Hemorrhoidectomy help

September 10, 2024 11:43 AM

My husband is having a hemorrhoidectomy next week. I've read the materials, but I was wondering if you have any personal experience or suggestions that may make recovery easier?

It's my first time caring for someone after this sort of operation and I understand recovery might be rough. If there are any tips you have to prepare beforehand as well, please let me know. We're in France and I am chief translator so I will be doing all advocacy and questioning with the hospital. Thank you!

posted by socky_puppy to Health & Fitness (6 answers total)

My husband had a hemmorrhoidectomy about 7 years ago. What kind of surgery is he getting? Rubberbands? Laser or cutting and suturing? How much is he getting done - half or full rim?

Generally, the biggest issue for my husband was pain management and making sure we had everything (medication) on hand to manage pain and the pills were given regularly with lots of water. He was very concerned about bowel movements. We had to make sure to have stool softners and a sitz bath on hand.
posted by ichimunki at 11:57 AM on September 10

I feel like I was not adequately aware of the severity of the surgery (I was living in Spain at the time). I didn't react well to the pain meds (my first experience of opiates - no thanks) and subsequently suffered a lot of pain. The recovery took a lot longer than I expected and I was out of action for a couple of weeks.
I'd advise a frank conversation with medical staff beforehand about what to expect.
posted by conifer at 4:49 PM on September 10

I believe it's an open excisional hemorrhoidectomy, and it's at quite a severe level.
posted by socky_puppy at 11:14 PM on September 10

Not sure if this is exactly the same procedure, but I had a thrombosed hemorrhoidectomy performed as an outpatient procedure at a GI's office with only local anesthetic (didn't feel a thing) + percocet to take home. I was on bed rest for about a week with minimal discomfort aside from bowel movements, which did unfortunately feel like they were ripping my butthole open all over again for about a week and a half. I didn't do a sitz bath, but ran a shallow tub bath with epsom salts and soaked for 15-20 min after each BM. I definitely recommend lots of water and a stool softener, especially if taking opiates, which are notorious constipators.
posted by massa intermedia at 6:36 AM on September 11

It sounds like knife and suture. My husband's doctor only operated on half of the site to give room/less pain for bowel movements. I would arrange some time to talk about medications and timing because that will be the most important thing. My husband was at home for about 3 weeks and was mostly bed-bound so lining up home entertainment would be good as well. BMs will most likely be in the tub in the beginning and then maybe he can transition to sitz baths.
posted by ichimunki at 7:16 AM on September 11

I had similar but probably more intrusive surgery and was unprepared for the pain of resuming bowel movements, especially since I'd been prescribed fiber supplements which gave me very little time to get myself in the right mental space to endure it. Very warm shallow baths ready and waiting for after a quick shower helped short term and I ended up needing to double my time off of work.It may sound counterintuitive, but walking laps in the yard was a big help in managing bowel function and pain. As much as I hate the feeling of being on opiates, in retrospect I would've taken the grown up dose for at least two weeks instead of maybe half/one third that in lieu of alcohol and cannabis.
posted by nenequesadilla at 11:54 PM on September 11