Recovering from a haemorrhoidectomy . . . warning: TMI alert . . .

[Puffykins]

Has anybody ever had a heamorrhoidectomy, and if so, please can you tell me how long recovery took? I'm on day 12 now, and am still in considerable pain - I can't walk anywhere except the bathroom for the endless baths I take, can barely sit up unless I'm on my special donut cushion and even then only last up to 45 minutes. I have two young children, and I just feel that this is so unfair on them. And I'm getting kind of depressed about my lack of progress. I need someone to give me hope. Please?!
(P.S. If anyone is considering having one: strongly consider it. I've never experienced anything more painful than the first 4 days post op, EVER. I would gladly have given birth every day rather than going through the pain I was subject to.)

The magnesium supplement I take is magnesium and vitamin B6:
Magnesium Oxide 375mg 100%RDA
Vitamin B6 1.4mg 100%RDA

I've also started taking a European supplement that's meant to be good for hemmies. It's called either Daflon 500 or Venalex. Not sure if it's available in the US or Australia though. Might be worth a look though :)

@Disneylover1 - lmao totally hearing you on the 1cm up there!!!
I have read the differences between all the different types of magnesium as I take a supplement for my cramps. Will look into the oxide one though as well.
I don't buy a lot online cause it can take a week or two where I live. Quicker and easier for me to just go to the shops. Lol.
Your 5pm snack sounds delicious.... I might try the same thing on the weekend when i get a chance to stew some apples.
I've just finished reading about olive oil coating your bowels to make it easier for BMs....but it says to take 1 tablespoon in the morning on an empty stomach. 😷 I won't be able to take 1 tablespoon as I think it'll make me feel sick. Might read into it a bit more.
Hope you and anyone else reading this have a great day. 🤗🤗

@AusLady - 🤢 to taking a tablespoon of olive oil! I've read that about various oils, including coconut, but how anyone can swallow oil of any type is beyond me. In a dressing or used for cooking, then fine, but neat?!?! Bluergh! I've read about people making homemade suppositories to use one things have healed though, although I'm not sure about leakage - don't want greasy knickers 😂

Re the stewed apples, I cook up a batch to last a week (7 apples) and that makes it much easier. Same with the oat crumble topping. I buy ready made custard, and then it's just a case of warming in the microwave. I'm going to try plums too after this current lot of apple has run out. As long as fruit is peeled, then it's low residue and just soluble fibre which is good :) These are the recipes that I've used:
www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-stew-apples
www.bbcgoodfood.com/user/4279721/recipe/oat-crumble-topping

I've read a lot about coconut oil being good for fissures, so trying a coconut oil bath to relax before putting on this morning's dose of rectogesic. Makes the bath very slippery! Plus, I'm now coated in oil and not quite sure how to get it off! I'm guessing shower gel and scrub - although not on my bum of course!

I guess one of the benefits of living on a small island is that we can have quick delivery. That reminds me - need to order more gloves for applying the rectogesic.

Hope you have a good night and I'll catch up with you tomorrow :)

I had two large piles removed but when they were up there they discovered I have an anal prolapse!! Due to pregnancy apparently...I have three kiddies and the weight of them on my bowel probably caused this. So I’ve gotta go back within 3 months to have the prolapse sorted. I do count myself as lucky as I’ve read all the stories on here and it is a horrendous op..my surgeon did ask me at my pre op if I definitely wanted it done!! He said it was horrid. I’m glad I did as they managed to find the prolapse which might’ve caused more problems later on. I still am in pain don’t get me wrong but I am walking every day I want to return to work, i started driving 2 days ago I just take ibuprofen to manage the pain now. I was taking codeine at first but I got told it blocks you up so I stopped. I hope I’m as lucky as this with my next op xx

@Mumjo101315 - so no external hemmies removed then? That could be why your recovery is so different as the rest of us have had external ones removed and they're a lot more painful due to there being more nerves there than there are internally. If you did have external ones removed, then you're super woman as far as I'm concerned! Either way, I'm still pleased for you as I wouldn't wish a bad/horrendously painful recovery on anyone. It's good that they discovered the prolapse too so you can get that fixed before it causes further problems or gets worse.

I had two grade 4 piles removed they were external but I still accept I’m luckier than most. The hospital I went to is private but accepted NHS referrals so maybe it’s the skill of the surgeon? Who knows. Mine were awful though made my iron levels so low I almost needed a transfusion xx I probably am just lucky x

@Mumjo101315 - wow, you're doing really well then. I went private with one of the top surgeons in the country, but suffered from other complications afterwards that weren't anything to do with what he did, mainly allergic reactions or bad side effects from medications, then an infection. I'm sure that set me back loads as my first surgery was a much easier recovery. I really hope it continues to go well for you. I'm amazed that you can sit comfortably enough to drive though with external wounds 😯

