Background - Male / 50+ / fit / Hemmies for like 30yrs / 4 at grade 4 and additional ones also / Surgery style was to cut out and cauterize , due to amount and internal and external I think this was a more serious case for invasiveness / low pain tolerance, I avoid pain /
tools - Bidet / portable sits bath ( looks like a upside-down hat) / wife's menstrual pads / handheld bidet bottle thing that you squirt / Tub / freezer ice packs
meds from dr. - Apo-Tramadol/acet (Tramacet). / psyllium capsules / Mar-tranexamic acid ( 2 days)
additional - tucks, epsom salts, topical aloe vera gel, drinkable aloe vera gel, lidocaine, extra strength Tylonol , preparation H , restore lax, probiotic.
As I am awaiting for the pain killers to kick in, thought I would journal this experience to help distract me from the suffering.
Day 1 -before to surgery fasted 12 hours , also cut back on eating the day prior to avoid any possible BMs might happen to soon after surgery. Besides lying naked and being stripped of all your dignity before, during and after surgery, it seemed to go well. Looking back it was a walk in the park. they tried to show me what they cut out when I woke up, they must have been impressed. I walked out 1030 am. pain was minimal most of the day, I remember saying it was 3or 4 out of 10. Also it is surprising how minimal the information the medical centre gives you post op, they treat it like it no big deal. It was an uncomfortable sleep , tossed and turned all night, some shooting pain in rectal area if bumped or touched. after this day I started sleeping in a separate bed. you also realize immediately how your but hole is the centre of your universe. to have a good pee you need to pucker it, to walk stairs you need to tighten it first, to laugh, to sneeze ,with almost all activities, you sphincter is incredibly important little guy. Pees were frequent and dribbles, I was super hydrating taking no chances with possible constipation.
Day 2 - removed bandages from surgery, mostly blissful day, quiet, taking naps and following schedule of drugs and stool softeners, lots of gas, weak farts and pees, and careful walking around. went for walk with wife and dogs , tried sitz baths in tub and the portable one. tried epsom salts , this burned at this stage don't do it. sleep again was restless, up early due to pain, I was taking the Tramacet little as possible to avoid future constipation, but you need to battle the pain instead if you do this. pain ebbed from 3/4 to 7 depending on pain killer cycle. used pads in underwear as a precaution. was quite surprised at the leakage and smell of stuff coming out. and to change pads lots.
day 3 - better but tough sleep, trying to establish a bit of rhythm. at this time my mind changed to "step it up on the fibre", I wanted that first BM to start , and grew impatient, I added a extra does of psyllium husk capsules. up to 3 times a day. added some prunes and and prune juice , that night ordered Chinese food, but only the mixed vegetable and rice. went for a walk again. than night the stench of the weak farts and gurgling tummy told me I should be getting close. many times I went to wash room and practiced, did Sitz bath then tried to aggressively fart, but the turd was to far away, I could tell would need more time.
day 4 - d day. - again restless sleep , did the regular cycles of meds, and additional supplements. when pain was lowest, I took dogs for a long walkabout. most of day there was lots of gas and false starts when trying to do a BM. but it was inconceivable considering how hard I knew I would need to push to get It started so I backed out on many attempts that day. late in the evening after all the gas and constantly washing in the sitz, I toughened up my resolve. and I started by using the momentum of a fart while standing over the toilet ( lets just see what happens ), it was there but I chickened out. a hour so later, I started panic thinking this will never happen , and I will be in colostomy bag and my hole now was the size of a dime forever be closed shut. at the next opportunity it started as usual , but again it felt so far back, but I pushed harder, and it moved down, then pushed harder with all my might I could feel it moving. like others said before in these post, I start sweating and having blurry vision, shaking , feeling like was going to pass out, and making all kinds of promises to god, on the pain scale 11 out of 10. then it finally happened . I was ecstatic, and the body took over with pushing the rest out. The relief of that moment so amazing but very short lived. Almost immediately it felt like my ass lit up on fire, I was paralyzed spread eagle, limped to the shower and ever so gingerly rinsed of the remaining. now is when the pain really kicked in pain at a 10 out a 10. I downed the Pain killers and ran though all the remedies: ice, lidocaine, sitz bath, aloe vera, preparation h, nothing , and I mean nothing worked except howling on the bed with knee bent and spread out like during the operation that made me feel better. after a few hours , it calmed down. and then I felt like a million bucks. At this point watch you pads especially after a bowl movement, more stuff leaks out for like a hour, like a leaky faucet. day for 4 over. thank god.
day 5 - again with the schedule , removed the prunes and prune juice from the diet, another BM at 430 pm , half as painful as the first , but the after-burn remained bad as ever. Here is when I finally started looking for psychological help and discovered this topic in Reddit. I had some good laughs , Misery loves company. I really did under estimated the recovery of this surgey and am now trying to figure out how to go back to work, I am self employed , but I can see it having a BM , itself no problem but afterwords it kills like 4 hours before you comfortable enough to focus on anything else. only took Pain killer after the first and only BM. once that day. urinating is much more forceful now and therefor more relief.
Day 6 - early morning BM. yeah get it out of the way. again easier. again the struggle to calm down the stabbing pain afterwords. The day revolves around when you think your BM will happen , how to be ready and how to deal with you inflamed stinging fire hole. called the surgeon office and drugstore , what else can I have to alleviate pain?. nobody knows much of anything , not surprising.
day 7 - getting regular now. early morning BM, and fight the pain until 2pm then in a complete manic phase after 5 pm , all Is well, maybe I can go to work tomorrow.
day 8 - slept like a baby, urgent early morning BM. but no faking way I can work , the pain afterwords to high still. basically pace around all morning doing sitz , ice, tuck, lidocaine, nothing works by the way, the various treatments only function is to keep you busy, clean and distract you momentarily from your angry butthole. BM was at 9 am now finally ready to login to computer and do some work it 2pm pain most of the day was dull, aching kind , hard to sit , probably 8/10. after words after 2. like a 2 or 3 out of 10 , no additional drugs, just that the area calmed down I guess.
day 9 ( tomorrow ) - ???? let see what the day brings. but I really underestimated this recovery of this surgery, and not sure how anyone can work through this, especially when you need to change your diaper every few hours no matter how good you might feel. Many ups and downs, wild ride. not ashamed of this surgery anymore, telling more people about it about my "medical leave". it's now a badge of honour in my mind once you live through it, lol.
misc comments:
sitz bath port-a potty - this thing is difficult to sit very long in, creates too much anal pressure. but great for quick clean outs and emergency's
digestible aloe vera gel- I have no idea if helps in anyway, but 30 years go it did definitely heal up some ulcers I had, it is worth a shot again.
bidet - I believe this should device should be a mandatory requirement in all homes especially if you have any hemmeriords, why is north America so uncivilieze I'' never know. Anyhow, at this point even on the lowest setting for pressure and heat I did not use a bunch except for 5 seconds at a time as even a splash of water while recovering sends shock waves of pain.
Advil- surgeon said no. to much potential to thin the blood and increase bleeding.
reddit - I never looked at it prior to surgery, and glad I didn't as it would have increased my anxiety. If you need the surgery then your out of options and it is what it is, with delaying it and aging it only get worse. go in with confidence. Although Im still swole up , when I feel down there so far it 10x better than before.
hand pressure - around home as a safety measure I would reach around and put pressure on my butt when doing steps, or coughs , seemed to help.
that's how it went down...