 09/27/10 and ask my surgeon to ease my mind. NOT! He looked right at me and asked why I was even there (surgeons are arrogant jackass's) he said it was normal and said it would be gone in a few days to a couple weeks. I said you never told me it was possible to grow gonads on my ass and frick you if I need to be sure I'm OK...he walked out of the room. I got dressed and nobody ever came back in the room so I had to walk out on my own. On Tuesday 09/28/10 the ball reproduced and now I have what looks like a bouquet of pea sized balloons on my butt with a sharp rise in pain. I thought things would get better with time, not worse so I called the surgeons assistant and asked if this was normal ans she asked if I had been sitting much the day before and I was so she said stay flat, sitz baths and take it easy. Nothing eases the pain and sitz baths do nothing but I still do them anyway just in case it being even worse is possible. Ice packs between my cheeks do nothing either. WTF is this and why don't surgeons tell you about this, if this many people post of the complaint those arrogant a$$holes know this is possible. I cannot see how this will be Ok enough for me to sit at my desk starting 10/04/10. This pink cauliflower hanging on my butt is extremely painful, its disgusting because the "seal" is not tight (need I say more) looks horrible and how am I supposed to ever have sex when anything within 18" of it makes me scream not too mention who wants to be like come here honey and have the boyfriend be like AHHHH! What the hell is that! I have not heard ONE PERSON or read even one post where someone said "mine were gone in 14 days, 10 days, 2 months" etc... I am so effing pissed off about this. I did read one person say in 6 months when they were STILL THERE they had another surgery and once again THEY ARE STILL THERE!!!! My surgeon needs a punch in the face and my butt needs an excorsism...

evidently i can use the word ass but not d.u m b or s.t u p i d on this site...

I had my Hemorrhoidectomy two weeks ago and, like so many of you, am still experiencing a lot of pain and swelling. Though the doctor said the procedure had gone well, I really appreciate how she failed to inform me of ways to better sooth my area afterwards. It's bad when you have to take it upon yourself to google remedies that your doctor should have prescribed. Either way, it was still going to be a pain in the ass no matter what! If you are still experiencing swelling and pain after the first two weeks, I would like to know what your doctor has said, good or bad. I am scheduled for my first doctor's appt in two days and am curious if she is going to ask me why I hadn't contacted the nurses help line sooner. I mean, I really feel that this swelling is getting our of control. And as far as the stinging goes, I feel like a I want to punch someone in the face, it hurts so bad! I have read that two weeks is the norm for being out of work, but that comes from professional sites. When I read the blogs of others who have gone through the procedure, they recommend at least 3 weeks. I for one would like to second that. Two weeks is definitely not enough.

I am 9 weeks out from my surgery and although I am left with flaps of skin hanging around once the swelling deflated I have been feeling pretty normal but that took a good 6-7 weeks. I was out of work for 2 weeks and that was just about plenty for me even though I still hurt I could handle sitting. My swelling was the worst my surgeon had ever seen in his career and it actually got much worse for a while rather than better. I do NOT want these new ass flaps as part of my anatomy but my surgeon said once the intensity of the swelling and pain went away he could very easily remove them and double dog assured me this procedure would be a cake walk in comparison. I am calling today to see about getting the ass flaps removed before the end of the year since I've already met my deductible. I'll post how the removal went.

I'm 6weeks after the op still healing still bleeding still in pain!

What do people use for after bm? My arse just stings and hurts for about 5/6 hours! Tried some cream, paracetimol but nothing seems to work. Help!!

You need to sit in the hot water sitz bath or regular bath immediately after the bm. You need to put loads of cream on also, and make sure you are taking the pain-killers every 4 hours on the dot.
Are you working or can you get in the bath anytime and soak? Also, get a hot water bottle and sit on it anytime you are sitting down, promotes healing and helps with throbbing/stinging.
6 weeks seems like a long time to still be stinging, but it does take about 8 weeks to completely heal up. Have you been back for a check up to make sure everything is healing properly?
Put loads of Epsom Salts in the bath/sitz bath, if you can't get them try regular salt.

That was me above at 6 weeks, now at 12 weeks and just had another op :-(
The stuff your body produces to fill a wound mine produced too much so it would not heal. Just been under to get that removed and hopefully it will heal in next 3 weeks and I can get back to normal. Been in soo much pain. I'd tried googling to see if anyone else has had this but can't remember the proper name can anyone help? Thanks

I am 13 days post op and let me say i am regretting every moment from having my hemorrhoids removed. This has been the most painful, frustrating experience of my life. I'm still in pain and the swelling is incredible. I thought I had 3 new hemorrhoids to discover after reading several sites that this is normal?? The bowel movements were so painful I thought I was in the Exorcist movie. All I heard pre-op is that it is so worth it....still waiting for that day.  I was told within 3 days to 2 weeks I would be normal....it does not appear that will happen and can't return to work. I wished I had done more research prior to agreeing to surgery because if anyone had told me how horrifying this would be I think I would have declined. I have a pain that is knife like in what feels to be my tailbone and it's so bad not even pain meds cut it after a bm for hours.  Today I started Tylenol and increases liquids...hopefully tomorrow will be a better day?

I am a 20 year old female, 12 days post op , no stitches (open wounds), had 3 hemorrhoids removed (2 internal, one external)... I'm very active and my biggest concern was whether I could get back to exercising normally as soon as possible... I have been feeling alright for the past three days, but always in agony after BM (up to 6 hours)... Been taking pain killers which never seem to help. I recently discovered that the pain is not caused by the wounds themselves but by what feels like a new hemorrhoid protruding from the inside. I was, and still am very worried, even after my doctor said it was normal, and that it would subside naturally with time (she didn't say how long though), she suggested I take warm baths, and that I lay down with my legs leaning up towards the wall, as well as trying to push the protrusion inwards when I shower... she also said exercising my anal muscles by pulling inwards and relaxing would be helpful... I've been doing everything with little improvement