Holy crap @Mumjo101315 that is truly amazing!!!!! That is so awesome for you. Day six and I was still in a lot of pain. What's your secret? Lol.
Hmmm I had an infection and a catheter in for a week just after my OP too. So maybe that's why I'm taking so looooong as well. Oh well, it is what it is and I know I'll be pain free soon.
Thanks @disneylover1 for those recipes. I'll buy the ingredients tomorrow and see how I go. Soooooo glad it's the week end now and I can relax again.
I've been soaking in extra virgin coconut oil for a few weeks now and I got used to the feeling of the oil on my skin when I got out. I didn't wash it off afterwards.
Lol, if I lived on a small island I'd call it tasmania and it'd take 2 months to get anything delivered. Maybe if I lived in a city like Melbourne or Sydney I'd get stuff sent within a day? Or I just should move to the UK? Lol.
Only 2 BMs this morning, both within an hr. Still a bit of pain but quicker to go. Only taking panadol in the morning so I'm very pleased with that. And I'm back to eating soups for lunch.
I read up on those pelvic floor stretches and why people would do them and decided I'd try them too, so I've been doing them for about a week and like you @disneylover1 I really think they've helped. I also do them after I've had my warm bath cause apparently that's beneficial. I'll look at the magnesium and lysine as well. I hope you all have an awesome day.

Hi @AusLady - I'd like to know @Mumjo101315 secret too. If only it could be like that for everyone then this procedure wouldn't be anywhere near as bad as it can be.

I'm 8 weeks today and still improving. BMs are still a bit uncomfortable - it's the initial stretching to open up that I find the worst part. As I've had 2 surgeries now, I do worry that I might have ended up with a smaller, tighter exit. Looking in the mirror, it's more like a line/credit card slot than a round hole 😯 The pain subsides much quicker now though and I can sit down straight away, whereas not so long ago it was very uncomfortable and I'd be laying down until it subsided. Just paracetamol for me too in the morning to help. The area where the hemmie was removed still feels very tender after a BM though, especially when wiping. I'm being very gentle and using wet cotton wool pads. I'm hoping that area toughens up over time🤞Does yours still feel tender too?

Hmmm, I wonder if I put a bit too much coconut oil in the bath yesterday as I was greased up like I was about to take a dip in the Arctic when I got out lol! How much do you put in?

Still using the rectogesic, and still no side effects, apart from the occasional crazy itch. Did you have anything like that? I'm hoping I'm not sensitive to one of the ingredients as I had a horrendous reaction to the instillagel that I was prescribed post op for pain relief - my bum and wounds blistered up and peeled leaving it super sensitive and itching like crazy! It really was awful. I couldn't have anything touching my bum and it kept me awake at night too until it gradually subsided. I really don't want to go through that again.

It's Friday here, so the weekend starts tomorrow. However, I'm a wedding decorator, so that's when things get busier for me. My husband is doing today's wedding as it's only small and simple (it's his full time job too), but I'll be out tomorrow as it's a lot more detailed. Weekdays I mainly do emails, quotes, social media, meetings and prep work, which I can do in the afternoon, but weekends are an earlier start so more challenging. Will be interesting to see how tomorrow goes.

Glad you found the exercises helpful and hope you enjoy the stewed apples too :)

Hey @DisneyLover1. Had to make a new account cause my phones playing up and I couldn’t remember my password.
Just finished making the apples and crumble as well. So I can’t wait to try them together.
Yeah the rectogesic made me very itchy so I’ve stopped using it now. Don’t know if that’s going to be a bad thing. I still get itchy but it doesn’t seem to continue as long and as intense as with the rectogesic And not as often. I’m glad you don’t have any side effects considering everything else you’ve been through!
I feel exactly the same as you do with BMs and the tenderness..... the first is painful and second not as bad but still some pain. I use baby wipes, the ones that have no added anything and I still don’t wipe (only occasionally). I put some in a zip lock bag and put them in my pocket when I go to work. That way I’m always prepared. 🤓

I have noticed that eating soup again for lunch has made a bit of a difference, not a great difference but just a little one. Still taking panadol in the morning as well. My first BM wasn’t a lot but I had to push a bit too much for It to come out. I don’t want hemmies to return so it’s been worrying me. The 2nd and 3rd got better. I think it takes a couple of days for any change in my diet to effect my BMs so I’m hoping with more soluble fibre in my diet tomorrow will be better but I’m not going to make anymore changes. I just can’t seem to get that happy medium! I just want it all to be done in one go like before I had this surgery. Where you a once a day previous to the surgery @disneylover1?

