Hi, I had the surgery four days ago and I had my first bowel movement two days ago with four more after that (all in the same day). I have not had another BM since then and am playing the waiting game right now. I think that I was more terrified than anything else while having the first BM just from reading these threads. As soon as I'd sit or stand at the toilet, preparing myself, fear would come over me and I would chicken out. I was finally able to have one and when I did, I had turned on the bathtap, the fan and had a magazine in front of me to try to focus on something else rather than the pain. It definately helps not having just the silence with you... Then I started with the breathing and the willing myself to push..IF YOU DON"t FEEL THAT it's coming out or that the stool is not soft enough then rather wait until you know you are ready. I find that just before bed, a big teaspoon of Metamusil mixed with two cups of water usually sets in by morning and you are running to the loo. The problem is that the drugs tend to cause constipation and harden the stool that you may have been trying to soften so you just need to keep at the metamucil. It was sore to push at first but once that was over I found I had lots of strength to follow through.. Since my meds only seem to take the edge off the pain, the nurse's at the hospital also recommended having three advil in the morning and three at night and to have the endocet as needed(since the endocet only take the edge off of the pain for me.) This helped with the first BM, I took the three advil and the 2 endocet and the pain was still bad but bearable.

I am now having a problem with my next bowel movement for some reason...I'm sure it's because of the endocet hardening it. Just pain and a little blood. I thought it was ready to come out but I have tried three times now but to no avail. My husband went out and got me some Milk of Magnesia and Agarol which I haven't tried yet. I took about four tbls of the MOM but that was almost three hours ago. I just had another dose of metamucil so now it's the waiting game. Aaaarghhh...I'm so worried that the hemorroids will come back because of the pushing...

Sitz baths are wonderful and soothing, not too hot though and not too cool coz you won't relax. You have the keep the area clean and dry so you could use a hair dryer to do dry yourself after. I used pads as in the hospital but after a while you can't keep the area dry as you sweat down there and there is no room to breath. Stay clean and dry.
Anyways, I hope this advice can help someone in need.

Any advice would be apprecieated on my end...

Good luck!