To go to A&E with hemerroids

[bumproblems]

I am 37 weeks pregnant and have hemerroids, I can't get a proper look I think there's 3 and they are swollen and angry and agonising. I can barely walk or sit. I phoned GP and got scheriproct ointment and suppositories which I'm using but I have never been in so much pain in my life and nothing is giving me relief. I've been lying in bed with ice on them for an hour just tried to stand up and it's still agony. I'm weeing a million times a day and night and when I sit on the toilet and then stand up they sort of contract every single time and it brings tears to my eyes how much it hurts. The gp never looked just prescribed over the phone. I'm worried something is wrong I've had piles before but this pain is something I've never experienced 😭😭😭

Holy crap, I once got Vicks in my eye. Does it not sting like fury on the bum?

I've got no real advice on the OPs situation (though I agree it sounds horrendous). I just wanted to agree A&E isn't just for life threatening situations. Last time I went there was 18 months ago after falling from my bike and breaking my shoulder in 3 places. Obviously I needed immediate medical attention. Yes I could have dialled 111 or worked out where the nearest Minor Injuries is, but a) 111 would have directed me to A&E and b) I wasn't sure where Minor Injuries was, or even if a complex shoulder fracture is a minor injury, though obviously it wasn't going to kill me.

Its not great for about 2 mins but then you will be well happy and a lot more comfortable

I'm not sure where this "A+E is only for life treating situations" has come from. Obviously, going for a normal cold etc is a bit silly, but loads of things can't be managed by GP/pharmacy etc that aren't actually a life or death emergency.

Ps in a lighter vein (see what I did there....piles...veins....never mind!)what's more difficult to spell, haemorrhoids or diarrhoea? Thank heavens for predictive testing/spell check, that's all I can say!

That would fall under the “accident” part of accident and emergency 🙄 ffs

I can never get my autocorrect even close enough for diarrhoea 😂 (had to copy your spelling). I usually have to Google it.

Sounds very painful though op. I had a thrombosed pile when I was a few weeks post partum. It did go but sadly it’s left a lovely anal skin tag…. Gotta love the human body.

Ring 111 and tour maternity unit and see what they say

I would worry that the amount of pain you are in could increase your heart rate and distress the baby

Agreed. I can’t explain how bad the pain was. I’ve totally fucked my knee (cartilage and ligaments), had a back to back birth with pain relief that didn’t touch it, had a serious accident with numerous injuries. I’m no stranger to pain, and actually do have a high pain threshold. When I got to the hospital my bp was so high they rushed me straight in, within a second of looking at it, the doctor ordered oromorph, which was there within a minute, with a lovely nurse giving me a big (totally appropriate at the time) hug.

Surgeon here. Sorry you're suffering, piles can be awful, especially in pregnancy. Agree there is no point in going to A&E though. Ice (frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel works well), instillagel, painkillers and laxatives are what you need. Pain from thrombosed piles usually improves after 72 hours. Many people find they go away once baby out but if not, and you're getting a lot of bleeding or pain, then a colorectal referral is what you need. Hope you feel better soon.

😆 how do you think babies survive labour?!

Call your midwife, mine were brilliant and just popped them back in

I really feel for you. I went to A and E in the summer with the most horrific anal pain and I didn't know what was happening. They advised it was thrombosed haemorrhoids. Only you know how much of an emergency this is but I was treated really respectfully. I imagined they would think why the hell are you here with this. There is probably limited things they can do as you are pregnant I guess. I waited ten hours in July in A and E. Best of luck to you and sit on ice if you can. Its meant to help.

I think you need to get it checked. The last thing you need when you're pregnant is an infected haemorrhoid. Just go and let them decide.

I know your pain, I had this for the last 2/3 weeks of my pregnancy and was In so much pain, it hurt to walk and it hurt even more to sit.
I seen the doctor and was given the same stuff as you, I spoke to my midwife and my consultant and they said there was sadly nothing they could do as they usually pass once baby is born.
If im honest, anusol worked better than anything the doctor and midwife gave me. I think I went for 2 warm baths a day, wore very loose underwear and just made sure I had a pillow went sitting. I tried not to sit for too long and then when I moved, I would walk very slowly.
Unfortunately there is nothing more A&E would do for you and I would avoid it at the moment with all the winter bugs around.

Phone maternity!

I had this. I feel so bad for you. I was hysterical. The pain was so severe. I got a steroid cream from the GP. I went to maternity triage at one point just sobbing.

I used ice and tried to lay down as much as possible and not move. I think I also iced camomile tea bags. It was honestly horrendous. I never took a pic, but could feel it. It was only ones eventually it chilled out. Try to rest as much as you can. I feel so bad for you, I was beside myself. Try icing camomile tea bags and applying the cream with steroid.

Totally feel for you. I had this about the same time during my first pregnancy, It made me lie down and cry. I truly felt that i could not carry on. The pain was horrendous. To give context, I went on to birth with no pain relief and I think the pain from the haemorroids was worse...

I was told by 2 GPs that they could do nothing and that the only way to relieve the pressure was to give birth. They were really not interested (goes with the territory love). I actually had to beg one of them to examine me as they were so disinterested. I was convinced it could not be normal. He did actually recoil in horror when he saw the state of my backside.

I had to go home lie on bed with a pack of peas/ ice pack wrapped in a tea towel between my butt cheeks. i was also told to sit in as cold a bath as possible to try and get the swelling down.

I truly remember this being the low point of my pregnancy but I somehow got through it, went to 42 weeks and the pain of the piles had definitely subsided by the time I gave birth.

My poor old arsehole however has never been the same since.

This. Silly advice with no medical basis what so ever is not helpful…why try and worry the op more? 🙄
OP you have my utmost sympathy. I’m afraid they won’t do much whilst you’re pregnant. I would definitely try and get a face to face appointment with GP tomorrow…you’re in for a long wait in a&e unfortunately and I can’t imagine how uncomfortable that will be for you.

They're both horrendous to experience and horrendous to spell.

Though I find, 'Does It Always Run Really Horribly Over Each Ankle' helps with the spelling of diarrhoea!

are You having a c section or vagina birth?

My GP said to go to A&E if I was in severe pain with them, had a discharge, or started feeling unwell in myself. Besides other issues it could be an infection which is dangerous.

Do you have an MFAU you can call for advice? Maybe they can see you and advise, and wait times are usually much shorter than regular A&E.

You should be able to get instillagel from pharmacies, I used it after a haemorrhoidectomy and it was the only thing that really helped. A sitz bath was also a lifesaver. That recovery was the most painful thing I’ve ever been through. I really hope that something helps OP

I’d go to triage at the maternity unit instead of a&E, there may be implications in labour if there’s issues with them

I had really painful thrombosed ones a few years ago and the pain was absolutely excruciating so you have my sympathies. From what you've described it sounds like mine. I can't imagine how worse it probably is being so heavily pregnant. I hope they settle soon for you