Haemorrhoids help

[weatherbell]

I think I've had them for around 8 months. Finally pulled down my big girl pants and showed them to a doctor. She said stay away from creams as they thin the skin and instead just use epsom salts and change my position on the toilet. Essentially her advice is that I have to manage them as they are here to stay. If I want the area 'tidied up' I'd have to go private. Then she congratulated me on my haemorrhoids. It was all very funny but...

Since I've stopped using the cream the pain has come back and they've swelled again.

I'm not sure I have time for a 3 x daily sitz bath.

Online I've read so many different opinions. They never go vs they clear up in a few weeks.

I'm tempted to get another opinion...

So...

YABU yes haemorrhoids never completely go. They just kind of shrivel and then return so just live with the discomfort and 😳.

YANBU get another opinion and try to get rid of them completely. No-one can live like this forever.

They don't really go away. Cream helps in my view although I don't use it regularly, just when they're really bad. The most important things I've found for limiting the impact is how I sit on the toilet, minimising the time (I mean I never was one for "hanging around" on it, but the quicker the better) and avoiding "straining" (sorry TMI).

I don't think they really go away, but I don't notice mine unless I get a flare up. The last time I got a bad flare I was recommended Ginko Biloba suppléments which cleared it up very quickly.

I can't use the creams.

My doctor recommended I use coconut oil. It works, ime, better than the official over the counter remedies.

I made the now incomprehensible mistake post 2nd op of going to Into the Woods festival the day after. I thought it might be like the first op which was literally just 'uncomfortable' and the discharge nurse that I told my plans to did say 'well good luck with that' I vividly remember the first post op poo deciding to make an appearance at 3am and having to shuffle to the campsite toilets about 500m away. Trying not to cry and then spending a good hour afterwards trying not to make noise in the tent whilst the post poo knife stabbing up the bum feeling made its presence known. I have not been to a festival since. I have flash backs even now, 5 years later! 🤣

I've come back to this thread after having just used Germaloids cream. Could they not have designed a better nozzle! Why is it not completely round at the end?

I can completely relate! Not the festival (you were brave to go so soon!) but the crying and the poo pain. The pain was beyond anything I could have ever imagined, and I’ve had two children!

On top of that, I was left bloody incontinent by the surgery! My worst memory is sitting on the floor of the shower trying to get some relief from the pain, and then suddenly seeing poo floating around me (I promise I’m not the poo troll!). So not only was in pain and cursing myself for getting the surgery every single day, I then had a what the actual fuck to deal with as well!

Honestly, unless haemorrhoids affects anyone’s quality of life, I would strongly recommend that you do not get the surgery and just live with them!

So sorry for those experiencing pain after surgery. Is that a common story?

I had the op about seven years ago. My haemorrhoids were bleeding quite heavily and sometimes I had to sit on the loo applying pressure for quite long periods until it stopped. Once or twice I had bleeding on my clothes and was anxious about that, I gave up wearing light coloured trousers.

Agree with PP about the post op pain, I nearly fainted after the first poo.

However it healed and I was back to normal after about six weeks. Best thing I ever did.

I'm so sorry for the PP who has been left with incontinence as that is about the worst possible outcome.

But for myself I have a perfect little bum hole and not a single problem since. It was definitely worth it for me. I guess anyone contemplating surgery needs to weigh up pro's and con's, all surgery carries risks. Though now I think of it I don't recall being advised of risks pre-op - I must have signed a consent form at some point but I don't remember the process at all.

Yes, it is known for having a painful recovery process. I have a high pain threshold and it was intense.

If you google, there’ll websites that explain that it is painful!

Thanks for sharing! How did you decide who to go with for surgery? I'm assuming it was private.

Also does anyone use sitz baths? I can't help but wonder if sitting in one would just carry the same risk of sitting on the toilet for too long, even is awash with healing water.

I had/have them from childbirth. They're unsightly, but I can't say I'm bothered because I don't really look down there. They've "gone", but flare up if I have loose stools. I got some epsom salts and had a bath with them once a day for a while after I gave birth (I was also lucky enough to have a 3rd degree tear) and the relief from the salt baths was amazing. I don't want any surgery, I've been messed with enough post giving birth and they don't cause me problems day to day so I'm happy to live with them. I also had 1 episode of bowel incontinence after I gave birth, which I found very traumatising and would not risk anything that may cause that again.

I developed them during pregnancy and they are always ready to flare up. What makes them flare up is constipation- even minor constipation, the slightest straining to poo.

I keep them under control with lots of fibre and lots of water. I can't miss a day pooing or they flare up. Once one got 'thrombosed' and the pain was awful. The Dr prescribed a product on that occasion called Sheriproct and I keep it in the house now. Have only ever used it twice but I wouldn't want to be without it just incase- it was amazingly effective.