But in saying all that I had a great day today. I can do heaps of housework, cook and do the groceries and still feel good at the end of the day without having to take more panadol. I think I feel better when I don’t have to go to work! Lol. Your work sounds stressful but fun @disneylover1. You are very lucky you don’t have to be at an office by 8.30/9.00 am most mornings. 😁
And I only put in 1 teaspoon of coconut oil in my bath. Lol, when I read your post about being greased up. I’d forgotten that I had also put a bit too much in the first time.
I also bought the magnesium supplement you take but I completely forgot about the lysine. I might go out and get that one tomorrow, but I’m not sure I need it.
I hope you had a good sleep. ❤️

Just thought I’d give a quick update before heading to bed. It’s 3am here btw. I went to surgeon’s office yesterday for what I thought was a couple of stitches dangling to be removed. I was amazed that there were about 9 of them lol. There is still some right on the inside but it was still too tender, so we left them alone. Maybe my body will hurry up and dissolve them. If not, I’ll just die with them I guess. I’ve noticed since the removal, the itching has been less and the swelling has went down more. It was a little tender this morning when I had my BMs, but nothing that really hurt too bad. My BMs were perfect today too. It was the first time I felt like I pooped like a normal human in forever. Before the surgery, I could tell there were some big hemmies in there that were making the passing of stool difficult, then the piles on the outside would swell and burn and throb...it was miserable. Then afterwards as the swelling would go down and the prolapsed ones would go back in some, I’d leak mucus and stool...sometimes a few times before it would stop for the day. I was constantly going in the bathroom just to check and do a quick clean up. Not to mention the constant need for an ointment or something either in or on my bum. But today, I pooped, sprayed off and patted dry, and that was it! No leaking of anything, the swelling I have isn’t bad enough to get in the way of keeping clean, the consistency was perfect...it was a good day! What a relief to know I may feel like a normal human from here on out. I’ve had hemorrhoids since I was 18 so I don’t really remember what a normal bum looked like on me. Speaking of... mine is way better looking than before, don’t get me wrong, but it has a good bit of tiny tags on both sides. The left side looks like it may be normal in another 2 weeks, but the right side is still pretty swollen and hard and tender. I realize that’s the side where the biggest ones were removed so I’m sure it took more to pull some skin together the close up the wounds there. But I’m ready for it to go away. I’ve started soaking nightly in epsom salt with coconut oil in it. It says to use at least 2 cups per bath so that’s what I’m doing. Maybe it’ll help.

So I gotta ask...anybody tried having sex yet? I’m terrified. I can tell when I pass gas that there’s still a lot of swelling in my rectum and I know that’s the backside of vagina, so I’m wondering if there’s still swelling in the vagina as well? My vagina felt bruised for a while after the Hemorrhoidectomy, literally felt like I did after I gave birth. Wondering if I need to give it the full 6 weeks like after childbirth. So just wondering what you guys think on this? I forgot to ask the doctor the other day. I’m really not wanting to until the outside of things have healed more anyway. I’m just curious. My husband is super supportive. We’re technically still newlyweds (not even 2 years in yet) so I’m sure this has been anything but exciting for him lol. I thanked him the other day about not harassing me for sex just because I had my strength back and was feeling better. He looked at me like I was crazy for even saying that and said “there is no rush at all. I just want you to feel better. We’ve got our whole lifetime to do that. No pressure here.” He really has been the absolute best through this whole ordeal 😊

Glad everyone has been having some positive days! I love that we live on all these different continents but can connect and know somebody knows exactly what the other is going through. Oh, and yes to the pelvic floor exercises! When I started doing those, that’s when I could tell I was turning a corner finally. I had always done them since I was a teenager (wanted to have easy births (hahaha) and didn’t want to have a bladder prolapse like my aunt) but didn’t think to do them til around the second week after surgery. Then I got scared that it might would mess something up or cause a stricture, so I stopped until I asked the surgeon about it. He said that was THE best thing I could do do heal and to go for it as often as I wanted, so I did and still am and will continue. I want everything back there to be as healthy as it can be so I never have to go through this again. Much love to you all. I’m headed to bed now 😴😴

@AusLady1 - thanks for the info about the rectogesic. I got a bit worried about the itching so didn't use it last night or this morning, as the blistering/peeling/itchy sensitivity I had last time was horrendous and I really didn't want to go back there.

I'm really frustrated with my BMs though and developed a new problem today 😭 So, first BM of the day was good - nice and easy, no real pain during or after. Second BM was smaller, but okay, though felt a bit sorer afterwards. Third BM was only small, and felt even more sore. Then I had a fourth tiny BM - about half a teaspoon worth! So, by the time I'd finished all 4, I felt really quite sore and uncomfortable, which is how it goes for me: more = sore. Went to work to set up the wedding, and just got on with it, but bum was sore and starting to itch, rather than easing off like it normally does. Got home 4 hours later and went to check my bum in the mirror and found tiny little bits of BM leakage (and I mean tiny - like 1mm or smaller pieces), but where they'd been sat against my hole, they'd made it itch and created tiny blisters. So I now have nappy rash! Cleaned up and put some anusol on to hopefully help it calm down🤞 I think my BMs have become too soft now so they're coming out as a few with any tiny remnants making their way out as I'm moving around and being active. They're the consistency of the pulp that you have left over after juicing, or a thick blended homemade soup, so very soft with no real form. I wonder if I need to get them soft, but a bit more formed so they come out more together without these remnants? I'm going to try to make an appointment with my dietician this week to get some more advice. Honestly, it's hard to know what to do for the best, and I'm feeling a bit demoralised right now 😞 I was once a day prior to this, always in the morning. Occasionally, I'd have a second BM before bed. I'm trying to think back to after my first op, and then I was taking fybogel after breakfast and dinner, but eating more normally in between, and I would have these lovely soft, free flowing BMs every morning. All done and then I could get on with my day. I'm wondering whether to try that again? I just don't know though. It's so difficult knowing what to do for the best and what will help.

