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.)

Hi @CareBear50. Sorry to hear you're having a bad day. Must be bad to take the cocodamol 😞
To look at my bum, I close the toilet seat, get a towel and make a little triangular pile with it, then prop a make up mirror on it. I then back up and look at my bum between my legs 😂
Yes, I'll be pleased when bottom talk is a thing of the past.
My dead sea salts have just arrived, so going to have a soak in them. I've got spiky bum pain today too, but think it's because I might be a little bit constipated. Not 100% sure though 🤔
Hope your day improves x

Ughhh fell asleep on sofa and now feel rubbish. I’ve got to take my Mum to dr later as she’s poorly now and it’s half term and two youngest keep bickering.
I might get some of those Dead Sea salts as they sound good.
I’ve been on those antibiotics before after the hysterectomy, I felt ok on them last time so hoping will do this time.
Would be much easier if we were owls 🦉 ha ha that could bend to look up ones backside, and turn our heads all the way round.
I’m going back to work next Monday so one week to go but from the sounds of it we’re still quiet in March so I don’t think I’ll be working everyday. Ive woken from the sleep and just feel fed up now.

@Dizzyali77 - ah, it's rubbish when you feel crap after a nap. You're so active compared to the rest of us. I wish I was at your stage as I'm only a day behind you. 🤞we both feel good for work next week. I've got an open evening on 27th where we're decorating one of our regular wedding venues, but hubby can do it alone if I'm not up to it. I'm more worried about 1st march onwards as I've got lots of customer meetings booked in. I was 100% fine by that time when I had my last op, so thought I'd be okay, but this recovery has been harder 😞 Need to try to think positive! Easier said than done when you're in pain though.
The dead sea salts are good! The most relieving bath I've had so far. Either that, or my spiky bum pain was easing off anyway. Really don't want to get out! I ordered a big 5kg bag from Amazon yesterday and they arrived today - Westlab soothing dead sea salt. It says to put 500g in a bath, so they'll only last a few days, but so far they're worth it 😊

@Disneylover1 I just want to be back to work obviously for the money but just to get out of the house and be with work colleagues although I’m not looking forward to standing for six hours. I’ve really forced myself to move but dr says I’ve clearly got a high pain threshold, and what with hubby at work I’ve just got in with it. But everyone is different.
Think I will definitely get some of those Dead Sea salts as would be nice to have a bath as I’ve been showering since op and I miss my baths but didn’t want to aggravate anything down there with bubble bath.
It’s good that your hubby can help you set up, but I guess you’re like me just want to get in with it yourself and be back to normal and not your every thought about your butt hole. Honestly I’ve no dignity left after this! Worst part is in three months I go see my gastro dr and he wants to do a flexi sigmoidoscopy to check the colitis and I will be shouting move away from the butt hole 😂

@Dizzyali77 - I've come to the conclusion that I'm a bit of a wuss with a low pain threshold. Even the slightest thing and I affects me for the day as I'm super aware of it and just not myself.
I didn't realise you hadn't been having baths. I haven't or anything in mine, just plain water. I haven't showered as was worried about standing for too long, and things like shower gel and shampoo getting in to the wound as they rinsed off. The plain water baths have purely been for pain relief. I wonder if your healing progress has anything to do with the fact that you kept the wounds dry more than those of us who are soaking?

The dead sea salt bath was really lovely - I didn't want to get out! Definitely recommend them!

I'm looking forward to just being back to normal and not even thinking about my bum again. You shouldn't be able to feel your bum hole 24/7, and that's how it's been for me first as long as I can remember. There's always been some pain, discomfort or sensation there.

I can imagine returning to a job to be quite tricky especially around BMs. I guess I'm lucky in that respect as I work from home, so can do what I need to around my body's needs until I'm 109% again. That reminds me, I need to go and extend my out of office notices.

