I have gone back and read much of the "Hemorrhoidectomy Blues" Thread that was posted mostly back in 2003. I was wondering if there are any people out there that could give the same support that the people of that thread gave to each other. I feel alone in my recovery of this surgery. No one seems to understand what kind of healing is required from this surgery. Anyone want to vent about this surgery with me???

Also, where are Tammynoska, Runninggal, SuzyQ0928, and everyone who posted back in 2003 now? How are you all doing 3 years later? It would be nice to know that your rear ends feel completely normal now and that it was all worth it.

Please write and connect with me if you recently had this surgery or had it in the past so we can give each other some support.
Thanks,
ericollin

I wish I could give you the encouragement you need,but I have my own issues. It's now nine weeks post op. and I now have my third infection.:mad: The doctor said infections are rare.I am back on antibiotics. I,ve been on and off antibiotics since three weeks before my surgery.
I'm doing much better now than I was one or five weeks after my surgery,at least I,m back to work full time for the last two weeks. I,m still on light duty but at least I have something to help keep my mind off my health issues. The hardest thing about this whole episode is finding info. I believe this site is the best I have found but since we are all different and its hard to pick and relate what pertains to our own cases. Ive gone back and re- read post weeks later and now better understand thing that made no sence to me weeks and months ago. We will get better !

Tom ouch,
I am sorry to hear about your infections. I have had infections too but they have been UTI's. I hope you get better soon. It seems that wherever you live, the surgeons give the same poor advice about this surgery and the recovery time needed for it. My surgeon said 2 weeks just like almost every other surgeon I have read posts about. My OB/GYN knew that I was doing this surgery just 8 days after delivering a baby and she should have known to warn me that this surgery was too much while also trying to recover from the birth and taking care of a newborn plus two other young children. Even though I don't sit and work at a desk, taking care of 3 young children full-time is an incredibly hard job when you do not feel good. I have had tremendous help from friends and family though which I am forever grateful for.

I will continue to pray that anyone who has had this surgery will have fast healing.

YES, WE WILL GET BETTER SOON!!!
ericollin

ericollin, 3 years later my rectum feels normal in that I can pass gas again as I once did prior to the surgery---which means without a second thought. However, because I had to have two hemorrhoidectomies in a row, essentially just a couple weeks apart, the second to correct the botched job of the first, I ended up with permanent anal stricture. What that means for me is I have to use my homemade coco butter suppositories for each bowel movement or I risk getting anal fissures over and over again.

Plus side is I won the war against anal fissures despite doctors telling me there are no cures outside of surgery for anal fissures. Coco butter suppositories completely prevent anal fissures.

Other plus side, no sensation of hemorrhoids, no throbbing painful veins. But I was told by a rectal surgeon only a year after surgery that he saw some small hemorrhoids in my butt. I cannot tell you how much I did not like that news, but I have sworn to avoid the things that probably led me to get the hemorrhoids in the first place, which were heavy weightlifting, sitting too long on the toilet, straining at going to the bathroom. I now religiously using metamucil to get around my chronic constipation, and using a slant board to invert myself after prolonged sitting and undo the gravity effects on my butt veins that could lead to hemorrhoids.

I say it took a complete 2 years to completely heal, and the important turning point for me was when I discovered coco suppositories as that finally let me heal from persistent post surgical fissures I had despite the nitroglycerin and other assorted rx stuff the doctors gave me that failed to heal the recurrent fissures from my stricture.

I learned that most of the rectal surgeons will mince words with you and not tell you that this surgery takes from a year to two years to totally heal, the length depending on any complications you may have had in the surgery as I had.

But, rest assured, the day will come when your butt will no longer be an issue. Where you can hear butt jokes and not cringe or get neurotic, and laugh again.

How do I make my coco butter suppositories? I get sticks of 100 percent cocoa butter from my local pharmacy or online (called the yellow stick), melt two of them in a glass measuring cup in my microwave for 3 minutes so they are liquid. Then I pour them into suppository molds I have prechilled in my freezer and stick the molds into my fridge. In a few hours I will then have 40suppositories that I store in a small container in my fridge.

I have gotten to be a pro at using them and can even insert them standing up in a second and then have a protected lubricated bm that shields me from any fissures and makes the inside of my rectum baby soft...okay a joke, but you have to find the humor somewhere!

So rest assured your blues will be long gone one day and you will be free of the terrible problems you once had with hemorrhoids, even if you end up with anal stricture as I did. Then it is your responsibility to practice good bm habits to make sure you never have to suffer again hemorrhoids.

I figure it took 38 years for mine to start bothering me, so I've got another good 38 years to go. Only this time I won't do any powerlifter heaving squatting I once did that no doubt contributed to my hemorrhoid problems in the first place.

tammynoska

Tammynoska,
Thank you so much for posting how you are doing now. I greatly appreciate it. I am not doing well mentally right now with how I am recovering from this surgery. I now have a fissure which is very painful as you know. I am interested in your cocoa butter suppositories. Where did you get a suppository mold? Also, what do you use as a lubricant before you go? Please reply back if you can.
ericollin

Ericollin…

Sorry to hear that you aren’t doing well. I wish I could give you some advice but not knowledgeable enough at this point. Believe it or not, I have been thinking of you and your family a lot lately.

If you need a shoulder to cry on I’m here for you. I seem to have done my share to others lately so now it’s my turn to help.

Take care…Ericollin

mc :)

MC,
First of all, I am glad to hear that you have gotten rid of your impaction. I was really worried about you. I hope things now get better for you soon.

Thank you for your reply. I do need a shoulder to cry on. My husband and my mother are trying to be supportive of me but they just think I should put mind over matter and just move on. It is hard to do that when your butt still hurts 6 weeks after this stupid surgery. I hate that I had this surgery and wish that I had found this message board before I had the surgery because I NEVER would have had the surgery. I wish I could turn back time and choose to NOT have the surgery. I am very worried that I now have a fissure and that is why I am in pain and still bleeding. I don't think that I am going to call my doctor though because he is just a jerk and I know won't help me. I really need to find another doctor who will give me some answers. I am just physically and mentally exhausted. My mom flew in from out of town to help us out because I just don't have the energy to take care of my family right now as I have a 7 week old baby that is still not sleeping through the night. I am hoping that I am doing better by the time she leaves. Please keep me in your prayers as I really need them right now.
ericollin

Ericollin --- I wrote on the other thread about fissures??

Hello Ericollin…

Sorry…I didn’t forget you. I have had so much to do since Sunday. Yesterday I met with our builder, water, electric, and gas company, tile people, floor…etc. We are so close to being done but yet so many little things to work out.

I also had to go to my daughter’s school yesterday and today. I told her teacher I would help her with some things in the class room yesterday and we had a “so called” field trip today. (It’s raining cats and dogs today.) I hope she doesn’t need me anymore this week because I don’t have the energy to go.

Regarding you…I wish I could be there for you. I know your mother is leaving shortly and I would love to take care of you and your family. I love babies…cooking…cleaning…taking charge. I’m not used to being the one needing things.

Please take care Ericollin and my thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family.

mc

MC,
Thank you for thinking about me. It makes me feel good to read your posts and to know that you understand what I am going through and that you care.

I am not used to being the one who needs things either. I just want to be my old self again. I now feel trapped here in my house because either my butt feels terrible or I am afraid to leave the house because I may need to use the bathroom.

How are you staying so active while recovering from this? How many hemorrhoids did you have removed? I had three cut and stitched. It was such a mistake.

Thank you for caring so much and know that I am keeping you in my thoughts and prayers too,
ericollin

Hi Ericollin

Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you but things have been pretty crazy around here. I spoke with our builder yesterday and hope to get an occupancy permit next week. If that happens, we will be moving Thanksgiving weekend. (Guess I won’t be cooking!!!) :)

To add to our chaos my husband went to work Wednesday morning and was told by his NEW branch manager that he had to let four of his employees go. After that, the branch manager let my husband go. :( So…this didn’t make for a very good evening.

I loved reading your last post to me because I lived in Lake County Indiana for many years. Plus…I also went to Purdue University in West Lafayette. Never did finish because I ran out of money but I did land a great job after school and retired a V.P.

Earlier you asked about my family. I only have one living child and what a little P.I.B. (Pain in butt!!!) Would not trade her for anything. She was my miracle baby. I’ve given birth to three between 24 and 26 weeks but none of the babies survived. Lost another three in my first trimester and another one because of an umbilical cord strangulation. Sorry if TMI but I think this is where my hemorrhoids came from.

When I had my drive-thru surgery I had three external and two internal hemorrhoids. They bothered me now and then but I don’t think I was to the point of needing surgery.

I went to a walk-in clinic about a year ago because I had one that got huge and hurt bad but wasn’t able to get into a surgeon for over a week. It went down and I said forget it. They flared up on me again about two months ago so I went to see my usual family doctor this time to get some meds. He felt I should just get them taken care of and sent me to the doctor that did his.

Next thing I knew I was having a colonoscopy one day and surgery the next. Didn’t think much about it because he told me up front that I would have some discomfort but should be back to normal in a couple of weeks. I’m thinking he wasn’t totally honest. :rolleyes:

The rest is pretty much history on this board. Couldn’t pass gas, pee or poop and ended up in the E.R. Now I can’t hold back my gas and when I have to go, I have to go NOW! I'm starting to think that I have lost all muscle control down there. Oh well. Just have to keep going because I don’t have time to be down. (Today I have crowd control at school for my daughters Thanksgiving meal.)

Need to run but please take care and hope things are going better for you.

mc

Hi MC,
Thank you so much again for your reply. Your new house sounds like it is going to be real nice.

I am still really mad that I had this surgery. I am so mad that the surgeon who did my hemorrhoid surgery did not say anything about waiting at least 6 weeks before having them removed. My OB's office sent me to this surgeon so why didn't they tell me to go and see him but please wait 6 weeks before having anything done. I feel like my whole lower body needs to be rebuilt.

I do need to try and focus on the positive which has been very hard for me right now. From all this trouble I do have my beautiful children. MC, you seem to be SO positive and strong even through all your troubles that is why I love writing back and forth with you. Please keep writing when you have the chance.

WE WILL FEEL BETTER SOON!!!!
Ericollin

Hey Ericollin

I do love reading your posts also. I’ve learned a lot from what you, Harry and many others have discussed.

When you were telling me about getting your second opinion, your new doctor said something I had thought from the beginning. You have enough issues down there after birth, why add any more. You hurt, you’re stretched, your hormones are waaay out of whack and you have major hemorrhoids after giving birth. I give you credit for even thinking about it.

