Would you have hemorrhoidectomy AGAIN?

I had surgery on the 14th of March to have my internal hemorrhoids removed. I had big internal hemorrhoids full of blood clots. They were constantly bleeding when I had bowel movements. They also made it difficult to have bowel movements. My doctor warned me this was a very painful surgery, but we tried everything before doing the surgery. It's been almost 3 weeks ago and I am in constant pain. I was in the doctor's office crying that the pain won't go away. My doctor told me a lady in the next room had half of her colon taken out and wasn't in as much pain as me. I had a full hip surgery and that didn't hurt as bad and it healed faster. I suggest if you can avoid the hemorrhoid surgery to not get it done.

I agree very painful is putting it lightly! If I had a choice to go back in time to change anything in my life it would be to not have this procedure! I just had mine done a week ago today.

Update. Had the surgery. First week was uncomfortable and had to soak once daily in the tub. Went the first day without pain meds but the next 6 days had to take them twice a day even though I really didn't want to. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be but I am glad it is over. Second week was much better. Over 3 weeks now and I have been back to normal for awhile thankfully! Luckily with the Miralax and stool softners and ridiculous amounts of water I didn't get constipated from the pain meds.

I am 52 Female, tad overweight at 5'9" and I had mine last year, May 2013, and i can say with a resounding YES i would so do it again. I wish I had had it years earlier. Pain lasts a few weeks but everyone is different of course and pain is pain. I was scared like crazy about the first movement afterward based solely on the horror stories of others. I prayed like crazy and sweat about it and it did not hurt one bit at all. I took the Miralax generic brand and boy howdy was I relieved. BUT if I had not had trouble with them, it was every year I had to go in and get them drained. I know that is a disgusting way to say it, but it's basically what he did. That was WORSE than the surgery. A shot of pain killer in your bum well it nearly sent me through the roof of that little room. LOL I am SO Thankful, that is all over with. So if you do have trouble with them yearly, then by all means, the surgery is a means to the end of that wonderful time.

After two weeks of hell you will be grateful you did it. As a matter of fact I'm happily pooping right now.

I had stage 4 hemmoroids, and a hemmoroidectamy 3 weeks ago... its still a process in the morning if i dont have a BM... I have to take stool softeners and drink plenty of water. My mom says she had her hemoroid surgery and it was like she never had them... But her case wasn't as bad as my stage 4 so its taking a little longer to heal up. I still have trouble passing stool and i avoid eating out in public because I might have a BM.

Well i thought and hoped that after the Miligan operation, i would not have any anal discomforts what so ever. Now im wondering if someone could be 100% free from discomfort after an anal operation, anyone have done it and is 100% flawless from wc visit- pain, trace in underwere and/or itching ? In some way i have become more sensitive than before so that feels heavy and dark. But i dont have big pain bettwen the wc visits etc. I hope it will be flawless but now its soon 2 months ago so im not sure. Perhapps it depends on have big hemorrhoids you have i think. I did not have the biggest bumps etc so thats weird that it still not flawlees.

I am on Day 3 since my hemorrhoidectomy.  I think I had Stage II hemorrhoids for quite some time, but over the course of a weekend (what originally seemed like a typical flare-up), they went from manageable to Stage IV.  I was in so much pain I contemplated going to the ER.  However, I live in an urban center and try to avoid the ER (particularly on a weekend night, when they started hurting).  When I say I was hurting, I was in excruciating pain.  All the previous times Id have flare-ups I'd use organic "apple cider vinegar", to reduce swelling, then lightly push any swelling back inside with organic coconut oil.  It seemed to work miracles... I could clear up my symptoms with an application of my home remedy, or two (tops), if the were persistent, and then go about my business. 

So skip ahead to the night they got BAD, and I mean BAD.  They had become so painful I could no longer try to push them back inside.  It was at this time I started to seep a clearish, w/ ever so slight blood, type liquid from my hemorrhoids.  I had to start wearing a gauze type "diaper" in order to function and try to finish up my work before my upcoming surgery.  After the huge flare-up, I saw my physician who referred me to a Gastrointestinal Surgeon who took amazing care of me.  

So on the first day, I was scared to death to remove my dressing from the OR.  I had Stage IV, internatl and external.  The directions I was given stated not to remove the dressing until the day after.  Day 2, removed the dressing, took a sitz bath, showered, and tried to eat just a little bit (ater all, I had gone through surgery the prior day so I know my body needed nourishment).  I ate chicken noodle soup.  I also ate Special K cereal, w/ yogurt and fruit (probably a mistake b/c I couldn't go to the bathroom at all... the cereal felt as if it was becoming impacted.

I tried using the bathroom once, Day 2, but to no avail... DO NOT push or strain... let your body move your bowels naturally.   By late Day 2, early Day 3 morning I had to go, and my body wasn't taking no for an answer.   It was excruciating pain... some of the worst I've felt.  I too, was given Hydrocodone to help alleviate pain.  What I do is take a pain pill, and I also take an anti-anxiety pill (the anxiety pill helps b/c, well, going #2 after a hemorrhoidectomy is enough to cause even a guy as cool as Fonzie anxiety, you know?).  

