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.)

[Maureen19]

I am 7 days post op. I had 2 large and 1 ‘complicated’ hemmorhoids excised. I can honestly say this process takes the cake as far as pain is concerned. I am unable to stand more than 5-10 minutes due to the pain accociated with the rectal pressure I feel. I am alternating Tylenol and Ibuprofen with little affect. I constantly feel as though I need to have a BM.

I took off 2 weeks from work, no way can I go back in a week at this rate. I’m trying not to regret having this done, I was very uncomfortable, more often than not, prior to surgery. I pray for relief.

[Nim272]

I have just had hermorroids surgery and reading this forum made me realize that i am not alone. I am on day 4 and still in pain.

I have spasms even when I pee. Even with all the stool softeners it is still too solid. My bum is literally killing me. If I had known it was going to be this bad I would have never done it.

Did anyone else experience spasms when urinating ? Sometimes I feel like urinating but end up pooping. Hurts so much later and I feel like crying. I am also allergic to most painkillers so I was prescribed 50mg of tremadol. :(

[Enigma71]

Hang in there Nim272. Yes, 50% of the time I can't urinate because everything is in spasm. I find squatting under a hot shower can help ease the spasms and pain and let me wee. I'm day 11 today and it is getting better - but much more slowly than I ever anticipated.

[Nim272]

Thanks @enigma71 . I just cannot believe how ridiculous the pain is. Also have you ll had any tea? Is it safe to have some?

[OMGimscared]

Never google your illnesses is what they say, but google I did! I have my op one week today and after reading this thread I am terrified. Can I opt for a month long anaesthetic? :-(

[Bradle]

The best advice I can give is to eat light meals beforehand and ask your GP for lactulose or whatever softener at least a couple of days before the op. Hindsight is wonderful, would have appreciated this very advice from my consultant, I felt like I was dying on day 5/6 on first BM. You may also want to buy absorbent pants too. There’s no easy way of dealing with this op. Just be prepared with enough meds and supplies. Lots of warm baths, keep moving even if it’s just steps around your bedroom and remember no lifting or straining. If you feel like you need extra antibiotics, give your GP a ring. Helps to Keep on top of your ibuprofen/paracetamol.

[Enigma71]

I wish someone had told me about eating advice in the first few days - eat light, not too heavy on the fibre or in fact of anything at all. Pads in pants is essential for quite a while, and for me now it's also Daktarin mouth gel as I have oral thrush on top of everything else (due to the antibiotics and gut disturbance, despite taking probiotics).

[CareBear50]

Hi guys, i am day one post op.....50 year old female near Belfast. Have been bothered with external piles for years.....bleeding and itch drove me insane and itch often made it v v difficult to sleep at night. Four haemmoroids, one of which thrombosed. Surgeon told me they would only remove two during ligitation procedure or it would swell so much I'd be unable to poop!

Yesterday I was away with the fairies due to anaesthetic, but at 2pm today the pain kicked in.

To be honest, compared to some of the truly horrendous experiences others have had I think I'm doing okay.....and I hope it lasts.

My worst issue is diarrhea.......have had five BMs today.....straight into shower every time. Tail end feels sore and raw. Still a lot of blood......but paracetamol and Ibuprofen appear to be keeping pain at bay.

I will keep you posted.....but if pain continues or lessens I think I can cope. I hope this is good news for some of you out there dreading this op

[OMGimscared]

After my op being cancelled twice I finally went in on Monday 11th Feb. Yes it hurts a lot, I have been fortunate to not have to have a bm yet this is something I am not looking forward to, I really feel for you that have had these extreme experiences, after reading them all I was in a state of panic about having this done. I had 3 reasonably large external ones removed and was expecting the horrendous pain that all of you have endured. As of now day 3 I appear to be coping ok with the pain, I have had baths and showers which too seem to be ok. So for any of you yet to have this procedure, we are not all the same and everyone will cope differently, I so far am one of the lucky ones in my mind, I will keep you updated if I have tempted fate and take a turn for the worse. In the mean time love to anyone suffering with this

