Hey everyone!
I want to start off by introducing myself as I just recently signed up for this forum after obsessive googling to find answers regarding my PPH surgery 2-3 days ago. I'm a 22 year old college student and I work full time, and ive had hemorrhoids since I can remember, but in the last couple of years they had gotten really horrible.
My colorectal surgeon told me after my PPH surgery that it was the worst case of hemorrhoids he had ever seen in someone my age (yikes I know). Anyways, for years BM have been associated with large amounts of pain and bleeding, followed by intense prolapses that could last all day or a couple hours depending on physical activity. I finally decided to have the surgery because of my parents pressure to just get it out of the way and because I had started to miss work (I work at ISU, the same university I attend).
Anyways, I have been on fiber supplements and stool softeners for a few days and I have also been eating a lot of vegetables, fruits, and for the most part foods with high fiber. I have not had a BM yet, and the surgery was performed Tuesday morning. I'm trying to keep the fluids going as much as I can (water and juice almost exclusively). Unfortunately after the procedure I was unable to urinate and had to be catheterized. They took it out after draining my bladder and sent me home, and an hour later I was in the ER because I was still unable to urinate. Yesterday morning I went to my Urologist to have the catheter taken out, drank a ton of water by their instruction, and still could not pee. His nurse tried two catheters and failed to get them in because of the swelling and how tightly closed by sphincter was, so they were forced to use a catheter they told me was mostly used on old men with large prostates (I know, it was sort of horrible).
Recently I have been really dreading my first BM as I have heard some horror stories as to how bad they can be. Now before my surgery they were already pretty terrible, but I can feel small pains as I pass gas coming from where I assume is the site of stapling/cutting in my rectum, but it's not that bad. I've been off Vicodin for over 24 hours and am now just taking Tylenol occasionally, but really there is no pain or discomfort aside from a bloated feeling.
This is definitely not something I ever saw myself having to deal with as a 22 year old, but I think I'm managing fairly well. My main concern is (sorry for the babbling) is how painful the first BM may be and when I should actually try (I can feel it coming but I haven't really had a normal bowel movement for years even before the surgery, so I'm sort of terrified of exerting much force). I also believe I have some of the internal packing from the procedure still in place, however there's no real way to know because I was told it's self-dissolving but normally comes out with the first BM.
Like I said initially, I stumbled across this forum through Google and I have read through several of the threads and it seems like the community here is very helpful and welcoming. Any help would be greatly appreciated, and I hope sharing my experience may help some other readers. Thanks in advance, and if there's any questions I could maybe answer I would be more than happy to help.
I want to start off by introducing myself as I just recently signed up for this forum after obsessive googling to find answers regarding my PPH surgery 2-3 days ago. I'm a 22 year old college student and I work full time, and ive had hemorrhoids since I can remember, but in the last couple of years they had gotten really horrible.
My colorectal surgeon told me after my PPH surgery that it was the worst case of hemorrhoids he had ever seen in someone my age (yikes I know). Anyways, for years BM have been associated with large amounts of pain and bleeding, followed by intense prolapses that could last all day or a couple hours depending on physical activity. I finally decided to have the surgery because of my parents pressure to just get it out of the way and because I had started to miss work (I work at ISU, the same university I attend).
Anyways, I have been on fiber supplements and stool softeners for a few days and I have also been eating a lot of vegetables, fruits, and for the most part foods with high fiber. I have not had a BM yet, and the surgery was performed Tuesday morning. I'm trying to keep the fluids going as much as I can (water and juice almost exclusively). Unfortunately after the procedure I was unable to urinate and had to be catheterized. They took it out after draining my bladder and sent me home, and an hour later I was in the ER because I was still unable to urinate. Yesterday morning I went to my Urologist to have the catheter taken out, drank a ton of water by their instruction, and still could not pee. His nurse tried two catheters and failed to get them in because of the swelling and how tightly closed by sphincter was, so they were forced to use a catheter they told me was mostly used on old men with large prostates (I know, it was sort of horrible).
