to tell people about my piles

[EmbarrassingBodiesContender]

My pelvic floor is shot to pieces. It's like a grenade has gone off in there. I have a cystocele and a rectocele, a prolapsed rectum plus I have awful piles. This all follows difficult birth years ago. I've had surgery twice and seen more specialists than I care to count.

Anyway, have had a bad flare-up of inflamed piles following a bout of S&D and my GP has signed me off work and told me to lie down for a week.

The thing is, what do I tell people? I am at the point of being fed up with euphemisms and feel a bit 'fuck it, I'll just tell the truth!'. But maybe people would prefer the euphemisms?

PS - anyone know anything about the HALO procedure?

Well piles is something that people don't take seriously so they might think you were taking time off unnecessarily, even though it sounds awful.

Myself, I'd tell them in detail, complete with prolapse details. But then I am happy to tell people about the thrush I had for over a year after having DD, vulval eczema and prolapse that were all hormonal. A few people with similar issues have quietly asked me how to get their own problems sorted as a result, so I can tell myself my total lack of filters are a public service!

Ha ha Viking Lady, yes perhaps I should become an ambassador for breaking down bum taboos

Just tell them you have complications from surgery you had a while ago. You could say it was following complications of the difficult birth.
If you just say it is piles I doubt they will think that is serious enough for time off.
What did the GP put on the sick note?

Personally, I would probably go into details to anyone who would listen,..but then I like boring people to death with my health problems

Yes. People will laugh. Don't offer to show them though.

It says 'Haemhorroids' on the sick note! I cringed when I saw it but the GP was so lovely with me, and I'd been in there half an hour, I didn't feel I could quibble But only my immediate boss has to see the sick note.

I was embarrassed to have taken up so much time with my arse.

While I was pregnant with my DS i had truly dreadful piles, my poor GP actually gasped when she saw them and I had to go up to A&E to have them looked at - at this point I actually worked in A&E so I actually had to show my workmates my piles as opposed to just telling them about it ...
Didn't give a stuff though as I was just so grateful to get anything done to make them better. You have my sympathy.

I had piles after my second child was born. They were agony. A week off work is nothing.
Hope you get sorted soon.

Go with "post-birth complications" and save the talk of piles for MN

DH has an elderly relative with fibromialgia, arthritis, leukaemia, asthma and COPD who is very open about health stuff and says piles is far and away the health condition she hates having the most!

SIL and I were regularly quizzed on our gynae/gastro health!

Have you spotted this thread?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/1597449-Calling-all-Raggedies-the-THIRD-Ragged-Bits-thread-Childbirth-injuries-sphincter-problems-fistulae-all-welcome

Might be helpful?

Ah yes I have thanks, but haven't looked for a while, I must revisit it.

It's so easy to take your arsehole for granted until you have experienced piles. I had them recently and could barely walk, couldn't sleep with pain, afraid to shit, they are fucking awful.

If you had the equivilant hanging from your eyelid (an inflamed, swollen, bleeding mass of sheer agony in a delicate area) people would be full of sympathy- I'd be honest- people need to know!!!

I had surgery for mine about six weeks ago and I'm back at work later this week. I had internal and external piles cut off. Two of the three "cushions" round my bum had basically collapsed and I was anaemic with blood loss from the haemorrhoids.

After the operation I had an open wound round my anus. It hurt a lot and for just over a week I had little control so had to wear tena pants for my "accidental toilets". They were also fantastic for padding. I was constantly amazed just how my arse was attached to other parts of my body. The first time I blew my nose was very painful! Don't ask about the first poo....

Anyway, I don't regret the operation at all. According to a couple of doctors and surgeons I have spoken to, lots of people say that if they knew how painful the operation would be they would never have had it. It has given me my life back. I can go to the gym in a couple of weeks, I can wear a bikini, I don't have to wear giant sanitary towels every day. I am more confident.

I have told people what my operation was. The more it is kept secret the more embarrassing people find it and don't go to seek help. You will probably find it is more common than you think - people are just too shy to mention it.

Sorry - that was really long...

I'd probably go with ongoing complications from childbirth, tbh. More so I didnt have to enter into a long explanation and conversation about it.

Hope you are feeling better soon.

Sounds very painful - I hope you are lots better soon.
I'm in a similar position although not with piles I have an embarrassing medical problem at the moment which ive needed treatment for and its becoming increasingly hard to lie to friends and family about where I am going.
In your case could you not say its sciatica? It could excuse the lying down for a week and I'm guessing you're not walking around fantastic at the moment?

I'd go for 'birth complications' to co workers and tell friends / close family the truth, without too much graphical descriptions. You'll probably be surprised how many people it affects.

I have vulvodynia and over the years I've said to managers I have 'chronic gynaecological pain' and it usually shuts them up.... They have mostly been male with daughters about my age so unlikely to ask questions. To co workers I usually say 'kidney infection', (similar symptoms) friends and family get the full moan...

Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery OP xx