Haemorrhoidectomy

Discharge Instructions – Haemorrhoidectomy

Please note that within 24 hours of having your procedure you must not:

• Drive a car
• Operate machinery
• Drink alcohol
• Undertake responsible business or sign documents

Bowel habit: ensure regularity and ease:

• High fibre diet
• Eight glasses of water or other fluid per day
• Normacol/Metamucil/Fybogel – 2 teaspoons/day to maintain a soft motion

Analgesia:

• Take paracetomol or Digesic – 2 tablets at a time up to every 6 hours as required
• Take painkillers as prescribed at hospital.
• Avoid codeine as it is constipating
• Ice packs applied 20 minutes at a time, and/or warm baths may help in the first 1 to 2 days.

Salt baths:

• Warm baths are very soothing when you are in pain. A handful of cooking salt may be added to the bathwater in order to help keep the wound clean. It is recommended you bathe 2-3 times per day and after bowel movements.

Expect:

• Some bleeding will occur for the first few bowel motions and may continue for a week or so.
• Anal surgery is painful. It is normal to experience pain with bowel movements for the first fortnight or so after surgery.
• Sport and vigorous physical activities should be avoided for two to three weeks.

Follow-up:

Please make an appointment to see Dr Simpson in the rooms in___________weeks if he or the nurses ask you to on discharge.

Notify the rooms on (02) 4367 6444 if you:

• Experience a fever or are becoming generally unwell
• Cannot pass urine
• Have excessive bleeding from the anus
• Experience increasing anal pain after one week