Recovering from a haemorrhoidectomy - Part 2

[AniseedBall]

https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/2232089-Recovering-from-a-haemorrhoidectomy-warning-TMI-alert

New thread for those recovering from this (awful) operation. Link above to the old thread.

Thanks @AuntyElle - he's a very active baby, kicking all day long, so hopefully that's a good sign. I'm going in for another scan on 24th to double check on them both.

@AniseedBall Thanks for the reassurance that my symptoms are normal! I am at least getting a few hours each day now where I feel ok, can even sit down (oh the simple pleasures 😂). I'm also wondering if being heavily pregnant is exacerbating some of the issues like fullness/ pressure and bladder malfunctions. But if I can see a big improvement at 10-14 days l'll be happy.

Sorry for the daily updates but it's helping me focus and stay positive

So this morning I had my first (felt like) properly emptying bowel movement. (I didn't take any Movicol yesterday in case that was contributing to the frequent small BMs.) It didn't really hurt except right at the end when I felt a kind of stabbing pain and there was some bright red blood on the wet wipe 😖 Should I be worried? Or maybe it was just a bit larger stool (not hard)...? I had a sitz bath and shower but it's still stinging 15 mins later.

Pah, spoke too soon. Had to go again within the hour, now back in the bath with a sore and stinging butt. When will this normalise?! I'm eating lightly, lots of water, shouldn't need to keep going like this!!

@lifesnotaspectatorsport a bit of blood when wiping is normal in the early days. I was told if it was a significant amount to contact the hospital.

The op does affect transit times so that could be why you are going more than usual. You might also still have some effects from the Movicol.
It's so painful to go multiple times a day but it does get better. I hope things settle for you soon.

Just to update - it's now day 10 post-op and thankfully things have got a lot better in the last 48 hours. I ditched the Movicol completely, just relying on normal diet and 6-8 glasses of water per day, and just having Paracetamol once in the morning. Last two days I've had one big BM on waking, followed by a bath soak, and then 1-2 minor gassy/ pellets follow-up which are ok with baby wipes and sitting down afterwards. The external area is now gently wipeable and the spasming has really eased up. Butt feels ok/ normal for hours at a time. Kegel exercises have really helped.

BUT - now having my caesarean on Sunday So really hoping that isn't going to kaibosh my recovery! Wish me luck ...

That’s very good news, @lifesnotaspectatorsport. Wishing you lots of luck! Do let us know how things are going when you can.

@lifesnotaspectatorsport I'm so glad you have seen an improvement. Good luck on Sunday, I hope it all goes really well.

@Dogwalker1 how are you getting on? I hope you've had a good Christmas and your healing is going well.

Until yesterday I'd had a few good days in a row which was a first! I had some discomfort sitting last night for no apparent reason but generally things have been better. I've managed to navigate the Christmas diet and come ok out so far. I'd have loved to not have to worry so much about what I was eating and drinking but if things finally heal the deprivation will be worth it! I was planning to start the rectogesic tomorrow but I'm not sure, I'm panicking about the headaches and have been googling which I know is a mistake but haven't been able to stop myself!!!

So far so good as far as side effects with the Rectogesic cream go. I've been using a very small pea amount twice a day and plan to increase the amount to normal pea size gradually.

It's too early for it to have done anything yet, especially at the quantities I've used but I hope it does help. It dawned on me yesterday just how long this has been going on for, 13 weeks of it 🙁
And as the Consultant happily reminds me at every appointment some people are healed after two weeks. For no apparent reason I had a small amount of blood on the paper this morning for the first time in a couple of weeks, all very depressing. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻this cream actually works.

@Dogwalker1 I hope you are getting on well. Do you have your follow up appointment coming up soon?

Exciting news @lifesnotaspectatorsport - I hope everything went brilliantly today!

