Here I go!

Digestive health
1

I've had chronic hemmorhoids for 10 years (I'm 29).  Well, 5 days ago, I had a bowel movement at work that left me in the all too familiar cold sweats!  Only this time, it was different.  I was left with what I've long had: a burning, shearing feeling at the front of my anus with two very large lumps, and an irritated feeling that would sting as I tried to stand up.  The straighter I stood, the worse it stung.

I called up a doctor after the weekend for an appointment at a Gastroenterologist as soon as possible which was yesterday.  He tells me that I need it taken care of (though he seems to have ignored--after I told him--the now-minimized mounds at the front of my anus).  He recommends me to the surgeon in the same building who looks and says, "Eh, it's not that bad.  I wouldn't recommend surgery; try a steroid cream."

Well, that night I had a bowel movement and OMG!  The twin peaks came roaring back and that irritation turned mad!  I called a doctor while at work for an immediate appointment with a surgeon with a better rating.  He takes the time to actually looks and spread em and says, "Well theres not much you can do in here for this, and these aren't going away on there own.  You have a grade 4 prolapse incarcerated internal hemorrhoid, which is what is giving you the pain right now.  This is going to die off on its own, but it could take a long time.  The other ones are thrombosed hemorrhoids which have a skin tag.  There's not much we can do in here for this either; we can talk about management, unless you want them gone..."

"I want them gone!"

"That's what I'd recommend; we can set you up tomorrow."

And sweet Jesus, relief will be coming.  I know they say the pain is horrible, but I really can't imagine it being anymore worse than the thrombosed son of a gun I have to deal with for EVERY BM.  Even so, to deal with it on pain killers is much more desirable than:

Bleeding

Leakage

Staining underpants and needing to wash jeans

Packing underwear

Sever pain with no pain killers

Fear to poop

Hard to pee with this prolapse

My God I can't wait!

I'll let you know how it goes and my support goes out to all of you braving it and having braved it!

2

I had heomhroidectomy twice best thing I ever done but think maybe one is coming back or wasn't noticeable to remove I lost a lot if blood with mine even needed blood transfusion x x message me anytime

3

Oh my gosh I'm sorry to hear!  How long ago?

I made sure these docs new about that one with the mound...by far the most painful of the two, but it subsides so much that it might now be visible when I get checked.  I also sat on a toilet like an hour before the procedure to get it a bit irritated.

4

Also, thank you for the encouragement.  I'll probably message you a couple of times over the next 3 weeks lol.

5

Hi Hodgey

I had exactly the same as you ! The prolapse is just the worst feeling ever I feel your pain !

It isn't nice the first week , but it does get easier ! I'm 3 months On ! I can honestly say I'm glad I had it done ! As The Hems and prolapse were taking over my life !

There are a couple of things I'd use to help with recovery :

Hot water bottle

Ice packs

Sitz Bath

Plenty of warm baths

V-Pillow

Drink plenty of water

Eat fibre fruit and veg

Rest as much as you can

As welll as all the Pain meds laxatives and stool softners !

This forum was also my biggest help ! You are not alone in this we can help you through this time and answer any questions'

Take care today and speak soon

Xx

6

Thank you for the encouragement; I'm very grateful for this form.

Yup, the prolapse was killing my ability to do anything, including peeing.

This was very helpful as I saw your response right before heading in for surgery.

7

Day 0

I was able to leave at about 2 (my appt began at 11).  Doctors and staff were very nice and encouraging.  Since I've been home, I've had my high fiber meal; I ate two things of peanut butter crackers and had a diet soda.  That's the last splurge for me, and I'll probably pay for it tonight as my body is gearing up for a BM.  I took a sitz bath to help loosen that area, but haven't gone to the pot,  (I'm kinda fearful to be honest).

I have one pill of pain med but haven't taken the Miralax just yet.  Now, I'm lying here just reading; my body has had enough moving around today so it's telling me so.

Overall pain, probably a 3.  No worse than the prolapse though.

8

Oh yes, my hemmorhoid turned out to actually be the same one.  It was both thrombosed during bowel movements and it was incarcerated outside of my anus.

He also removed 2 internal hemmorhoids that I had as well.

So here's to good BM after reccovery.

9

Sounds very similar to mine , I had internal external and prolapse doc said it was only op would sort it !

I would take the miralax as it will help with that first b/m keep on top of the pain meds to as it will also take the edge of the first b/m too !

Xx

10

I actually had my first and second BM's today!  I won't lie, I'm sore.  I'm on a one pain pill treatment first taking both Miralax and Milk of Magnesia.  I've also been eating Bran with a literal Raisin Bran mixed in.

However, this soreness is still not as bad as my flare-ups I was getting and waiting out that amount of blood and pain.  It's currently 1 am here, but my sleep schedule is a bit thrown off.

The primary difference in bowel movements is that these tend to sap my energy.  I can't wait for that to stop.

11

I remember those flare ups 😬 they were just the worst feeling ever !

You have to rest lots , as your energy will be low for a while !

Xx

12

Day 1

So this is my update for today.  I'm about half over day 1 and am sitting in a sitz bath after having my 3rd or 4th bowel movement.  Luckily, these have been very soft so it moves quickly.  I though about taking GasX, but have determined that the gas is actually helping me empty better and faster.

