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.)

2 things anusol & glycerine suppositories - I had years of agony before & heavy bleeding (couldn't see if I had bowel action!) so it was essential. It took a while to heal - but, in time, it got better, than much better & I don't regret it & I had very bad piles. I make sure I never get constipated (sorry to be graphic)

@CareBear50 - ah, that's crap. I had that too - just finished. Hope today is better for you x

@mumwon - thanks for your message. Do you mean use anusol and glycerine suppositories in a daily basis as part of your lifestyle, or use them to help recovery? There's no was anything is going up my bum at the moment! 😯
Glad to hear it was all worth it for you x

Ughhhh blood dripping today 🤦‍♀️ Not as much as had been before but haven’t had it for two days. Feeling super stressed and terrible PMT only good thing about that is I don’t get a period. I just want to hide for a few days and just have some time alone ha ha fat chance.

@Dizzyali77 - oh dear, sorry to hear that, but I guess it could be one of those things that could happen intermittently until everything is fully healed. I've stopped bleeding too, but still sometimes feel like I'm turning myself inside out when I go for BMs. It's the build up of pressure before the BM releases - do you get that at all? Still sore internally too until my bowels are completely empty. They seem to be on a go slow today for some reason, so I'm going to up my magnesium to 2 tablets tonight and see if that helps tomorrow🤞

@Disneylover1 yes I guess you could be right on that, frustrating nevertheless.
Yes I do it’s quite a odd feeling and I still feel like I’ve got a raw area inside as it pushes past it, still finding it hard to know if I’m finished though. And yes uncomfy until emptied out, I’m going to take some lactulose for a few days to. My little lad has just been diagnosed with scarlet fever to, he’s had it before and was really ill with it, and I thought it was one of those once you had it can’t get it again but apparently you can, he’s ok not as bad as last time and I’ve got to go and pick antibiotics up later, never rains but it pours.

@Dizzyali77 - yes, sounds like we're feeling very similar. 3 weeks today for me. My BMs aren't as painful now, but I really don't like that pressure/inside out feeling. Plus, it's a bit sore as it goes out. Can't wait for a normal BM, also can't wait for 1-2 BMs a day too. I'm trying to move around more to help - walked about 1500m yesterday doing lengths of my house 😂
So sorry to hear about your son. Really not what you need when you're not at 100% yourself. Hopefully it won't be as bad this time and he'll bounce back quickly🤞

Hi all. Glad to see things are slowly getting better. I have been prescribed another round of antibiotics as my infection has not cleared, but I feel ok so I don't really care - it's nothing compared to the last week. The itch is driving me nuts. And I haven't had a bm since yesterday morning!- now that's gonna hurt!

@mumwon I use suppositories a lot to help me to go but still it didn't stop these bulbous friends from ruining your bum xx

@OMGimscared - sorry to hear that the infection hasn't cleared up 😞 Hopefully this round will knock it on its head.
I wonder if the lack of BM is due to the antihistamine as they didn't agree with me either. Instead of not going for 24 hours, I ended up having lots of small BMs instead which was horrendous. Hopefully it's not too painful for you when it does arrive🤞

I use them if I go more than a single day without bowel action ie day 2

This recovery is one step forward and six steps back. Feeling very frustrated as bleeding again, went five times yesterday and it started up again, this morning drip drip drip into the loo 😬

@Dizzyali77 - ah, that's rubbish. Have you changed what you're eating much over the past few days? Or is it just since the consultant told you to reintroduce the lactulose? It's so hard to figure out what to do for the best isn't it? My boring, same every day, diet seems to be working for me right now. I've lost loads of weight though - a stone over the past 3 weeks, and I was only small to start with. Now 7st7lbs! I'm sure I'll put it back on once I start eating normally, but I won't until I know I'm fully healed.
My itching is starting to subside too. I've been using the dermol 500 in the sitz bath, but still putting on the Eumocream. Can't bear anything touching my bum though. I spend the day on the sofa with my bum out and a blanket hung over me from the back of the sofa, making a tent, so that my family aren't subjected to my naked bum 😂 Will be strange to start wearing underwear again! I do feel like I'm finally on the mend though🤞 Hopefully I haven't just jinxed myself!
@CareBear50 and @OMGimscared - hope you both had good night's and are doing well today x

@Disneylover1 I’m eating what I normally do, just with extra fibre stuff included. It’s so hard as I do suffer with IBS and I find that more fibre I eat the more I go, so it’s a fine balancing act as you say. I just need a whole new bowel and bum 😂 I’ve only took one dose of lactulose as kept forgetting 🤦‍♀️ I wonder if because the consultant covered it in ky jelly when he had a rummage around on Monday that coated it maybe? Who knows. I still feel unsure about putting my colitis suppositories up there as don’t want to damage any healing.
It’s good that you’re feeling like you’re on the mend 😊

