I have made some encouraging progress in the past week and a half since my post here of 9.6.22. Next week will be two months since my surgery.

Earlier this week I had another visit with my surgeon and I updated her with my problems. She reiterated the importance of having enough fiber, which I know I was not getting enough of. I wasn't sure of how long I should remain on the low fiber diet, post-surgery. So my bowel movements were infrequent and loose. And because of the pain, I had taken one small dosage/pill of Oxy (left over from post-surgery), two nights in a row. And although that eased the pain, that contributed to my three-day constipation bout, which I remedied with Magnesium Citrate (drank the 10 oz bottle, with results over a 12-hour period). But I was concerned about getting constipated so stopped the fiber supplement. But, as the surgeon explained, it's the bulk in the stool that assists in causing the signal for the bowel movement, which fiber provides, along with the required hydration.

So I experimented with eating more, within reason, than I had been eating, plus began adding the fiber supplement, in addition to more fibrous foods. The sharp pains have lessened over the past week, and the bowel movements are easier and not as loose. So it's fiber + hydration that is necessary for more normal and regular elimination. My hemorrhoids were also more inflamed because of straining and irritation. So I wasn't sure if the pain in the rectum was post-surgery or hemorrhoid pain. But slowly I seem to be improving. Sharp gas pains are less frequent and less intense. And other odd physical sensations seem to be lessening as well.

I hope the details are helpful. I share them hoping that they may make your journey of recovery even a little more encouraging for what you are going through, as your sharing has helped me. Obviously no two individuals' recoveries are identical. But we've all been through major physical and psychological and emotional trauma, and just knowing we are not alone can be very encouraging to one another's ongoing journey through recovery.