Hemorrhoidectomy

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Did anyone have one recently?

What happened? How long did it take? How was your recovery and did it take the whole advised 2 weeks? Did you have to make any changes to your diet? Any advice or even a hand hold?

I know it's not life threatening or anything massive but I am slightly freaking out and would like to be prepared (mentally) before my preop assessment.

If you're talking about a standard hemorrhoidectomy then you can forget about a 2 week recovery. Do some serious reading so that you truly know what you're getting in to. 2 weeks is an absolute joke.

That's what everyone seems to say and also what I've read about. Is that too long or short? Some (NHS)websites mention one week.

That's why I'm asking for real life experiences from people that have been through it.

On top of preparing myself , I also need to book time off from work so I need at least a ballpark figure.

I had one in August. The recovery was very difficult. I was off work (Education) for 3 weeks but probably should have been for 4. It took 6 months to be fully recovered with no pain during bowel movements.

What I wish I'd done - started taking stool softeners like docusate (not bowel stimulants) a few days before and continuing until the pain was manageable. Asked for a different pain control than codiene, as it did make me constipated (but I did need serious pain relief).

What I'm glad I did - bought a sitz bath. I even moved my bowels like a water birth in it for the first few times - it was a lifesaver.

Now I'm past the recovery stage, I feel hopeful and glad I had the surgery.

I hope it all goes well for you.

Thank you for that. I'm also in Education and I mentioned two weeks. Maybe that's optimistic.
Will look at sitz baths. How functional were you the week after? Did you manage to move around a bit or will I need another adult around for a few days?

Sorry for all the questions. I'm hoping for best case scenario but would like to be prepared for worst.

I was ok(ish) for the first few days and then when I had my first bowel movement on day 4, it was pretty traumatic and the pain levels really ramped up. Then basically every morning I would go to the toilet, it would be incredibly painful for a few hours afterwards and then it was this on repeat for 4 weeks. I couldn't have been in the classroom (was seconded in an office based post at this time and free to go home if required).

I live alone so I didn't have anyone to look after me. I managed fine! Just planned to be on the sofa pretty much full time for a few days. I was moving around from day one, I didn't go for a walk until about 2 weeks after, and then it was a very slow shuffle.

Sorry to a) jump on your thread and b) ask a silly question but I am due to have banding and Botox for hemeroids and am struggling to find any info. Is this the same as a hemeroidectomy?

I have a very active toddler I need to run around after and no one has been able to answer any questions on recovery and I'm also highly allergic to painkillers and they can't tell me what pain relief plan they intend to offer.

So far all I've been given is a leaflet on generals ?

So I'm super interested in hearing about other peoples recovery if this is the same procedure .

Hello,

Just another hands up for the hellish recovery here. I had mine done last year.

My op was straightforward, no complications, very pleased with the result but MY GOD it was the worst pain I've had in my entire life.

I pride myself on being a "carry on and push through" person, have a really good tolerance to pain but, genuinely, for 3 weeks I was absolutely useless. Crying with pain 24/7. Weeks 3-6 were spent having small bowel movements in the shower (as this was the only place I could tolerate it), and weeks 6 to 8 were trying to get back to normal life.

I would give yourself AT LEAST 3 weeks to get over the worst of the pain, and then a further 3 weeks where you can be close to a toilet/shower.

Sorry, not what you wanted to hear, but it really was debilitating and definitely not one to take lightly.

No time recently but by God, I haven't forgotten it several years down the line. I can't remember the term but it was more than a banding.

Yes, you will (or are likely to) need the entire fortnight.

Advice, movicol or other stool softener. Start that before your op. Haemorrhoid cream - ask for a script. Have a sitz bath if you can and wet wipes. Paracetamol are your friend.

Good luck and be prepared!

I think I took about 2 weeks to start feeling better about life and 4 weeks to be mostly recovered. You won’t get much notice of when you need to poo your body will sort of go “now please” and you better hope you’re near a toilet. The first one is horrifically painful. A sitz bath, a shower for having wees, instillagel from the pharmacy, lots and lots of movicol or other stool softener and lots of pain relief. I would aim for 3 weeks off work and see how you get on. If you have children you will definitely need another adult but if not you’ll be able to take care of yourself for the most part

I'm 3 weeks post operation. I prepared the week leading up to the operation by eating no carbs like bread, pasta, rice and only veg, salad, chicken, eggs, broths, beans, avocado i.e. High fibre! Have only small portions of dairy and chocolate. If you have a little yogurt then eat it with fruit and flaxseed. Eat everything with something high fibre. Drinks lots of water as some types of fibre absorb water so you want to avoid cement poos. I avoided seeds (including tomatoes), nuts, raw carrot etc anything that when digested still remains hard, so eat steamed veg if they're hard. My motions were nice and smooth leading up to the op. I considered stool softner before the op but I didn't use them since I knew what I'd eaten was good and soft. My first motion post-op (2nd day after op) was difficult and very painful because of the dressing that you have to pass out first, and thank goodness the rest following it was soft. I didn't push despite wanting to, so it took a few attempts to pass out the dressing. I wasn't given any painkillers as they said paracetamol and ibuprofen was all I'd need....so this is what I took.
After that I knew I couldn't face the toilet again so I squatted on a potty in the shower. I used the shower head on my leg and feet so that the warm water would distract me and tried to sing or chant to distract also. Then when I stand I can shower off easily. I take paracetamol when I wake up and try to wait for it to take effect before standing up and gravity inducing the morning motion so there's some pain relief at least after the motion. 3 weeks on I still need to do this. I am still bleeding each time. I eat the same way as before the operation and take a stool softener after lunch and dinner but only small amounts else it induces more bowel motions in a day. I've eaten cake too but only small slices and time it with the stool softener.
Don't let up on the high fibre and water. I did once and the next stool was more solid and painful and set back my recovery. I'm glad I had the operation though because I figured that if I kept putting it off then the piles could get worse and then I'd have a tougher recovery if I then had the operation. It's nice not to feel them in the way anymore, and I know I'll heal up soon enough.
I never used the sitz bath (though I bought one ready) or a cold pad as I couldn't face pressing anything against the area or keeping the area wet for a length of time.

@orchardgirl4 if you’re still in pain try and get some instillagel - you can get it over the counter. It’s a local anaesthetic and sterilising gel. Haemorrhoid cream also helped me. I feel like once I started numbing the pain life got a little bit better!

Can I ask how bad your haemorrhoids were to have surgery?

One of mine (internal) had ruptured and was bleeding heavily almost constantly - it was a lot of blood. I ignored it for quite a while