I've definitely been putting too much coconut oil in the bath - 2-3 dessert spoons! I'll stick with 1 teaspoon from now on 😂 Do you ever apply it directly to your bum for soothing and healing? I've read a lot on forums that it's good for fissures.

@BrandiJo - so pleased to hear that having the stitches removed has helped, and great news about the normal BM too! Can I ask what you're eating at the moment, and are you using any softeners or fibre supplements too? Hopefully, things will just continue to improve for you and you'll get back to normal daily life without even thinking about your bum. Did you find anything that helped with the leakage you had previously, as it's something new for me. Did you use any sort of cream to help and if so, was it a hemmie cream or a nappy (diaper) rash cream?

Sex isn't even on my radar yet, and my husband knows and understands. He's been great through all of this, and prior to it too as I was always self conscious about my prolapsed hemmies too. Not worried about the skin tags - I call them bottom petals 😂 I won't be doing anything until I'm fully healed and feel comfortable and he's fine with that.

What sort of pelvic floor exercises are you doing? Kegel style ones? The ones I've been doing are stretches to stretch out the muscles and release tension as I was suffering with butt cramp due to the muscles going in to spasm! I was doing kegels too, but stopped for the same reason as you, but will start up again if they might help.

Like the rest of you, I'm so ready for this to be over. Feeling fed up today due to the leakage and blisters. Feels like yet another hurdle to overcome 😞 Hope everyone else had good days/nights x

@Disneylover1 so sorry to hear about your setback. I stay on edge every day waiting and wondering if I’ve done everything right the day before to keep my backside ok. I too have noticed that more=sore. I keep a heating pad handy to sit on or lay against me if I go more than 3 times, that seems to help. Plus heat equals more blood flow to the area and increases healing so it’s a win either way. I have a hyperactive gut due to this stupid Lupus that I have so I’ve eased off on everything except for 1 stool softener in the morning and 2 at bedtime. Anything more than that tends to make it too soft and it burns coming out. I’m just making sure I eat plenty of fruits and veggies, whole wheat breads, oatmeal, and drinking tons of liquids. That seems to be the diet that is working for me. My BMs are soft, but formed, easy to pass. I’m so scared of getting new hemmies so when I sit down to go, I let whatever is right there come on out, and then I spray off, pat dry, and get up. I’d rather go a few times than to sit and wait even 3 minutes for more to come. That sitting and waiting tends to make me more sore than the actual BM. As far as before with the leakage, I used PrepH ointment. That stuff is thick and puts a good moisture/debris barrier, but it’s easy to clean off. I tried the diaper rash cream once, and I just didn’t like the way it made me feel...all gooey back there, and it is a pain to wash off. Do you use a spray bottle or anything before you wipe? I have one that I used prior to surgery and I’m still using it. It has become my security because it tends to rinse anything that I might not get with wiping, due to swollen tissue. And patting dry tends to help get anything stuck in a crevice too. Maybe that was just a one time thing for you. Hopefully. I have a small bottle that is an old sinus rinse bottle that I took the tube out of the end, so that I can squirt side ways, otherwise, it wouldn’t work because it’s made to spray upwards. I keep it in my purse in a bag for when I’m not at home, and alcohol and fragrance free wipes to pay dry with. I would say with the blisters, I would use some sort of ointment and not anything pastey. I would try some epsom salt in the bath with the coconut oil too if you’re not doing that already. I’m old school lol. I believe in some Epsom salts. I buy the kind with coconut oil in it. I’m still using the PrepH, just to be on the safe side too. Hope your bum is better as the day progresses!

Oh, and yes on the kegels! It’s good for blood flow and healing as well. I’ve noticed that if I do them once I get up from toilet and go sit or lay down, the aching in my buttcheeks isn’t as bad and goes away faster. Once the doctor told me that was the best thing I could do, I’ve been doing them every time I think about it. My reasoning on starting them was because our external sphincter is voluntary, but the internal one isn’t and that’s where the spasms come from. So I thought if I could strengthen the voluntary external one, that maybe it would strengthen the internal one and the spasms would stop. According to the doctor, that is correct and helps with leakage also. I tried to do all of that before the surgery but the internal hemmies were just too big by that point for it to do any good, and I continued to leak. I haven’t had any leakage in the last several days, so something is going right somewhere.

