Haemorrhoid surgery

[Katymiranda]

Hi guys,
I had a stapled haemorrhoidoplexy yesterday early afternoon at Kings in
London. I read a lot of horror stories before the op - just wanted to throw my own (so far relatively positive) tale into the mix for anyone doing their research before a similar op. Before the surgery I didn't know whether it'd be a stapled or 'traditional' procedure as the surgeon had to decide once she could see what she was dealing with. From what I've read the stapled option has a faster and less painful recovery, and that's what I ended up with, for which I'm very grateful.
When I came round from surgery I initially felt OK, but within a few mins was really struggling with pain and was given IV tramadol. That took the edge off but 20-30 mins later I was white-knuckling the side of the bed and focusing on deep breathing in order to try to deal with the pain, which was similar to contractions of pretty late stage labour, but constant. I guess all my muscles down there were in some kind of spasm. It was horrible. (The positive part is coming, I promise!) Obviously they couldn't send me home like that, so I was given oromorph, which as the name suggests is orally administered morphine, and that finally worked for the pain, phew. Within half and hour or so I had only mild discomfort, and apart from a couple of morphine-induced dizzy and nauseous shaky episodes, was basically OK. I was discharged about 5pm, and am on a regular paracetamol and ibuprofen regimen, which I'm carefully sticking to.
I was dreading how I might feel when I woke up today, knowing the moraine would have completely worn off, but possibly thanks to waking at 3am and taking more paracetamol, I felt really not too bad. I made it out of the house to a nearby playground with my kids, and it has been great to move around. So, 24 hours post-op and I' really not in pain, just discomfort. Next milestone will be going to the loo, but hopefully the lactulose I've been given will do its job and the internal dressing will come out without too much trouble...

Quick update - now on day 4 post-op. Day 2 the pain came back with a vengeance, though at least was accompanied by passing gas and a bit of goop / poop, which at least made me feel like I'd achieved something! I managed with just paracetamol and ibuprofen till 2a.m. Tuesday, at which point it really felt too much to handle and so I popped a couple of Tramadol. That relaxed me and I slept for a few hours, but awoke at 5.45a.m. sweating and nauseous, with stomach cramps. But my bum didn't hurt very much, so that was a relief. The sweating and nausea passed, and Tuesday was not bad at all - felt a bit woozy and uncomfortable, but passed another small BM or two and managed to take son to swimming lesson after school. Slept pretty well, just woke for paracetamol, but once I got up this morning and had a further couple of smallish BMs the pain got bad again. More Tramadol... It's starting to work now and the pain back down to being uncomfortable rather than unmanageable. Have been taking dulco-ease to counteract potential constipating effects of opiate drugs, and so far so good it seems. Despite the dark moments and 'downs' of recovery it's manageable, and in the big scheme of things only a few days out my my life!

Day 10 post-Op: back at my desk and feeling OK. The last few days have been a bit up and down but generally progressing towards being pain free. Not there yet, but it now feels like period pain with 'bad period pain' after I go to the loo until everything settles again, usually after about 20-30 mins. Just on occasional paracetamol and ibuprofen now, but have also gone back on 'stool softeners' after a particularly painful BM on Saturday. I am going to the loo a lot more frequently than before but it seems that as soon as there is anything to pass I get a very strong urge to go with some pain, and so there really is no choice in the matter. I assume this will get better as everything heals and any remaining swelling goes down. Had a terrible few days since last post in terms of itchiness but that has more or less resolved, to the point where I reckon the past 24 hours have been less itchy than most of the last 25 years. Amazing!

Assuming the annoying frequency of loo dashes eases, this has been without doubt worth all of the pain of the recovery. And I'm sure I don't have a high pain threshold. So if you're considering this surgery, don't be put off by the recovery - it's not pleasant but if I can come out of it smiling, you can too!

Thanks for the info. I've been damaged by years of IBS and have a feeling I'll need something like this in the future. IBS is effectively gone, just the side effects to repair!