I wish I could give you more encouragement this evening but I just can’t. I’m starting to think I may need to change sights for my posts.

You commented on my positive outlook earlier but it is starting to get to me. Earlier I had told you that I think my hemorrhoids came about because of my many pregnancies. Well, the last one I had before my daughter was born would have been eight years old on November 3. I still can’t forget. I miss him very much because I had just lost my father less than three months prior because of an auto accident. :(

Today I’m starting to just get tired. Between the house, my husband’s recent unemployment, loss of insurance and my aching butt I don’t know what I should do. The only thing I have to look forward to is seeing my colon and rectal surgeon on Wednesday. This will be the first time since my surgery. (Four weeks!!!!!)

I have so many questions for him. First and foremost why did he tell me I would feel fine in two weeks! From there, why did I have and still do have so many problems with BMs? I still fear going to the bathroom because of the discomfort.

I could keep going but I guess I’m getting tired of @*&#$ing to you this evening. What I should be doing is seeing how you are feeling. That leads me to see if you have seen your physical therapist yet? If so…please tell me about your exercises. I will do anything at this point to strengthen my butt muscles so I can just get on with my life.

Please take care and I will keep you and your family in my prayers this evening.

mc

MC,
I am sorry you are not doing well. I am not doing well either. I did not have a BM yesterday which was okay. I thought it actually might be good so that that area would have more time to heal without the BM trauma. Well, I had a BM this morning and I still have blood and burning. This is so frustrating. Let me tell you the regret about having the hemorrhoid surgery keeps growing and growing by the day. There is absolutely NO WAY I should have had that surgery so soon after giving birth. I just figured that if I was healing on the front end why not have the back end taken care of then too. The surgeon was willing to do the surgery (which leads me to believe that all he really is concerned about is $ $ $.) I had family around for 2 weeks and I had the notion (from the *&#@*%$ surgeon) that I would be completely healed in 2 weeks. The surgeon gave me such poor pre-op and post-op directions (like you said, basically I had a drive-thru surgery) that I was almost impacted which is not a good thing.

I am trying to stay positive but every time I go to the bathroom I worry about the act of going and the outcome. I know, this is probably TMI but I cannot stop worrying. I am a worrier by nature and all these health problems of mine have really thrown me into a constant worry-mode.

I am also seeing a new colorectal surgeon (not the one who did the surgery) on Monday afternoon. I want to get his opinion on my healing back there. And ask him why I am still bleeding and having so much pain and burning during a BM. I just want to be healed and normal.

Please take care too and I will keep you and your family in my prayers too.
Ericollin

I tried to submit a post yesterday but it seems to be rejected. Anyway,I had a hemorroidectomy on 23 September 2006. I am in the Military and the operation was done in a Military hospital. I got up to go to the bathroom (right away) about 5 times right after the surgery because I kept having the urge to go. Whatever the doc put inside me came out and I was bleeding somewhat but I did not say anything because my stomach was upset and I did not want them to make me more sore at the time by putting another gauze etc. back in! They gave me a liquid diet in the hospital (soup/gelatin etc.) They told me that once I got home I could eat other food but if I felt really bad/painful to go back to the liquid diet. (Which I have not seen anyone post at all for this problem!) (There are also liquid vitamins and liquid iron too!).
The doctor gave me percocet and valium to take. They also had me taking antibiotics for the first 10 days. It is important to take these and not to miss any doses! (or you may find yourself with an infection!) He told me to start taking as warm baths as I could stand as soon as possible several times a day. I was worried about the bleeding problem too but I think you are going to bleed somewhat anyway, so the baths really help a lot! (Don't listen to those people that tell you not to take them unless you are positivly hemmorraging and I mean bleeding massively!) I have been taking them about 2 to 5 times a day. Several times I took them at night when I was in pretty bad pain and fell asleep in the bathtub. (I have a "thing" that is made for the tub to rest your neck on and it keeps you from slipping down into the tub!)
I decided to get the general anesthesia and I was sick so they kept me over night (instead of going home right away). I did go pee twice that night with no major problems/pain (I did not push in the back region at the time!) The day after that I called my Platoon Sergeant to have him take me to the hospital (at five o'clock in the morning) because I was throwing up. I stayed a few hours (I was the only one in the waiting room when I got there, amazingly enough plus I started throwing up as soon as I came in the door. Luckily I had brought a bag with me!) and then they sent me home with some medication to calm my stomach. I My first few BM's (in particular) felt like I was going to have a baby but I squatted and I finally went. The doctor told me if I needed to, to go to the bathroom in the tub but I found it utterly disgusting and could not do so! (If that was the last resort I would have had to but thankfully, so far, have not had to!) My doctor did not give me any stool softener (amazingly enough) so I went and bought some. I am on 30ty days convalescent leave and I live alone. My aunt and cousin live nearby and do not drive so I have driven (quite a few times) to the store etc. They also did not come to the house after the operation but I was able to manage on my own! (thankfully!) I find that I am getting a pain down my right leg (in particular) after I go which comes when my bu-- is aching and seems to go away when my bu-- isn't as sore. I am wondering if it is a nerve or something about the position I was in during the operation etc. I also find that getting up and walking around (in the back yard) and down the street actually seems to help me a lot! (amazingly enough) but being in the Military I was always very active anyway. Today, (13 Nov) I went back to the clinic to get some more pain medication because I just ran out. I was also told that I would only be sore for a few days and then be ok. I did the liquid diet for the 3rd and 4th day that I was home. The 5th through 7th day I had some milk and chocolate which made my stools very loose but it was MUCH better than having a hard time going! I have been standing up to go (Squatting) as well as wadding up a ball of Toilet paper and push (not too hard but somewhat firm) into my front region when I go and it also seems to help. I also try to push with my abdominal muscles and try not to use the muscles down lower as much unless the BM is right there. I have been reading that people in countries who squat have very little problems with hemmorroids. When I was in Afghanistan I always squatted because the bathroom was so nasty and I never had any problems there. (Although I have had hemorroids since my children were born over 20ty years ago!) In some parts of Korea the bathroom was a hole in the ground so you had to squat. The reason I went and got the hemorroidectomy is that I have been bleeding more and more (starting this year) and I had bleed pretty bad for 5 days before I went into the clinic and had the operation scheduled.
One thing that I think though is that the doctor did not take enough of one of the veins out because it is right in the way and that I might have more issues (have to get another operation or something else done).

:) Hello ericollin…

Just wanted to check in and see how you are doing. I know you told me that you go to the physical therapist on Wednesday but just wanted to see if your BMs have gotten any easier. Last time we spoke you had said you are still bleeding. Has that stopped yet?

I was starting to get a little nervous today regarding mine. I have been taking two stool softeners plus fiber and gallons of water. Yesterday nothing happened. Last night I increased the stool softeners to three. Today I had a little one but it wasn’t easy coming out and did it hurt!!! (Sorry if TMI.)

Wednesday I get to go and see my surgeon for the first time since my surgery. I have many questions for him. The first one being why he and others are not so truthful in regards to the recovery time and procedures. Yes that is childish but darn this surgery hurts BAD!!!

Oh well, enough negative. Do want to update you on the big move. Sounds like we should be moving in Thanksgiving day!!!! We probably could have done it this weekend but I will be up your way for a baby shower. I’d rather stay home and start moving but I can’t. Too good of a friend to do that to.

Need to run but please take care and keep in touch!

mc

Hi MC,
The good thing is that I found a colorectal doctor who actually listens to me and wants to help me. The bad thing is that he has told me that I have a fissure. I am trying to heal it by resting and doing warm baths and using a special cream that he has a special pharmacy make. I am very disappointed about this as I didn't have the hemorrhoids removed in order to have another rear-end issue. I am not doing well mentally because of all these medical issues. However, my friends and family are all helping me. Hope you are doing better than I am. Good luck with your move. I can't imagine moving while trying to heal from this surgery. I will keep you and your family in my prayers.
ericollin

Hello fellow suffers! I have gone back and I (also) have been reading the hemorroidectomy blues postings but I am only up to page #61 (so far)! I went and sent away for the Gutu Kola which one person swore by. I just sent away today so it will probably be several days before it arrives. I am wondering how bad it will burn (to use it) because I still have bleeding (3 weeks after surgery). I originally went in to have it done because for 5 days I had a lot of blood each time that I went. I am also afraid that the bleeding may have/still be comning from further up the tract. I also (like at least one person) still have a tag that I can see (since the day that I got home from the hospital). I hope that it eventually goes down! I am now 43 and I had hemmorroids show up in the middle of my first pregnancy (So it wasn't just from giving birth but also because of the baby/babies sitting down there).For one thing my uterus is tilted backwards. I never really had much problem in the pain department (until the operation!) though so I haven't went to the doctor for them since my children were born (over 20ty years ago). I do believe mine were classified as class 4 because they couldn't be pushed back in though! I still have major pain when I go and I usually have to jump into the tub immediatly to feel better. It is not just where I sit (also like one guy) but my muscles tense up from my butt all the way down my legs (especially on my right side). I am also wondering if I possibly have varicose veins (I know I have some on my hands and feet) deeper in my legs! (Which may be part of the problem!) I was reading (for the varicose surgery in the legs) that it is important to do a good amount of walking as soon as possible right after the surgery. My mom has pretty bad varicose veins in her legs so part of this is probably hereditary.

ericollin…

Thanks for the post and I am doing pretty good. What bothers me though is I’m still not having a BM everyday, I bleed after words and it still hurts. I’m using the Colace brand stool softener but I don’t want to have to rely on it for the rest of my life.

My issues are minor compared to yours. I hated to hear that you have a fissure. Did this come about since your surgery or did you have it prior? Also, how can you handle so much intrusion on your backside? When I went to the ER for my compaction issue, I thought I was going to die when the doctor did a rectal exam. My husband was with me at the time and he thought I was going to fall off the bed. (I know my husband was laughing at me being the kind, loving, caring person he is.) :rolleyes:

I’m still a little apprehensive to see my doctor tomorrow because he’ll probably want to check out his work, but yet I have many questions for him. I can say my doctor was kind for the most part and I don’t think he’s in it just for the money but I do wish he would not have kept me in the dark about so much both before and after the surgery.

