Ughh piles

[sallysinna]

Sorry for the gross topic. If bum chat isn’t your thing move along now.

I’ve had them for years. Since I was in my early twenties and I’m now 40. Mostly they don’t cause much discomfort or itching but they did bleed quite a lot at one point. Had a colonoscopy about 5 years ago and they were noted but no further action taken.

Over the weekend I caught a d&v bug from my dc and had really bad diarrhoea and the pain and prolapse from them has been insane. I think the strain on the area has literally pushed everything out and it’s like a literal bunch of grapes. Very sore and unsightly. When things like this have happened in the past they have eventually reduced and gone back in but this time it seems to be taking longer and the whole area feels swollen and sensitive. I’ve got some prescription cream and over the counter suppositories but I wondered if this sounds normal?

I have skin tags in the area from the times they’ve come out and gone back in again, apparently it stretches the skin and that can’t be undone.

I’ve considered seeing about getting them banded or removed but I don’t think I can face it and generally they don’t cause me too many issues but this fresh hell is something else! Tips or support please?

I get horrendous piles whenever I'm pregnant, the most recent attack I was given uniroid hc suppositories and scheriproct ointment a d both together seemed to get them to shrink back down. My husband had the operation to remove piles in 2014 after losing so much blood from bleeding (he had piles since he was 12) he nearly died and had to have a blood transfusion!! Obviously he needed the operation as he would have carried on bleeding out of his piles and probably ended up having more transfusions but he says he wishes he hadn't had it as it was the most painful thing he ever had. It took ages to recover and the nerves in his backside were damaged so that he struggles with leakage and can't trust a fart. So my personal opinion is try to get the best treatments from your GP rather than have the operation

Solidarity - I started a thread the other day about post birth piles. It's such a depressing problem as there's no real cure, the surgery is very painful and not necessarily effective long term plus you risk incontinence etc. Treatments can help a bit but not that much tbh. If you have large prolapsed piles, lie on your front and pour sugar (normal granulated sugar) on them and leave for 15 mins, then rinse off. It's messy and awkward but it will shrink them.

It seems a bit better down there today but it really does flare up horribly if ever I get a bad stomach. The horror stories about the operation really do put me off.

I had mine banded and had no problems at all. The first post band poo was anticipated with dread, but that was ok too. I think you hear the horror stories but not the times when all went well!

I get terrible piles and have done for about 6yrs, just as I went into perimenopause.

I use cream and suppositories. I get internal and external piles.

I suffer with leakage, and I have been known to have a few nasty accidents if I don't reach a toilet in time.

If you can have them banded I really recommend that. It made a huge difference to mine, and was not uncomfortable at all.
I had them done through a private consultant because the GP just kept telling me they were best left alone. They used to bleed all the time. It's much better than an operation.

@The13thFairy, how did you get yours banded? I was referred me to have them checked under general anaesthesia and than decide between surgery and banding. I am Ok with banding but the other surgery methods seem too risky. Did they give you the choice?

I went to a private GP, explained the difficulty I was having with bleeding and protruding. She referred me to the private consultant.
The consultant looked at them while I was just awake on my side , and said they were suitable for banding. She did them there and then, no further problems at all. I just went back for a 5 minute review.
It transformed my life. Maybe not all are suitable, but my DH had the same.
He uses a cream called Wype to help with skin tags when wiping.

I had to double check that it wasn’t me who had written this during a 3am insomnia episode because I could’ve written it almost word for word about me.
i did have internal haemorrhoid banding, 13 weeks ago, during a colonoscopy and polypectomy under GA. I believe they put one band in which came off the next day with the first post op 💩. Since then I had surgery for something else which required taking lots of codeine post op and I’m right back to where I was 14 weeks ago.
The colorectal doctors were some of the most arrogant, insensitive doctors I’ve ever met. So I’m just going to attempt to live with the situation as I have since my 20s.
I found out last week that I have a tilted uterus and uterine fibroids which can apparently impact on the bowel so I’m wondering if it’s all connected.
sorry you are experiencing the discomfort of long term piles. I wish more people talked about it

I’m on the waiting list for mine to be seen. 8-9 months apparently. They are horrific and so painful. Mine sound very much like yours. I want something done about them as every time I have an issue it gets worse - they’re a chronic disease. I don’t have insurance so I’m waiting for the nhs otherwise I’d go private. I could afford about £5k but no idea how much it would cost.

