Ive read many discussions on this topic and thought it would be good to advise of my experience for others too.
I had two external hemorroid's removed about 1pm yesterday. After the operation the surgeon advised he has given me a local injection for pain. I have to stay in hospital one night.
Around 6pm I received 1mg Panadol on IV line. Again 1mg Panadol at 2am (at this time I was uncomfortable but not at the stage to ask the hospital for the pain killer yet).
I slept on and off. I was due more pain medicine at 8am but didn't ask for any and the nurses didn't offer me any. 9.30am they asked if I wanted any but as I've not yet experienced a stool then I've not had that pain.
Since after the operation I drank 1.5L water yesterday, ate lentil soup and fruits and I was given a laxative in the evening.
This morning I had my first Sitz bath and pulled out the gauze as per the nurse advise. It wasn't painful just uncomfortable to pull out as I had sat in the bath for 15 minutes first.
I've not yet had any stool but the doctor has been and advised lots of water, high fiber diet, laxative in the evening but not to have diarrhoea- he said if I get diarrhoea to stop the laxative for a day or so until it forms up a little. No spicy food and I will go home with two creams, one for local pain to be used for a week and one for swelling/healing. I'm due back to see the surgeon after one week.
Neglected to mention as I've been drinking all of the water I've not had a urine issue. Went 4/5x yesterday and same today. So far I've drank a litre of water today and it's only 10am. I was advised drinking lots of water is critical.
Yes lots and lots of water! I would definitely take stool softeners as well.
I'm 4 weeks post op and still have to take them. I had a bowel movement last night and it burned and stung, and I started bleeding again
I can't stress enough how important it is to have very soft poop! I'm trying but it's hard for me to get it like that. So I've been using laxatives or enemas and it's just horrible. My body is weird I guess.
Which one are you taking? Too hard? I was advised there is a difference between stool softeners and laxatives. I'm no doctor but I understand the softener acts as a gel and absorbs the water and other waste into its stool. Whereas the laxative makes it all watery. My surgeon made a big issue about not getting diarrhoea.
Well I was taking a stool softener and it didn't make it soft. It was still hard and I can't pass the stool so I have to take a laxative which is the dulcolax. It's a hard laxative. It's awful. I was taking the dulcolax stool softener. I'm going to go buy colace today and see if that's a stronger or better softener that actually works!
Update day 2 - 10.45 am first stool, soft and lots of water but not quite diarrhoea. Hurt on a scale of 1-10 I'd say 7/8. I've had a hysterectomy and also my gallbladder out plus two natural child births. This doesn't quite reach that pain yet.
Unfortunatley I had not had any pain medication so far today since 2am so it was painful for about 45 minutes. Took 1g oral Panadol. Then left hospital for house.
Tea time I just had another stool, same consistency as first, but this time the pain was only maybe 2/3 minutes. After the stool I sat in a Sitz bath with a little betadine in it for 15 minutes.
i plan to take 1g Panadol around 8/9pm before bed as I'm up early every morning. Also my stool softener before bed.
Below is a list of items I received from hospital / pharmacy.
sitz bath and betadine bottle
agiolax stool softener
panadol joint (I asked about using Panadol advance and was told no due to the extra ingredients alongside paracetamol 3x a day
zalocain 3x a day on wound for localised pain
proctolysal 3x a day on wound to promote healing
Advised on a high finer diet
drink lots of water and under no circumstances to get diarrhoea - if I do to stop the agiolax for 2/3 days
I took dulcolax to clean myself out before surgery, it's quite hard on the body. The other one I have here is senokot which I purchased before going into hospital. I will try the angioplax tonight.
So far yesterday I had lentil soup, Chinese clear chicken soup, tabouleh and a few veggies yesterday. Today a fruit salad, small yoghurt and more lentil soup. Surgeon made an issue about everything being high fiber.
lets see what tomorrow brings!
good luck, maybe the laxative will help clear you up and then take the stool softeners?
Sounds like you're doing well Samantha . I hope this progress stays on this course . The fact that you've had a BM is great albeit soft . Many people have the feeling of passing a large child when they have their first BM . As they say 'keep it soft' but not too soft . Here's hoping you're one of the lucky ones . Good luck .
Thanks, it's early days, but I did clean out my system totally before hand and have just had fiber rich food and stool softener or laxative once since the op.
