Stressful job aggravating extreme rectal condition

[lilprinzessky]

I need some advice from other RNs with hemorrhoids. I am ONLY 23 years old with no kids no constipation but lots of hemorrhoids. I graduated for nursing school in May and celebrated by having a hemorrhoidectomy and sphincterotomy! It was hell to sa y the least. I began my job as a new grad on a very busy day shift floor. Over the last few month I had diarrhea and a fissure from the surgery. Over the weekend I felt excruciating pain and had to leave work early. Turns out, my fissure tore and my hemorrhoids came back! So I had ANOTHER surgery yesterday. My surgeon said I'm anatomically prone to these problems. So my question is will working full-time as an RN on an insanely fast floor every work for my physical condition? I fear this to be a continuing problem since only 5% of patients need to have the surgery more than once...lucky me. Any advice for survival will help, I'm miserable!!!

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

As no responses moving this to the general nursing forum where hopefully some useful comments are given.

[cherrybreeze, ADN, RN]

I don't have much in the way of advice, but I can tell you that I can relate. I am only 28, and had surgery 2 years ago for an infarcted hemm. It was a complicated internal/external repair, and it was HELL. I have multiple hemms still there, but they are all internal but below the dentate line, so I will not have OR again unless they cause problems (I have had some bleeding issues, but those resolved on their own) because more surgery will be painful.

Drink a lot of fluids, take a fiber supplement on a daily basis, don't strain, etc...all of the usual advice for dealing with hemms. If they start to cause you trouble, get a prescription right away and start tx'ing them, don't wait. Sitz baths when they bother you will help as well.

Sorry for TMI, but it can be an awful problem to deal with!

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

Investigate a GI doc who does IRC (infrared coagulation) instead of surgery. The recovery is SO much better, and it is something that can often be done in the Doc's office rather than a surgery center or hospital. If you have a chronic problem that needs repeated procedures, this may be a less traumatic option for you. I worked in a gi docs office that did this procedure regularly, and although I can't report first hand, the patients seemed to much prefer it to the alternatives they had tried in the past (surgery, banding etc.). Worth looking in to.