I need to run because I still have things to do this evening but just wanted to check in on you. I’ll keep praying for you for a very speedy recovery. Take care.

mc

Hello again! Anyone out there? (No one has written to me and I have posted on this board twice). I am supposed to be going back to work in 7 more days. (And I am in the Military) Hopefully everything will be ok. At least I will be outprocessing in January 07! (I am retiring!) I am still burning, stinging and bleeding after I go! Today, I used the wet TP method after I went and it really did cool the area right away! My cousin (last week suggested that I take the pain killers before I go (and not afterwards like I have been doing). Sometimes it is hard to tell exactly when I am going to go but today as soon as I got the urge I took the percocet. I do not sit in the toilet a long time now (since the operation). I may go into the bathroom about 10 times (or whatever it takes) but if I do not start right away I go away and walk around etc. I still have to push (at least a little) every time I go even if my stool are pretty watery. I may have stenois. There is still what looks like a hemorroid right there (Which seems to be blocking everything when it comes out!) Hopefully it is "just" a swelling and will go away!!!! The doctor told me (when I was in preop) that I may need further operations. (He was afraid of taking out too much but at this point I think he did not take out enough!) He mentioned the possibility of stenosis after an operation like this one. Anyone have any comments???

I am now up to page 115 (out of 200!) Some of the posts made we wince, others I can say I have similiar situations to and several made me laugh (about the squirrels) looking at one guy walking around with no clothes on (in Georgia) and another from a lady from England that was saying to put "it" (the ointment in the refrigerator) not the butt! (Maybe it would work to put the butt in the icebox as well!) Some sites advise using ice (I guess using a towel) down there. I tried it twice and it worked so so. I am not taking medimucil but I am eating a variety of foods including fruits etc but I do take 2 colace in the morning and 2 at night. So far that seems to be working for me! One of my other friends had another problem with her intestines a few years ago and her doctor told her to take the stool softener indefinately. (forever!) The store bought fiber seems to clog me up (more than anything else) so I haven't been using it. I do have to say that one person posted that one night her hubbie bought her chocolate as she said "Is he trying to kill me or what?" Actually chocolate is a "natural" laxitive and I had my best BM's around Halloween when I was eating a lot of (soft) chocolate! I bought some more chocolate mints today and see how things go! (They make chocolate ex lax but I am leery about taking that!). A day after I got home from the hospital and I had a very hard time going I went to the store and purchased some things as well as a children's laxitive called "Fletchers". I was also afraid of taking anything too strong and it seems to be working ok. (I have taken it twice in the last 3 weeks!). A few days ago I bleed pretty bad before the BM even came out! (bright red blood!) It was a soft but very long BM and I think that I have at least one fissure! (Remember I was bleeding for 5 days before I went in, each time the toilet was full of bright red blood but I am not sure how much it was exactly!) The "funny" thing is that the next day's BM was much harder but I hardly bleed at all! When I was having the bleeding (before the operation) I was not having any pain!

I am now up to page 137. I was wondering if Tammynsz, anitraw, Ibp35, buckeyebaby, dan123, rcl, ochiati, Harry, Frianne, cjf, runninggal, SuzyQ0928 or anyone who has previously posted on this issue is still around? Also, how they are doing these days?

Hi MC,
I am glad you are doing well especially since you are moving soon. How did your doctor visit go?

I am trying to follow word-for-word what my colorectal specialist has told me about healing this fissure. I did not have this fissure before the hemorrhoidectomy. I blame the hemorrhoidectomy for it. I do NOT want anymore surgery done down there EVER. I see the colorectal doctor again on Monday. Please keep praying that this fissure heals on its own and quickly.

I hope to hear from you before the weekend but if I don't I hope you have a good trip up north. ericollin

Marilyn,
Sorry I have not replied to you. I haven't been on in a few days to check messages. Yes, I have gone back and read much of the other Hemorrhoidectomy thread. I did ask the same question as to where all those people are now. Only one person wrote back on this thread and that was Tammynoska. Look back and you will see how she is doing today.

I am sorry to hear that you still might have to have more surgery. I hope and pray to NEVER have any more surgery back there ever again. I am still bleeding too and my surgery was almost 8 weeks ago. I did not have a fissure before the surgery and now I have one. I definitely wouldn't have had the surgery if I knew it was going to cause me another problem with even more pain.

Hang in there! WE WILL HEAL QUICKLY!!!
ericollin

Hi Marilyn,
One of your posts caught my eye when you said that you had pain in your right leg. Pain in my right buttock is where it hurts most with me. I am on my 6th month after surgery for hemorrhoids and a fissure. I had much pain before the surgery. Before the surgery, I was treated by the doctor and I kept a diary of foods(fiber especially), water and reactions. If I had read all the postings started in 2003, I might have used stool softener but I got through it those first very difficult months. I had tried metamucil previously and knew it didn't work efficiently for me. (Our bodies and maladies are all different.) I used citrucel after the surgery and had much better results. (There is always the possibility that I will go back to using the metamucil, though, if my body wants the firmer result.) At 6 weeks, I felt okay enough to do some almost heavy yardwork. (I think that it was a little to early though.) For 2 months, I didn't notice any bleeding at the 3 to 5 month stage. Then, I had a setback (possibly because I was in a position where I couldn't drink or eat for several hours or maybe because of the healing process and scarring). (I've copied many of the postings of people who have had extensive surgery just so that I can remind myself that there are setbacks.)
I also noticed that you had discussed swelling. I remember that it took my swelling a long time to go away. My doctor told me to not sit on the toilet for more than 5 minutes. (I actually had a clock in the bathroom for awhile so that I would not sit long.) A godsend for me was the showerhead with a flexible hose. In those first months after surgery , I would pat my bottom some (not thoroughly) after a BM and then, I would get in the shower and adjust the showerhead to a light spray and clean off the rest.
I'm still enjoying the baths.
Hope this helps!

Marilyn,
I wanted to add that I broke the 5 minute rule in the early weeks after surgery. Because of the swelling, it was difficult. I have learned to listen to my body more. I go when I need to go. Also, for my right buttock, I try not to cross my legs. (I'm thinking that it is a sciatic nerve problem. I read in a book that to help alleviate sciatic nerve pain, you shouldn't cross your legs.) Hope you are feeling better.

:) Hello Ericollin

Sounds like things went well for you yesterday at the PT. Hopefully you will be seeing a light at the end of the pain tunnel soon.

I got to see my doctor yesterday and it went very well also. He had to examine his work and boy was that embarrassing. One good thing is he didn’t do an internal check at this time. He said he doesn’t like to do them this early after surgery because he feels it could cause some damage. (Kind of late telling me that.) I don’t have to go back and see him until December 27th! That’s where he wants to see how things look on the inside.

One thing he didn’t understand is why I didn’t continue taking stool softeners after my surgery. I told him that his nurse said I didn’t need them anymore. Beg to differ. I’m taking three a day now and haven’t had a BM since Tuesday. He also told me that I can start taking some fiber now. He doesn’t like to start that right after surgery because it causes the stools to be larger which will make it more painful when you go.

One thing I did ask is why he didn’t tell me everything before surgery. He told me that people do not realize how painful this surgery is. He said don’t you remember me telling you that you would have quite a bit of discomfort with the surgery. Yes he did tell me that but I think he should tell people you will have a LOT OF PAIN with this surgery. Plus you may have to poop and pee in the bath tub. YUCK!

What’s the weather supposed to be like up there this weekend? Were leaving tomorrow after my daughter gets out of school but I haven’t even started to pack yet. I really don’t want to go but I have to. There is so much I should be doing here for the move. The builder said it looks like a go for next week. We have our final inspection on Monday morning and the second coat on my hardwood floors in the afternoon.

The only good thing about going up north is I will get to have some real pizza.

Need to run but take care and I will chat with you when I get back!!

mc

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:) Marilyn,

Just wanted to say “Hi” and welcome to “I have a Pain in my Butt” club. As you may have read in previous posts I have been pretty busy lately but I have been reading your posts. I do want to talk with you in the near future but just don’t have the time tonight.

Please take care and I’m sorry I didn’t respond sooner.

mc

Hi everyone!

mcxl-I am also wondering about the medimucil thing (for bulking up). I went and bought some yesterday but I am leery about taking it because a few weeks before the surgery I was taking fiber con and I was having really bulky stools and I seemed to be constipated. When I think of it it may have caused or added to my initial (major) bleeding problem!

ericollin- (So far) I have been using the store bought type of colace. The doctor did not (initally) give me any! I went out and bought some right away because (many moons ago) when I had my tubes tied (tubal ligation) I remember the doctor giving me them then and it really helped. That was also a very miserable operation. I remember being in bad pain for more than a month after and walking in baby steps every where I went for over a month. (At least-so far- I am not doing that now!) When I went back for more pain killers (percocet) he did give me a prescription for DOCQLACE (but I also wonder if this is the "cheap stuff" too.

tom ouch- Did you take the sitz baths? I was afraid of (still am afraid of) major bleeding. I was doing some major bleeding before the operation and in the past have had hemorraging problems-although these were female realted! I found out that I could not take aspirin when I was 15 due to hemorraging problems. Tylenol doesn't do anything for me so Motrin is usually my "drug of choice". I've used it before having (several) root canals done and for other major pains! (including migranes!) I am afraid to use it now though! Anyway, back to the sitz baths, I always pour some lemon/aloe shower jel or liquid soap that kills bacteria. This is the plus side of the baths. However, the bleeding is the down side. I did not notice any bleeding in the tub or when I got out. (So far it is only when I go #2)

puddin- This brings me to my next issue. I am trying to wean off the sitz baths (Which I will have to do when I am at work starting next week anyway, at least for the time of the day that I am working!) Tomorrow, I am going to go and buy one of those removeable type shower heads! I was also wondering if I was having sciatic nerve problems! My cousin (God bless her soul, she passed away in her early thirties) had told me that she had sciatic nerve trouble after having her daughter! I have not been sitting oo my legs or crossing them since I had the operation. Serveral nights I tried to sleep with my feet elevated. (I am not sure if it helped or not!) I have been using a heating blanket because (like the sitz baths) it relaxes my legs (muscles) somewhat/enough to get a comfortable sleep! I may also buy a (soft type) stool tomorrow to put my legs up on when I am sitting on the couch and see if that helps! I walk around a lot and do exercises (such as bicycling into the air/with my butt off the floor. It's like I am not getting enough blood flow into my legs (especially the one on the right!)

mc-How are you doing? I had an OB appointment yesterday and I thought that I might have to have a BM right before I left the house or once I reached the clinic so I took a percocet. Thank God I did not have to go until I got home! The actual exam did not bother me any more than normal. I did not bleed yesterday but I did (some) today. The last few days I have only been going once a day! (This may or may not be a good thing!) I have not been eating as much since the operation and I have lost 10lbs. I was trying to loose some weight because I had gained about 10 lbs last year. So far, I feel like I am full most of the time. I think the colace keeps more water in the bowels contributing to that feeling. I have been drinking (warm) tea at night (one or two mugs) and I also finds that it helps to relax me before bed time!

