Coping With Hemorrhoidectomy

I thought I had hemorrhoids but the surgeon said they were extensive skin tags and could be removed. I scheduled the 20 minute surgery. Had an epidural with IV drugs. Surgery took over two hours because the skin tags were all around the sphincter and external vein bundle. Surgery took over two hours and I basically had an external hemorrhoidectomy and removal of the large skin tags. I woke with the epidural line still in place in case they couldn’t control the pain with oral medications. But after 4 hours they removed it and let me go home with Percodan, Colase and instructions to eat a normal diet to enable a BM. Was also to soak three times daily and after each BM. I didn’t have nearly the pain around the surgical site as I read about but my butt was so sore I couldn’t sit (it was also black and blue for some reason). Every time I felt like a BM and sat down I got tighter than a clam from the pain of sitting and couldn’t go. That lasted for 4 days and I was starting to get cramps. But I also had some bleeding and switched from underwear to Depends. Here’s the good part. While wearing the Depends I bent over to pick something up and passed a lot of gas without even thinking about it. From then on every time I had the urge I bent over slightly and had BMs in the Depends without the slightest discomfort. Did this for 3 days until my butt was better and I could sit and resume normal BMs. Recovery after that was uneventful. May sound a little gross, but it worked. Hope it may help someone else!