[Disneylover1]

Hello, I'm new to Mumsnet, but and 12 days post op from my SECOND haemorrhoidectomy and just needed to find others going through the same as I found supports from forums really helpful when recovering from my first. Right now, I'm thinking I must be crazy to have put myself through this again, but it was worth it the first time. Unfortunately, I had such a bad case of post birth circumferential grade 4 hems that I always knew a second op was on the horizon for me. The fist was September 2012 where 3 were removed, and I waited as long as I could before getting the 4 removed, but it had just started to blight my daily life too much that I finally went for it.
I wish I'd kept a diary from the first time so I could see how I'm progressing compared to then. I kind of did on the other forum, bit that thread has been removed now as it's so old.
My main problem at the moment is regulating my bowel movements. The GA from surgery has totally thrown me out so I'm now having up to 8 a day 😭 I'm trying to find the right balance between food, fybogel and movicol too. Too much movicol give me diarrhea which is like fire, and I had a couple of days of that which was not pleasant at all. BMs aren't nice, but I do find that once all of the poo is out of me for the day, that I feel human again. The pain goes and I just relax. However, if there's the tiniest bit, even the size of a 5p piece that hasn't come out and is sitting on the wound site inside, then I'm still in pain. Full evacuation is really key, but sometimes hard to do due to all the swelling. I also get a pressure/swelling pain in my perennium/labia that feels like the drag you get with a heavy period. Anyone else experiencing that?
I'm having a hard time passing BMs today - just lots of tiny ones, rather than anything substantial. Tried to figure out what has changed since yesterday, and the only thing is that I started taking piriton yesterday. I was getting this crazy bum itch (which I remember from last time), so rang the hospital to ask if there was something I could use, and they said piriton. So, started that yesterday, and it certainly helps with the itch, but today I looked on Google and discovered it can cause constipation! It can make things sluggish, which probably explains why I'm having all these tiny BMs and don't feel empty 😞 I just want a good full BM to empty everything out as then I know that I'll feel so much better.
Day 12 last time was my daughter's birthday, and I know I was still rough then as I remember not being able to take her out, and my brother and SIL coming over to take her out and see me. I recall not really feeling up to it and being pleased once they'd gone. So, maybe I'm in a similar place to then? It does feel like ground hog day at the moment though. Waking every morning, praying that this day will be a little better than the last and start to see gradual improvement. Looking at my work diary, I know I was back to physical work at day 25 feeling great, and my consultant follow up on day 28 was brilliant. At day 37 we flew to Orlando for our first Disney holiday and I had a wonderful time free of pain and piles. So, I know there's light at the end of the tunnel, especially as the first surgery was more extensive, it's just hard to see it sometimes when you're living the day in pain and discomfort.

If anyone has any advice for what they've found good with regards to balance of movicol/fybogel, time of day to take it, food to eat and avoid etc, I'd love to hear it. One food I learnt to avoid last time was tomato as it producing BMs that burned!

[Disneylover1]

Enigma71 - how are you doing now?

[OMGimscared]

Jesus Christ! Well for all my hoping that I was ok, I lied! First bm this morning since op on Monday, the room swam, I was drenched in sweat, the pain.... well I came round sat on the loo with my head and shoulders slumped over the bath, I had passed out. When I managed to get myself together I climbed into the prepared bath which has not helped really. Am now back in bed sore and very weak, there is no way I can do that again. The only good thing I suppose is that the lactulose made it soft. Please someone tell me the bm's get easier 😢

[Disneylover1]

@OMGimscared - I feel your pain! They do get easier, but not for a while unfortunately. Make sure you're drinking plenty of water too and avoid anything that might cause constipation. I ended up constipated yesterday due to taking piriton the day before and had the day from hell 16 BMs between 7.30am and 2.20am (as in early hours of this morning). My wound was just dripping in to the toilet and I cried thinking of all the healing I'd done over that past 12 days all coming undone 😭. It is hell on earth though. I can't think of any other surgery where you have to use the body and irritate the wound daily, plus it's right where you have a massive bundle of nerves! I find a bath afterwards helps, and once I'm finished with BMs for the day, that a hot water bottle is really soothing. I tried to avoid ice as I think it just slows things down so you don't heal as fast. No idea though. I just keep thinking back to my first op, where I had 3 big ones removed like you, and I did heal and feel great. Just the journey there was horrible. Hang in there - I'm with you x

