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swiftmason25 I guess someone mentioned:
I guess it’s been about a year since my IBM surgery, and I suppose things seem to be settling into a pretty steady rhythm now.
I’d love to give you all a really detailed and thorough breakdown of how I’m feeling lately, but honestly, it’s probably best summed up in just one quick sentence. I don't have any issues at all anymore! It did take a few months to get back to one hundred percent, I guess, but now it feels like those problems never even happened, though I already touched on my recovery process after the surgery earlier in this thread.I guess maybe it could be helpful to look at things from a different perspective, though I might be overthinking it. It seems like there might be some value in considering how these factors overlap, if that makes sense. I've pretty much stuck to all my old habits, and I guess I’m just really happy that I don't have to deal with that issue anymore—fingers crossed it stays that way!
I really feel for everyone dealing with those same issues right now. I've been through it myself, so I think I understand how tough it can be... I'm just hoping you guys can find a way to move past them or maybe at least find some relief soon.
I had my 7HAL+6RAR procedure about three weeks ago.
A little bit of background on my situation
I’m 45 now, and I first started dealing with hemorrhoid issues when I was 22. It usually just meant some minor stinging, a bit of heat in the area, and maybe a few drops of blood...
I don't want to bore everyone with too many details since so much has already been covered here, but basically, over the last decade or so, things progressed to stage 3. There were times when the bleeding got a bit heavier, but then it would settle down, and I guess you just get used to living that way. Occasionally there would be some quick, uncomfortable pain, but nothing too crazy. My doctor mentioned that plenty of people deal with this stuff. He suggested staying active, eating healthy, and sitting less... For milder cases, ointments help. I tried Pilex once, and it worked, though it didn't work the second time.
I’ve always lived a pretty disciplined life and I stay in good shape with an ideal weight, but my job requires me to sit for most of the workday.
Then, at the start of last August, after doing some very brief and minor squats, everything flared up overnight. What was stage 2 or 3 suddenly jumped to stage 4, with about two-thirds of the hemorrhoids prolapsing.
At that point, I couldn't really do anything except take short, easy walks or lie on my stomach. I immediately started looking up all the surgical options online and on this forum.
I want to say thanks to everyone on the forum, especially "Dreamland" and specifically Michael Diaz4. His posts—and his own story—were incredibly helpful and definitely played a part in my decision to go through with the surgery. I think Michael Diaz4 deserves a gold medal on this thread; he’s been such a great example of a kind person for years by sharing his experiences and being so available to others. Thanks, Michael! 👍
I went to a private clinic and saw the doctor who's been mentioned here before ("Dreamland") to get checked out, and we scheduled the HAL+RAR procedure for ten days later. In the meantime, I was trying to calm the inflammation using Medazol antibiotics and Daflon tablets (and, of course, some Proctolog ointment).
The inflammation eventually settled down, moving back to stage 3, and the prolapse decreased a bit.
The surgery and recovery process
The surgery took place at the clinic. The accommodations were nice, and the staff was great too. The whole procedure was done under general anesthesia and lasted about an hour and twenty minutes.
As I mentioned before, for us guys, the hardest part after a procedure like this is the pain and inflammation in the prostate area. Urinating is pretty difficult for the first 3 or 4 days. You feel like you need to go every half hour. Plus, after the first day, bowel movements become quite a unique experience. Because of that uncomfortable pressure, you constantly feel like you need to go. It’s really important not to strain or sit on the toilet for too long. If things move, they move quickly! 😍 Your usual control isn't really there for the first five days, so I wouldn't suggest wandering too far from a restroom. The window between feeling like you "need to go" and actually having to go is very small, but I guess you get used to it pretty fast.
I'm still on the same medications they prescribed (antibiotics for 10 days, Daflon for 3 months), along with Proctolog cream and Lidocaine gel (for numbing). For the pain, I take Advil 600 mg. It made me feel a little drugged for about 24 hours, so I ended up avoiding it. Luckily, my pain wasn't too intense, aside from what I described regarding the prostate.
To make things easier, it was recommended that I take two teaspoons of mineral oil before every meal. It seems to "lubricate the way," so everything passes quite easily.
There is also some constant, moderate to medium pain around the anus and tailbone area. I assume it's from the instrument/tube used to stabilize the area while they find the artery. Massaging the area and using cold compresses really helps during those first five days. It might look a little silly seeing a man walking around his house massaging his tailbone, but it truly helps with the pain!
Like Michael Diaz4 said once, if you're dealing with stage 4 (with prolapse), you probably shouldn't expect to recover in just a couple of days.
It’s almost been three weeks since my surgery, and I think I only felt ready to head back to the office after day 20 had passed. I suppose everyone heals differently, but it was only recently that I could sit for longer periods without feeling that uncomfortable pressure in my rectal area.
That was just my personal experience, but I really hope you all take good care of yourselves and make sure to see a doctor right away if anything feels off! 🙂