@Disneylover1 oh I’ve been doing the Sitz Bath after going for bm but only on it for five mins and my gp gave me dermol 500 to pop in the water which I’m sure has helped with healing my external wound, and helped with itching. But just showering of an evening since day one of op, I just thought sitting in a bath to long wouldn’t be hygienic and soften skin but that’s just my nutty way of thinking.
Think that extra week away from work will help you, just so frustrating. It’s like with the distal colitis and any other illness etc that’s invisble everyone thinks your fine and well but in reality you’re not. When in a colitis flare you need the loo and quickly but get frowned upon if you dash into the disabled loo because people can’t see a physical disability.
Ah I’m sure you’re not a wuss after all you’ve done this twice I’d say you’re very brave indeed as I’m not sure I’d want to go through this again. And I don’t think I ever sent to ride a bike again 😂

@Dizzyali77 - hey, your nutty way of thinking could have well aided in your recovery if you're all healed externally.
My itch was something else entirely. Looks like I developed a reaction to something as I ended up with a rash, and now have skin peeling from my buttocks! Feels sooooo much better though and I think I'll be able to sleep with my bum under the duvet for the first time in ages! I haven't been able to bear anything touching it as it just triggered the itch, so my poor botty has been freezing cold at night.
I completely get what you're saying about hidden disabilities. I'd never really thought about it before, but there are quite a few people with them on another forum I'm a member of, and reading their experiences really opened my eyes to them. It's a Disney/holiday planning forum, so not really somewhere to be sharing bottom woes 😭
I'm very grateful for finding this one and the people on it though. The talking, support etc has been invaluable.
I've just changed my out of office messages and sat on my bum for the first time. A bit uncomfortable, and not sure I could spend too long on it, but I did it! Hopefully this next week will be the road to recovery for all of us🤞🙏

@d ev
Yes let’s hope so fingers crossed, just going chilled evening watching the tv.

Haha oh @disneylover1 you have clearly confused me with someone who is agile lol

Even in my early twenties this was not the case. ...... I did a multi faceted fitness test one time and everything was great except for my flexibility.......the printout stated 'you have the flexibility of a tin man'. Needless to say.... My agility has not improved since then lol

@CareBear50 😂😂😂 Oh dear! Could you get your phone back there to take a photo?

Morning everyone! Well, I hope you all had a better night than me as I had another delightful night of BMs 😞 Started at 9.30pm, and went on until 4.30am, then up again at 7.30am and again at 8.40am. I'm still not convinced that I'm empty either 😭 I'm not sure if the Loratadine slowed things down or what happened? It's so frustrating trying to figure it out and get back to 1-2 daytime BMs like a normal person. And to top it all off, my period came early 😭 So feeling pretty lousy today 😞

Yes disneylover 1.....I'm with you on that.....how lovely it would be to have just one or two regular BM per day!

I was up in night going to look also. Severe case of spikey bum today. Sort of feels like your bumhole is inside out and very tender. Does anyone else relate?????

Re taking pic of bum....mine all come out blurry and Shakey.... So have given up!!!

@CareBear50 - I completely relate! Every time I go for a BM I feel like my bum is turning inside out!
Does anyone else have numerous annoying small BMs too? Rather than substantial ones? I'll have a substantial one, but then get these small ones over the following hours which just about to me in.

I have a theory about it, which is that we're aware of the small poos wanting to come out as we've been cut up and are hyper sensitive inside. Pre-op, we wouldn't have registered a small amount so they would have gathered together to make a proper BM before we got the urge to go. What do you think?

Feeling tired, sore and fed up today. I recovered from my first op, which was bigger, so much faster than this. It's very depressing 😞

Disneylover1 I think the smaller poohs are being passive aggressive.

Because they weren't allowed to be part of the larger BM they just decided to stuff all the other BMs and do their own thing????

Seriously.....my bum feels like it's on fire. I think part of the problem is also the anticipation of a BM.....the fear of not knowing whether it will undo any healing that has happened already. It's v v difficult to find a balance of laculose and fibre and food.....a balancing act between watery fiery poohs that burn or more solid pooh that feel like your insides are being ripped out!

