I have tried other ways to get rid of the problem, but I have now been told that surgery is the only option. I am not having them removed because of the discomfort or because they are unsightly, but because they have caused me to become very anaemic due to the amount of blood loss I am having. I have been told that I must have this done if I am to return to an active life.
In the posts I have been reading, I havent come across many people who have had it done due to excessive blood loss, and those who have mentioned it, they havent said whether or not it has improved.
My surgeon told me straight away without hesitation that this is probably the most painful surgical procedure anyone could have done. He has known people to be re-admitted to hospital as a result of the pain. I have been told it is a 6 week recovery period and the first 10 days will be agonising. He has been told by others who have had the op that it is 10 times more painful than child birth.
I am trying to prepare myself for what will probably seem like a short time in hell, but if it means I can walk up the stairs without shortness of breath, or play with my children in the park without the fear of having a heart attack, then I am prepared to accept it.
If any of you have had the procedure done because of excessive blood loss, did it improve with time?
Can any of you give me tips on the best way to cope in the early days?
Oh, I also suffer from IBS so again, was wondering if any of you have had the procedure done whilst being a sufferer of IBS.
Thank you all in advance.
Hope you are all feeling better and that the pain has been worth it in the end.
This must be your post my friend XD , who referred me to this site. We have been friends since 7th grade, and had the same procedure done by different surgeons, in different towns 2weeks apart. Having each other was so imperative to my mental health during this time. I could not have a BM on my own, and had so much swelling and gas that I could not even urinate without lying on my side in the bathtub. I was constantly on the toilet trying to relieve pressure. I wore a pad due to a diarrhea type leakage all day and nite. I was getting NO rest due to the constant cleaning and trying to potty.
Finally 8 days after surgery the surgeon's office told me to to take milk of magnesia. I did at 8:30 a.m. (had already been taking 2stool softeners a day and prune juice and dried figs). In agonizing pain and no relief, I took magnesium citrate at about 4:30 pm the same day. At about 7pm I screamed (this is NOT like me) like an animal in pain trying to force out something before I felt like I would explode from pain. Only a little tiny bit came out. I was sweating and crying and trembling and my mother (a former nurse) told my husband to take me to the E.R.
They admitted me immediately and started morophine and muscle relaxer througha an IV and had me drink another laxative to coat me for a cat scan. They asked for a urine sample, but I could not pee, so they catheterized me,which was a huge relief. I laid on my side while a continual flow of thick diarrhea oozed out uncontrollably. Thank God my husband was there and just kept holding a huge wipe against me, when it would fill, he would throw away and get another. After about an hour I asked to use the bathroom. My husband went with me. I was so drugged (thank God) that I hallucinated a bit as it felt like a rip from ribs to ass tore through me and I passed out from the pain as I released the blockage through my stitched and stapled new rectum. It was the most painful moment of my life. After that it was just uncontrollable for hours of fecal release. Needless to say I have been extremely sore due to such a horrible first evacuation!
I went to the surgeon yesterday for my 2week follow up. He drew a picture and explained exactly what type of surgery he had done. He had hoped to just staple the protruding hemorrhoid in, but once inside he had to remove 3football shaped areas of hemorrhoid as well as the stapling. He said if he had removed any more I would have been hospitalized a minimum of 2weeks for pain alone.
I am thankful for my dear, wonderful friend and so sorry she has had a hard time also. She referred me to this site and wanted me to share my story as well to hopefully help others who may be impacted, or are depressed or in such horrendeous pain or ALL of it as we are. Good luck and healing prayers to anyone who is going through this. My sympathy, understanding and compassion are with you!
I am nearly a week past my surgery (and whoever the hell said it was "minor" needs to be put up against a wall and shot) This rates as one of the worst and most painful experiences in my entire life. I've not dared look to see what I can see, just feeling it is enough. I can't wee, or poo without blood and pain - in fact I cant even fart (which is a lovely little side effect of all that fibre and lactulose)
Its vaguely reassuring to know (after a fashion) to hear that all of these after effects arent unique to me; I've been taking ibrofen and paracetomol but nothing else bacuse I dont want to wosen any constipation. It feels like like my insides want to drop out every time I wee/poo as it is. I guess I need to bit the bullet and see my GP just to make sure there's nothing badly wrong.
Well....I guess I will share my experience with this surgery. 1st- I would NEVER do it again!!! I was having alot of blood loss causing anemia and was told that the surgery was something to save my life. While I am greatful to the Dr. for his concern and the work he has done, I am also a little mad at him for taking too much out!! 2nd- Unless you are going to die from the blood loss....DON'T DO IT!!! I only had 2 bleeding hemorroids and yet my Dr. removed more that he found inside, leaving 2 open because in his words " if I had sown them up it would have closed you off and you wouldn' be able to have a B.M."