It was painful... I managed to get a little bit of stool out, but I didn't feel completely "rid" of excrement w/in.  Turns out I got out a little more than I thought, and I had relief.   Not too much longer in the day I felt I had to go again.   I had been sleeping so when the urge came, I couldn't take my pain pill and anxiety pill (oh, and stool softener) fast enough.  I went to the toilet, sat there in pain (as your bottom feels absolutely raw), and didn't have much luck... I actually did push ever so slightly, and had a little BM.  So I grabbed my sitz bath as I find that's a good means to calm your anus and the first step I use to clean-up, then I shower. 

Here's the part I recommend to others in tremendous pain.  While in the sitz bath I was hit over the head w/ the urge to go... I didn't have time to remove my sitz bath and rearrange on the toilet... so I said, oh well, and went in my sitz bath.  I know this may seem gross, but I have to say it made moving my bowels easier... and I finally had a large enough movement to feel real relief.   Of course be very careful of your sanitary conditions, clean up thoroughly, et.  

I'd say if I had to recommend one thing that has really helped me, or so it seems, again, I'm in late day 3, it is to not be ashamed or hesitant to move your bowels in  your sitz bath.  I had very little blood, and again, FINALLY, a nice BM where I felt relief.

One last bit of advice... I was ravenously hungry.   I probably ate too much (albeit healthy foods, high fiber, et., I likely ate too much).   Don't fall victim to that mindset, "my body is healing and needs food"... at least early on, less is more.

I can already tell my body is on the mend.  The sheer fact alone that I no longer can feel the external hemorrhoids between my butt is incredibly satisying in an of itself.  

I will update in another week or so, but if you are debating having this procedure, I say go for it.  Get your life back!   If you have a qualified surgeon, and have tried every other means to cure your Hems on your own, a hemorrhoidectomy is something that will likely give you comfort and security w/ respect to your bowels for many years to come.  Drink lots of water, take your MetaMusil (or like product), plenty of fiber from your foods, and take stool softener and pain killers as needed.  I take 4-5 stool softeners a day (which I realize is a lot, but I want that BM to be soft... so far I haven't had diarrhea, but I will cut back on softeners if I develop it. 

Good luck everyone.   I feel your pain.   There's plenty of people who swear by this surgery!   I am sorry for those who it didn't work out!   Truly!  Ohh, how painful!   I think the odds are, that if you aren't an over-the-top, anomaly case of hemorrhoids, a hemorrhoidectomy by a qualified physician will help you "get your life back".

Stay strong... keep the faith.  You aren't the only one out there!   Be well!

Hello, I am scheduled for my hemorrhoidectomy next Thursday and I have been reading different forums or blogs on this subject. I am wondering how you feel after time has past? Now that it's wen more than a year do you regret it? I have been suffering from hemorrhoids for 17 years now. I had a real bad flare up a month ago and my primary doctor recommended I see a surgeon. The surgeon recommended the surgery. He said it is very painful but worth it. Let me know how you feel now. I appreciate your input.

I just had the surgery on 10/3/14 at age 62. I had two internal and two external hemorrhoids removed and just like you, it's been over 20 years of hemorrhoid troubles. I had controlled them over the years, but in August, I had 5 weeks of bleeding, soaking and pain, when I finally decided to do the surgery.
I could not believe the awful severe pain. My first bowel movement was just horrible and I screamed with pain and almost fainted. For the next 3 weeks, it was just as bad at times. I ended up with a blood bath one day that looked like a horror movie. Blood ran down my legs, into the sitz bath and all over the bathroom floor. Some days I would wake up, take a bowel movement and then lay in bed for hours. I returned to work after 3 weeks, but took shorter days. If I had sick time to pay me, I would have waited until week 6 to return. I am now just past 5 weeks and am only bleeding slightly. Looking back, yes, I would do this surgery again. Humans forget pain rather quickly. I know it was rough and at times scary. The pain was certainly too much at times, but it‘s a memory now. I waited many years before the decision to do surgery felt right for me. I could not control the hemorrhoids anymore. Don’t rush into this decision. Make sure your Doctor is also agreeing that it needs to be done. Also make sure your Doctor has good ratings for surgery. I wish you luck on your decision.