Hi @AniseedBall I’m glad to hear that you’ve not had any side effects with the Rectogesic cream and I hope you start seeing the benefits soon. I’m sorry that you had some more blood and I completely get how depressing that tiny bit of blood must feel. I’ve been using my version of the cream for the past week but not seen any improvement and if anything the leakage had been a bit worse the last few days 🙁

Today it was really bad and with all the constant wiping I’m feeling quite sore. After a BM I’m sitting there wiping and wiping with wet wipes/aloe Vera gel and it just doesn’t seem to get clean without using up half a pack of wipes and a lot of time. Then an hour later I’ll go to the loo and wipe again and I’m not clean. I’m going to try to get an emergency appointment with the GP In the next couple of days but I’m not sure what they can do. I’ve gone beyond feeling a bit fed up about it all and I know that if I do get an appointment I’m just going to burst into tears.

It could have been a number of things over Christmas as I’ve been eating more, carrying more, not going at my normal time so going after my bath and going more than once. I’m hoping so anyway. I’m trying to be positive but the leakage after BMs is making me really upset, I’ve snapped at everyone over the festive period and I know it’s because I’m stressed out about this. I have told no-one apart from people on this thread about the leakage, so that doesn’t help either as they all think I’m just snappy and awful. What is worrying me is that I don’t think I had it as bad as this at the beginning, although I do appreciate that with the discharge and all the creams in the first few weeks it was hard to tell. Also, in those early days I was in the bath recovering for so long after a BM I might not have noticed it.

I still haven’t got my letter from the hospital for my follow up appointment so I need to chase that up tomorrow. I was told that they needed to see me two months after the last appointment which would have been in around two and a half weeks time.

Sorry to moan to everyone. I hope you are feeling more positive than me!

@Dogwalker1 no need to apologise for moaning. This is the place to do it! I've done little else for the last few months!! I hope you are feeling better today.

I'm so sorry to hear about the leakage. I completely sympathise, it is really horrible. Do you think it could be the cream? Before I started using it I worried about it making the leakage worse as it relaxes the internal sphincter. That and the combination of other things you mentioned could explain it. I hope the doctor is able to help when you see them. I asked my Consultant about it at my last appointment and got a very non committal comment about it improving once things were healed. Last time I used the suppositories it almost disappeared so I hoped for the same this time but it didn't happen so must have just been a coincidence 🙁

Mine has been worse over Christmas (and that was before I started using the cream) I put it down to the slight increase in Movicol I was taking to combat the change in diet, all the extra standing while cooking and showering rather than having a bath in the mornings. I'm sure doing pelvic floor exercises would help but I'm still only able to do a minimal amount at the moment without irritating the bit that hasn't healed.
🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻we'll both be ok soon and you manage to sort a follow up appointment.

I'm dreading what tomorrow morning may bring. We've been out for the day and I've eaten a really random combination of things 😬 I'm looking forward to getting back to normal next week. The worry about food and BM has taken a lot of the enjoyment out of socialising.

Hi @AniseedBall thanks for the support and sympathy! I’ve had a bit of an emotional day, I guess it’s been building up over the last couple of weeks.

I managed to get a same day appointment today but not with someone I’ve seen before. I very tearfully explained what was happening and how worried I was and quizzed him on what he thought I could do to improve things, including suggesting steroid suppositories. He was pretty adamant that steroids wouldn’t be of any use and he also recommended to stop the Movicol completely (and not replace it with stool softeners either). He was reassuring in his conviction that the leakage hasn’t been caused by some irreparable damage to my sphincter muscle during the op, as he said that if this was the case then the leakage would be continuous throughout the day.

He also said to stop applying the Diltiazam cream. I still haven’t had my new appointment date and he’s going to chase that up for me. So again lots of different advice.

I think you are right that all the extra standing at Christmas hadn’t helped either of us. I’m trying too to do some pelvic floor exercises. I was doing them in the cinema this evening and they didn’t feel like they were irritating the area too much. I’m going to take it really slowly though and not do too many.

I hope we both have a better next few days now Christmas is out of the way 🤞

@Dogwalker1 I'm so glad you managed to get an appointment. The variation in advice is so interesting! What he said about damage and leakage all day makes sense, that hadn't occurred to me. Did he have an explanation why it occurs for a short period after BMs?

I don't think the suppositories did anything to help me and I don't think my Consultant was all that keen either. Interesting he told you to stop the Diltizam and Movicol too. Hopefully the changes will all help. Let me know how you get on.

I'm down to half a sachet of Movicol and 10ml of lactulose but haven't been brave enough to go below this yet. That's one for after Christmas!