I share the pain, frustration with the pain and aggrivation with the time frame that has been expressed here. Along with some of you, I went to the emergency room twice because the pain was so unbearable with being admittted for pain management the second time! My Dr. told me at first it would be 2 days to 2 weeks for recovery. Then at my 2 week chk up....he said a month maybe 2....it is now the thrid month and I am having very painful B.M.s every day and the pain can last up to 8hrs. In reading most of these post, I only find that the max time anyone has spoken of is 4-6 weeks. Has anyone had this go on for 3 months or more!? I was out of work a little over 2 months and now that I am back to work( driving is my job ) it is very difficult dealing with this condition! Good luck to you all!! And I hope none of you have to endure this that I am going thru!! Get well soon!
May be I am one of the lucky ones, who knows, but i am 2 days post op, virtually pain free AND have had 2 pain free bowl movements.
I think I have been lucky with my medical team though as they are all for making you as comfortable as possible. As a result, I am on this cocktail of drugs:
Tramadol (every 6 hours), Co-codamol (every 6 hours), Voltoral (3 times a day with food), a really strong anti-biotic (starts with M but not got them to hand), and finally lactose as a stool softener.
I will admit I am a little uncomfortable, and if I do forget or am late with one of my pain killers, then my body lets me know. But overall, apart from being really sleepy from all the meds, I can walk and sit quite comfortably.
Oh and mine were stapled.
I will update as things develop, as I found this thread a really good help while i was awaiting my surgery.
Good luck everyone.
I am now day 7 post op. In response to the question about whether the skin tag was removed, I can now answer that with a yes. I had a full prolapse so had to have the stapled hemorrhoidectomy but in addition to this, I had a very large skin tag which was about 4cm in length which has now been removed.
When I posted above on day 2 post op, I posted about having 2 pain free bowel movements. Well, I'm not sure what really happened tbh, as BM number 3 was complete and total utter hell. I'm talking couldnt see, sweating, legs all weak and wobbly, couldnt stand unsupported, thought i was physically going to be sick kinda pain. Like I say, it caught me totally unaware as I had already had 2 pain free BM's. Anyway, I read on another forum about having a BM in a semi-squatting/standing position rather than sitting position. i thought yeah right, thats not gonna work, but I can honestly say its about 70% better. And, as I suffer from IBS too, it is making my life a little more bearable.
Apart from the BM's, I am pretty much ok. Can sit, walk and stand perfectly ok. It is a little uncomfortable when I change position but nothing I cant cope with.
I would also like to add though, that although I am suffering less than I thought I would, I do have a high pain threshold having given birth to 2 children with nothing more than a little gas & air and the 2nd one (who caused my heamorrhoids) weighed in at a massive 10lbs 2oz !!! lol.
Something else to remember is that water will become your new best friend. Whether you are drinking it (you do need to drink lots), bathing in it having a soak or standing under a nice warm shower with the water running over the painful area.
Someone asked if I'd do it again. Well, not out of choice just for the sake of it or if it was for cosmetic reasons, no. But, however, as the reason I had to have mine done was literally because I was slowly bleeding to death, I wouldnt hesitate to have it done again if the need arose. Touch wood and fingers crossed, apart from the small amount leakage I'm still getting, it seems to have worked and have not blead with a BM since the surgery.
Good luck everyone. Happy to chat to anyone who wants.
I went in to have an anal skin tag removed only, however upon doing the procedure my surgeon found 2 internal roids and removed them also. The first 2 days seemed relatively pain free, that is until I had my first BM - pain like ive never ever experienced and I've given birth without pain relief. I thought i was going to pass out from the pain. It was like that for around 2-3 weeks and I suffered with sickness and diahorea too from the medication I was on so all in all felt like death! Back and forth to the doctors and feeling seriously depressed. Well its now just over 4 weeks post op and I have terrible swelling - much much worse than what I had previously! I only went in for the surgery becuase I was embarrassed and now it looks three times worse and bigger - I am so so depressed and worried. I asked the surgeon in my post op check last week if this would go and he advised it "should" go away. I also now have something pop out after a BM, which I never had before and it takes 5-10 mins to go back in after a BM. It is painful and looks like a white/pink lump protruding from my anus, in addition to the three giant swelled lumps that reside there permenantly. Has anyone else had a simillar experience and did it go away? I feel like the surgeon is telling me nothing. I am so angry about this all, especially as I was never meant to have this operation in the first instance. I'm hoping for stories of recovery to give me some hope...