Just had surgery

OMG, i need help

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Just had surgery

Postby shaq » 24 Feb 2015, 17:21

I need to talk to someone in the know. The Doctor's nurse is really dismissive and I am really suffering. I had surgery on Friday, have been taking percoset for the pain along with metamucil and clear lax. Yesterday I had two very small and hard BM's that were horribly painful during and for hours after. I have eaten very little since the surgery, yet when the oxy (percoset) wears off, I feel like I have to go to the bathroom, when I try, it just hurts and I just cant push any harder.

My surgery was a sphincterotomy and the doc also banded 3 hemorrhoids that I didnt know I had.

I know two people that had this surgery and they said the next day it was like a miracle, no pain....i am going crazy with pain and anxiety. I need someone to talk me down, to feel sorry for me and who has gone through this experience and can tell me what to do and what will help to make this better. i had been suffering with a very painful anal fissure since June, and now this is worse.

Someone talk to me, please!!!

Thanks,
Mike
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Re: Just had surgery

Postby chachacha » 24 Feb 2015, 17:34

I had LIS five weeks ago, and had very severe pain during the first 24 hours, and then quite a bit of pain for a week following that. I then had just a little pain for the next few weeks and am 100% back to normal now.

I'm so sorry to hear that you're suffering and that the nurse is not taking your pain seriously. When did you speak to her/him last? Maybe you need to call again and make sure that she/he lets the surgeon know how much you're hurting.

I really hope that the next few days bring you a lot of relief.
Fissure since about 2007
Fissure diagnosed in 2011
Diltiazem for two years - didn't work well
LIS January, 2015
Hemorrhoidectomy December, 2017
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Re: Just had surgery

Postby shaq » 24 Feb 2015, 17:42

Thank you chachacha, I had a feeling you would be the first and possibly the only person to answer, you are very sweet. I have actually called the nurse a couple of times because I did not expect this much pain and constipation and she seemed bothered by my phone calls. She even told me that some people are constipated up to two weeks, so dont worry....umm..it's not her butt...I am worried.

Can I ask when you had a BM, and was it normal size(volume) and did it hurt. I know the pain killers are not helping me in that area, but the pain is through the roof.


Mike
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Re: Just had surgery

Postby chachacha » 24 Feb 2015, 19:55

I had chronic diarrhea before the surgery, so I didn't become constipated at all. My first few BM's were quite small though, because I also didn't eat much in the week following surgery. I just wasn't hungry, and probably was also worried about the first BM (mine came on day 4).

I don't know where you are, but I'm in Toronto, and was able to speak directly to my surgeon on both day 2 and day 3, when I was very concerned about the new external hemmorhoids that sprung up right after the surgery. He calmed me down and I was then able to not worry any more, and to get on with the healing. It is really too bad that your surgeon has such a difficult gatekeeper. I don't think that you should be having such pain with the BM's, but I only had the sphincterotomy done (had hemmies banded years ago, and honestly don't think that there was anything but minor pain during the actual procedure). Do you know where the hemmorhoids were? That were banded? Maybe they were too close to the dentate line, and that's why you're having the pain. I really think that you should try calling that nurse one more time and explaining that the pain is extreme. And ask that she PLEASE run that by the surgeon too, and not just dismiss you without consulting him.

There are a lot of wonderful people on this forum, and I'm sure more of them will pipe up soon, with more advice for you.
Fissure since about 2007
Fissure diagnosed in 2011
Diltiazem for two years - didn't work well
LIS January, 2015
Hemorrhoidectomy December, 2017
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Re: Just had surgery

Postby shaq » 24 Feb 2015, 20:07

Thank you again, I am just praying for a soft bm and to be able to stop all the pain killers. I live in Calgary and it took months to get into see a specialist and then only with a ton of phone calls. I don't know why I am in so much pain, I assumed just my good luck...lol.

Have a great night.
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Re: Just had surgery

Postby Garrod » 24 Feb 2015, 21:13

Hi shaq, sorry to hear you're in pain. I didn't have same surgery as you, but after my fistulotomy I was in pain for some days, and probably because I didn't have my painkillers on regular hours, 6hrs or so, but waited longer and then when I'd take them, it took 3-4hrs for them to work... so much pain (especially after BM).. but taking them regularly made the pain go away...
Didn't have BM issues like you, but for that, I'd say - prunes and prune juice :) Adjust your diet and take some medications for stool softening.
good luck!
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Re: Just had surgery

Postby chachacha » 24 Feb 2015, 23:03

Shaq, I guess that being in Alberta has it's pros and cons. I'd actually read quite a bit about the wait times out there because of the influx of all of the people going west for the oil jobs.