@AniseedBall - he explained how Movicol works and we discussed how the end of the BM is a lot more liquid, compared to the beginning of it, and how it was the liquid part of the BM which was the problem rather than it being a problem with the muscle. It sort of makes sense. But the fact that there is still slight swelling I think is causing it too.

I remember after my second daughter was born I had fecal incontinence for two days and it was completely different to this. For two days I had absolutely no muscle tone whatsoever ever and any attempt to do pelvic floor exercises had no effect whatsoever for days. So on a positive note I have experienced, in the past, damage to my sphincter muscle and this feels nothing like that. Hmm first positive thought I've had for a while :)

Has your digestive system got used to the lactulose? Or does it still cause bloating/wind? I've never tried it for any length of time for that reason.

Happy New Year by the way!

@Dogwalker1 Happy New Year! Let's hope we don't spend much of it thinking about our bottoms 🤞🏻

That all makes sense, hopefully you'll notice a difference as you cut the Movicol out and the swelling goes down. I'm wondering if that has contributed to the extra leakage or had, I don't know if it's the rectogesic or extra activity but it seems to have been bigger again lately.

Regarding the lactulose I had extra bloating for the first couple of days but it settled down after that. At the same time I increased the amount of Movicol to a full sachet so it could have been a combination of the two. I take it in the evening and I think it still gives me a little bit of bloating / wind but nothing painful or too severe and I'm fine during the day.

Hi all. Me again! After a super busy couple of months back at work, I'm now on a break and in pain again :(

I thought you'd all recovered and left the thread, as I only just found this new one.

@Dogwalker1 and @AniseedBall I'm sorry to hear you've both been having on and off again troubles.
@lifesnotaspectatorsport hello! I hope all went well with your c/s and you're now blissfully unaware of any bottom troubles because you're cuddling new babies.

I went back to work at 2w post op and was ok- had to make sure my BM was before i left for work and had to stop having baths as not enough time to have one. BMs stopped being painful at about 4w. They're not painful now (positive!), but I'm still on a sachet of movicol and one or two duxolax stool softeners a day. I have a lot of lumps back again around my bum. One in particular is fairly painful if I sit very long which has made long car and plane tripa and other transport really hard on holidays. I'm in a salt bath now, in the holiday unit :(
I'm hoping these are just skin tags and not hems, especially the one causing pain. It's about the size of a pea which doesn't sound much but it really is! The surgeon said (at the 5w checkup) that I was healing well and it takes time. And that I'll never have a smooth bum, there will always be bumps after the op as they can't take everything away! But this pain (kind of stabby, and only a 3 out of ten at worst) is so dreadful, I feel ill every time it hits, like I'm back to square one. It's the mental toll of it and the idea that the op hasn't worked that makes me feel sick. Anyone else totally exacerbated, venturing into 2020 still in pain?

Hi @123Aussie, I’m sorry that you still need to be on this thread but glad you found part 2!

I completely sympathise with you - the thought of the operation not having worked is just so scary. And as you can tell from my last few posts the mental toll has really got to me too in the last couple of weeks. I can’t remember how many weeks post op you are but my cosultant said at the last check up that you bum won’t feel or behave like your bum for around three months. I’m now approaching three months but not convinced that the last lingering issues are going to miraculously disappear soon.

I too have swollen bits that are a little bit painful. Probably only a 1/10 but it feels like it is there all the time. I think all the extra physical activity
over Christmas has made it more constant and it’s a worry as I don’t think I had this before. It’s a similar sensation to having haemorrhoids but if they are haemorrhoids they are staying as I don’t want anybody going near my bum with a scalpel ever again. I suspect it is an unhealed bit but because there are so many nerve endings in the area it feels worse than it actually is.

The fact that your surgeon said you were healing well is really good. Mine said at six weeks post op that there was still some healing to be done, in a tone which I thought meant he expected me to be further along 😐

I think it is hard for us to be starting the new year still on this thread, so I’m sending lots of love, sympathy and positive thoughts that we”ll get our full recovery soon. X

@123Aussie I'm sorry you are still suffering. I'm completely exacerbated not to be recovered yet, you aren't alone in that. It's 14 weeks tomorrow since my op. I thought, even in the worst case, I'd be fine by Christmas. I've been quite depressed the last couple of days that the new year is here and I've still not healed. I'm fed up of worrying about what I have or haven't eaten and how much I've drunk. It's exhausting to do at this level for so long.