I find that as long as I am managing them well, they are no problem but I know they are there. 😁

I've shared this story on here before - I had haemorrhoid surgery at 34 weeks pregnant with twins, the weight of whom basically caused my arse to fall out. Thrombosed piles that were absolute agony, couldn't be put back in 😫 The colorectal surgery told me the op was the only option and that I would hate him for the pain. He was so right. The worst pain I've ever experienced and there's no getting away from it because you have to poo. Crying and whimpering in the hot bath afterwards with my giant belly. Scared to go to the loo at all. Laxatives for months.

BUT the op did work and I was much better after probably 1-2 months (especially after birth which was a WALK IN THE PARK by comparison and took the pressure away). Fully back to normal after 6 months with no issues since. So for me it was worth it, but also I think there was pretty much no other option with the piles I had.

One thing to be aware is that there are various operations, including banding, other than a full haemorrhoidectomy which causes the pain we're all describing. So I would see a surgeon and understand exactly what would be involved for you.

Also I had the surgery privately abroad, no idea if NHS cover it.

*colorectal surgeon, not surgery

Now this is interesting because I suffer a lot with them (and with heartburn) yet when I was pregnant and had gestational diabetes I suddenly stopped having bother with both the piles and the heartburn. The biggest change the GD had on my diet was cutting out white bread.

Can I please ask? Does it sting? I've got internal ones or maybe it's a fissure, I don't know. But it stings and it's sometimes painful as if stabbing. Sometimes bright red blood. Occasionally itchy. I can't see or feel anything, using suppositories help but mostly making sure I walk a lot and don't lift heavy things or sit in the office all day. Does this sound like internal one or tear/fissure? Appeared after pregnancy

I was referred locally, saw colorectal surgeon, had choice of private hospital (nhs funded) or the local hospital WHERE I WORKED so obviously chose the private. It was bliss, lovely room with a nice view, bed with a duvet, delicious sandwich and tea with a china pot and jug of milk etc, I was so sad it was day surgery and I had to go home.

Now I sometimes work with the colorectal surgeon. I don't think he remembers me. 😳😬🤞
I knew nothing about him at the time but I now know I was very lucky to have such a top surgeon.

I have them from giving birth, and the best thing for them was a suppository called scheriproct that is kept in the fridge - so much more effective than everything else. I think I had to get it prescribed? They are still there - they flare up and occasionally bleed, mostly around my period, because that causes loose stools for me. But they tend to go down of their own accord again, and I would go back to Dr for scheriproct if I needed.

Kiwis- just eat one a day ( with skin if you don’t mind it). Will keep your poo silky smooth 🤣 and stop the piles getting worse.

Yes same here, I thought it was normal and that its not very likely they get removed?

Hi, I had piles both times while pregnant. During my second pregnancy I was in a nesting mood and decided to clean and hoover my entire 5 bed house while 34 weeks pregnant. One of the most daft things I have done. They next day I had piles, I think from the strain of it all on my body! I was in terrible pain and kept using Anusol which did nothing for me. Finally I called my GP who was absolutely wonderful! He immediately said there is no need to suffer and got me started on fybogel sachets every night and prescribed xyloproct cream. This cream is a real game changer and worked super quick to shrink the piles and take away the unbearable pain. He also advised sitz baths so I bought one and did use it for short periods and it was very good too. So please go see a GP and ask for this. It is now 3 years since I had my son and I have no piles at all. So it can be completely resolved. So don’t suffer in silence. Good luck!

https://www.prescriptiondoctor.com/lp2/haemorrhoids/xyloproct/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA5fetBhC9ARIsAP1UMgErUpGzHH4NDtMKWjNSOcc0IC1NvMHrwrSPzpD9oy2UkmEFh0bo34waAkg2EALw_wcB

https://www.visionpharmacy.com/products/fybogel-hi-fibre-orange-30-sachets?currency=GBP&variant=48113787404593&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=17feda87f9bd&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA5fetBhC9ARIsAP1UMgH7nnoIRlV7yuenjfT1Cq6BWcN1FzUlCTc7PwwtJBfQV9h14zBkmGYaAp5PEALw_wcB

I started with them in pregnancy and have had flare ups since. I was offered surgery on NHS in 2018 but scared of the recovery time and pain so declined it and sort of regret it now!
I use suppositories and make sure I have plenty of water and decent fibre intake which calms them down. One recommendation I had was to put an ice pack on them for about 20 minutes and that really helps when they are bad if they are external.
you have my sympathy! Mine flare when I’m due on - maybe it’s hormonal?

@lifesnotaspectatorsport You had the surgery when pregnant?! I take my hat off to you!

They're not nice but you do learn to live with them. I have suffered with them for 40 odd years.