Recently I have been really dreading my first BM as I have heard some horror stories as to how bad they can be. Now before my surgery they were already pretty terrible, but I can feel small pains as I pass gas coming from where I assume is the site of stapling/cutting in my rectum, but it's not that bad. I've been off Vicodin for over 24 hours and am now just taking Tylenol occasionally, but really there is no pain or discomfort aside from a bloated feeling.
This is definitely not something I ever saw myself having to deal with as a 22 year old, but I think I'm managing fairly well. My main concern is (sorry for the babbling) is how painful the first BM may be and when I should actually try (I can feel it coming but I haven't really had a normal bowel movement for years even before the surgery, so I'm sort of terrified of exerting much force). I also believe I have some of the internal packing from the procedure still in place, however there's no real way to know because I was told it's self-dissolving but normally comes out with the first BM.
Like I said initially, I stumbled across this forum through Google and I have read through several of the threads and it seems like the community here is very helpful and welcoming. Any help would be greatly appreciated, and I hope sharing my experience may help some other readers. Thanks in advance, and if there's any questions I could maybe answer I would be more than happy to help.
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1st of all I will introduce myself, I am basically a know it all about virtually every health concern on the planet!!! 8-| I either know personally - myself, family or friends, or by just absorbing information since I was a little girl! So you can ask me virtually any question about medical issues OH and entertainment!!!! XD
So now I am going to tell you how to handle your 1st BM. 1st of all you have to start really relaxing about it. When you are tense, ALL your muscles become tense - including your sphincter. So start doing breathing and relaxing exercises, ESPECIALLY meditation!
2nd do you have a sitz bath? If not you can also use a squirt bottle filled with warmer water and hydrogen peroxide and a bit of epsom salts - just a pinch of that. And about 2 tablespoons of HP.
If you have a sitz bath - it is better, you can start easing the muscles in your anal area with it. They can be found at most pharmacies or health supply stores. Its a very soothing treatment, not only for your recovery but for a long time after.
In your current medical situation and because of your past, make sure you do not strain. This is whas you need to do, when you have the urge for a bowel movement try to warm up your anus with the sitz or squirt bottle . Sit with your knees apart, lean forward and put your elbows on your knees, there should be about 6 - 8 inches between your knees/feet. Then turn in your big toes so they touch each other and try and cross just them! Once you have gotten in that position - which shouldn't hurt at all by the way, it open up your anal passage, and makes you lean forward so your center of gravity is not over your anus - causing more pressure. Keep your arms and shoulders relaxed while you are leaning forward and breathe slowly and deeply. Getting all that tension out of the way.
Another GREAT thing for you before you start dealing with constipation, is a glycerin suppository. It will lubricate your anus, and help the stool leave easier. Now another trick - ONLY if you are a woman that is, if you are experiencing difficulty and still have a dip in your rectum, you can PUSH the stool out via your vagina! Insert a finger into your vagina till you feel the bump of stool, and gently press on it, it takes the stool forward and out, because if you do have a dip in your anus, the stool collects there, leading to more chances of ripping!!!!! :$
Another GREAT thing to get things moving is this, Stand up, do a slight bend forward from the waist. Now imagine making your stomach ripple, so suck in REALLY tightly and realease, then keep doing it quickly and in short spurts. Kind of like you are using your muscles to roll out the stool. This REALLY helps move things along, especially in your case, your colon and rectum are probably a bit in shock right now and not working to their maximum. So you basically have to tell them, "HEH you guys, wake up! Remember this is what to do?" Stretching your arms above your head and slowly moving in a cirlce really helps with moving things down too. If you think about it, we sit SO much out bodies are't using gravity like they used to. So helping out gravity will be beneficial. After you have EXACUATED!!!! then make sure to rinse again with the sitz and use a tucs pad or cream - just in case there is bleeding. And just know that you have "past" the 1st hurdle o.O :$ ;-) XD so to speak!! You will be fine hon! And just remember to relax and "this too shall pass!!!" Good luck
So now I am going to tell you how to handle your 1st BM. 1st of all you have to start really relaxing about it. When you are tense, ALL your muscles become tense - including your sphincter. So start doing breathing and relaxing exercises, ESPECIALLY meditation!