Only thing that helps when mine flair up is a hot shower. I've had a prolapsed one for years though. Only trouble they cause is itching at night but it's not ideal if a hot shower before bed isn't possible. Hope they never bang me up in jail or my cellmate is going to be traumatised xD

The banding with private GP appointment cost about £650 a couple of years ago. A private polyp removal cost around £4000 (rectal polyp discovered after banding of piles).

Ex FIL had the op, got some infection which he didn’t get help for soon enough, and after multiple brutal surgeries to remove skin, he sadly died. Just horrible when it was such a routine op. So don’t think I’d have surgery (pretty sure that’s a very rare case and didn’t get help soon enough for some reason).

Footie, my GP referred me to the hospital, and the consultant said that they thought banding would be best, told me what it was, and I gave my consent. I'll add that this was pre-google, so I didn't know all the other things that might have been done. It's been a few decades since that decision, and the little buggers have never made a reappearance.

I used to have skin tags, had them removed with laser. It’s was uncomfortable for a bit but best thing I’ve done.

A little tip, for sufferers. When you wipe after a poo, use a little baby lotion on the tissue. Child’s Farm is a nice one. This leaves a little greasy residue and eases the damn things. If you don’t have a prescribed cream on hand, Sudocrem is excellent and eases the inflammation. If they are incredibly painful seek Dr advice, as you can get thrombosed piles and you need hydrocortisone cream to reduce the clot.

I’ve suffered with this for a long time too and have found lying down on my side for a few minutes after going to the toilet really helps with them retracting. It’s less help during a really bad flare up though unfortunately.

I found taking "diosmin and hespardin" supplement very helpful with piles flare up. as all the creams, ointments even suppositories didnt work on me

• Diosmin and Hesperidin:
• These flavonoids, commonly found in citrus fruits and often combined in supplements, are known to improve circulation, strengthen veins, and reduce inflammation, all of which can be helpful in managing both varicose veins and piles.

It’s heartening to know other people are in the same boat. Pp is right, it’s not spoken about because it’s bloody embarrassing! I end up feeling like a freak with the sight and sensation of it when I have a big flare up. Since we are oversharing and amongst friends I will also add that there are certain sexual positions I absolutely won’t do with dh as (although he knows about them) I feel like if he saw them he’d be scarred for life!
I also go through phases of frightening myself thinking it could be something worse like anal cancer which also presents with lumps and bleeding. Gah!

thank you for starting this thread, everything said has made me feel so much less alone which obviously doesn’t ease the pain or discomfort but certainly helps knowing it’s not just me

I used to get them but the the odd occasion I still do I use an old school,
home made witch hazel based soak,
sooo soothing. But this is when they aren’t too bad just protruding a bit and a little itchy. Massively helps

I had piles for years and suffered very badly from chronic constipation. They flared up very badly at times, the pain would be immense and it hurt to walk or sit. Even just lying down was uncomfortable due to the throbbing pain. I eventually had surgery, and looking at some of these stories, I don't think I was aware of the possibility of the surgery going wrong! Luckily mine didn't. It was painful in the aftermath for quite some time, to the point that I wondered if it was worth it! Thankfully that eventually subsided. Looking back, if I was in the position I was in originally, I would get the surgery again. Living a lifetime with the pain of piles and the resulting chronic constipation was not something I would wish on anyone.

I’ve been looking for these but can’t find them anywhere. I take horse chestnut pills. I also made an ointment from witch hazel, beeswax, lesser celandine and calendula flowers. I found the steroid cream made my skin really inflamed and itchy, and the vaginal area (my piles are that end) and having to itch all the time was making everything so much worse.
I’m sticking to herbal remedies until I have the surgery.

I had mine banded, it didn't work for long. I then had a fairly new procedure (sorry can't remember the name) where they cauterise the veins with an electronic instrument- that's how it was explained to me!
It wasn't all that painful, I was given strong painkillers and didn't need them after a couple of days. That was 7 years ago and they haven't come back.

The consultant said I had some very impressive piles and they bled so much I was anaemic.
I would recommend getting them treated if you can.

In my early twenties, I was in terrible pain from piles. Each time I opened my bowels it hurt and I had to sit on a chair afterwards and rock backwards and forwards until the pain subsided. When I was 24, I had a haemorrhoidectomy and removal of an anal skin tag. The surgeon told me that the aftereffects of the surgery would be nothing compared to the pain I must have been experiencing for at least the previous 18 months (he had had to remove much more than he had anticipated). He was right. The worst part I suppose was needing to open my bowels the following morning and having to gently remove yards and yards of gauze packing before I could do so. But absolutely no pain when I went! It was heaven!