[Disneylover1]

@OMGimscared, also for going to the loo, do you have a step to raise your feet and it brings you in to a more natural position for the BM to flow out. Also, try to breathe - when you breathe in your bum tenses, and it rekaxs when you breathe out.

[OMGimscared]

@Disneylover1 yes I have a step, I have never drank so much water in my life, I would kill for a vodka and coke lol. I am really scared of passing out again, had I have fallen forward I would have really hurt myself. I have had a natural birth, a c section and a uvulaectomy (dangly bit in throat removed) but nothing compares to this mornings pain. I have also developed a nasty cough which brings a tear to my eye as each time I cough it pressures through my bum. This really is vile, and to think yesterday I was doing ok, silly me

[Disneylover1]

@OMGimscared - oh, I really feel your pain. I too felt fine for the first couple of days, but once the BMs start it's a killer. They do get easier, but it takes time and feels like eternity. I'm day 13 now, and after my horrendous day yesterday, things seem a bit easier today. Still been 3 times already, but the pain level is much lower. The problem with a general anaesthetic is that it messes up your natural rhythm too, so instead of going once or twice a day, I'm going 6 times a day. All tend to be in the morning, so once it's cleared I feel okay for the rest of the day. I just don't know what to do to reduce the number of BMs. It could just be that I'm more sensitive down there so feel the urge more often, whereas normally everything would have chance to move together before the urge comes. I don't really know though.
What have you been prescribed for stool softener, pain relief etc? Unfortunately, all the good pain relief causes constipation :( I've survived on paracetamol and ibuprofen. The hospital also prescribed this topical gel which numbs the area, called Optilube Active. I find that really helps for the external pain, not so much for the internal pain though. Nothing seems to help with that ☹️ I've also got fybogel which I take twice a day after breakfast and dinner, and movicol which I take once a day after dinner. I tried that after breakfast too and it just resulted in me going at night as well as the morning - no thank you!
Unfortunately, you're at the start of a long road, but if my first operation is anything to go by, then it will be worth it. Have you got someone helping and looking after you? My husband and I are self employed in the same business, so I basically cleared our calendar for a month, and he's been amazing running around after me getting baths ready, feeding me, giving medication etc. Don't know how anyone does this alone, so I hope you're not x

[Dizzyali77]

Hi new here. I’m 14 days post open hemmariodectomy, pain is much easier but I’m still bleeding quite a bit after every BM, been to see GP and she says yeah it’s normal until everything heals, tried to get to see my surgeon sooner than the appointment I’ve got which is end of March but he’s on annual leave. So phoned the BMI hospital where I had the op and they can’t bring the appointment forward as no apps and then his annual leave. Just feel frustrated that I had this op to stop bleeding hemmies and I’ve got rid of them and still bleeding arghhhhhhh so frustrating. They don’t seem bothered that it’s only when BM but hemmies made me anaemic and I’m going to be again at this rate.

[Disneylover1]

Hi @Dizzyali77. Glad to hear that you're doing well, albeit still having some bleeding. It is common to bleed for 3-4 weeks I believe, just until everything has fully healed, but great that you're well enough to be able to go to appointments. I'm not there yet and am day 13. I was meant to have a follow up appointment tomorrow, but changed it to 5 weeks post op. Main reason being that it's a 2.5-3 hour trip to see my consultant and I chose someone who wasn't local (after lots of research). Hopefully you'll continue to see improvement and the bleeding will subside soon.
Any tips for the rest of us who are still going through it?