Hope you continue to improve.

Thanks for all the info, im due this surgery soon so a bit nervous!! Am now wondering if my piles are really that bad (wimp)

Thanks for posting your experience of this op, may I ask how bad your piles were and also whether they were internal/external or both? Also, what finally made you go ahead..I am still too scared to take the plunge!

Hi, I had one bad internal 'roid that frequently became external. It made its presence apparent in my teens (turns out I don't digest dairy properly and have had constipation most of my life, was especially bad as a kid), and has always caused itching, but after 2 kids and turning 40 was joined by a couple of smaller ones and worsened to give spells of bad pain. This plus solving the constipation problem by cutting out all dairy made me head to the GP - couldn't bear the thought of staying as I was (or worse) for the rest of my life! Good luck if you go for it - worth at least a discussion with GP and then surgeon before deciding?

Thanks Katy, I have seen a colorectal surgeon but was put off at the thought of the post operative pain which I was told could be pretty bad. I have a large skin tag but apparently this is 'connected' to a pile so it cant be removed without a haemmorrhoidectomy. ( I had hoped it could be removed by freezing or cauterisation but no such luck.) I was told it would be done as day surgery, so not sure what method would be used.Glad your experience wasn't too dire though and hope you continue to make a good recovery.Must be great to be finally free of the nasty little appendages!

Seaoftroubles ouch, shame they can't remove it without an 'ectomy. I suppose you just need to weigh up whether it's worth going through a week or two of pain in order to solve the problem. I really was at the end of my tether and couldn't face another 25 (or more) years of itchiness at night (and on bad days during the day), with occasional spells of it popping out every hour or two and the accompanying pain. Wishing you all the best, you have my sympathy!

I suffered from bad piles in my first pregnancy 12 years ago, couple that with ulcerative colitis and I ended up with large skin tags left over from the piles, it actually looked more like my insides were hanging out, they were really thick fleshy lumps and for years caused itching and embarrassment. I put off having surgery 3 times because of the horror stories I read. Finally my surgeon and a nurse talked me into and said it would really change my life.. And it actually has. My main concern was that they couldn't stitch the wounds so they would be left open to heal.
Pain was minimal when I came round from the surgery, 4 large lumps were removed and the wounds went up inside as well as just outside. I had the packing inside which came out shortly after I got home as had the urge to go to the toilet. By morning local anaesthetic had worn off so was in need of pain killers but managed with ibuprofen as was so worried about getting constipated. Took lactalose and in end movicol to help. All pain was pretty manageable until I needed a bowel movement.. Ouch! Which was more than once a day with my u/c. Having a warm bath with salt in ready to jump into really helped. For the first week i was doing this a couple of times a day. Apart from that I was able to get on And do normal things. By end of week two I could go to the toilet without needing to sit in the bath. Overall although it was painful at times and I had a little cry, i imagined it to be much worse and only wish I had been brave enough to have it done sooner.

Twilight, your op sounds similar to the one that I would need-my skin tags were also as a result of a huge thrombosed pile during pregnancy. I was also told the wound would not be stitched and would heal better if left open but I found this idea quite alarming and was worried about infection etc. How long would you say it took for you to completely recover from the op and also, did you have it done under local or G/A? I've been told I would need a G/A due to the pain element. Good to hear your op has been such a success though, makes me feel I really should summon up my courage and have it done.

Two weekends later I was fine to go and stay in a hotel with my partner so I would say by then I felt normal.

The wounds being left open was what concerned me, they give you antibiotics to prevent any infection and I think having regular salt baths really helps.

I had a general, don't think I could have faced having it done awake.
They warned me it would be very painful but in all honesty i suffered much much more when I broke my foot. I can't tell you how much I wish I had done it sooner. Hope you are brave enough to get it done.

Thanks both for your positive accounts..now just need to try to screw up the courage to go ahead and have it done!