Haemorrhoids help please 🙏

[DrBeckman]

Name changed for this as so mortified by it! I have been seeing someone for a few weeks and we are meeting up this weekend and I think the time is right for us to sleep together. However I have got piles which I have had for years (since DCs were born) and I am terrified of the new guy seeing them. I went to the GP who said that unless they cause me a lot of pain or bleed the NHS won't treat them, but I could get it done privately. I absolutely CANNOT afford this operation; the consultation alone was £250a

Is there any way to get rid of them or shrink them? When I have spoken to pharmacists they've basically said that the OTC treatments won't work on them, the creams etc are for the internal ones. There was a treatment I saw where they inject something to make them shrink but again that was for internal piles not external ones.

I ended up finishing a relationship with someone I really liked earlier this year because I was so embarrassed by them; I would only do certain sex positions where he couldn't see my bum or had the lights out and I was so self-conscious.

I have been putting witch hazel on them as that's supposed to shrink them but not sure it has made any difference at all. Is there any other treatment I can try?? I would be willing to maybe look at non-surgical treatment options or any home remedies. Thanks for reading!

For further info, the ones I have are permanently prolapsed, if I push them back in they come back out immediately.

Found your thread as I have the same question. How are you doing now? Did you find treatment?

No didn't find treatment. There was a treatment which was about 500£ for banding, you got it done privately, but it was internal ones only 😑 I am more concerned with how mine look, as they are external. NHS WON'T treat as no causing pain. Cannot have sex as too self conscious- there was a Private surgeon who does treatments in Birmingham but the consultation alone was £250 then the surgery was £1000's. I hate it, I feel so self-conscious. I read somewhere (reddit I think) that anal sex can make external ones disappear but that is not something I would be willing to try!! Sorry can't help more x

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I am sorry to hear you haven’t got a solution yet. I am finding anusol helps.

I’ve had them really badly recently. So painful. And they have only just started to go. I have been using germoloid cream, the pessary and an anti inflammatory. I’ve also been showering twice a day. Not sure if that helps but I have been in agony and I’m not now so that must have been working x

I don't usually suggest lying, but can you tell the NHS that they are excruciatingly painful? It must be very tough! I have a friend that has a grapefruit sized fatty lump on her hip that the NHS refuses to engage with because it's mainly a cosmetic issue.

I find Anusol ointment better than the cream I have to put it on 3 times a day. I take ibruprofen for the pain and Claritin to ease the itching

@AngryLikeHades that's absolutely crazy! Your poor friend. I haven't found anything which actually makes them smaller - my bum looks like it has blueberries on it. It's so embarrassing and makes me too self-conscious to date / hook up as I can't be naked around anyone. It sounds trivial but it's really badly affecting me and my self-esteem. Mine aren't painful or even itchy at all though it makes wiping a bit iffy. I have to carry wipes on me if I'm out in case I need the toilet 😳😭

I have a similar issue and really had a similar issue getting my NHS GP to refer me for a consultant review, but they eventually did. I had a sigmoidoscopy under sedation and the consultant said my piles aren't suitable for banding so I am having the surgery soon, though I'm dreading the recovery!

Like you, mine aren't terribly painful, though do bleed occasionally, I am really self conscious of them though and never feel fully clean. Consultant was sympathetic to this and agreed to the surgery.