2nd do you have a sitz bath? If not you can also use a squirt bottle filled with warmer water and hydrogen peroxide and a bit of epsom salts - just a pinch of that. And about 2 tablespoons of HP.
If you have a sitz bath - it is better, you can start easing the muscles in your anal area with it. They can be found at most pharmacies or health supply stores. Its a very soothing treatment, not only for your recovery but for a long time after.
In your current medical situation and because of your past, make sure you do not strain. This is whas you need to do, when you have the urge for a bowel movement try to warm up your anus with the sitz or squirt bottle . Sit with your knees apart, lean forward and put your elbows on your knees, there should be about 6 - 8 inches between your knees/feet. Then turn in your big toes so they touch each other and try and cross just them! Once you have gotten in that position - which shouldn't hurt at all by the way, it open up your anal passage, and makes you lean forward so your center of gravity is not over your anus - causing more pressure. Keep your arms and shoulders relaxed while you are leaning forward and breathe slowly and deeply. Getting all that tension out of the way.
Another GREAT thing for you before you start dealing with constipation, is a glycerin suppository. It will lubricate your anus, and help the stool leave easier. Now another trick - ONLY if you are a woman that is, if you are experiencing difficulty and still have a dip in your rectum, you can PUSH the stool out via your vagina! Insert a finger into your vagina till you feel the bump of stool, and gently press on it, it takes the stool forward and out, because if you do have a dip in your anus, the stool collects there, leading to more chances of ripping!!!!! :$
Another GREAT thing to get things moving is this, Stand up, do a slight bend forward from the waist. Now imagine making your stomach ripple, so suck in REALLY tightly and realease, then keep doing it quickly and in short spurts. Kind of like you are using your muscles to roll out the stool. This REALLY helps move things along, especially in your case, your colon and rectum are probably a bit in shock right now and not working to their maximum. So you basically have to tell them, "HEH you guys, wake up! Remember this is what to do?" Stretching your arms above your head and slowly moving in a cirlce really helps with moving things down too. If you think about it, we sit SO much out bodies are't using gravity like they used to. So helping out gravity will be beneficial. After you have EXACUATED!!!! then make sure to rinse again with the sitz and use a tucs pad or cream - just in case there is bleeding. And just know that you have "past" the 1st hurdle o.O :$ ;-) XD so to speak!! You will be fine hon! And just remember to relax and "this too shall pass!!!" Good luck
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Thanks very much for the quick reply! Most of things you've stated I have in fact been doing. I just had my first BM and it was sort of horrible :-( however it was also sort of expected seeing as how my case was pretty bad. I didn't get as much stool out as I would have expected, I mean it wasn't an epic BM by any means, which worries me a little bit. The stool was very hard but seemed to get less hard with the last pieces (sorry for speaking graphically). The stool passed in pieces, almost like small bananas, there was a pretty good amount of bleeding, and a small amount of prolapse that resolved itself almost immediately after I got out of a 5 minute shower I took the second I was done. The bleeding was nothing worse than what I had experienced pre-surgery and the prolapse resolved itself in about 10-15 minutes total compared to 3-4 hours pre-surgery. I was told by a colorectal surgeon that I got in contact with through my local Carle clinic/insurance and he explained to me that the first BM would be the hardest, literally and figuratively. Hopefully the next is easier, and am I wrong to be a little upset that there wasn't a huge amount of stool? Thanks for all the help this forum is absolutely priceless.