@Dizzyali77 - yes, it's definitely a balancing act, and probably a bit harder for you with your gastro issues too. Hopefully it will all settle down for you soon x

Hi everyone i’ve come across this thread while googling this horrible op and I’ve read the whole thing! I am due to have this done on 21st March and I just wanted opinions on whether it’s worth it?
I’ve had piles for years and I’ve now been told my best option is to have this done, my piles don’t cause me much pain or discomfort but they prolapse and bleed heavily and have made me anaemic in the past. I am a single mum having separated from my husband last year so would be on my own post op but my husband is going to have the kids for as long as need be to allow me time to recover. Basically having read this I’m wondering should I bother as my piles don’t cause me much discomfort! How much time will I need off work, I know everyone is different, I just work in an office. Thank you xxx

@Mumjo101315 - having had this horrible op twice (currently recovering from the second), I can honestly say that I personally wouldn't have it if my piles didn't really cause discomfort or inconvenience. However, I'd got to the stage where I was in permanent pain and it was restricting everything I did. Mine would prolapse and be swollen and painful if I stood for any length of time - even the time it took to shower. I was miserable and in pain daily, so it was worth it to get rid of that. My case was bad, so I always knew I'd have a second surgery, but most people don't.
I can't imagine going through recovery alone as it is hard. If you do go for it though, make sure you ask for antibiotics post surgery as infection is so easy to set in and really sets your recovery back. Expect to be out of action for 3-4 weeks.
If I ever get piles again, then I don't think I could put myself through this again and I'd try to find some way to live with them unless they were making daily life painful and miserable and limiting what I could do.

Just to add, if you have private healthcare or can afford to go privately, have a look at the THD procedure.

Thank you. I am really thinking I won’t have it done now, even the surgeon told me it’s a horrible op! I wonder if I can just manage mine with suppositories. They’re not suitable for banding as too big! I’m just worried that in time they’ll get worse and I will wish I’d had it done. But I am really worried about recovery time especially since I’m by myself and I’ve got three young kids and work pretty much full time. X

I don’t have private healthcare sadly

@Mumjo101315 - it's a hard decision as there's no getting away from the fact that the surgery and recovery is truly awful. For me, I waited until I really couldn't cope on a daily basis so maybe you could delay and see how you get on. Are there any lifestyle changes that could help? Diet, exercise, drinking, supplements etc? I know for me that drinking plenty of water and getting daily exercise, even if it's only walking the dog, really makes a difference, as my job can be sedentary during the week and sitting in an office all day isn't great for piles. I've also cut out red meat and alcohol.
I don't have private healthcare either, but have had all my ops done privately by taking out an interest free credit card with a long term on it and paying monthly. Think my current one had 28 months interest free. Is that an option for you?

Really fed up with the rollercoaster recovery. Had a good day yesterday - only 3 BMs, nice and easy, not really painful and hardly any after pain either. Today, I feel all spiky, achy and swollen again! 23 days now and I'm just ready for each day to be better than the previous one. Recovery is sooooo frustrating!

Hope everyone else is doing well x

Hi guys

Disney sorry to hear you're not having such a good day.

I'm now day 13 post op. Feeling okay today and yesterday. Bum is just v v achey but thankfully no spikey bum at the moment. Still feel that my butthole is turned inside out though!

Am managing to stay away from painkillers so far. Three BMs Friday, three sat and two so far today. I'd be happy if this pattern continued or lessened. I'm still taking laculose morning and evening.

So difficult to know how you'll be from one moment to the next as type and amount of BMs has such a massive impact on recovery.

Hope everyone else doing okay x

Mumjo if I had three littles to look after and recover from this op I would say it would be extremely challenging. My kids are 18 and 21 now......I couldn't go through this if they were little and I had v limited support however.

Good luck with your decision making x

@CareBear50 - to be fair, today's bad day would have been considered a good day earlier on in my recovery. I think it's just because yesterday was so good that I'm feeling a bit peed off about it. You start to think, 'yes, this is it, I'm getting better' and then the following day feels like a step back. It's just frustrating.

Glad to hear that you're having fewer BMs. It does make a big difference doesn't it. It just gives everything more time to heal when you're not going all the time. 🤞 we're all on the right track now x

Not to be gross.....but how long before discharge from bum stops?

I slip a cotton wool disc shaped pad in there, folded in half... Change it every few hours......but it's still a little eugg looking!