Hi @BrandiJo - thanks for the advice. To top off my day (it's 8pm here) I've just had to run to the loo and had a bought of diarrhea 😭 No idea why, and not ideal when my bum is already feeling sore and blistered. Didn't hurt coming out, but was tender to clean. My husband picked me up some nappy rash cream earlier. It's one we always used when our children were babies and swore by it, so thought I'd give it a go. I'd put it on earlier and it definitely soothed the pain, and maybe acted as a barrier when the diarrhea came. Have slathered a load more on and now laying on the sofa. It's called Bepanthen - is it one you have in the US? Preparation H isn't widely sold over here. I can get it on Amazon, but looking at the ingredients list it contains propelyne glycol, and I'm worried I might have a sensitivity to that, so I'll stick with the bepanthen for now and hope things settle down. I have ordered a handheld bidet bottle from Amazon though to help clean myself, and that will be here tomorrow. Willing to try anything if it will help. If I could just have 1 clean BM a day, then I'd be fine! It sounds like such a small thing to want, but is so hard to achieve 😞

I've been using heat pads too, and find they do help soothe, plus, like you say, the increased blood flow helps. I'm going to start the kegals again too and hopefully they'll help with the leakage. I've never had this problem and it's not pleasant. Part of me wishes I'd just lived with my final hemmie as at the moment that was easier than this 😞

Don't know what I'd do without the support of people on here, especially when having a bad day or setback, so thank you x

Morning @disneylover1 and @brandijo.
Oh @disneylover1 I’m soooooo sorry you are feeling down! It’s a terrible feeling when you get to that point of thinking you’d have been better off if you’d not had the surgery and you can’t turn the clock back! I was like that last Tuesday night. I had a breakdown, I had gone to the toilet just for a wee and noticed blood from my butt. It put me into such despair as well. It was horrible. I wonder how many more setbacks before we are fully healed? Hopefully none! 🙄
@Bradijo, I’m glad you have made such an improvement too. How many weeks has it been since your surgery?
I haven’t had sex, thought about it and that was the end of that. Lol. We are all so lucky we have great husbands who just want us to get better and can’t do enough to help us get there!
I also like using epsom salt and the coconut oil in the bath, very relaxing. I did try putting the coconut oil straight on my bum but that was about 5/6 weeks ago..... decided just using it in the bath would coat the area better. Have you noticed depending on the weather the consistency changes dramatically? Lol, I spilt it everywhere in the bathroom cause I didn’t realise it would go to such a thin liquid! 😳
I have been doing the kegel exercises for years too cause I didn’t want to be jumping on the trampoline with my kids and wet myself. 😂😂 but when I’d read @disneylover1 was doing the stretches I researched them on the net and decided they would be a great idea for me too.

I was wondering about using that bepanthen cream as well on my bum.... I’ve got some I bought late last year for my lips. It’s great when your lips crack in the corner and won’t heal as mine tend to do when I’m run down. I was using it a couple of weeks ago and wondered if it might help my calm my bum. Let me know how you go with it @Disneylover1.

So with the leakage, I get that sometimes as well.... but I’m unsure why cause it isn’t all the time. But I found it to be better now I’m not eating any berries or seeds, cause it was like one of them would sit just on the inside of my anus and cause havoc until it made its way out and I could clean it away? God I have never thought about my bum, bowels, food, supplements and BMs sooo much in my life!!! And I’m so thankful I have others who totally understand what I’m going through. ❤️❤️

So I’ve already had 2 BMs this morning, currently 9.15am, the first was was painful. Felt like it had a sharp edge to it, not like a knife but more of a rounded edge, if that makes sense? It was soft and formed and easier to come out then the last few days. It stung as well until it was clean. Second was not painful, but was a bit softer. I just hope I don’t need to go again cause I don’t think it’ll be pleasant! But my anus still feels tender when I’m cleaning. Lol, what a discussion we have. 😂😂😂 the only thing I can think that made mine a bit better today was the 6 or 7 white seedless grapes I ate yesterday? And perhaps that magnesium tablet I had last night you recommended @disneylover1? I’ll eat exactly the same today.
Hope you are feeling better Disneylover, and I totally understand if you want to swear!

@AusLady1 it has been 3 weeks and 3 days. I agree with you about these conversations lol. My life prior to surgery was revolving around the same things, just different. At least we all know we will be healed at some point where as before it was just a daily “will it ever go away?”. I’m going to look into the bepanthen. I don’t even know what that is lol. I love how we have so many different things worldwide. I’m currently out buying rain boots for when I return to work Monday. I have such a walk from the parking lot so I’m treating myself to some cute rain boots to keep my feet dry lol. So while I’m out, I will look and see if I can find any of that mentioned product and get some for myself. I had a 3rd BM earlier and I’ve felt a little stinging sensation since, so would love to try something else if it will help. I’m so glad I stumbled across this forum and have people that understand like nobody else does 😊 Much love to you guys!

@brandiJo I think your rain boots are what we call gum boots? Lol. So have fun picking out a cute pair. 😜
The bepanthen is sold in the baby section of the supermarket here in Australia, it’s an anticeptic soothing cream. The packaging says for Cuts, stings, chafed skin, cracked skin, scalds and sunburn. Safe for baby skin and nipple care when breastfeeding. It also used to be the go to cream after a tattoo.
I don’t think I’d mind much if I needed 2 or 3 bms a day if they were pain free. But previous to my surgery I’d be in pain if I had more then 1 BM a day, but that wasn’t everyday.
So pleased your recovery is going so well! I don’t really understand why mines taking so long.... perhaps my age, 45?
Have a wonderful day ❤️

@disneylover1 - are you still taking the magnesium supplement at night? Maybe that’s what’s making your BMs too soft?