Hi Marilyn...:)

Sounds like you are still having problems from your surgery. I am so sorry to hear that. Do you wish you wouldn't of had this surgery done? I can't say I'm glad I did. I like many of us have had such a hard time since. I just wish the doctors would not leave us out in the cold about so much.

When you were asking about the fiber, I'm not sure what I would do if I were you. I didn't take it at first and still ended up in the ER because I hadn't gone for over a week. When I did go, I was almost wishing some one would just shoot me. The pain was awful.

Harry was the first one to tell me about the fiber and to continue on the stool softeners which I started doing again. The softeners seem to be helping some but I'm not going every day like I did before the surgery. My doctor did tell me that you don't need to go every day. As long as you are not uncomfortable then it's not really a problem. I've found if I don't go every day I just start feeling like crap. Each day after gets even worse.

You want to know what was really fun...I got to ride in a truck for 7-1/2 hours today and I get to do the same thing Sunday. Then when I get home I have to work on my husbands books. When I get done with that I need to do some more packing. I just don't have time to feel like #@&$!!!!!

Sorry...Needed to vent for a moment.

When you were asking about the bath thing, I don't think I have taken one since I finally had that awful BM. The thought of sitting in a tub to this day makes me hurt. Maybe that could be why I'm still having so much discomfort when I go. It still feels like I'm trying to poop glass or razor blades. Is it the same for you?

I need to run but I will keep you in my prayers for a quick healing of your bottom. Going back to work does not sound like fun. Please take care and will chat with you soon.

mc

mc,

I believe if you don't use fiber and develop a normal size stool you may end up with too small an anus that could result in an anus tear or fissure and more problems-- even dilation of the rectum.

Since 11/16 at 12 am my wife has been having severe painful gallbladder problems.No past history of GB problems -- ever. Her GB was removed 11/16 at 9pm and she was release 11/17 at 3:15 pm -- She is sore but doing OK.

Pretty good for a wife of 51 years and will be 70 next month.
The point I wanted to make is intestinal health is very important and most doctors give very little direction or information about what needs to be done until you have painful problems with any surgery.

My wife had BMs prior to surgery and about 14 hours after surgery. The surgeon said that he thought she would be there 2 or 3 days was amazed because constipation & nausea is very common using strong pain meds and after being put to sleep for surgery.

I think being informed is extremely important because as you are learning the advice you get before surgery and after --- when it is really needed is not very good information from Doctors or their staff.

It is very easy to tell a person after having problems what they should have been done!

Harry

Harry,

Best wishes to your wife for a continued smooth recovery. You all sound like an amazing couple!

Hi,
Continuing Harry's theme with fiber, I thought I might mention the website I liked really well. It is a fiber calculation list (included in the section for children with constipation). It is http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/guides/encopre.htm
It includes many of the everyday foods.

Harry, I wish your wife well!

Marilyn,
I feel bad for you that you are going back to work so soon! (In those early weeks, sitting AND standing are uncomfortable.)
With the buttock nerve pain, moving and walking around help me, too. I noticed less pain when I was out scraping and painting, chipping and shredding.
I bought a small squirt bottle which I fill with water. I put this in my purse so that when I am away from home, I will have an extra aid in cleansing.

Take care!

ALL

How is everyone? When I was at the clinic, the other day, I asked for a copy of my operation report. (That is where they keep my medical records.) They said that they did not a copy of the operation report there. Next I went to the surgery clinic (at the hospital) and they told me that I had to go to another office (near the admissions office) and I finally got it! (Persistence pays off!)
The type of anesthesia they gave me is called endotracheal. I ran to the bathroom about 5 times while in post op because I kept have a feeling like I had to go! (A lot of it was due to the packing down there which came out right away!) Unlike some people my anesthesia seemed to wear off very quickly as I could tell that going #2 was going to be very painful right away! They did a 1, 2 and 3 gloved digital exam (While I was under the anesthesia) and it revealed "no perianal pathology other than the previously-described hemorroids." (Which to me sounds like they didn't find any other problems) . He also used a perianal block prior to this exam. They wound up removing 2 (out of 3) hemorroids. They removed a right anterior and a right postior internal and externa. These were forwarded to the lab. They left the "small" left lateral internal hemorrhoid there. Actually, I think that this is the one that was/is causing most (if not all) of my bleeding and now pain! It is right there (in the way) and I think it is still causing some blockage. I was reading about one procedure where they can freeze the hemmorroid off but I do not know if it would work for this type of hemorroid. Has anyone heard of or had this type of removal done before?

ALL

Hi again! (I get leery of writing too much in one posting because of past experiences of the information not getting posted etc. Anyway, back to the surgery. Before cutting each one off they used a buie clamp and a 3-0 chromic suture. Then the anoderm was left open (?) and the buie clamp was removed and then the suture line was oversewn using the same suture. This same procedure was used on the other side. I have also noticed they in the description of operation box there is a choice of major and minor (surgery) and there is an X in the major block!

I was also wondering since the one closest to the front of my body wasn't removed if it had anything to do with me not having problems with going #1! I've noticed that some people have major problems with this!

Marilyn,

I think the problem with females is their urethra is so short ( half an inch or so) and as a result for many they are easily get infected -- Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) by E-Coli bacteria from your stool.

So, surgeons try to stay away from that area!! They may do that front rectal area by itself-- particularly if you have multiple hemorrhoids that require surgery.

I wish you well ---Harry

ALL

I went back to work today. Yesterday, I was so stressed out I could hardly eat or drink anything. (While I was on leave they moved the whole company, lock, stock and barrell to the other side of post). I am the supply sergeant and my replacement finally came in while I was on convalescent leave. I had some cereal (raisin bran) and later some stringbeans. Today, (so far) I did not do a #2 all day. I did take my stool softener this morning and I am about to take 2 more. I have also been taking fletchers laxative (for kids) if I don't go by noon or so so tonight I am late in taking it.
I went on sick call this morning and they told me to go up to the hospital to see my surgeon but my surgeon had left a meassage for me (when I stopped by last Friday). He will not be back until tomorrow.
A big problem that I have is that I can hardly drink enough water etc. I am lucky if I have 4 or 5 glasses of fluid a day. My stomach gets so full/bloated and sometimes upset and it will not go down without me really forcing it!

mcxl

When I first started sitting in the tub, the only thing I could do was to sit on a towel.

puddin

I went to Wal-Mart (the other day) and picked up a few things. I bought a contraption that fits on the place where the water comes out when you are taking bath only it did not fit either one of my tubs. I tried cutting it to size and that did not work either. I need to see about buying a squirt bottle!

Marilyn,
I'm sorry the shower hose didn't work. (When we moved to our house, there was already a flexible hose with the appropriate plumbing fixtures. I eventually changed the hoses to one that had a shower head with a gentle spray. I think a hard spray would hurt at this point.) Trying to make it fit is something I , also, would do. (To clean around the lawn tractor motor, I have used a balloon around the vacuum hose to attach to a straw with a rubberband for extra support.) I think I might have read with the 2003 postings that someone purchased a bidet' (sp?). I think it cost around one hundred dollars, though.
I hope you have some reprieve from the pain!

Hi puddin, how are you doing? It is really great to have people to talk to about similiar problems! Today was my second day back at work. I went back to my surgeon today and he looked and said that everything looks ok. I do have a fissure but (in my case anyway) the fissure is the place where they operated trying to heal (scab). I still feel like I am passing glass and it burns and hurts. I am also still bleeding some. It has been approx 4 weeks since my surgery. I am still getting that really bad cramping in my right leg after I go which can last for hours. It usually dies down when my botton pain/swelling dies down. The physician said that he never had anyone with this particular complaint after this surgery. He gave me some nitroglycerin anal ointment which is supposed to relax the muscles down there. He said to use it very sparingly because it can cause a headache due to it going to the brain and causing those blood vessels to constrict. (I hope I am using the right word). So far I used it once today. (The first time that I went while I was at work!) while I still had the other problems the muscles didn't seem to spasm/cramp.

Hi Harry, how are you? I bought some things at the store today including mineral oil (which my surgeon suggested) along with several vitamins. I got some chewable vitamin C, some magnesium and some VIACTIV which contains calcium plus vitamin D and K. I believe that you mentioned that once when you were bleeding really bad that they gave you vitamin K. You refreshed my memory because when I was having those bad bleeding problems when I was in my teens my doctor had me taking vitamin C 3 times a day and iron tablets twice. I remember reading that vitamin K does help to stop the bleeding. I know that vitamin C works good for bad bruises! I do have a multivitamin already in my house but it contains vitamin E which I am leery about taking right now.
You were right. I talked to the surgon today and he said that he preferred to do 2 separate operations (if necessary) due to scaring and other problems(especially in women). I guess there is an up and a down side to almost everything!

I am at 4 weeks now and I am still having bad pain and burning when I go. How do you know when the stitches came out? I couldn't see any when I first got home. I believe most/all are inside and I can not see inside. What is the average amount of time it takes for the stitches to come out?

Harry-I sent away for some of that medirectal ointment.

Tammy (if you are still around) I tried that gotu kola but I have been having extreme(constant)burning and it seems to have made it worse! I will wait awhile before I see about using it again!

I have been reading all the posts about heorrhoidectomy blues and am now thinking that I'd rather deal with the pain in the butt hemmorroids than have the operation. I've had hemorroids for years. 22 years to be exact after my first child. Six more children later, they're still there and bulging everytime I have a BM. This feels so weird talking about this to people, but after reading all the posts I'll have to assume you get used to it. Is there anyone who has had a half way decent experience? Do you think I'm better of just dealing with the pain of the hemoroids and the occasional bleeding or is it worth it to have th operation. It seems that people ended up having more problems after the surgery in some cases. mom7

Mom7 How are you doing? That is a realy hard question to answer because I am still going through the daily pain and burning. If you ask me several months from now maybe I'd say sure go and get the surgery but right now I saw to try any other measures possible before getting the surgery.

On another note (very ironically!) I found out that my mom was admitted to the hospital on the day after Thanksgiving and guess what her main symptom is! Rectal bleeding probably caused from hemorroids although they are doing further investigating. She is 82 and as bad as the surgery is now (at my age of 43) imagine getting this surgery at 82 years old! Hopefully I will never have to go through this again! Especially at 82!