I've finally had several days of pain free BM, probably thanks to the rectogesic, but I still have a swelling too. Despite my GP saying it's a skin tag I'm not convinced and with more time standing and sitting on uncomfortable chairs recently, it's been swelling up and I've had mucus discharge just like I had before the op.

I feel the whole protracted recovery would be far easier to cope with if I knew I'd been ok eventually. I can't even imagine having this op again but equally I don't want to be in the situation I was before the op where I had pain with any amount of sitting, standing or walking.

Do you have any more post op checks lined up?
I hope you notice some improvement really soon.

@Dogwalker1 how are you getting on? Have you stopped the Movicol and Diltiazam?

Hi @AniseedBall I really get what you’re saying. When we had the op, Christmas and New Year seemed absolutely ages away and then when we weren’t healing as quickly as expected it was easy to think - oh by the New Year I’ll definitely be better by then. So no wonder we are feeling depressed that that hasn’t happened 😐 We should just try to think of the 1st January as just another random date that we wouldn’t have ever picked as a day by which we would be fully better.

I agree too with your comment that if there could be a guarantee that we would get better eventually. It’s hard dealing with the expectation that we ‘should’ be recovered by now and therefore it’s difficult not to jump to the assumption that because we’re not, we’ll never be. I do realise (somewhere under all the worries) that that would be highly unlikely but it’s hard because of the lack of info and support.

I'm glad to hear about the pain free BMs - that’s got to be a good sign. and perhaps the mucus will clear up when you stop the rectogesic.

I’ve been off the Movicol and the Diltiazam since Friday. It’s a bit stressful worrying if I’ve drunk enough liquid but so far I’ve been every day. It’s a little firmer but a bit loose towards the end and I still have some leakage in the couple of hours after. It might be a tiny bit less but it hasn’t disappeared.

My doctor has obviously chased up the hospital for my follow up appointment and I had an automated phone call offering me an appointment next Tuesday 7th. As I wasn’t sure if I’d be offered an alternative and it was a machine I pressed the relevant button to accept it. However, last time I saw a consultant he said he wanted to see me in two months time which would be around the 20th. I couldn’t be examined last time as it was too painful, and I was incredibly sore afterwards, so I’m thinking I should ring tomorrow and change it for one a couple of weeks later. I want to see too, post Christmas, if things get better once I’m back in my normal routine.

Hoping things will improve for you too after all the festivities x

Hi all - Happy New Year! And amen to spending less of it worrying about bottoms!!

Thanks for all the good wishes My twins arrived safely on Sunday evening by c-section and we took them home on 31st. That was a sleepless New Year's Eve though not for reasons of fun 😵 but they are gorgeous and it is WONDERFUL not to be pregnant any more. Most of all, the removal of the twins' weight seems to have really helped my bottom. I was luckily feeling much better by the day of the op (able to have BM without a bath after, use wipes etc) but since the section I have not had any pain. Just some urgency when I go and very strong muscular movements. But it's ok and doesn't sting after. Hallelujah.

I saw the colorectal surgeon while in hospital and he says everything is healing very nicely, no follow-up required unless I have any pain or problems. Should be fully healed in 4 weeks or so. There's still some mucus / discharge but a lot less. No incontinence. I am feeling extremely fortunate and I appreciate from reading this thread how lucky I am. Perhaps since the problem was only pregnancy-related, that's why my recovery has been easier. I was lucky to have a fantastic surgeon too, a trauma specialist. The other things that really helped me were kegel exercises (reduced spasming) and stopping the Movicol in favour of a light diet and lots of water.

I really wish you all the best for your recoveries and thanks again for all the support. Mumsnet at its best.

@lifesnotaspectatorsport congratulations! That's great news all round. I'm glad you are doing well and your bottom was feeling better by the time you had your c section. That and babies to look after are enough without any additional pain.

@Dogwalker1 thank you. You are right, if it wasn't the start of a new year I'd be feeling pleased that BMs have been pain free for a good few days so I am making progress.