Morning (or evening) @AusLady1 - I'm now convinced that you're my Australian twin as I'm 45 too!!! We seem to be leading parallel recoveries, doing the same things etc, and now we're the same age! Bizarre!
So, yesterday was horrible and I got really down. Last night I woke in the early hours of the morning with a painful bum, and that's not happened for ages - it just felt swollen and hard. Managed to drift back off by reading my kindle for a while. I've now been awake for 1.5 hours and not had a BM yet, so looks like last night's diarrhea has thrown me off. Hope it doesn't throw me too much as I've got a wedding consultation this afternoon at 3pm. It doesn't help that our clocks went forward and hour either, as I've lost an hour to get BMs out of the way. Not sure what caused the diarrhea, but it wasn't the magnesium as I stopped taking that a few days ago as my BMs were a bit too soft, so wanted to firm them up a bit more. It was just out of the blue. I was laying watching TV (Scandal on Netflix - very good!), and just felt that gurgling sensation start, then I was running for the loo. Didn't feel unwell at all before or after. The Bepanthen did help to soothe, and it has vitamin B5 in which aids in skin healing which is what makes it so good for nappy rash. Looking on Google, it looks like there are 2 varieties - Bepanthen nappy care ointment and Bepanthen plus wound healing cream. I've got the nappy one. I figure if it's good for babies sensitive skin then it's good enough for me. Set backs are really demoralising though, and I completely understand why you had a cry after finding blood last week. I had a bit of a weep yesterday too, but my husband keeps reminding me of how far I've come. And he's right, but it just feels like such a long journey with no end date at the moment. He's been great so I wanted to get him a small gift to say thank you. He's a big kid at heart (aren't most men?) and loves Lego and Star Wars so I ordered a set for him from Amazon which will be delivered today, along with my handheld bidet and kegel training weights 😂 Oh, and it's Mother's Day in the UK today, so hopefully I'll catch a break today and have a good day🤞

My leakage has been just like that too - tiny pieces that seem to hang around after BMs and slowly make their way out. Yesterday was the first day I really experienced it, but it was also my most active day work wise, so I wonder if they worked their way out due to all the running around I was doing. One things for sure now is that I'll be taking my mirror and damp cotton wool with me wherever I go and be checking and cleaning at the first sign of itch or discomfort. It's amazing how much pain something so tiny can cause. Like you, I wouldn't mind multiple BMs a day if they weren't painful and didn't make me sore afterwards. It seems we just have this final hurdle to overcome, but it's a difficult one. We'll get there together no doubt 😊

As far as turning back the clock goes, have either of you seen the film About Time? If not, then you absolutely must as it's a brilliant film. There's a time travel element to it, but it's not Sci-Fi, just wonderful! I often wish I could go in to a dark closet and just travel back to before these hemmies even started. I had no problems at all until I gave birth to my first child nearly 18 years ago. Didn't have them prior to or during pregnancy, but pushed a monster set out as I pushed my daughter out! That was the start of it all 😞 If I knew then, what I know now, I'd have had a caesarean and left my nether regions as God made them! Oh, to have pre birth nether regions again!

@BrandiJo - you're doing really well for 3.5 weeks. I was in a terrible state then and being treated for an infection (on top of the blistered and peeling bum). I hope your recovery continues to go well, and can't see why it wouldn't. Just keep looking after yourself and we're there too if you need support.

Hope you got some cute rain boots. They're called Wellington boots or wellies for short in the UK. Can't remember the last time I bought something for myself that wasn't bottom related. I do need a new coat, and the shop I like has a big sale on at the moment, so might browse online and treat myself to something.

We have a midweek break away booked on soon for 5 nights which I'm really looking forward to. A change of scenery will do my good hopefully. We've booked a cottage in a place called Glastonbury (famous for it's music festival, but that's not in when we're there) that's called the Prophecy of Light Retreat (you can find it on Google and booking.com if you're interested). Glastonbury is a very new age hippy place that's meant to have healing properties, so maybe some of that will rub off on me. I'd happily stick a rose quartz crystal up my bum if it could guarantee making me better right now 😂

Hope you've both had or are having good days. Still no sign of my first BM today, but my tummy is saying it's breakfast time xxx

It’s 10.00 am here so it’s definitely evening over there @disneylover1. Ok, so you definitely are my twin!!!! Lol. I was exactly the same, no issues with bowels, hemmies etc until my first and second labour!! And then everything just got progressively worse! But what’s sucks the most is I had a very long labour for my first and ended up having an emergency Caesarean anyway. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. 🤨🤨
I have Netflix as well.... was a godsend in the first 3 weeks lol. I’ll have to see if I have that show on it, but I don’t think so. I think different countries have different shows. I haven’t seen or heard about that movie About Time either.
Do you eat yogurt at all? That might help with the diarrhoea? Thinking about sticking a quartz crystal of any kind up my bum makes my eyes water 😂😂😂. I’ve seen them, they have sharp edges! Lol.