As far as pain, the only real pain I have is the "raw" feeling that I think is just from the types of BM (soft) that I'm having and rewashing the area.

I've got two steroids to apply daily, once in morning, once at midday, and once at evening.  I'm taking both Miralax and Milk of Magnesia at night (though I use Miralax more than once last night, until my wife informed me of the instructions: just once at night)

I'm sleeping quite a bit; I'm taking only one pain killer and one muscle relaxer at a time.  As for napping, I wake up having to pee REALLY bad, but I can't go that much, because I can't get my body to push out the pee.  So, while I can pee, not much is able to come at a time...but generally more comes after a BM.

All in all, still not as painful as that damn hemorrhoid.

I wish you all well!

13

Oh yes; my body does ache a bit and any pressure down there from what will be a future BM causes me to slouch.  Thus when I do walk, I'm bent of like I have back issues.

14

Hi Hodgey

Glad the b/ms are Going ok , i would keep an eye on the peeing , I didn't suffer with that but everyone recovers differently!

Yes the walking was an issue for me too! That calmed down by about week 5 !

Sounds like your recovery is going good

Lisa

X

15

Day 2

Welp, I've completed day 2 recovery.  Most of the day, the pain was about a 1 or a 2 except if I had to exert effort (such as sitting up).  The pain would reach a 2 or 3 temporarily, so I attribute this mostly to healing from the cuts.

I had about 3 BM's today with one of these really hurting about equivalent to the pain from the hemorrhoid (a 4 - 5).  However, I think the primary reason for the pain was that my first BM didn't eliminate everything so I probably had residual stuff coming out (that was my 2nd BM of the day), and those two BM's probably had more so 3 or 4 BM's worth of stuff.

After a sitz bath, the throbbing went away.

I finally slept through a night well, and the exhaustion is starting to wear off some.  I'm still struggling to stand for more than a couple of minutes, but I'm again sure that's due to the incision.  Hoping that I'll be more back to normal tomorrow.  I'm still taking Milk of Magnesia and Miralax in the morning to keep my stools soft along with two teaspoons of fiber supplement and bran cereals.

I've gained the ability to pee again though I still have to force it a little bit.

Overall, it's nice to not have the hemorrhoidal pain any longer, even though I still have pain.

16

Hello Lisa,

I was hoping I could get your thoughts on this.

I was applying my steroid cream, and I noticed that I have a similarly shaped bump in the same region as the spot where i had two hemorrhoids.  Do you think this is normal?  I don't notice 2; only 1.  I'm really hoping it's not a hemorrhoid that my doc missed but is instead just a swelling that will subside.

Thank you!

17

Hi Hodgey

Yes it is completely normal , it's a skin tag /bridge ! I also have it I also thought at beginning it was a hem! The surgeon has said it will go but he said after a couple of weeks ! Which it hasn't !

It don't hurt and I wouldn't know it was there , i just don't like it there!

I hope this helps, I know other people also have a skin tag left after the operation!

Xxx

18

Well, I am now 9 days post op.  I've mostly come back to normal.  My back and pelvis feel weak (I'm sure that's because they are), but that's ok for now.  I've been walking around and sitting gently while continuing sitz baths.

As far as stools go, I probably got off the extreme high fiber diet a little fast, so my stools are a bit more stiff.  But I'm remembering my metamucil and will probably begin my mornings with a bran cereal to help.--though I'll eventually drop the metamucil, because I don't want to be one supplements through my dependent care years.

When I go to the restroom, I feel sharp pangs in my lower colon not at my rectum.  These subside with a sitz bath for the most party.  I also still bleed a little through the day and after restroom breaks.  I've not begun wiping yet though.

All I can say is: they aren't lying about psyllium fiber!  That stuff works miracles.  I was eating wheaties and oats daily to help, and my doc was like "Yeah, you're not getting enough."  Low and behold he is correct!  I may make fiber a part of every meal, cause my goodness that makes bathroom breaks fast and easy!

As for now, I've begun the itchy phase.  Last night is when it started, and it's not too bad.  Just wanna scratch it lol, but I'll refrain.  I still take my painkiller at night and I take my muscle relaxer as well.  As for skin tag, I can't tell if it's there.  It's not giving me any pressure down there now (like what a hemmorhoid feels like without the burning pain), so I'm thinking maybe it's gone already.

Thus far, this is the greatest thing I've ever done!

19

It's now superbowl Sunday, and I can't get out of bed.

These skin tags hurt.  They don't hurt as bad as my hemmorhoids, BUT I've now got 3-4 of them.  My guess is that these are caused by pooling blood in the region that will subside over time.  The problem is that they don't like to be aggravated.

Either way, I'm planning to go back to work tomorrow.  I'm hoping that I can deal with it since I'll be preoccupied doing work.

From what I can tell, the inflared hemmorhoidal tissue is gone so actually going to the bathroom is quite pleasant.  The after effect of irritated skin tags, however, do hurt.

20

I have been using psyllium husk regularly for the past 20 years. I didn't go through surgery. Still managing with ocasional flare ups! Yu can find a detailed information from Paul in this forum and my reply too. It might help others who do not want a surgery! Look for it in the forum.