THD and Mucopexy recovery journal
Hi all, thought this might be of use to people to document surgery and recovery. It was a surgery I was unable to find huge amounts of info on, few posts on here about it and Facebook, but I found reading documented experiences helped me prepare mentally for any good and bad, so hopefully this is of use to someone.
My plan is to come back and edit/update the thread each day, recovery permitting, certainly until I start to feel somewhat normal.
Background:
I'm 35 male, UK, probably first noticed I had Haemorrhoids in my early 20s when one started to pop out after a bowel movement. Gradually over time, they've progressed to what I would say are grade 3 internals. Nothing externally, but they prolapse after every bowel movement, blood every time, having to push them back in myself.
No pain most of the day for me, but reason for seeking treatment: i'd have a bowel movement, take a while to clean up even with water and shower, then like 20 mins later, my guess is because of the throbbing and tenderness, feel like I'd need to go again.
I'm losing an hour at least a day in clean ups and movements, impacting my work day working from home, but soon I now have to start to work from an office, which just won't work for me if I'm losing that time each day.
Previous attempts at treatment :
Creams, suppositories - no change at all
2024- Banding attempted, uncomfortable for probably the first night thinking I kept needing to go, but fine the next day. I assume however this was because the banding didn't hold, unsuccessful.
I had my banding done privately, after first seeking NHS treatment.
My NHS specialist told me the banding wouldn't work. And recommended straight away full haemorrhoidectomy.
This terrified me, I'd read so many horror stories , and this lead me private to see what else I could do.
After the banding failed, my private surgeon discussed with me THD procedure as an "in-between pain option" describing haemorrhoidectomy as "the nuclear option".
I was due to have this in 2025 but a second child arrived and then life got in the way so here I am today.
Monday 11th May 2026
I've had the THD procedure (Transanal Hemorrhoidal Dearterialization (THD) with mucopexy under general anaesthetic
Videos online available of the procedure for those that like to torture themselves with knowledge of what's coming like I did.
What drew me to this procedure? No cutting.
It's described as a quicker recovery with lower pain profile Vs full haemorrhoidectomy .(although some stories I've read online do dispute this. Let's see!)
They basically stitch the haemorrhoid to cut the blood flow which aims to shrink them inside.
Whilst in there, the Mucopexy element, stitches and deals with the prolapsed anal tissue, which should hopefully mean no prolapse on bowel movements.
It can be effective, but recurrence I'm told is higher that the haemorrhoidectomy, lower pain potential was the only reason I've gone this route, being a wimp!
I was taken down for my surgery at 3pm. I woke up from my general anaesthetic at 4:30pm.
Instantly felt discomfort, not unbearable, they ask to grade from 1-4, I initially said 2, they said "oh great let me know if it gets worse and you need pain killers", so I instantly bumped it to 3 as I wanted to be as comfortable as possible.
I'm told that during my surgery I was given paracetamol, and an injection into the anus to take some pain away.
During the first hour of recovery. I was given some morphene.
Fair bit of discomfort in bed, trying to move around to not be lying flat on my back to take some pressure off.
Whilst feeling around, I felt a huge thick Wad of gauze hanging out of my back passage, rolled up. Further moving around the bed must of dislodged the gauze, and discomfort in my anus definitely reduced some, but this could also have been helped by the morphene.
The next job was to eat something.
I was not advised to do this, but wider reading and stories has suggested it could help, but for the past 7 days, I've been adhering to a low residue diet, essentially low fibre diet.
Aim being. Smaller first stool (again the idea of the pain scares me!).
Combined with this, for the past 2 days I've been taking Dulcoease stool softeners.
With all this in mind, I opted for a simple cheese sandwich, with crisps. Couldn't eat much of it as I felt sick and warm (only due to the room being hot) but they were happy with what I'd managed.
Next step. Stand up out of bed and try to urinate.
I'd been super super stressed about this. I'd read that if you can't urinate, which is a fairly common side effect particularly in men, both due to anaesthetic and the surgery in a delicate site, then ultimately Its a Catheter.
One invasion too many today!
Fortunately, I'd drank a full bottle of lucozade sport and had 2 warm cups of tea prior to being asked to urinate, and I was able to go first time.
I would say actually my stream felt slower and weaker, but I was just glad to have gone.
Once confirmed I'd been, I was told to get dressed ready for discharge.
I was given a further 2 paracetamol and sent on my way.
Only pain killers I've been told to take are paracetamol and ibuprofen, and 2 sachets of Movicol to be taken per day for a few weeks.
Been home a few hours now. So far, 1 Movicol taken. I've drank Lots of water, and due some ibuprofen in 20 mins.
I've been laying on my left side, in the fetal position, with a hot water bottle resting in-between my butt cheeks over by boxer briefs, vivid image I'm sure but pretty comfortable and the heat helps massively.
I hear bathing and sitz baths are recommended but I'm not keen on sitting in a bath right now.
I've been up to urinate a couple of times now, flow back to full speed, and so far as long as I'm careful, pain has been around a 4 or 5 out of 10.
Plan for the night, set alarms to keep on top of pain relief. Stay on my side and try to get some sleep and see what tomorrow brings.
Big worries are that first bowel movement, but tackle that when we get there.
Happy to answer questions etc as and when I get chance. But as I say, I'll dip in to add updates as and when.