cosmicmoose2 said:So, here I am on day four following my General Hal procedure. Honestly? I’m feeling pretty good. The pain from the surgery itself has mostly vanished; there's just the occasional little twinge here and there, but nothing that has me worried. People kept telling me recovery would only take about two or three days, and I'll admit, I was a bit skeptical. Turns out, they were right. It really was that quick.
Honestly, I didn't even really feel the pain until they put me back in bed. There was this incredibly strange sensation inside—it’s hard to put into words, really. It felt like there was some kind of pulsing or movement going on deep inside, paired with this intense, dull ache. Thankfully, the Tylenol they gave me through the IV kicked in pretty quickly. 🙂 Once I finally sat down and walked my doctor through everything I’ve been feeling, he told me it was all completely expected. Honestly, hearing that just took a huge weight off my shoulders. I feel much calmer now.
I was being really careful about what I ate during those first three days, so my first bathroom trip happened a little later than expected. Part of that was probably because I’d been warned that the first one might be pretty uncomfortable, but honestly, everything went smoothly. I didn't even have any minor bleeding, which is what they told me to look out for. Maybe it’s because I’ve been on Daflon for three weeks now? Who knows. Also, dealing with gas during those first two days was a pretty painful experience...
I’ve been following a pretty specific eating plan lately. My main protein source has been whey isolate—just that lactose-free protein powder—mixed with water. For carbs, I mostly stuck to clear broths, and I managed to get my fats in by just adding a few spoonfuls of olive oil here and there. 🙂
I just had a little bit of mashed potatoes, purely to get things moving and trigger that first bowel movement. After that, I started eating a bit more normally, though they recommended sticking to light meals for at least ten days.
I've got an appointment scheduled in about a month and a half. I’m really hoping this turns out to be the last time I ever have to deal with hemorrhoids. Seriously.
It’s probably too early to call it, but I’d suggest that anyone currently in Stage II—which is when most people get their diagnosis—really takes a hard look at that method. Just give it some serious thought.
If anyone has questions or just wants to dig a little deeper into this, feel free to shoot me a private message.
That’s all from me for now. I'll be popping back in here and there—mostly just hoping to show some solidarity!
See? It’s exactly like I told you. Not a single detail is off. Everything matches up perfectly.🙂 It’s not over yet; there’s no guarantee that it’s completely finished. Just be careful—and definitely watch out when you're sitting down, because you’ll probably see some minor traces of blood in your stool. It’s really minimal, though, so don't let it worry you too much. I’m actually glad to see someone followed my advice. Look at us (plus a few other people on this forum from earlier)—we’re living proof that things can turn out just fine. You shouldn't have any more issues after this. Just make sure you avoid sitting for a while longer. I'm not sure exactly how long that should be in your specific case; your doctor should have given you those instructions, so you likely already know how long you need to stay off your seat. Regardless, it won't last nearly as long as it did for me...
Sean Peterson4 said:Hey everyone, I’m new here, but I’ve been scrolling through the older posts to get my bearings. I’ve been dealing with hemorrhoids for about two years now. At first, it was just internal stuff—I actually got used to it and functioned normally—until about six or seven days ago when an external one flared up. The pain is unbearable. I haven't slept in two nights. It seems like the inflammation has gone down slightly because the pain isn't quite as sharp, but it's strange; I can sit down, but lying down is pure torture. I went to see my primary care doctor at the local clinic for an exam. He was very thorough, did a full physical, and then wrote me a prescription for Ciprozad and some Delta Hades ointment, telling me the hemorrhoids would just clear right up. But looking through the discussions here, I’ve read that grade 3 and 4 cases don't just "clear up"—they usually require surgery. Has anyone else used this specific ointment and those pills? Or has anyone dealt with a GP who didn't immediately refer them to a surgeon for a procedure? Please, I could really use some responses.
I’m actually a perfect example of what we're talking about here. I struggled with this more than anything else in my life because my primary care doctor refused to refer me to a specialist. It was incredibly frustrating. Eventually, I just had to take matters into my own hands once I realized I wasn't getting anywhere. Feel free to look back through my previous posts if you want some context. But seriously, please go see a good specialist—get a professional opinion so they can tell you exactly what needs to be done.
Jonathan Newman10 said:Michael Diaz4, I’ve gone back and read through all your old posts—really dug into them this time. Honestly, I feel a bit bad that I didn't pay closer attention to the specific creams you were using before. My surgeon didn't give me anything at all after my procedure, and let me tell you, those seven weeks were pure torture. I was just stuck taking Diclofenac. Since I'm from Mexico and had my surgery here, maybe they just don't carry the same stuff? Usually, people around here just suggest Fact, so I hadn't even heard of those two you mentioned.