Harry I started taking the medimucil 2 days ago and so far it seems to be helping. I have also been breaking off parts of my aloe plant to help with the burning. It is supposed to be good at healing and not have very many side effects. I stopped taking the vitamin C (right now) because everything seems very acidic but I am still taking the vitamin K and potassium and (sometimes) the liquid iron.

mcxl

How is your moving going and how are you? Yes, it still feels like I am trying to pass glass!! The last few days I have been wetting the TP with warm water and putting it on the spot that is extremely sore when the BM comes out to try to keep the pain down and deflect it as much as possible! I had been wetting globs of TP with warm water and dabbing or sometimes leaving it there for several seconds or minutes until the spot calmed down somewhat. Sometimes I have to do this about 6 times in a row though. I am wondering if the stitches are still in and are causing some of the problem. Sometimes the scab appears to be really dry (at times) and it hurts so bad but being wet is also bad! I wonder if that ointment (I think it is bacitracin) which is made to keep scabs soft would work but I don't know if it can be used internally. I think the scab (like most things in life) needs to be medium, not too hard and not too soft! The next time that I am in the supermarket I will look again and make sure that I get the right name. How many weeks has it been for you now? Have you already passed your stitches or do you know?

Ericollin

How have you been doing lately? I am especially worried when I hear that women have this operation either right before or right after having a baby! You must have your hands full! Are you still having any bleeding, pain or burning? How many weeks has it been for you now?
There was one person called "Black Pearl" that posted near the end of the "original" hemorroidectomy blues. She was due any day and she had a hemorroidectomy right before having the baby! I hope that they did a caesarean for her! I wonder how she made out because I did not see any postings after that!

Ericollin, are you the one who had the surgery after having the baby? I used to tell my husband that I should have the surgery after I had my kids so I could get all the pain over with at the same time and be on my merry way. After reading all the things people wrote about the surgery and about your situation, I'm so glad I never had the surgery after having a baby and I've had seven babies. I got the hemmoroids while pushing for my first child and have had them ever since. I'm always thinking about having the surgery, but just havn't brought myself to go to the doctors to make the appointment. I'm definitely havin second thoughts. I'll probabally just deal with the pain after every bm and the bleeding. I havn't heard any positive outcomes yet. maybe because it's still too early to say if the surgery was worth it for most of the people that posted.

Marilyn,

I have never really asked a Doctor about dissolving stitches but my wife has an appointment in the morning -- for her 10 day post gallbladder removal checkup and I will ask.. She is doing very well !! From what I have heard -- dissolving stitches takes 10 to 12 days but I really don't know.

I take vitamin C daily-- in the Ester C form and it is non-acidic.

I am glad you are take a water soluble fiber suppement--- I have been doing this for 23 years -- and if you have read much on this board -- you will know that I use and highly recommend that everyone use a water soluble fiber supplement daily.

As you may know your rectum is about 8 inches long and you certainly can get hemorrhoids again. And, poor bowel movement habits caused by diet is the biggest cause!!

Sorry I didn't respond sooner---- Harry

Marilyn and Mom7,
Thank you for the concern. Yes, I am the crazy fool that had a baby and then had a hemorrhoidectomy a week later. I thought the same thing, "Why not get all the pain and the healing over at the same time" especially while I had my parents and my husband home to help me. Well, I will tell you now that I would rather have lived with those hemorrhoids than the pain I am having now.

I am not doing well. I had the surgery almost 11 weeks ago and I am still afraid to go to the bathroom. I also now have a fissure that is much more painful than the thrombosed hemorrhoid I got just before my baby was born. I wish every day that I could go back to the time before I had the surgery and make the decision NOT to have it. However, there is no going back but only forward. I am hoping that I can heal this fissure without another surgery. My surgeon did not tell me that I could get a fissure as a result of this surgery. He is a total JERK. I am now seeing another doctor to help me with the fissure. This doctor is using conservative measures in trying to heal it but I'm not sure my rear-end is responding. Please keep me in your prayers that I will heal without more surgery.
ericollin

Marilyn,
How is your recovery going? You haven't posted anything for awhile. Also, I was curious as to why your surgeon said that he treats women differently with this surgery than men? Did he tell you any specifics regarding that?

I would say don't do it if you can put up with the hemorrhoid problems. I had mine done 3 days ago and I am in agony. After reading all of the threads in hemorrhoidectomy blues 2, I want to post my own personal experience. What I really need help with is how to manage my food and bowel movements. I think I've learned to manage my pain pretty well.

ok. here goes my story:
I first started having bleeding episodes when I was 19 yrs old. I am 42 now. I was in college then and the doctor said it was because I was physically active (I was in gymnastics, fitness, tennis and soccer). I paid no attention to the bleeding and it eventually stopped. I've gone on with life and had 4 kids, sometime during which I developed hemorrhoids. My father had them and they would bleed, so I suspect I inherited the risk for getting them on top of having 4 children. Plus, I have a job where I sit at a desk all day. I am 35-40 lbs overweight as well. I think all of these factors contributed to my hemorrhoids. Well, I had the surgery on 12/7, Thursday. I am in agony and like ericollin, wish I could go back and undo what I have done.
I had spinal anesthesia and didn't feel pain when I was still in the recovery room. I was able to pee and walk around, so the nurses said I was "bouncing back" really well. At 5:45 pm, before I was to be released, the nurse had me take a percocet. I threw up everything in my system about 10 minutes later. She said she couldn't tell whether I had thrown up my pill or not, so to take another one two hours later (at home). I did so and threw up again. And again. By this time, 9:45 rolled around and I was without ANY pain medication in my body and the spinal anesthesia had completely worn off. I was in terrible agony. I had my husband drive me to Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio (military facility) emergency room. I was in tears and in horrible pain.
When they finally took me in which seemed like hours (it was only about 20 mins), they put an IV on me and gave me some morphine. That only helped take the edge off of the extreme pain I was in. The emerg room doc spoke to my surgeon who happened to be on call that night in the medical center. My surgeon told him to give me anti-nausea medicine and switch my pain killer to vicodin. They gave me one vicodin and watched me to see if I held it down ok. I did. I went home and began taking 1 vicodin every 4 hours.
I will post this and continue my story in another post.

My story: Page 2
I had to go online to educate myself on all the drugs I was given to take. I am not knowledgeable at all when it comes to medication since I've never had to take any. I think all doctors assume people know all about drugs. Long story short, I talked to a helpful nurse online who told me that I didn't have to wait 4 hours in between each Vicodin, but that I could take one every 2 hours if I was experiencing bad pain. So, I am now taking 8 - 10 Vicodin per day to manage my pain.
My bowel movements are the problem. Every time I go, it's like mc said: I feel like I'm having a baby. I am using Colace (two gel-pills each morning). I am seeing now that that is probably not enough, however, no instructions were given to me by my surgeon nor the pill bottle on how to use it. It only says take 1-2 pills with 8 oz water, but doesn't say how often. (Hello?)
I am taking metronidazole (2x day for 5 days) and levofloxacin (1x day for 5 days). I am also taking Zofran (anti-nausea) when I need it.
I feel like I am living on Vicodin but if I don't take it, my rectum throbs and throbs and hurts so bad. Sitting in a tub of warm/hot water helps, so I've been doing this about 7-8 times per day.
Before I had the hemorrhoidectomy, I was using Metamucil (two tbsps in a 16 oz glass of water). It made my stool large, soft and formed. That was what I needed since I had my gallbladder out in March 97 and have had diarrhea ever since. (I think this also contributed to my getting hemorrhoids). However, I'm afraid to use it now post-surgery. I read Harry's comment about using it so that my anus doesn't get too narrow, but will that happen? If I don't pass large stools now, will my anus get small and stay that way forever? Does passing large stools make it stretch bigger so that I won't get anal stricture?

The day after surgery, Friday, 12/8, I had 3 BMs, but they were mostly liquidy and hardly any at all. This is because I only ate Campbell's chicken noodle soup twice that day. I was afraid to eat because of fear of my first BM. All 3 BMs that day were very painful. I was shaking.
On Saturday, 12/9, I had 2 more BMs. They were gassy and hurt really bad to pass. The stool was more solid but still broken up into little chunks that looked like wet dog food. Sorry to be gross but I'm hoping this will create a picture you will understand.
Today, I took Milk of Magnesia because it was so hard to pass the stool from yesterday (Sat). That was a big mistake because my abdomen was gurgling for hours before I was finally able to go. I went 3 times in a 30 min period. It hurt bad. I practically stayed in the tub of warm/hot water because of the pain.
What can I do to manage my bowel movements better? The problem with me is that my bowels tend to be diarrhea anyway. But I guess since I'm on so much Vicodin, that could constipate me. I would appreciate your views, Marilyn and Harry, since you both seem to be so knowledgeable.
(I wish I had never had the surgery. I could have managed my hemorrhoids without it!) Thanks all.

vcort,
I am so sorry this happened to you too. I am right there with you in wishing it never happened to me either. Even though I had one hemorrhoid that was really big and bothersome, it was not as problematic as this surgery was to my body. Nobody should have to deal with that kind of pain in an area of your body that you use every single day. You also sound like me as I have problem with loose stools too. I am still trying to manage not having diarrhea every single day and I had surgery 11 weeks ago. It is important to take the metamucil as healing up too tight is not a problem that you want to have. The pain medicine is usually constipating but if you don't seem to be having constipation issues then by all means continue it to help manage your pain.

I think stool softeners are very important. I take one before breakfast and one before dinner. I also drink between 90-120 ounces of water a day as the stool softeners don't work unless you drink plenty of water. Foodwise, I eat oatmeal or raisin bran every morning. I try to eat plenty of vegetables and fruit. I was someone who needed to lose weight before I had this surgery. The ONLY positive thing I can say about this whole experience is that I have lost a lot of weight. I did just have a baby before the surgery so I had some baby weight to lose but overall including the 35 pounds that I gained with the baby, I have lost 58 pounds. Everything that goes in has to come back out so it has made me eat less and thus lose weight. Let me know if I can help you with anything else.