[Dizzyali77]

Hi Disneylover1, finally got a phone call back from private hospital they’ve managed to get me a appointment for another colorectal surgeon for this coming Monday so at least I know I’m going to get checked out. I’ve not done anything different from any of you other people in here, apart from I only had paracetamol for pain as I react to strong painkillers so pain was well worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life but I just put up with it. I recovered last year from a abdominal hysterectomy on just paracetamol apparently I’ve a high pain threshold!
I have one of those sitz baths that sit on the loo using that after every bm, using the lactose and increasing fibre intake. But I have to be careful as I suffer with distal colitis and IBS so to much fibre sends me to the loo to many times.
Hence reason I’ve cut the lactulose down to one a day.
Don’t get me wrong I’m not completely pain free but it’s easier than it was that first week was hell! And stil sore when going for BM.
Only thing I’m doing is off an evening after shower and laying in bed watching tv I try to give it a little airing! 😂 I had three internal and one external removed all left open. My poor hubby is saying on repeat it’s going to take time to heal be patient! But it would just be nice to know if healing inside and that the bleeding will stop as at the moment I’m wondering why I’ve gone through all this pain to keep bleeding.

[Disneylover1]

@Dizzyali77 - that's great that you've managed to get an appointment for Monday. Just for peace of mind, if nothing else. Yes, I'm just on paracetamol too and think I've finally vfound the right balance of food, fibre and movicol for me. It's a hard slog through and I've only got 1 healing this time, but did have 3 big ones removed in 2012. My memory of recovery from that is quite blurry - maybe the brain shutting out the traumatic experience! I wish I'd kept a diary so i could compare current recovery to that one. I think yesterday's 16BM contsipation marathon has probably set me back a bit, bit today is much better thankfully.
My husband is the same - just keeps telling me that I will heal and it will all be worth it. The journey is tough though! Sometimes it's really hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. If I start having a bit of improvement every day, then I think that will help me mentally too as it's certainly been a roller coaster. I'll be glad when it's all over, bit one thing is for sure - if I have this problem again, I definitely won't be having a third surgery! I've kept a diary this time and all over it is written 'dont do this again', 'find a way to manager's, 'this is hell'! I never had a problem at all until I gave birth to my first child 17 years ago. As I pushed her out I also pushed out a huge cluster of piles and they've blighted me ever since. I ended up with 4 problematic ones - all grade 4 prolapsed, and circumferential When I went for my first surgery, I was told that it wasn't possible to take all 4 at the same time due to the risk of stenosis, so he took the biggest 3 and I was fine for a long time, but that last little one has just grown over the years and it was time to say goodbye. I pray that I'll be up and running again in a couple of weeks and it will all be worth it 🙏 I hope that it's worth it for everyone who goes through this awful procedure.

[Dizzyali77]

Bless you that sounds awful. Mine were grade three and that was bad enough. Yeah I think I’d like to forget all about the recovery of this op to, hysterectomy was a 4 and half hr op but recovery was easier than this. Have to say you’re very brave to go through the op a second time I don’t think I could. For such a short operation it’s no short term recovery that’s for sure. As you say it will be worth it in the end we’ve just got to be patient which I’m not 😂 xx

[Disneylover1]

#Dizzyali77 - yeah, I'm not very patient either but hopeful that I'll recover this time as well as I did last time. I felt fantastic once everything had fully healed, which it had definitely done by 4 weeks. If you do ever have trouble again (and I pray you don't), then gave a look at the THD procedure as an alternative. I tried that first, so in essence, this is my third op, but it didn't work for me unfortunately. However the reason it didn't work became apparent bonce I'd had my first op and the tissue had been sent to pathology. My piles never, ever bled. They did clot though, and over the years I ended up with these little sacks full of clots, do cutting the blood supply didn't help as the mass was permanently there. For others though, it's a definite alternative band has a good success rate. That's how I ended up with a consultant 2.5-3hours from where I live as I figured if I was paying to get it done, I was going to go to the top guy in the country (Mr Giordano).
Ironically, I nearly had a C-section with my first as she was starting to get distressed, but I insisted I could push and with the help of a ventouse, she was out. But I'd also pushed out the problem that would blight my life for the years to come. So many times I wish I could rewind and gave the C-section as then I wouldn't have had this problem at all.
I find it helps talking to others who are going/have been through the same thing as it's very isolating otherwise. Knowing there are people who understand the hell, and have recovered really makes a difference to my mental state.
I do the airing too, but I also use a hot water bottle for a while as I've read that heat can speed up wound healing. It certainly vfeels nice, if nothing else!