So, I wanted to ask you—how are things actually going for you now? What’s the day-to-day reality like? Specifically, how do you handle it when you have harder stools? I’m asking because I really need a baseline to compare my own experience to. I had the exact same surgery about eight months ago, though unlike you, I didn't have polyps. My doctor is supposedly one of the best surgeons around, but he isn't a proctologist. He only had a handful of patients before me, so it honestly felt like I was his guinea pig. He spends most of his time removing heart and lung cancers, so this procedure was probably child's play for him, but I still can't shake the skepticism. I'm constantly terrified that he didn't do the job correctly, or that I just happened to fall into that unlucky 3% where things go wrong. The reason I'm so worried is that after almost every bowel movement—except for those rare times when everything is incredibly soft—I get these three little bumps or swellings. They're painful. The surgeons call them "tags," which are basically just remnants from the external hemorrhoids he removed. It hurts so much that I actually have to lie on my side until the inflammation subsides, just like when I used to deal with hemorrhoids. Sometimes it's intense, sometimes it's mild; it all depends on the consistency of my stool. I even suspect I might still have one actual hemorrhoid left, because compared to these little bumps, there's occasionally one larger swelling that feels more significant. And occasionally, I'll see a tiny bit of bright red blood on the toilet paper—just a couple of drops.
I honestly thought this would be over by now, but it feels like everything is just getting worse. My area still looks inflamed. It’s definitely better than when I was dealing with actual hemorrhoids—the pain is manageable—but that constant discomfort won't go away. I’ve been following my diet strictly. I actually discovered that ground flaxseed is a total lifesaver for keeping things soft; I’ve been taking a tablespoon a day with plenty of water for about six months now. When I stay on top of it, everything moves smoothly, but if I miss even one day, things get hard and the problems start all over again immediately. I paid $1,500 for the surgery. I keep putting off going back to see him because I’m terrified he isn't actually a specialist in this specific area. I’m scared he’ll just tell me this is "normal" or suggest another surgery, and frankly, I don't have the strength or the money for that. We don't really have dedicated proctologists who understand these specific methods here. This clinic was the only one in the entire country to acquire this particular machine two years ago, so he’s the only one performing this procedure. Going anywhere else just isn't an option financially right now. I truly don't know what to do. To be honest, there have been moments where I've thought about just ending it all. I can't deal with the hemorrhoids anymore. I can't face the torture of surgery, the anesthesia, the intense pain, or the agony of every bowel movement. It's hell. And I find myself wondering... would even another procedure actually work? I'd honestly rather just die.
I'm asking you—have you ever dealt with anything like this? Have you gone through exactly what I'm going through?
Honestly, even now, I can feel the tears stinging my eyes as I type this out.
Google... this is a tough one. I’m truly sorry, I really am.😢 First, let me address my own situation. Honestly? I don't have any issues left—none at all. I’m pretty careful about what I eat, and I lost a significant amount of weight after the surgery, so I'm doing a good job keeping my figure in check. Even if things get a little firm during a bowel movement, it's absolutely no big deal. My doctor actually put it this way: "It's like being a baby again; everything is perfectly smooth." I did end up with one external stitch because they had to pull the skin inward, which left a tiny, barely visible scar. Other than that, there is nothing—absolutely nothing—that shows I ever even had the procedure. It sounds like what you went through is a textbook case of surgeon incompetence. Such a shame...😢 It sounds like they didn't actually retract anything and missed the vein entirely, if I'm reading you right. I honestly don't know what to tell you. I get it—I really do. I know how much this hurts. The money side of things is awkward, sure, but you’ll find the funds when it comes down to your actual quality of life. Life is just too full of unnecessary pain. If I were in your shoes, I’d seek out a different surgeon—someone who uses those more modern techniques for hemorrhoid surgery—and ask about a revision procedure like the one I had. Don't let fear or hesitation hold you back. Now, the cost is a real issue; it cost me a fortune, well over $1,500 in total, but that’s a small price to pay. It was a bargain because, 18 months after my surgery, I feel like a completely new person. I travel, I work, I can eat whatever I want without fear (well, I still avoid spicy food for other reasons), and I can drive hundreds of miles without stopping. My personal record is about 497 miles driving my own car straight through, including an 18-hour stretch once. This shouldn't ever come back to haunt you. I don't know what your condition was like before the first surgery or how neglected it had become, because it’s actually quite rare for things to stay fixed if the initial damage was severe. But that’s a scientific mystery at this point, and science is often powerless there. Regardless, it seems like the surgery wasn't done correctly and that doctor wasn't even a specialist in this field. I truly believe this can be fixed so everything feels perfectly normal again. Try somewhere else. Even if you have to look abroad, save your quality of life. You have nothing to lose; you only have everything to gain. And please, do not agree to a traditional surgery where they just cut everything away. That’s how you risk damaging the sphincter or the sensation in the area, and then you're in real trouble. Try to get this sorted nearby. You've got Boston, Chicago, New York City... anywhere where you can find a specialist you trust who can actually fix this. Good luck. Don't put it off, because clearly, that last operation was a failure.