I will pray that your healing is fast.
ericollin

Ericollin,
Thanks so much for replying to my post. I am so excited to hear from you since I feel I know you after reading all your postings.
I’ve been having problems with my internet, so I wasn’t able to answer you back this morning. I wish I could have since now it’s midnight. Today was not a good day. I woke up at 6:18 and left a message for my doctor or the nurse to call me back. I wanted to ask about how many times I could take the Colace they prescribed to me. I called again at 2:30 and they never called me back.
Long story short, I thought I started out my day pretty good. But then 4pm hit and I had another “episode” of several bm’s. This happened yesterday when I took Milk of Magnesia because I didn’t want to become constipated. That was a horrible experience because it left my bottom in pain and throbbing and I kept having spasms that were sharp. The after-pains feel like crunched glass is poking inside my rectum. Each time I would use a bm, I would go straight into the tub and soak until the throbbing calmed down and it didn’t burn. This happened about 7 or 8 times. (bm’s).
Today, it started at 4 again (my body must be programmed to go at 4). I had several bm’s because for some reason they don’t all come out at once. I can only pass a little bit at a time. The bm looks like small pebbles but are not hard. They are soft. However, I have to push to get them to come out. Is this constipation? I hate these bm episodes because I spend a good three hours going back and forth between the potty and the tub. Eventually, I end up emptying my bowels but it takes so much effort (and dread).
I am trying not to take as much Vicodin so that I won’t get constipated but the pain is too great. Today is the 4th day after my surgery. I’m so tired of looking at my bedroom and bathroom walls. I just lay on my bed all day unless I need to get up to go to the bathroom or prepare something for myself to eat. My kids are at school all day and my husband goes to work, so I’m alone during the day.
I’ve been documenting what I eat and what meds I take, bm’s, etc. Today I had Bran Flakes with a lactose-free milk in the morning followed by 2 Colace pills and a lot of water. I used a bm and was ok. I didn’t feel fullness pushing on my bottom afterwards. I was happy because I thought that was it for the day. Nope. I went on to experience today’s 4pm episode. Only, it left me with a lot of gas rumbling around in my stomach. This is because I ended up taking a sip of Milk of Magnesia after I vowed that I would not because of what happened yesterday. However, I was afraid of being constipated.
Thanks for the info about the Metamucil. I was afraid to take it because it makes my stools large and formed and soft, but since it’s so hard for me to pass even the small pebbley stool, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to pass large stools.
I have an appt with my surgeon for a follow up on Wed. Boy am I gonna let him have it.

I am sorry to hear about the circumstances of your weight loss. In any other situation, it would have been great news. But it’s sad that this is what the surgery has done to you. I believe I am also going to lose weight. I don’t eat much at all because I know it will have to come out later. I’ve gotten a lot of high fiber foods and I just mostly have small snacks all throughout the day. I would prefer only drinking juices and sipping soups, but it’s not good to be on a liquid diet when you’re on medication. I found that info on the internet. It can interfere with the absorption.

I think I AM having problems with constipation if I can’t pass the small pebbley stools that are soft very easily. Do you think that I am healing up too small? Will the doctor be able to tell when he examines me on Wed?

I hope you are managing ok with your baby and all. Your story is incredible. I am praying for you as well. That is our only hope.

vcort,

I have read all your posts about all your problems and am sorry.
I agree with what ericolin says you need to intake water soluble fiber like psyllium in Metamucil, stool softener and drink water -- at least 6 to 8 glasses daily -- Psyllium fiber is not totally soluble fiber but also contains some insoluble fiber.

Insoluble fiber is basically the type fiber that causes your intestines to produce BMs
(peristalsis) and the soluble fiber is the bulking agent that absorbs fluids any make your stools larger.

A problem to be careful about is pain meds -- they all cause constipation to some degree and I am surprised it has not been a problem for you because you are on some pretty heavy duty pain meds.

It is a shame Doctors don't instruct you well for good recovery after surgery but this does not only happen with hemorrhoids -- we have found it is with all surgeries. I know they think every one is not the same and they don't want to alarm you but it sure is irritating and frustrating when you're in pain and don't know what to do.

My wife says that I am not a GOOD patient.

My wife and I have parted friends with some pretty good surgeons because of this during our life.
I have found Surgeons take criticism Very personal.
I think the worse one was shoulder surgery and my wife was in alot of pain, constipated because of the pain meds and could not lay down to sleep for 41 days.

I wish you well ---Harry

Harry,
You sound like such a kind man and genuinely worried about your wife’s well-being. If only surgeons were like you, this country would have great health care!

Well, I called the general surgery clinic again at 7:30 this morning and the nurse finally called me back at 9:00. We had a good conversation about what I felt about my surgery and the non-support afterwards. She said she was 59 years old and had the surgery twice when she was younger and that back then they didn’t have today’s technology. I asked her to share more of her experience with me and she didn’t give a single detail other than saying it is very very painful. I wonder if she was lying about having had the surgery.

In any case, she told me I could take 400 – 800 mg of Advil in between my Vicodin so that I don’t have to use as much Vicodin. I asked her if it took the pain away the same. She said no, because Vicodin is a narcotic, but that it would help some. And this way I could avoid taking so much Vicodin so that I won’t get constipated. I asked her how often I should be taking the Colace. She said only once a day. I also told her I wasn’t eating much at all and was starting to feel weak. She said for me to eat because my body needs the strength to recover. She said at least to eat some mashed potatoes or something. I said “won’t that constipate me?” And she said well, you’re not eating much. I asked her about taking the Metamucil but she said to wait until I talk to the doctor tomorrow. She said it sounds like I don’t need to because I’m passing stools, and that was the important thing. I told her that even though the stools are soft, it FEELS like I’m trying to pass a huge lump. She said that is only because my bottom is swollen and that that feeling will go away in time.

So, I will have someone go get Advil for me today. This morning I had a bm again and it was painful to pass. I had to push until everything came out, including all the gas from yesterday, which I thought the stupid Gas-X would take away. Apparently, it didn’t.

I complained to the nurse that I was not prepared enough as far as patient education for this surgery. I told her that I am having to figure out which foods to eat on my own, how to use my medications correctly, etc. I told her that I was going to let my doctor have it tomorrow when I go to my appointment! She assured me that I was doing all the right things and there was nothing different that I should do. I told her I was afraid my bottom was healing up too small which is why it feels like it’s so difficult to pass even small, soft stools. But she said that is only because my bottom is swollen, not because it’s healing too small. She said everything would be ok and not to worry – that I’m only in my first week and that is why it feels so bad.

I feel sorry for your poor wife who was not able to lay down in bed for so long! She is lucky to have had you through her gall bladder surgery. I had mine out in March ’97. I struggled with diarrhea (pretty much every single day), sometimes several times a day, no matter what I ate, ever since. It wasn’t until August of this year that my doctor told me to try Metamucil because of my hemorrhoids. I like the effect the Metamucil had on my stools. I had “normal” bm’s. However, my hemorrhoids had already developed, which led me to have the surgery.
Thanks for the response, Harry. Take care – both you and your wife.

vcort,

I had a hemorrhoidectomy about 35 years ago and no one knew about stool softeners or fiber type therapy -- then.
It was a very paiful experience and I sat in warm/hot water alot. THat part has not changed!!

One thing I remember is that they shaved you from your knees to your navel both back and front sides-- that was another irritating problem with the hair growing out. They don't do that much now-- I guess that the advanced procedure.

I also recall the BMs -- it was like passing glass-- very----very painful.
I am certainly glad you can't recall pain except to say it was painful.

From what I have read here on this board not alot has changed -- surgeons just do not help a person's recovery-- except with pain meds.
But, diet and BMs -- are not hardly mentioned until you start having problems and you bring up the subject.

You will get better but you have to eat.

Soluble fiber is also contained in the root veggies like potatoes, carrots, beets and turnips. And, the inner part of grains like rice, corn, oatmeal, barley and wheat. Rice is the only starch that does not cause gas. I think it is because it is all absorbed in the small intestines.

God Bless ---Harry

vcort,
It is probably too early to tell if you are healing up too small. I did not heal up too small and I have been taking Metamucil before breakfast and before dinner since the first day of my surgery. I guess that would be my recommendation. I do not eat as much since the surgery but eating is necessary also so that you do not heal up too small. My other recommendation would be to take one stool softener in the morning before breakfast and one at night before dinner.

I have heard that doctors don't like to hear negative things about themselves so I will be interested in hearing what your doctor says when "let him have it" tomorrow. GO FOR IT!!! and let me know what he says in reply. I have decided to write a letter to the head of the hospital and the head of the surgery department regarding the way I was treated by my surgeon.

One of the things you said hit home with me when you said you were "so tired of looking at your bedroom and bathroom walls." In those first few weeks of recovery I began to hate that part of my house because I felt trapped there. I think it will be awhile before I actually enjoy taking a bath in my bathtub as it only has negative connotations in my head right now from this stupid surgery.

Also, I took Gas-X too thinking it would help me and I felt that it made the gas issues worse. I have a friend who swears by Beano but I haven't tried it.

Let me know what other questions you have. I'm not sure I know the answers but I can tell you what I think.

Thank you for your prayers as I need them. You are already in mine.
ericollin

Harry and Ericollin (and anyone out there suffering from this!):

Today is the big day. I will be going to see my surgeon for my follow up at 1:45. I will definitely let him know that I was ill prepared for my recovery. Depending on his response, I may even visit the Patient Advocate in the medical center and let them know how inadequate their recovery program is for hemorrhoidectomies.

Good news! Yesterday at 12:30 (noonish) was the last time I took a Vicodin. Hurray! I actually felt GREAT compared to the misery I have been in since the surgery. I had 3 bm’s in the early morning and felt like my bowels were empty. Finally! I was so scared I would have to have 8 – 10 of them per day. Plus – I did not have another 4pm episode. Praise God!!!

I felt so good yesterday (no throbbing, no spasms, and no pain), that I did some things around the house. By the time my hubby and my kids got home, the kitchen and living room was in order. It felt good to do that after having to be so dependent since Thursday. I made sure not to lift anything at all but to walk around slowly putting things here and there. I took my time and enjoyed it. At 4:30, I took 2 Advil LiquiGels because my lower back (by my tailbone) was feeling sort of funny, like sensations. I figured it was because I had stayed in bed for so many days and then I was active.

I ate pretty good yesterday although it was all items on the high fiber list. It feels good to have a little energy for a change. I do appreciate both you and Harry being worried about me eating something. I am surely not the type of person that would harm myself on purpose. I was only trying to minimize the amount of bm. But Harry, you are right, what I am going through now is a cakewalk compared to what you had to experience. You are to be applauded for your self-education and also for going a step further and offering your hard-obtained knowledge to fellow sufferers. You are making our lives easier by your own experience. Thanks for that. Ericollin, you also remain dedicated to be on the boards offering your advice. Yours is an unusual situation as your surgery followed childbirth. Having 4 children myself, I can’t even imagine. However, you have been quite descriptive. 

