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