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I will assume that you had a TOTAL cleanse before your surgery! So it will take some time to have that replaced. PLUS because you are taking in so much fiber this is absorbing all the water from your intestine, THUS the hardness. Maybe cut out the fiber for a bit, and just increase your water. Did your doctors ever mention Omega oil's, So this would include, your coild water fish, evening of primose and flax seed oil. These REALLY help with stools. So give that a try. How is your urniation now, after the swelling from the cathetar has HOPEFULLY subsided by now. If you have ever been sick in the past, as in diarrhea? You have diarrhea like crazy, then when you get better, all of a sudden you can't go! And when you do go, you like "OK! Where's the rest?!" This is what is happening with you, with all the medication - including Tylenol that you were on, it will take a little time for you to be eliminating what you are taking in. I am glad it wasn't too much!!!! I think I would have heard you screaming here!!! o.O :$ If you have a stiz bath, I swear that and Swiffer Dusters are the greates things EVER made ;-) This will really help you with the healing.! Good Luck and Health Hon ! And here's to a poop without pain!!!! XD
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thanks again bambi for all the great advice. I still have a catheter in until Wednesday unfortunately. I can't decide if I'm less scared of my next BM because I have already gotten the first one out of the way, or if I'm more scared for the same reason haha :-(
My body isn't used to fiber because normally I don't eat very well, but I'm in good shape and thin so I think my body should heal relatively quickly. I was a smoker for about a year before surgery, and what actually finally induced the BM was a cigarette I had (I know I gave in). I'm eating a few prunes here and there, lots of foods high in fiber, a stool softener and a fiber supplement. I have mentioned several of these suggestions such as oils that I have been reading everywhere to my mother, and she said that some of those oils can be really quite miserable, but I'm clueless regardless. Hopefully my next BM is less extreme!
My body isn't used to fiber because normally I don't eat very well, but I'm in good shape and thin so I think my body should heal relatively quickly. I was a smoker for about a year before surgery, and what actually finally induced the BM was a cigarette I had (I know I gave in). I'm eating a few prunes here and there, lots of foods high in fiber, a stool softener and a fiber supplement. I have mentioned several of these suggestions such as oils that I have been reading everywhere to my mother, and she said that some of those oils can be really quite miserable, but I'm clueless regardless. Hopefully my next BM is less extreme!
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Hi: She's probably thinking of the old terrible ones - such as cod liver oil and mineral oil. What I'm talking about is in capsules, They are REALLY good for your heart, circulation, skin, hair, and yes POOP!!!! o.O XD Start drinking cranberry juice before the cathetar is out, because more often than not you can get an infection from the cathetar!! Isn't having an operation GREAT>!!! ;-) NO SMOKING!!!!! I know it makes people go, BUT did you know that smokers heal slower than non smokers. Anway I am a crazy person about non smoking - lost my mom to it! So I'm a bit over the top with it. PLEASE STOP!!! Ok enough of the sermon. I remember after I had my children, and what you have gone through is similar for women giving birth- depending on stiches nd taring etc. Well I had over 50 stitches in that area. So when I went the 1st time, the bowl was ALL red! I was shaking from head to toe, but it got easier and yours will too. I've always said "better out than in!!!" You don't want to prove to everyone that you are indeed "Full of c**p!!!!!!!" do you? ;-) XD o.O And one thing you really have to be aware of now, IS your diet. You have to eat better, including veg and fruit. Like I said hon, perhaps just cut down a little on your fiber! Increase your water, still take the stool softner, and use a glycerin suppository, AND deiniftely get some of those great oils into you. You don't taste them they are in a capsule, You might burp up salmon but that's about it. Good luck!
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more great advice thanks again bambi. Yes I'm trying to smoke, and my mom lost both her parents to smoking so she would definitely be thrilled if I managed to quit for good. I had my second BM this morning and it was larger and MUCH easier than the first (looked like new stool and was really soft). A little less prolapsing which subsided in about 10 minutes or less and slightly less bleeding. Hopefully it's all downhill from here, and thanks for all the great advice and support it has really helped a lot!