This morning, I had 3 bm’s. One at 4 in the morning and two about ½ hr ago. There was some pain passing them but nowhere near what it has been. I think I am really healing! I can’t tell you how happy that makes me. I was expecting weeks and weeks of torture. I still soaked in the tub afterwards and it made my bottom feel better. Right now, sitting at the desk, I “feel” my bottom, but it isn’t throbbing or spasming, it just feels like I passed some very large stools. Kind of like it did when I had my hemorrhoids after diarrhea episodes. Hey, I can handle that now, believe me. Although I though I couldn’t before the surgery. (if I could turn back time….)

I hope the rest of the day is uneventful as far as bm’s. I would like to be able to go each morning and forget about it till the next day. Of course, that is probably wishful thinking. Fiber gives you the feeling of needing to go, I think. But I dare not eat anything else. Although it was easier (less pain) to pass stool this morning, it still feels like I’m having to push kind of hard to make it come out. I also felt my bottom while I was in the tub and there is a little tiny something protruding – it almost feels like a brand new little hemorrhoid. Oh no. I will ask the doctor to explain what that is since it wasn’t there before. In all honesty, I think my butt h*le has healed all weird and curvy to where it is not a straight path that my bm has to follow. That’s what it feels like, anyway.

We’ll talk soon. Take care both and have a wonderful day. I am praying for you.

this is day 7 of my surgery i had hemroids,fissure repair ,flap put on and a
syncter symomentry cut to make it looser, god the pain and bleeding.is it normal to bleed so much and i am staning my underwear and restorting to
pads, i had 8 bm yesterday and almost was at my wits end.i regert doing this
i went in for fissure repair and told him to leave my hemmroids alone,when i came out of surgery he told me he removed some interal and external hemroids,the pain is insane i stayed in hospital for three day on morphine
and when i got home the bm came out lots of blood,evry day blood come out
after bm and stains pad during the day, any advise on diet,harry if i have
large soft bm but lost of blood with them should i eat less fiber and get
smaller one ,i been puting baby food in soups is that okay or should i go to a soild diet,i been taking miralax it sofens the stool but wondering if a should stop,it makes me go a lot some time. how long will it take to recover from this
any one should think twice before doing this,iis misery. need help with diet

Hi all! I WAS ONE OF THE ONES WHO POSTED 3 YEARS AGO ON THE ORIGINAL THREAD.i CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S BEEN THAT LONG! READING THESE POSTS BRINGS BACK BAD MEMORIES! i WENT THROUGH SUCH A HARD TIME AND EVERYONE GOING THROUGH THIS NOW ARE IN MY THOUGHTS! iT CAN BE VERY ROUGH! aNYWAY i WOULD SAY IT TOOK ME APPROX 7 MONTHS TO COMPLETELY RECOVER AND AM DOING WELL.I AM STUCK WITH 2 SKIN TAGS THAT i AM SURE ARE PERMANET BUT HAVE GOTTEN SOMEWHAT SMALLER OVER TIME. i TRY TO KEEP MY BMS AS SOFT AS POSSIBLE WITH FIBER AND WATER. I GOT MARRIED IN 2004 AND HAD A BEAUTIFUL BABY IN aUG OF THIS YEAR. THE LABOR GAVE ME ONE PAINFUL HEMM. WHICH WENT AWAY WITH OVER THE COUNTER CREAMS AND SITZ BATH....THANK GOD.:angel: I CAN REMEMBER MY TROUBLES AND THE ANXIETY I WENT THROUGH BECAUSE OF IT. WORRYING WHETHER I WOULD EVER HAVE A "NORMAL BM" AGAIN WITHOUT PAIN AND BLEEDING.OR THINKING WILL I NEED TO HAVE ANOTHER PAINFUL SURGERY????IT WAS A HARD TIME BUT I AM HAPPY TO SAY I AM RECOVERED AND HAVE NOT HAD ANYMORE FISSURES OR HEMMS(EXCEPT DURING LABOR). THINGS HAVE BEEN GOOD IN THAT DEPARTMENT BUT IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN???NO WAY! :eek: MY HEMM WAS NOT THAT BAD AND THE SURGERY GAVE ME MORE TROUBLE THAN I EVER THOUGHT IT WOULD.I PRAY FOR A QUICK RECOVERY TIME FOR ALL OF YOU AND HOPE THIS QUICK UPDATE HELPS! GOOD LUCK! :)

Hi lbp35,
I am so glad you posted here to tell us how you are doing. So your rear-end actually feels normal now??? Do you actually go to the bathroom without thinking about it??? Did you have a fissure too? Did you have surgery for that too or did you develop it after your hemorrhoid surgery? If you had the fissure surgery, how was your healing from that?

Thank you for reporting the 7 month time-frame. I am only 3 months out and am still very nervous every time I have to have a bowel movement. I also have developed a fissure which I am trying to heal without surgery. Please reply back to my questions if you can.
Thanks,
ericollin

ericollin are you bleeding alot ableed after every bowelmovement and have to usepads during the day form bleeding discharge this is my eight day after
surgery hemroid,fissure,lateral,how long did it take to stop bleeding and
any advise to help it stop by diet
thanks

ericollin,
yES...believe it or not I can actually have a bm without worrying or thinking about it.There was a time when I thought this would never happen.My anxiety was awful! I did get the fissure after my hemm surgery. I did use some kind of cream from the doctor (which I can find out the name from my old posts) which I think healed it. It relaxed the muscle so the fissure could heal. It was almost healed when I went it but I got a shot of botox to make sure! It hurt like He!! as you can imagine!:eek:I did sitz baths everyday also. I hope this helps! Ask me anything, I hope I can help. It was such a difficult time for me and if I can, I'd love to help someone else. Good luck!:)

lbp35,
Thank you so much for replying. I really would like advice from someone who has been there and is now fine. I would like to know what type of cream you used to heal your fissure - (I think it was one that started with a "d"). I just went back and read some of your posts from the old thread. I cannot believe how much your posts sound like ME!!! Are you my long lost twin? I want this fissure to heal in a matter of days or weeks and it is going to take longer than that, correct? I am obsessing about wanting to be healed and wanting to feel better. I would love to have my original butt back with hemorrhoids and all! My hemorrhoids did not give me as much problem as this fissure does and the worry of using the bathroom is so great. Please let me know if you feel as though your butt is NORMAL again. I feel like my butt is my focus 24/7 because of the pain I feel in it.
Did your doctor suggest doing the Botox injections? I have read that it can give a temporary incontinence. Did that happen to you? How many sitz baths did you do every day and with what temperature water? What else did you use on your fissure that you would recommend? I feel like I'm willing to try anything. I DO NOT want another rectal surgery.

Any advice and support you could offer is greatly appreciated. Please help coach me through this if you can. This has been a very difficult time in my life too especially because I have a baby to take care of and two other small children. I keep praying that I will heal soon.
Thanks,
ericollin

Lodgen,
Sorry I did not see your last post until now. I am only bleeding during a BM and not after. Are you taking stool softeners and a fiber supplement? I recommend both of those. When it comes to diet, I would recommend no spicy food, no beef, no nuts, no cheese. I have stopped eating a whole lot and have lost a lot of weight. Everything that goes in has to come back out and it has me scared of eating too much. I do try to eat as many fiber-rich foods as I can. Hope this helps. Please continue to post here how you are doing. Sending healing thought your way!
ericollin

Ericollin and Harry (and others):
Sorry for the delay in the update regarding my 5-day follow up visit to my surgeon. Well, I told him about all the problems I’ve been having and he was very receptive to what I had to say. He said that he did tell me the surgery would be very painful but I told him that “painful” is not the word. The type of pain a person experiences with a hemorrhoidectomy is off the charts. I gave him as much detail as I possibly could and asked him to make sure his patients know all of these details before deciding on the surgery. I told him I was nowhere near being prepared with what he had given me beforehand.
He said my bottom was chapped and red but that it was most likely due to the numerous sitz baths. He asked if those helped. HA! I told him that if I DIDN’T take the sitz baths I wouldn’t have survived! Of course they helped! It was the only way to stop the pain and throbbing after bowel movements.
I have been using the Metamucil each morning (2 tbsp with 16 oz glass of water) and the Colace (1 in the morning and 1 at night). I did pretty good on Tues and Wed, since I only had about 2 bowel movements each day. The pain was not too bad. However, on Thursday and Friday, the pain started back again little by little and I ended up having more bowel movements, like 3 – 5. I don’t know why that happened. All I can think of is that I have increased my eating, so there may be more to eliminate.
This morning, (Saturday), I had about 5 or 6 painful bm’s. That made me a bit discouraged since I had to do sitz baths again. I’ve been taking round the clock 800mg Motrin for the pain since Thurs night.
What makes me frustrated is that my surgeon said that each person is different and there is no way to know how they will metabolize/digest food, so it takes a bit of experimentation to see how your body reacts to fiber, stool softener and food. He said I would need to basically experiment until I found a way to have only one soft bowel movement a day. Thanks a lot! That really helped! (NOT)
I go see him again next Wednesday. I hope by then I will be more healed. I have been more active these past few days, too. I’ve been walking around stores and doing some Christmas shopping with my family. I dread having to use the bathroom, though, because I don’t know if I will have a bm episode. Also, how do I do a sitz bath at Wal Mart or Sam’s Club?
All of you out there that are in the first week after your surgery, hang in there. I didn’t have any fissures or spincterotomy or anything, just 3 hemorrhoids removed (1 internal and two external). The “thing” sticking out of my bottom he said was a skin tag. I hope it goes away because it is painful when I touch it. I will keep y’all posted as often as I can in hopes that this will help someone.
I’m praying for all of you.

ericollin,

I totally understand your anxiety, mine was horrible!! I think my husband was ready to kill me after a while.It consumes you, doesn't it? I always wondered if I would feel normal again too. I also regretted the hemm surgery. The pain afterwards was incredible!!!:dizzy: I WAS NOT going to have another surgery...no way! I did sitz baths everyday with warm water after a bm.Thankfully I only go once a day!;) The cream I used was diltizem. But I added fiber to my diet and this may be too much info but it helped...I would put a glob of vaseline on before a bm, I think this helped alot. My doctor did suggest the botox if the diltizem didn't work. I asked for it just to be sure it would heal. It was very painful but no I did not have any incontinence. I was afraid of incontinence with the fissure surgery, I was a nervous wreck over that! And to answer your question, yes I feel my butt is normal except for the ugly skin tags I ended up with and did not have before I was butchered! I will help and support you as much as I can! I know how hard this can be. Are you seeing a doctor now for your fissure or home remedies?? Is your fissure very painful? Also how bad were your hemms before all of this??? :confused:

lpb35,
I think my husband is ready to kill me too because of how this has consumed me. I would like to try the cream you used but I bet it is something that I cannot take while breastfeeding my baby. Do you have any idea about that??? Thank you for being a support for me as I think my family is tired of talking about my rear-end. I will try and start using the vaseline before BM's as I have read that other people think it helps.