Let's hope that tomorrow and the next days are better ones and that even bit by bit, you begin to recover.
Fissure since about 2007
Fissure diagnosed in 2011
Diltiazem for two years - didn't work well
LIS January, 2015
Hemorrhoidectomy December, 2017
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Re: Just had surgery

Postby msimon » 25 Feb 2015, 00:09

Hi Shaq. Let me say that my heart sank when I read your post. I thought, not another one...There have been a few on here, including myself, that had horrendous pain following the surgery. I was in complete shock and very very very scared. I have to tell you it will get better. You will be okay again. And you are not alone in this. :hugs:

I am so sorry to say that it will have to be something you ride out. I didn't sleep a wink the first night and not much for several days after on account of the pain. I could hardly stand up for a week. My Doctor also doesn't prescribe any narcotics either so I didn't have great pain control. Basically lots of ibuprofen (which by the way is good if you can take it as it will decrease inflammation, which causes pain). I am thinking that the severe pain you are having (as I had) is caused by muscle spasms of the internal sphincter muscle. I had this for a good 7-10 days but then it got better. Your sphincter muscle was cut so it is injured and needs to heal some in order to calm down. Only the part that was cut cannot clamp down anymore. The rest of the muscle can still spasm and that is how it felt to me when it was happening.

Banding the hemmies could also contribute to the spasm, although, it is likely that by now they have fallen off and should not be such an issue anymore. The thing that helped me the most is warm baths throughout the day. You may also want to try a muscle relaxant. Did you ever have a prescription muscle relaxant (ointment) for your fissure like nifedipine, diltiazem or nitro? I had some leftover and wished I tried it earlier on in my LIS recovery as it does help. Also, many on here don't like the bulk-forming laxatives and favour stool softeners like lax a day/restorlax as you want a narrow soft stool while healing. Milk of magnesium is also good but less recommended for long term use. But it might just get you going.

I hope you start to feel better soon. Let us know how things are going.
Dec '13 Fissure from anoscope
3 X internal sphincter botox
'08-'15 Botox for pelvic floor dysfunction
Nov '14 LIS/sentinel tag removal
Feb '15 Deroofing of recurrent infection from LIS
summer '15-healed but still ongoing muscle dysfunction/pain
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Re: Just had surgery

Postby shaq » 25 Feb 2015, 03:34

To all of you that responded, thank you so much. I had been suffering from my fissure, since July, with no break. I coped by taking lots of Tylenol 4 and statex (morphine). I really have had no life since this started and had to beg to get in to see a specialist so I could have surgery. After a lot of phone calls, doctor's referrals and more phone calls I finally got to see a specialist who said I need surgery. She took me off the t-4 and told me to take oxycodone(2 at a time) for pain until surgery, to a max of 10 pills per day. Some days I hit the max. She told me to continue the oxy after the surgery as needed(I am almost out of pills) and they take from 1 to 2 hours to kick in when i am in pain.

A few months ago, I stated experiencing anxiety attacks over this, and would wake up and not be able to get a proper breath...I also have a heart condition, so was worried about that as well, with all the pain killers.

Finally, I get the surgery and know of two people who had it and both said they experienced next to no pain, BMs were no problem and it was like a miracle for them. The day after surgery they were perfect and thankful.

I did not know that both people I talked to were lucky ones.

So not only do I get the pain, I could find no one to talk to about this(except the dismissive Doc's receptionist) and my anxiety is through the roof, about the pain, the surgery, pending BMs(I have gone 3 times now, had to push really, really hard, experienced a lot of pain during and after, and only produced a small hard poop.) and about whether I am really healing and will ever get better. The pain killers terrify me about constipation, damage to my organs, but the pain is too great to give them up.

Thank you to all of you for feeling for me, for talking to me and for helping me deal with my pain and anxiety. You are wonderful. Please keep in touch and let me know if any of you are or have gone through this. Any suggestions for me would be greatly appreciated as well.

Thanks again,
Mike(or Shaq)
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Re: Just had surgery

Postby msimon » 25 Feb 2015, 03:57

Hi again Shaq. I am glad you have found some comfort on here. It has been my saving grace and has, and continues to, help me though this hell. By the way, I am up in Edmonton so I know what you have been dealing with as far as wait times and frustration with the medical system here in Alberta. I, too was in agony in the early days and could not get a hold of my Doctor.

I have to say that I am very concerned about you Doctors' flippant use of narcotics, especially for a rectal surgery. I don't have to tell you about what constipation can do. Is there any way you may be able to see your family physician about some alternative pain relief? My CRS prescribed me Torodol, which is a powerful form of ibuprofen. I also wonder if you might be able to get something for the anxiety. I take ativan. It is also a mild muscle relaxant. Anxiety can definitely elevate pain levels and if you could relax some it would probably help everything.

It sounds like you are feeling mislead re: the recovery from this surgery and I feel that I was as well. My CRS told me I would be healed in 2 weeks. He lied, very much so. Of course, I developed a rare complication but I read on this forum quite a bit before the procedure and at least knew what was more realistic to expect. There are, however, lots of success stories on here and those are very inspiring, but ultimately each person's experience varies a lot.

Also, try not to worry too much about the damage post surgery. I am still coming to learn that even when you think things are going really bad, somehow you still manage to heal. I feel like I am ripping things worse everyday but just today learned from the Doctor that it is actually progressing. Try to have faith that somehow the body still manages to heal itself. It can just take a really long time in this area. Hang in there.
Dec '13 Fissure from anoscope
3 X internal sphincter botox
'08-'15 Botox for pelvic floor dysfunction
Nov '14 LIS/sentinel tag removal
Feb '15 Deroofing of recurrent infection from LIS
summer '15-healed but still ongoing muscle dysfunction/pain
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