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Glad you said QUIT!!! o.O XD You made me laugh when you said "Down hill from here" That's usually a derogative statement, but in your case it's valid!!! ;-) It sounds like you are going to be OK hon and I am VERY pleased for you. Also when the catheter is out, things will be easier too. It's all pressure down there you don't need. Just remember to eat better, or you might end up in a right state with your bum again. Honestly hon, take my advice about the oils! AND another thing I just remembered Green Tea! It is fabulous! Good luck sweetie!
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I finally convinced my parents that those different oil supplements would probably be a good idea, although at this point im not really sure how big of a difference anything is going to make. I'm getting really tired of this feeling that the BM is just around the corner, and then it never comes until much later (id like to possibly get out a little bit, go for some walks, go clean up my apartment because im staying at my parent's house currently). Hopefully this feeling goes away eventually because I only started having it once I had my first BM and after. Thanks again for the advice bambi I really really appreciate it.
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Hi hon! I think its time to stop having your bum, colon and BM rule your life right? Get out of the house, get some fresh air, go for a walk and don't worry about the next BM - WHICH I TOTALLY understand how you feel! The oil will just help you keep things moving, it is also fantastic for your heart and overall health. Also just think about what your intestines and colon and anus have been through. So you are BOUND to be aware of any sensation with that. Also like I said before your bum needs to get back into shape, so you wont have any more prolapse. It is relying on you too right? Being calm about it, not getting too anxious and tense. I hope everything goes well. You are just getting fed up! And who can blame you kiddo!!! 8-| Good luck Hun
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Hey again!
I got my catheter out today and I was expecting it to be a huge relief, but MAN was it a huge relief. The ability to get out of my sweats and wear regular pants and underwear is amazing, and just the feeling of not having a bag strapped to your leg is a welcomed freedom. I told the urologist that I had never been so happy to go pee in my life. My BM yesterday night resulted in no bleeding, prolapsing subsided within 20 minutes, and overall it has just been such a huge difference from pre-surgery.
My colorectal surgeon explained to me that over the next several weeks the prolapsing should decrease and I should start feeling even better. He also told me yet again that when I went into surgery and they started the procedure, my case was extremely bad, and that he was really quite amazed at my recovery and how well I was progressing, so I am an extremely happy camper.
This experience has definitely not been fun, but with the support of family and friends and this forum (thank you so much bambi) it was much much easier. Hopefully me experience can help others who are having this procedure and are as worried as I was. Thanks again everyone that replied to my threads, and if anyone ever has some more specific questions regarding the PPH surgery I would be more than happy to take the time to explain. Here's to easier days!
I got my catheter out today and I was expecting it to be a huge relief, but MAN was it a huge relief. The ability to get out of my sweats and wear regular pants and underwear is amazing, and just the feeling of not having a bag strapped to your leg is a welcomed freedom. I told the urologist that I had never been so happy to go pee in my life. My BM yesterday night resulted in no bleeding, prolapsing subsided within 20 minutes, and overall it has just been such a huge difference from pre-surgery.
My colorectal surgeon explained to me that over the next several weeks the prolapsing should decrease and I should start feeling even better. He also told me yet again that when I went into surgery and they started the procedure, my case was extremely bad, and that he was really quite amazed at my recovery and how well I was progressing, so I am an extremely happy camper.
This experience has definitely not been fun, but with the support of family and friends and this forum (thank you so much bambi) it was much much easier. Hopefully me experience can help others who are having this procedure and are as worried as I was. Thanks again everyone that replied to my threads, and if anyone ever has some more specific questions regarding the PPH surgery I would be more than happy to take the time to explain. Here's to easier days!
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XD :-D I am so pleased for you hon! Who would have thought that you felt better not having a bag attached to your leg?!!!! ;-) XD It's just going to get better and better for you and I am very happy for you. Thankyou for letting me know and being apart of your BM journey!! ;-) Best of luck hon!
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