I had 3 hemorrhoids before all this. One of which was "off the charts" painful and huge because it had thrombosed during my last few weeks of pregnancy. I had all three removed. Now I have a skin tag too. I should never have had the hemorrhoid surgery when I did. I probably did need to have the one big one removed at some point in my life but not all 3 and not just after having a baby. My OB sent me to this surgeon while I was pregnant. The only reason he didn't do the surgery then was because I told him that this was my last pregnancy and he said it would be better to wait until after I was done with all the pushing. When I had more trouble with this hemm. while pregnant, I called my OB again and she referred me back to this surgeon AGAIN. I figured my OB really trusted this surgeon and he must be good because she kept sending me back there. This surgeon just wanted my money. He told me I would feel 80% better in 1 week and completely fine in 2 weeks. Here I am at almost 3 months still afraid to go to the bathroom and with a fissure that I am attempting to heal. He never told me that a fissure could be a side-effect of this surgery.

I am seeing a new doctor to help me with the fissure. He has prescribed a cream called fluocinlone which I don't know is working or not because I am still in a lot of pain after a BM. I am thinking about seeing another colorectal doctor in a few weeks if it is not healed. The one I'm seeing now wants to discuss the sphinterotomy in early January if I'm not healed. I am a nervous wreck even thinking about the surgery. I am also trying to be real good about my diet. I have cut out almost anything that might irritate. I have been trying to eat a lot of veggies. I drink about 90-120 oz. of water a day along with stool softeners and metamucil. I'm also trying to not eat a lot of processed foods.

So your fissure never reoccured once it healed? Mine is really painful and I find myself not sitting as much since getting it.

I would appreciate any other tips or words of encouragement that you can provide.
Thanks,
ericollin

vcort,
Thanks for posting how you are doing. I have been trying to get out and finish my Christmas shopping too but when I haven't had a BM yet I am still afraid to leave the house. I have to go to my son's Christmas program at church today and I still haven't had a BM. I hope I don't have one while I am out. My husband reminds me that I wasn't an "ever day person" when it came to bowel movements in the past but since this surgery I can have no BM's a day up to 4 a day. I hate the days when I have more than 1.

Be real careful with what you eat and take the stool softeners and a lot of water. I think that a real hard BM is what caused my fissure weeks after the surgery. I had my surgery in September and I don't think that I got the fissure until early November. I had NEVER had a fissure in my life until I had this surgery so be careful.

If I had known that I would have to completely alter my diet 100% from before, I would never have had the surgery and would have probably lived with the occasional pain that the hemm. would have caused.

Hang in there! I am praying daily for everyone who is recovering from this terrible surgery.
ericollin

vcort,

Well I am glad you got to talk to the surgeon and it is true we are all too different to know how everyone will handle different types of fiber, foods as well as stool softeners.
And, we all eat so differently.

I have taken a soluble fiber supplement for 23years and with the food I eat -- it takes 7 to 8 grams of psyllium daily to have normal BMs. So, I take it twice daily-- I use to use Metamucil but now use the orange flavored sugar free brand from Wal Mart.
It seems to work just as well as the other brands.

My wife uses the capsules because she has a hiatal hernia and the powder form start to absorb water too quickly for her and causes a bloated feeling that is sometimes painful just below her rib cage.

Just take it a DAY at a time.

God Bless---- Harry

ericollin,
I cannot believe how much you sound like me! My family was sick to death hearing my daily butt updates.:dizzy: My nerves were so shot over it that I would just obsess over it. I was so scared of another surgery though because of the agonizing pain I felt from the first one and for soooo long! That doctor that told you a week of pain was a true idiot. I don't know how you are doing this all with a new baby. I have a 3 month old and I can't imagine. I too was not told that a fissure could be a side effect.I never had a fissure either before the hemm surgery.:rolleyes: But on a positive note, no it never came back. Once in a great while if I have a hard bm, I might have a few drops of blood but no pain and it's no big deal.You are doing good with the water.I forgot about that.I drank tons of water and made sure I had plenty of fiber.The cream I talked about isn't recommended if you are breast feeding so maybe wait a while for that. I would hold of as long as you can before having another surgery. You just may heal this on your own like I did.It does take a while to heal them unless it is very painful and you need to do something. I am hear to listen whenever you need. I just hope I can help at least with some of your anxiety.Try to take a warm bath at night and RELAX..it will help!! ;)

Ericollin and Harry:
Thanks for telling me about the chance of getting a fissure, Ericollin. I sure do hope I don’t get one since they sound like a giant nuisance. I stopped taking the Metamucil because I thought it was making me have more bm’s than I needed to. But today, I had about 4 or 5 bm’s. They were soft, but they were still narrow and in 1 – 2 inch pieces. Why does my bm always come out like that? It’s like as if there is something blocking it that gives it that weird shape. I went to Target to shop with my husband this evening and had to use the bathroom! It was inevitable. I did not prepare since I didn’t think anything would happen. I hurried into the ladies’ room and grabbed a wad of toilet paper and wet it in the sink. Then I went into the stall and took my time. The bm was somewhat painful coming out even though I had taken an 800 mg Motrin one hour before. This time, there was blood on the stool. It was only on one side of it, like a stripe. So, I think the passage of the stool caused one of my stitches to bleed. Yesterday, one stitch knot came off. I saw it on the wet toilet paper that I use to dab my bottom. Do you think that’s what was bleeding? I think I saw another piece of some stitches today, too, at Target. Do you think all of my stitches are now being absorbed/coming off? The side of my bottom (left side) that feels itchy is where I believe the blood is coming from. That was originally where my large internal hemorrhoid was. My husband said he thinks it’s because I’m up and around too much and that I should lay down more and rest. However, I heard that exercise is good.

Harry,
Do you think that I should take the Metamucil no matter what? I usually take 2 tbsp in 16 oz water as soon as I wake up in the morning. However, my body seems to need to go on its own in the mornings, so I hesitate to take the Metamucil because I know it will make me go again about an hour later. What is a good alternative to this? I don’t want to take it at night because it will probably make me need to go in the middle of the night. Before my surgery, I used to wake up, have a cup of coffee, take a shower, then I would need to have a bm. Now, I’m not drinking coffee anymore (after 15 years of it!), so there is nothing to jump start my bm. I found a website with some good detailed instructions on having a bm and taking stool softeners and bulking agents. It was written for patients with spinal cord injury. I printed the pages out and will be taking them with me on Wed to show to my surgeon. Now THAT is the kind of instruction I should have received before this surgery. These instructions were written assuming the patient knew nothing about stool softeners and bulking agents like Metamucil. You will find it at http://www.spinalcord.uab.edu/show.asp?durki=21482. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Hanging in there.
vcort

lbp35,
I really appreciate your words of advice and encouragement. I am going to try and wait as long as possible so I can try and heal this stupid fissure without any kind of surgery. I have told a few friends about my fissure and they don't even know what one is. I wish I could talk to you in person as it has been really hard to suffer from this problem daily without being able to verbally communicate with anyone who knows how horrible and dibilitating they can be. I am glad to hear that yours never came back. Thanks for reminding me to relax! I will definitley have a sitz bath tonight after I get the baby down. My baby just turned 3 months old too. Is your baby sleeping through the night yet? So far since turning 3 months he has given me 1 night of 9 hours and that has been it.

I have decided to call the patient advocate for the hospital that my surgeon works at. I think the hospital needs to know what this surgeon is doing when it comes to hemorrhoid surgery and his terrible pre-op and post-op care. If I ever see him again, I think I will have to hold myself back from kicking him where it hurts. I have been seeing a new colorectal surgeon who is affiliated with a different hospital.

Please continue to pass on your words of wisdom and encouragement to me. It really has helped me feel better!

Your friend,
ericollin

Ericollin,
I know how badly I needed encouragement when I went through this. I remember it being so emotionally hard on me. People don't understand unless they have had this surgery.The pain was off the charts for a long time.Even when it lessened, the anxiety really took its toll on me wondering if the fissure would ever heal. I too had to hold myself back from ripping into the surgeon who did it. The second doctor I had was a colorectal surgeon and I really liked her. I felt like I was in good hands with her and I did relax a little about the whole situation.Even after the fissure was healed, I had some soreness in that area from the initial hemm surgery that took a while to go away. I think you need to give yourself time to heal...it does take a while considering you are using that part of your body everyday.:eek: Keep up the baths.I take a bath w/ my baby every night.Maybe try it to take your mind off of this.I know that is easier said than done.My Daughter is doing well sleeping.She goes to bed at 8:oopm and sleeps until 4:00 and has a bottle and back down until 8:00 am.So it's not bad.I know you are struggling with your baby and worrying about this fissure thing.If you weren't breast feeding I would suggest taking something for anxiety.I did, I had to. But please give yourself time.This will not heal overnight.Trust me.Keep up the sitz baths though, I do believe that and regular baths helped me.Also the water...lots of it. Your doing your best to heal it on your own and that all you can do! Take care of you and that little one!:wave: Let me know what happens with your surgeon!!:blob_fire

lbp35,
Thanks again for all your advice! Especially these words "I think you need to give yourself time to heal...it does take a while considering you are using that part of your body everyday." My husband has said the same thing to me. I just want to feel better overnight and like you said, that is just not possible when it comes to recovering from rectal surgery.

I have a few more questions. How long did you say it was before you felt 100%? Also, did it hurt to sit when you had your fissure? Also, passing gas is completely different post-hemorrhoidectomy. Did you find that to be true for you? Is it normal now that you are totally healed?

Thanks,
ericollin:wave:

ericollin,
I didn't mean to laugh, but I did about the passing gas thing! I 'm not sure what you mean but I guess it's the same.I haven't noticed anything different. It did not hurt when sitting but I have heard that they can...pretty bad.:dizzy: It was was very sore during and after a bowel movement.I would say it took 7 months before I was completely healed and not thinking about it anymore.Please give yourself time.Ask me anything I will help if I can.Please relax and have a great Christmas!:)

lpb35,
Do you have any diet suggestions of things that you ate or didn't eat to help you heal your fissure? Did you take a multivitamin or any other vitamins or supplements?

You were very lucky that yours did not hurt sitting down. It is very hard to go about a day without sitting. I do stand around a lot. It is very hard to lie down at all with 3 kids so that doesn't really happen except at night when the