I'm glad you are doing ok without Movicol and the cream. I'm sure in the long run you'll benefit from not taking Movicol any longer. It's great that you have been contacted about an appointment already. Well done to your GP! Just to say at all my appointments, Consultant and GP, they have been able to check my wounds without the need for any internal examinations or proctoscopes so hopefully you would be able to get checked and reassured without them needing to do any painful examinations this time.

Congratulations @lifesnotaspectatorsport that is such brilliant news! And the added bonus of your bottom being much better! I’m so glad to hear that everything is getting back to normal for you.

Hi @AniseedBall I didn’t manage too long without the cream as I was really aching and sore yesterday so panicked and started using it again. Stopping the Movicol seems to be ok though. I’m glad you are having pain free days now and it was partly that that made me think I should continue with my cream. Are you still just applying it externally?

I think I’ve been spending too long on trying to clean up in the first few hours after a BM which hasn’t helped any soreness. I was using my spray bottle too with salted water but I have managed to give myself cystitis with all the washing and am now on antibiotics 😐

I tried to change my appointment with the consultant but, as I’d been given a cancellation, I couldn’t, so will be seeing her next Tuesday. It’s the original female consultant so I’m hoping at least she can tell me exactly what was done! I will make sure this time that she doesn’t examine me in a way which undoes anything 😬

Hi @Dogwalker1 sorry you have pain and soreness again. This recovery is so frustrating isn't it? And cystitis too 🙁 I hope both feel better today.

I am applying the cream externally. The Consultant said to put it over a 50p sized area and it will be absorbed and still work. I'm only using a small pea sized amount at the moment so it won't spread it that far!! I think it's helping, I did have a couple of pain free days before I started using it, but it's been almost two weeks now with pain free BMs and I don't think I'd have had that without it (apart from a little bit of soreness yesterday). The leaflet with the cream says a 2.5cm strip applied internally for anal fissures. I can't imagine the horror of that 😱

It's great that you will be able to see the Consultant who did your operation, hopefully once you find out what was done it'll help explain some of the symptoms you've had / are having. If my experience is anything to go by, she should be able to check your healing without any damaging examinations!

Thanks @AniseedBall for the info re applying the cream, .i could have done with knowing that weeks ago! I’ve been trying to get a little inside which probably isn’t helping things.

I actually used a couple of over the counter haemorrhoid suppositories over the last 24 hours as I’ve been feeling so swollen. I’m pretty sure that this is nothing to do with not taking my half sachet of Movicol as BMs are OK and not painful.

My doctor rang today and left a message about my appointment and he said he’d insisted that it was with the original consultant. Well done that doctor! I think he was a bit shocked with what I’d been told I’d be having done (and it’s written on my pre op consent form) is different to what is on my post op notes, also him not being sent notes from the follow up consultation and me not being given automatic follow up appointments. Plus I guess he thinks I should be better by now 😐

I’m so pleased and encouraged by the fact you seem to have recovered a bit more in the last two weeks.

@Dogwalker1 after my experience with the Fucidin I'm don't intend to try and get any creams inside again!! According to the instruction leaflets the 2.5cm strip should be put in up to the first knuckle of your finger 😳 I was so glad my instructions were just to put it on the outside when I read that.

I'm sorry you are feeling swollen and sore still. I had a phase of that, with no apparent cause, it's hard to take this far along. I'm impressed with your doctor! It's brilliant that he sorted an appointment and followed it up with you. Hopefully the Consultant will explain everything and have some advice on the final bit of your recovery.

I've been feeling a bit off today, I think I slightly overdid the Movicol yesterday and am suffering for it. I've been busy too and the swelling feels slightly sore. I think I must be more aware of it now the other bit isn't painful 😬 I'm going to cut the Movicol back slightly, I'm wary of going too far as at my last appointment the Consultant stressed BMs on the looser side of soft to prevent getting an actual fissure, very helpful comment there 😭 I'm still struggling to get it right so am erring one the loose side which is probably just a painful as the opposite. Hopefully I'll be able to get an appointment to see the dietician again for some more advice. I'd also like to start varying my diet a bit, the same food for this many months is getting very boring. I had a few grapes today, 🤞🏻the skins will be ok.

Here's to good days tomorrow!