On another note entirely I have five close friends coming for dinner. One knows about the op and will give me a hand

Hope you're feeling better soon disney

@CareBear50 - OMG, I can't believe you've got people coming for dinner! You're much stronger than I am. I just had another emotional breakdown in the bath 😭😭😭 I think a combination of feeling no further forward at day 18, very little sleep, a sore bum, constantly pooing and my period has really hit me. I'm starting to feel that my life will never be the same again and I made the biggest mistake of my life doing this again 😭😭😭

Oh poor you!!!! Sounds horrific. A good cry is good. I was like that yesterday. I totally get what you're saying... You really do feel your bum will never be the same again.

Period on top of a sore bum......another delight to look forward to. Maybe you're poohing more ATM cos period is here.... I know that happens me first few days then it settles down again.....

@CareBear50 - quite possibly, but it's such bad timing. Feel like everything is ripped open again due to the amount of BMs. Feel super low - probably the lowest I've felt since having the op. I'm sure my period isn't helping 😞😭
Hope others are having a better day x

Oh god, can't stop crying today 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Feels like groundhog Day and that I've made no recovery progress at all. I'm so depressed right now. I hope everyone else recovers better than I am 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

@Disneylover1 sending you lots of love, you really are going through it. I just can't get over the amount of bm you have, I surely couldn't cope with that.
@Dizzyali77 I don't know how you haven't sat in a warm bath of clear water, why were you not told to do this. I have been having up to 3 day and it is so relaxing, and with the salts my scaly dry dragons legs are soft for the first time in years.
@CareBear50 I use my phone, and squat, reach through on selfie mode, focus, shoot 😹 I have a lovely day by day gallery of my bum - not many people who can say that 😹
Again without wanting to tempt the wrath of the devil I seem so far to be having a good day, although a tad sore and I am getting that spiky itchiness, have been downstairs this morning, but wore myself out a bit, had an hours kip and now just lying in bed with my iPad, kindle, phone, water and the cats! My 2 furry boys have not left my side since last Monday

@OMGimscared - thank you for your kind thoughts. I really am at rock bottom - no pun intended!
I took a Loratadine a couple of days ago as the itch I was having was truly unbearable, and looks like it might have had the same effect as the piriton and caused a bit of constapation 😞
Fortunately, all the itching has stopped, the dead skin has peeled off my bum, and it's all nice a smooth again, so I won't be taking any more antihistamines!
If I could get the BMs down, I'm sure my recovery would be further along. I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do 😞 Some days I'll have 2-3, then others I'll have 10+! Lots of small killer BMs!
Laying in a dead sea bath at the moment praying that I'm done pooing for the day as last one was at 1pm. The night BMs are the worst as you're exhausted too. God, please don't let them start up again tonight 🙏
Glad you're having a better day - hope each one gets better and better for you x

Oh god! Just drying off after my bath and dabbing my bum dry with loo roll and there was a tiny bit of green mucus 🤢 No smell or anything, but please don't let it be the start of an infection! I don't think I could cope with that!

@Disneylover1 that might be why the itch is so bad?. Get that seen to asap. I do hope you haven't got an infection xx

@OMGimscared - no, this is nothing to do with the itching. That was a skin reaction to long term use of the Optilube gel. My skin became inflamed which caused the itching, then it peeled. No itching for 2 days since that happened.

I have just got back from the Dr though. He had a good look and prod - ouch! Said it all looks red and raw, so has prescribed antibiotics to be on the safe side, even though he's not 100% if there is and infection. 18 days in and I shouldn't be like this 😭
Just hope the antibiotics don't cause diarrhea. These were the ones I had after my first operation and I don't recall it then, so🤞it's the same this time.

Maybe my recovery is being so awful this time to ensure I look after my bum and never gave to go through this again. Probably not, but I need to take some sort of positive reason for the hell I'm going through.

Hi guys hope you're all doing okay today

Disney1 hope you have s better day than yesterday. My Dr had prescribed me amoxicillin at weekend.....and so far it does not appear to give me the runs.....was also worried about thrush.... But still appear to be ok on that score.

Had friends round for dinner last night which was lovely for the banter. I went to bed before everyone else and just left them to it......I know them all well enough that it was ok to do that.

It really is a fine balancing act in keeping BMs lose enough to be 'comfortable' but not to lose as to give you the runs! So far so good this morning......two BMs so far this morning that were fine!

I do think the salt baths Def do help.

Chins up everyone x