[OMGimscared]

@Disneylover1 I have lactulose, paracetamol and ibuprofen and unfortunately my husband has to work 12 hour shifts so yep here on my own! I have a phone call consultation with Gp tomorrow, I will ask for some of the numbing gel and the movicol stuff if it will help me. I can't believe you are that far post op and still suffering, fills me with dread. My sick note was only for a week, and as I work as a graphic designer I am not sure sitting like that all day is ever going to be possible certainly not next week.

[OMGimscared]

@Disneylover1 blimey mine were also 17 years ago when I had my first via ventouse, mine were also grade 4 prolapsed - what a coincidence. You are a fountain of information for me though. @Dizzyali77 I hadn't thought to give it an airing, I can't wait to feel a little chill on it 😹 It really is good to know that I am not alone, it actually took me 17 years to see my gp about them, this whole thing has embarrassed me immensely. Especially when the anaesthetist came to speak to me before the op, my god the most gorgeous bloke ever I was mortified 😳

[Disneylover1]

@OMGimscared - wow, what a coincidence about our situations! People joke about piles, but they really are the worst. Until you've been through it though, you have no idea!
I don't think you should take movicol and lactose together. If things are too lose then you get diarrhea and that burns like you would not believe! When I was trying to find my balance for food, movicol and fybogel, I got it wrong and passed, only what I can describe as, fire water! I was in so much internal pain I was seriously considering trying to insert (ouch - can you imagine!) a turkey baster with cold water to flush it out! The balance is key. I also discovered last time to avoid tomato based things as they cause acid poos! My current, very boring, regime consists of:
Breakfast - porridge followed by fybogel
Lunch - half a tin of vegetable soup (no tomato based ones though) followed by half an apple.
Dinner - vegetable stir fry with some brown rice, half an apple, fybogel and movicol.
I haven't much of an appetite and stomach has pretty much shrunk, hence the half apples with lunch and dinner. Trying to keep it as nutritious and healthy as possible.
The gel is great to numb the external pain, so it would be good if you could get some.
I feel for you having to do 12 hours alone though. I don't know how I'd cope if I had to prepare food etc myself too. Hats off to you for managing.
You definitely won't be back to work next week though. Definitely get a sick note for another week and then see where you're at, but to do a full day sitting at a desk, I reckon you're looking at 3-4 weeks, depending on how your healing goes. I know that I was doing great and back to normal at 4 weeks last time, so fingers crossed for us all. As I'm self employed, I can pop on and off for an hour here and there when I'm ready to start sitting, so that helps. I've closed the office until next Tuesday at the moment, but think I'll be extending that another week. Yesterday set me back (do not take piriton if you get the itch, and check everything you take online for possible constipation side effects), but today has been surprisingly good - touch wood. Hope I haven't just jinxed myself!
I did find ice packs helped to start with - peas in a food bag then put in a sock 😂 I tried not to use them too much though as cold can delay healing, but sometimes you just need relief. I used them a lot more the first time when I had 3 removed and still healed well.
Were you given any antibiotics? If not, look out for infection. I wasn't the first time and got a bit of an infection around day 6. There was a little bit of sticky discharge from the wound that smelt a bit fishy (I dabbed with s tissue and then smelt), so if you find anything like that, then you'll need antibiotics. Gross, I know, but, a bit like childbirth, all dignity goes out if the window with thing like this! I came home with them this time, so seem to have avoided that this time.
Hang in there. It's a long and painful journey that seems relentless and never ending, but you will get there x