Ive had three stools so far and they have all been very soft but not yet diarrhoea, the second and third I'd say pain after is only maybe 2/3 now. I'd say it's more the uncomfortableness of the op that's bugging me most now. But I did have a little beef casserole with carrots and potato (kid size portion) for dinner.... followed by softener so lets see tomorrow!
Slept well through the night, missed my 3am Panadol. Woke 6am with mild pain 2/3 out of 10 and took the Panadol 1g.
Breakfast of small yoghurt with handful or raspberries, blueberries, nuts, flax and chia seeds with about a litre of water!
Mid morning stool not too uncomfortable, mild pain. But only for less than 5 minutes. Decided on Sitz bath post event and my muscles relaxed even further and the remainder of all of yesterday's stool followed! Size and consistency an improvement on yesterday 😊. Awful to say but more like a large quantity of small sized fingers. Surgeon said it was important not to get stenosis and allow the passage to narrow so keeping some form of size of the passage is important with the food you eat.
Lunch was a small salad with a little feta cheese and a small banana.
Taking all the medications and creams as per surgeon orders.
Ive received a ring pillow to sit on in house and car which makes it more comfortable.
Itching to go outside 😳 But will wait until tomorrow.
Dinner plans are some spinach and mushroom with a little chicken.
I think as my diet improves this is when the stools will increase and this will be the big tester. Drinking lots of water, aiming for about 3L a day (keeps me regular but it's worth the smooth passage!)
Hi, hope your feeling better today? One question if you do not mind me asking, you mentioned still bleeding. Now is this bright red blood in the toilet/stool or dark blood when you remove the gauze pad?
I have a little dark red blood on the gauze pad when I change it, but not too much so far. Maybe this is because my stool has not yet been much wider than my little finger. When I start to eat more food I'm wondering if this is when I'll have more problems.
i think for me there was an improvement in the stool to yesterday when it was a little more watery, but now more like buying a thick pack of those jelly snakes! I was a bit worried about the beef but I only had a small amount. I'm going to try chicken tonight but again a small amount.
Its awful being worried about the protein you eat. How many days post surgery are you and would be interested to know how your diet/food is.
Hi Samantha , its 9 months since I had my last procedure . Unfortunately I am having a bit of a re-occurence with mine . Food and drink plays a big part now in how my symptoms are . I need to avoid having any more than one beer or cider , wine is an absolute no-no . I can only have a little red meat , and anything from the bakers apart from a meringue is also a no-no . It seems for me that anything that may contain yeast brings on nasty effects , and swelling , more like an allergy . We're all different , but after that time i have discovered what works and doesnt work for me . Vegetables and fruit are always a good option , and making sure you drink plenty will definately help , even if your condition isnt exactly the same as mine .
Hi, yes I think diet and allergies play a big role in digestive track health. Perhaps you may get allergy tested? It really is a pain and can add to life's stresses.
I notice when I eat wheat/gluten I end up looking 9 months pregnant so try and avoid it as much as I can. I haven't officially been allergy tested, maybe that's another step.
My friend has a similar allergy with gluten etc , but has been to doctors , hospital etc for various appointments and they cant get to the bottom of it . he has done the same as me and experimented himself to find out what triggers the reaction . His is gluten and just about anything thatb comes from a cow . Like you , both of us bloat when we eat the wrong thing. We can go from athletic , to obese inside an hour , and back to athletic in a few hours . For me its not just the bloating though . I can feel my colon become enflamed inside , almost ulcerated . Its hard to be strict with the diet .
I seem to be settling into a pattern. Wake in the morning and must go to the loo around 9.30-10am. It's getting thicker but can be a little painful. Sit in the sits bath afterwards for 15-20mins. I then seem to need to go again 10.30-11am and after this one that it for the day. A bit of a pain as I can't get out of the house in the morning.
pain is 1-2 during the day. Looks overall not too bad, but looks like I still have a painful skin tag which looks a little grape like. I'm using a hydrocortisone cream 3x a day so lets see if the swelling goes down.
Diet wise I was a little naughty on day 4, spicy salmon and wine, guess I paid for it on day 5. Have decided to cut out the spice as my doctor advised!
Ive been taking the stool softener in the evening and I'm wondering about taking it instead in the morning. I find it takes approx 14 hrs to work on me. Reason being I'm trapped in doors in the morning. I'm going to try it tomorrow.
Lets just say, love my donut pillow, goes everywhere with me including the car! Sits baths are a god send and worth every penny and minute 😊