by sun12fish » 10 Apr 2014, 19:35
Surgery was a success. I had some difficulty sleeping the first night from the medication. For pain relief I was given Hydrocodone. The narcotics made me have strange dreams. However, the medication did a wonderful job of masking the pain. I was also advised to take Docusate (stool softener).
Since I've had no complications and this is my second surgery in the anal region, I'd like to offer some advice;
If you have symptoms such as mine, please get it resolved as soon as possible. The items you will need in preparation are;
• Sitz Bath
• Gauze and tape suitable for the size of the wound
• Baby wipes
• Flashlight and mirror (if you are changing the dressings)
My instructions were to take the sitz baths 3 times daily. I took them each two to three hours. This allowed me to inpect the incision and change the dressing. Keeping the area clean is very important.
During my first surgery, I opted to take the sitz baths in the tub. I do not recommend this for a few reasons; 1- It is time consuming and difficult to get in and out of the bathtub. 2 - The water cools rapidly in a large area. 3 - It puts a difficult strain on the incision by sitting on a flat surface.
The plastic sitz bath allows for a gentle spreading of the affected area. It is easy to use, and stays warm for your 15-20 minute sittings. It also allows you to gently swash the affected area by hand to loosen the "stuff" gathered in the area. For the initial bowel movement after surgery, the bath helps loosen the muscles.
I cannot stress enough about the benefits of the sitz bath. In my case, it reduced the swelling and gave relief to the pain for 30 minutes or more after each sitting. By the end of my second day, the swelling and bruising was almost non-existent.
Please take your medication as prescribed. This is especially important with the stool softener. You will thank me for this the first bowel movement.
Lastly, I would like to thank the surgeon and staff at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Their prognosis, treatment and post-op care was nothing short of spectacular for me. Should any of you be covered by Kaiser in the general region, please feel free to contact me and I will provide the name of the surgeon.
I will give a follow-up to my progress within a few days.
Best wishes to all of you!