hemmorhoids and surgery

One question is are the hemorrhoids internal or external? Internal hemorrhoids can very simply be banded and they drop off.

I recently had my internal hemorrhoids banded in preparation for resecting my colostomy. Mine used to swell and prevent elimination. My external ones swell also and develop clots. If they get worse I'll have to have surgery, but that is one to be avoided.

Another question is am I anemic? Any cause of chronic bleeding can lower your hemoglobin level. You are taking iron, so I would expect it's for that.  Are you taking enough?  A simple in-office blood test will determine if you are even able to have surgery.  If you are severly anemic you might need a blood transfusion before or during surgery.

I am anemic because of low iron level. I have started taking ferrous glycinate daily to build up my hemoglobin and also, hopefully, the size of my red blood cells which are very small right now. I need to do what I can to avoid transfusion. I have to have a hysterectomy at the same time as the resection, so there will be a large blood loss.

Post Edited (Alcie) : 10/19/2012 7:31:31 AM (GMT-6)

Internal hemorrhoids, there are 3, aren't supposed to have feeling, but mine got big and were causing pain somehow. The internal ones just get a rubber band put on them, and they drop off after a few days. It hurts just after the band is put on but only for a couple of hours.

External hemorrhoids are very painful when they thrombose. Surgery ones is painful while recovering. There's a lot of cutting.

Your sagging external hemmies may be thrombosed. The doc can give them a stab and squeeze the blood clot out, but they tend to stay saggy.

I never heard of bananas having iron. Mostly I read about red meat and liver, leafy greens, egg yolks and beans. There are different iron pill formulae also. Ask your doctor if one would be better for you than another.

I didn't complain about the external ones much at the time of surgery. My surgery was urgently needed because I had an abscess on my colon, my 3rd. The colostomy was enough for them to worry about at the time. I needed more surgery for blockage from more abscesses on small bowel a week later.

If you're having total colectomy, is there a chance for resection, or is it permanent? There are a lot of threads on steroids on this forum. I don't know much about that, but others might have pertinent information while you're preparing for surgery.

I hope to have my resection (and hysterectomy and hernia repair) about the same time as your colectomy. Good luck and best wishes!