Name-changed and posting here for traffic from other fellow sufferers!
I have had piles on and off for years - since my early 20s, now late 40s. Every so often one flares up (often if it's hot or I'm stressed or both, they also flared up when I was pregnant) and either shrinks again on its own after a few days, or I use Scheriproct for a few days and that does the job.
3 weeks ago I got a really bad one - external, I think probably thrombosed, and the scheriproct did its job in shrinking it as usual and it's much better than it was, and the pain only occasional. But it does keep flaring up again, either after I go to the toilet, or after I go to the gym or on a long walk. And I really like exercise and don't want to have to stop for this reason.
So am now really panicking that this is it and I'm stuck with them regularly playing up/chronic and coming and going every few days. Is it worth going to the doctor? My understanding is that I can only use Scheriproct for a week anyway and I've done that, so they can't prescribe me anything else can they? I don't have any bleeding or any worrying signs of anything else, and I can see the pile and know that what's it is. It's definitely not bad enough to risk the horror stories of removal. So am I just stuck with this on and off for the foreseeable future?!
And if any medics are reading this, I'm interested to know whether I should try using the scheriproct for longer, but I'm really cautious and strict about stuff like that, and I don't want to cause further problems by using hydrocortisone for longer than I'm meant to...