Thank you for sharing. I had my hemorrhoidectomy 10/30/14 and the surgery was a success (well at least that's what the dr said). For the first 8 to 10 hours I was pain free. I took Percocet every 6 hours and was fine until the anesthesia wore off. I felt uncomfortable but nothing serious but it didn't last much. The next days were horrible it was a throbbing pain and burning sensation. I have been taking miralax and senna tablet daily so my first bowel movement wasn't that bad. Sitz baths has been very helpful. A week has past and I feel better but I dread having a bowel movement because now they are painful. It takes my breath away and I have a throbbing pain that lasts about 2 hours. I take a warm shower 2 to 3 times a day and that helps. I cannot sit for long. I am resting in bed or on the couch for a while. My family have been very supportive which is a great help. I had 3 pregnancies, a tubal ligation and a hysterectomy and the pain from this surgery is by far the worst I have ever felt. I am eating light. Avoiding caffeine drinking my water and trying to be positive. I cannot walk my dogs these days but it's something I'm looking forward to soon. This week I have my post op surgery. Hoping he can see if everything down there is fine. I feel like I have a rash. I have a hand held bidet that is my lifesaver. I keep the area clean.

I just had the surgery on the 7th of Novemeber. Today (14th) is the first day to have a bowel movement and this has been the worst surgery and the worst pain I have ever had in my entire life. I have a high tolerance for pain but this has done me in. I had external and internal hems and they were the worst kind. I got them 16 years ago when I had first born. They have just gotten worse over the years and I just kept trying to tell myself that it would get better. I was so afraid and embarrassed to go to the doctor. I am 38 years old and in pretty good shape and eat healthy but it didn't matter because the hems were always there and I felt like they were controlling me. I didn't want to have a bowel movement because of the pain and like you said, I couldn't keep the area clean and just hated it. I say If you have them and they aren't bad then just have it done before they get worse. I have had to take so many laxatives, fiber, pain meds and have probably taken 100 baths in the last week just to be comfortable. I've been in bed all wk and when I have gotten up I usually end up just laying on the floor on my knees wherever I can make it to because of the pain of being constipated. I still can't sit down. Anyway, the dr asked me several times if I understood what he was telling me about the pain and I just blew it off because I didn't think it would be any worse than what I would already have but I was way wrong. I tried to go to the bathroom the day after surgery and couldn't but all the gauze they packed in came out and I got so hot and sweaty and saw stars and went down so I dreaded the first bm so that's made the wk much harder. It hurts but I've learned that sitting on knees and bending over on the bath mat and using a bowl that it comes out easier because I still can't sit on toilet to have a bm. I know that sounds weird but I was willing to try anything to make it as easy as possible. Good luck with your decision and hope it all works out okay for you

I am so sorry you are going through this. I agree with you the pain is the worse pain I have ever felt. Thursday will be week 3 and I still feel so much pain after a bm

Dear Mr Tham,
Is the "train" sound still there after a few years? Just curious.

I also had a large hemorrhoid after childbirth many years ago, but it receded, leaving behind an annoying skin tag. I finally went to a surgeon to have this skin tag removed for hygiene reasons. When I awoke from my procedure, I was stunned to find out that the doctor had instead performed a hemhorroidectomy. I was released immediately afterward, and was given a prescription for Tylenol with codeine. I was totally unprepared for what I was about to go through. The next day the pain was excruciating, and the doctor told me I could add 4 Advil to the painkillers. Unfortunately, they forgot to include the need to take stool softeners in the post-op instructions, and the painkillers caused me to became severely constipated. The nurse instructed me by phone to take all kinds of laxatives, but by then it was too late, and they just put me in a worse state of distress. I spent days in the tub in agony, finally ending up in the ER, where they took x-rays and a CT scan. I was just sent home with a laxative because apparently the ER doctor was too squeamish to get involved. The next morning, my surgeon took one look at my images, and had me back in the OR in 30 minutes to remove the substantial impaction. This was another ordeal, involving me having to wear a diaper for a few days afterward. The point of this whole story is that one needs to be informed about hemorrhoidectomies to avoid having a nightmare like this. I had no idea I was about to have this surgery, so I was totally unprepared. If I could give advice to others, I would say to cleanse out your colon before the procedure, and to have an array of stool softeners, fiber additives and milk of magnesia handy for after the operation. After the surgery, eat small, light meals with fiber, and drink lots of water around the clock to help soften your stool. Use pain killers as sparingly as you can stand. Also, cleanliness is imperative, you don't want to get an infection. Pick up a small spray bottle so you can spray warm water down there to clean up after a bowel movement. A nasal irrigation spray bottle worked great for me. Expect severe pain for several days, so make sure you can be off work for at least a week, preferably two. The first bowel movements are excruciating... just awful. You will be in the tub several times a day to get relief from the pain of the surgery and the bowel movements. It will take time to get your bowel movements under control in order to go out in public comfortably. This procedure is a lengthy, painful ordeal. People often ask if the surgery is worth it. For me, it wasn't, because my hemorrhoid had been painlessly dormant for 19 years. However, after reading about chronic hemorrhoid sufferers, I would think that a couple of weeks of hell would be worth it to be permanently rid of that kind of suffering. Just be informed about the procedure, be prepared for the pain and make sure to take time off for the lengthy recovery. For me, the pain lasted two weeks, but then it took another couple of months to feel comfortable down there.
Good luck to you all, I pray you have speedy recoveries!!