My bms are the same as yesterday, I just need to relax more I think. First one more painful then the second initially. I haven’t taken any panadol yet, going to see how long I last. It’s my day off so it’s easier I think to handle it when I don’t have to go to work.

Glastonbury looks awesome! Exactly what I would imagine the UK to look like, very pretty. I went to Europe a few years ago but never crossed over the English Channel. And I was amazed I could be in 3 different countries in 1 day!!! Lol. I loved every minute over there too! So much history you can touch! We think things are old in Aus if they were built in the late 1800’s!! Lol

I’m heading north to Queensland in 3 weeks to Hervey Bay. It will take about 18hrs to drive there, which I’d organised before this operation.... 🤞 fingers crossed i will be all ok by then. I’m telling myself I will be.

I hope your mother’s day ended up being special, no issues with BMs and you were able to smile all day. 😘😘

patient.info/forums/discuss/6-months-after-hemorrhoid-surgery-recovering-experience-and-advice-on-how-to-get-through-it-657398

I hope that link works for you @disneylover1? I found it last week, it helps to keep me positive in my healing and that we both are not alone in the length of time our recovery has been so far. I really do hope it helps you too. ❤️❤️

Just wanted to post a little update since I may be too tired to do much this coming week. I’m going back to work tomorrow after almost 4 weeks off. I think I’m ready 🤞🏻

I had a weird experience last evening so thought I’d run it past you guys and see if it’s familiar to any of you. I had drank a lot of water with my supper, and I mean a lot lol. So when the urge to go hit me, it hit hard. We only have 1 bathroom in our home and I was waiting for my son to get out. By the time I stood up to go in there, I had a cramp/ache that hurt pretty bad from my bladder through to my anus and to both buttcheeks. It hurt to pee, kinda like I was having bladder spasms. It hurt when I stood up from toilet, so I went back to the couch and laid down. It stopped within a few minutes. I’m guessing my bladder was just really full and probably pressing on the still swollen tissue in my rectum? I’m going to make sure I don’t let my bladder get that full again. I will go squat outside if needed lol. Also, a few hours later when I was headed for bed, I went to the toilet again and could tell I needed to pass gas. When I did, a few drops of blood went in toilet and some was on tissue when I patted. Maybe I irritated something by having a full bladder? I haven’t seen any blood today.

I have packed a bag for work tomorrow. Heating pad, pillow, baby wipes, ointment, pain reliever, spray bottle. I also have extra scrubs and panties just in case 🤞🏻 I work with 58 adolescents ages 6-18 that have mental and behavioral disorders. It can be a tough job if they start acting out. It can be a domino effect pretty quickly some days. I’m praying for a good day tomorrow and for them to not have any bad behavioral problems until I get back in the swing of things. Sometimes we have to act quickly and I’m hoping my backside will cooperate lol. On a good note, I’ve noticed my urgency has gotten better these last 4 or 5 days so I’m not as worried about that as I was. Still will be very cautious, but I think I’ll be ok. We will see I suppose. I am nervous about going back, but I have a very understanding boss that won’t make a fuss if I need to miss some more days. Wish me luck! Hope you guys continue to do well this week and everybody’s bums are blister and pain free soon 😊

Hi @BrandiJo. Sorry, I can’t say I’ve had that pain.... I’ve not had to hang on that long for the toilet. But I will say I understand about the blood. I’d stopped bleeding for about 2/3 weeks when it started again, I think that was why it upset me so much. But I’m starting to think I’d done something to start it again. Perhaps you did irritate some part of your butt when your bladder was so full.

Good luck with work tomorrow! Very daunting the first few days and very tiring. Your job sounds like it can be full on so I hope the kids all behave for you. And remember not to push yourself too much, you’re still healing. I returned on my 4th week, but ended up having to get a tooth extracted so I didn’t end up working much of it at all.

And I have had a great day. No panadol and no pain. I’m amazed. 😁🤞I hope it continues.
❤️

Morning all! Well, yesterday was lovely as I didn't have any BMs, so no pain to deal with. I think the diarrhea episode on Saturday night must have cleared me out. So, I got a lovely glimpse in to what life will be like again eventually. The only thing I did have was the occasional sudden crazy itch. You know the type that make you twitch as they're so unexpected! Today, is more back to normal, except the BMs are more solid and formed. I'm not sure if that's because they were in my system longer so had bulked up a bit, or because I added carrots and a small amount of dark chocolate to my diet over the past couple of days. First BM took it's time coming out - like it got stuck half way, or maybe I subconsciously tensed - I'm not sure. I was on the loo for about 15 minutes in total, which I know isn't good, but there wasn't really much I could do about it. It's like the peristalsic muscle movement just stopped and I was left hanging! The 2nd and 3rd BMs were small remnants of the first and easier to get out, but feeling a bit sore now. I still find the initial stretching to be the most uncomfortable part, but once it's stretched and things are moving, it's not too bad. I still feel fine after the first one, and get more sore after BM 2,3,4... How to get that happy medium of a soft formed free flowing BM that all comes out in one go though? I've been thinking back to my first operation, and back then I was taking fybogel (ispaghula husk supplement) after breakfast and dinner and my BMs were soft and easy to pass - and only once in the morning! So, it got me thinking that maybe I should try that again. I was having porridge for breakfast back then too, and then something like beans on toast (very English) for lunch and something like vege stir-fry or chicken salad for dinner before starting back on normal meals with the rest of the family. So, I've had my porridge and first dose of fybogel, and will try this for the rest of the week to see if it helps at all. I'm also seeing my dietician again tomorrow, so will be able to talk through things in more detail with her. Still drinking plenty and making sure I exercise, so🤞it helps me get back to some sort of normality. I'll keep you updated.

