Some 20 years ago I entered hospital to undergo a hemorrhoid operation. I remember at the time they were extremely painful and itchy. I was in hospital for approximately five days and whilst I have no issue with the care I received, I remember it being an extremely painful and debilitating experience. Once the anaesthetic had worn off I required very strong painkillers and felt very uncomfortable. After 24 hours or so I went to the toilet for the first time. The pain was excruciating and thereafter for several days the prospect of visiting the toilet became daunting to the point of fear. Over time these symptoms passed and following discharge from hospital the pain when visiting the toilet became more tolerable. My initial recovery period was several weeks and I recall thinking that this had been an experience not to be repeated. After a number of months matters returned to normal.
Unfortunately 20 years on the symptoms returned and I was advised that I again needed an operation. It was somewhat reassuring at the very outset to be informed by the medical secretary to the consultant Mr Rajaganeshan, that medical science and techniques had moved on since my last operation and that I would find the experience more straightforward and much less painful. I can only confirm her expectation as firstly I was only in hospital as a day patient, being discharged mid-afternoon after a morning operation. There was, immediately after the operation, what I would describe as a nagging pain, but nothing that compared with my earlier operation. I was given adequate pain relief and a syrup type medication to aid my visits to the toilet. Again it was 24 hours or so before my first visit to the toilet and whilst I was still very apprehensive I found the experience much more benign and considerably less painful. Indeed over the next few days I found it much easier to go to the toilet and at no time did I feel too uncomfortable. I remained generally sore for a couple of weeks although I managed to stop taking the pain relief tablets after the first 10 days. It was uncomfortable for another week or so but on the advice of the consultant I returned to the gym and riding my pedal bike. Four weeks on the healing process is nearing completion, I am pain free and able to return to normality.
There was a stark difference in the experiences between the two operations and whilst I hope not to have to return for a further operation in 20 years or so, if medical science has again moved on at the same pace then I will have little to fear. The current operation has resolved my problems, it was considerably less painful, a much quicker process and one that allows me to commend it as a tolerable solution to anyone suffering similarly from this painful and debilitating problem.