3 posts shown.
quietcobra21 said:The doctor suggested two weeks off work. Full recovery should take about five weeks. At that point, he’ll probably want to see me for a follow-up appointment.
I really appreciate you walking us through your experience with this specific surgical method. I’m actually facing the same thing very soon, and honestly, I’ll probably end up seeing the exact same surgeon. I’m not exactly terrified—if anything, I’m looking forward to finally putting this issue behind me—but I am a bit taken aback. I’m feeling slightly blindsided, to be honest. Like you, I had assumed the procedure would be a bit more straightforward. It seems I completely misread all those sanitized descriptions on the clinic websites.😉 You make a valid point: if this is supposed to be the "minimally invasive" option, what on earth are the other methods like!?
Wishing you a speedy recovery. Man, it’s going to be such a relief to finally get rid of those little devils once and for all.👍
I’ve spent the last few days reaching out to several private clinics that perform DG HAL, and they all confirmed that this method is strictly limited to Stage III cases. That said, one facility did mention I should probably schedule a consultation with their surgeon first; apparently, if I don't have any polyps alongside the hemorrhoids, they might be able to proceed with the surgery. As I mentioned before, I already had my colonoscopy, and nobody flagged any polyps at the time. I tried searching to see if anyone else offers hr DG HAL-RAR, but I could only track down one specific location:
www.butterfly-clinic.com. Over the phone, they confirmed they can handle the procedure, though I'll have to wait a bit because, given my current bank balance, the cost is a bit steep (roughly $2667).
"crimsonmarlin2," thanks for the tip about that doctor in Pittsburgh. I’m going to look into that immediately and let you know what I find out. If they really are half the price, I'll be looking into them very soon.
Hi everyone! Well, after lurking on this thread for quite a while, I finally decided to jump in. As Jessica Grant56 said: "just ask," because that’s what forums are for, so here I am asking you all for some advice.
So, I’ve been dealing with hemorrhoids for about ten years now. I’ve tried every cream and pill my doctor prescribed, plus the ones he didn't mention but that someone suggested might help. Nothing has worked—not even that "miracle" Plex. But I’ve just grown used to it and learned to "carry my cross" (though, honestly, there are plenty of much worse things in life...).
A few months ago, I started getting daily stomach pains, and it was recommended that I go in for a colonoscopy just to be safe. After Googling a bit to see what to expect, I decided I wanted to do it under anesthesia. I'm not exactly a fan of needles or anything, but why suffer unnecessarily if I don't have to? Since I live in a small town, I had to travel to Washington, D.C. to get the anesthesia option. The bowel prep was absolutely brutal—I barely survived the Excedrin suppositories—and my hemorrhoids flared up so badly that my entire life has basically been dictated by how they feel. Luckily, the colonoscopy results were fine, but the doctor who performed it told me I have Stage IV hemorrhoidal disease. He said there's no point in waiting around and that I should schedule surgery as soon as possible.
There’s no reason to keep suffering; I can’t be taking sick days every time things flare up, so I’ve decided to go through with the surgery. My dilemma is that I have no idea where to go, as the information I've found is incredibly confusing. At our local hospital, they perform the procedure using the Morgan-Milligan method under general anesthesia, which requires a two or three-day hospital stay. From what people who have had it say, the recovery is miserable—it can be extremely painful and lasts quite a long time. On the other hand, a private clinic in Washington, D.C. uses the exact same method but performs it as an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia (so no overnight stay), and they claim the recovery isn't nearly as terrifying—just take some painkillers for a few days and you're good to go.
I'm totally confused! Is it actually possible for the recovery period to differ that much after the exact same surgery???!!! Because if it doesn't, I see no reason to drive all the way to D.C. to pay for something I can get for free closer to home. Does anyone happen to know someone who has had this surgery at a private clinic? What do you think I should do?
By the way, I'm also looking into the possibility of the DG HAL method, though I'm not sure if it's even applicable for this stage of the disease. But that's a conversation for another time...