@AusLady1 - I'm not eating yoghurt at the moment, but the diarrhea was a one off I think. I'll talk to my dietician about it tomorrow though. I'm just so fed up of thinking about everything that goes in to my body and how it might come out the other end lol! I had a read of that thread too, and while it gives hope, 6 months just feels like such a long time. 2 months has been bad enough, but I try to take comfort in the fact that I'm better now than I was even 3 weeks ago. Hopefully I'll feel even better in another 3 weeks. I know I've got internal stitching for the mucopexy procedure, and my surgeon told me those lasted around 3 months, so I wonder if the painful initial stretching could be related to those too and will ease as they dissolve? I guess only time will tell.

Sounds like you've got a mammoth road trip in 3 weeks! I can't imagine ever driving that far, but then the UK is tiny in comparison to both Australia and the US. It will take us about 3.5 hours to get to Glastonbury, and we're already not looking forward to that lol! Really looking forward to the break and change of scenery though. And if a rose quartz crystal up my bum would GUARANTEE I'd be better straight away, then I'd do it! I would choose a small one and sand down the rough edges first though 😂

Sorry, Scandal isn't on Netflix, it's on Now TV. Do you have that there? It's a Sky programme, so that's a Sky online streaming service that we have here. I do have Netflix too and lots of great programmes on there. You must watch About Time though - it's one of my all time favourite films 💖

@BrandiJo - I've had similar pain to what you describe, but not from a full bladder. It sounds like the butt cramp I used to get if I'd had a fast BM. Like everything was sent in to spasm and shock. When I had that, I was much harder to empty my bladder too. It took hours to subside though and is why I started doing the pelvic muscles stretches - they really helped. Sorry to hear about the blood. It's so depressing when blood suddenly appears. Hopefully it was just a one off thing and not the start of something. We only have 1 bathroom too, so I keep a bucket and some wipes in my bedroom - just in case!

Your job sounds like really hard work. I hope that it goes well and isn't too full on or stressful for you while you settle back in. I can imagine that you'll be really tired at the end of your shift though. Try not to overdo things as you are still healing. I'll be thinking about you even if you're unable to post x

Morning all! So, yesterday wasn't great. After my first very solid BM I had 3 smaller ones, so was sore for quite a while, but felt fine once that soreness eased off. There was also a tiny smear of blood, so suspect the first ones stretched things a bit too far 😞 This morning has been better with things being much softer and free flowing, but still a tiny smear of blood. So, I'm going to use to rectogesic tonight to see if that will help re-heal things. Back to see my dietician this afternoon, so looking forward to that too.
Hope everyone else is good 😊

Hey @Disneylover1. Last time I had diarrhea I wasn't so lucky that I had a day off the next day! Lol.
Glad to hear your mother's day worked out really well for you. 😁
Im looking forward in hearing how your new diet goes with fibogel. And what your dietitian recommends. I'll have to Google fibogel to see what exactly it is. I have another appointment with my dietitian next week too. So it will be interesting to see where I'm up to with my BMs by then.
I also eat carrots, peeled and cooked as instructed. I've also had some beef mince a few times in the past couple of weeks to get the added iron.
So my first bm is still painful too. Same as you described. Second is much better but any more then that and I'm in more pain. Im still tender to touch as well when cleaning myself. But it generally subsides within a few hrs. I dont have as much gas as i previously had, cause that also bloody hurt when i had a chance to get it out.

Im glad ive only had 2 bms a day. Fingers crossed it stays that way. Im still not taking any panadol. Still drinking heaps of water and walking too.
Oh and I'm loving sick the stewed apples with oat crumble. Lol. Very filling!!
I too can't wait for the day that I just get to eat food I enjoy, go to the loo once and that's it!! And not think about where I will be when I need to have a BM and whether it will be easy. Lol.
And the itch!!!!!! Omg!!!! Lol. I know what you mean!!! It just starts and you're like, Oh hello!!, and you can't scratch and you try and get rid of it without touching it. Lol.

The 18 hr drive fills me with a bit of dread cause it is a long way. But I do love looking at the change in the countryside. I've driven 3.5 hrs to Melbourne and back in one day to watch what I call football. It's the Australian football league (AFL) and I try and watch my team at least once a year in Melb. Are you off to Glastonbury this Wednesday?