Piles 4 months postpartum

[New2020]

I know this is a horribly embarrassing topic but I'm so worried and desperate to feel normal

I had severe constipation after my csection but didn't notice anything at the time.

I'm 4 months postpartum and a few days ago noticed a lump around my bum. It wasn't painful then, but is starting to feel sore and stingy.

I'm so ashamed. I've never had anything like this and feel so down as it's another thing on the ling list of things during recovery. I feel like I've just reached the end of what I can tolerate now and feel so worn down.

Does anyone have any experience ce of this and how long did it take to recover from?

I'm using the non hydrocortisone version of Anusol

Firstly it’s not horribly embarrassing!! It’s just one of those things and you’ve had a baby!!

it almost certainly will go down. Avoid sitting on the toilet for longer periods than you need to, and avoid straining, keep on top of using the cream and it’ll go down.

you body is soo inflamed after having a baby it takes a while to settle down.

@mixedcereal thanks for replying. I feel so pathetic as everything has just built up and I can't stop myself from just sobbing. I wish I could just feel normal

Strangely I haven't been constipated at all since post surgery so I was surprised to find it...which was just by chance really when wiping. It didn't hurt at first but does a few days in. I'm not sure if that's normal or because of the cream

I think because that area is so inflamed that you don’t need to be constipated at all to be causing it now.

I honestly thought I had a prolapse after birth and cried and cried in the shower and it’s totally gone now and was just a big pile!

Also I found that my emotions and hormones around the 3/4 month mark just went to the floor, so something like this has well at this time can just be too much!!

I suffered terribly in my early 20s and then again when pregnant and post partum. To be honest it still rears its ugly head from time to time (pardon the pun!).

The stronger ointment from the GP on prescription works MUCH better than OTC stuff - scheriproct it is called. Mine were so bad in pregnancy they prescribed it for me even though it’s advised against when pregnant. I also had success with alternating using warm water (sitz bath if you want to google) and ice to cool.

Also, it’s bread and butter stuff for GPs so don’t be embarrassed. They’ll have definitely have seen worse!!

I had such awful piles and they were just agony. The thing that helped me was bathing with Epsom salts regularly. I still make sure I have a bath now at least once a week because it really helps.
I also eat A LOT of fibre.

Please don’t be embarrassed it’s just part of pregnancy.

@mixedcereal omg I thought it was a prolapse too and had a meltdown. My GP was reluctant to check and said a prolapse was unlikely..I had to ask him to just check and thank god its not worse. I don't think I could handle another thing now. I was thinking by now most people feel a bit better.

Thanks for sharing @Buttons0522 how did you cope with the pain? I'm so worn down I wish I was more resilient with this. My GP told me to try anysol and go back in a week if it hasn't shrunk so I'll see if I can get anything stronger in a few days. I've just been using the cream tbh as there's hardly any time for anything else with the baby and my daughter. It gets to this time of night and I turn into a mess as it becomes sore and stinging

There is a possibility the creams won't be effective enough. If you find they are still troubling you, you can have an operation to remove them. I cannot begin to tell you what a relief it was for them to be gone.

I had horrendous piles after birth, they hurt more than recovering from my tear and episiotomy. I was in tears at the thought of a bowel movement. Tried the anusol cream and germaloids suppositories which helped a little but not enough till another mum told me to make sure I was doing my pelvic floor exercises, they improved so fast once I routinely did those along with the creams etc. hope you feel better soon.

The ice is good for the pain, numbs the area. Also warm bath with Epsom salts is soothing. Appreciate faffing about with ice down your pants isn’t ideal but it does help I promise. I can’t remember the exact science but the hot/cold alternating helps to increase blood flow and then help shrink them, if I recall correctly. I think you should revisit the GP and ask for something stronger, I don’t like how they prolong the pain for us when there is a better solution out there!

Also, is it odd that when I checked this morning it had shrunk down..I was surprised but so relieved it looked like it was healing...

Then in the afternoon after going to the loo I went to apply more cream and noticed it had become bigger..is this normal?

Thanks for this. I've completed an econsult for my GP as I'm 6 days in trying the anusol cream and it's just got bigger and more painful. I'm struggling to walk and sit.

Will this thing ever go?!? I feel like I'll always have it

I hope the GP gets back to you quickly and you get some relief! In my experience yes it will go… sometimes mine comes back now and again but it is mild and never as bad as it was back then… fingers crossed you’ll be fighting fit again soon

Thanks for your support @Buttons0522 really appreciate it. My husband is fed up of me crying with yet another thing and I feel pretty alone.

How long did yours last before disappearing?

I feel like everyone gets to enjoy having a baby, and I'm the one suffering with a broken body

Mine was horrendous with DS1, and even had acupuncture at the hospital at the time (France). It didn’t work. However since DS2 I had it again, despite a very easy home birth and zero stitches. Im fit and slim and eat very good.

It’s just kind of bad luck if you’re prone and something that will 100% calm down with time. I think someone told Me almost everyone gets them eventually with over time with age in some capacity.

im 1 year PP and noticed mine again during / after a bath! But they aren’t sore anymore. It’s just a bit rank, thankfully it’s not a place anybody sees 😂 I Spose we can consider that a silver lining . You have my sympathies, but it will improve with creams and time 🙏

@New2020I’m so sorry you’re feeling rough and down about it. I think nearly everyone suffers some form of broken body when they have a baby. It’s a massive strain on the body and I think it takes a couple of years to completely feel back to normal physically. I did also have piles and if isn’t the most pleasant thing but again, nothing to be ashamed about. And there’s no reason to feel ashamed about crying and being sad either - I always think having a baby is like a wonderful nightmare!! Yes it is amazing to look at your baby and cuddle them but you are also exhausted, stressed, uncomfortable, in pain, full of hormones and massively overwhelmed…or at least I was. And there are probably lots more words to describe it too.

Don’t feel bad about crying and don’t feel bad about piles! Others have posted good advice but mine got better gradually over the first year or so. Sending love. Xxx

I had awful piles post-birth. I assumed my struggles to sit down was from my stitches, turns out my midwife didn’t spot the piles. I was shocked and mortified!
The pressures worked well for me to reduce things, cream too, my DC is 3.5 now and I wouldn’t say they’ve COMPLETELY gone, but they aren’t noticeable externally and the pain is zero.
Sooooo many people get them, it’s just one of those things nobody talks about, and it really should be!!

@Buttons0522 I've been prescribed scheriproct which I started to use yesterday evening before bed. I woke up at 1.30am and made the mistake of checking the area with a tissue and after that it was like a burning agony. It has been better today with the pain reduced, I can walk and sit a bit easier without feeling like I'm on fire. How long before the cream worked for you?

I've just tried an ice pack, and about to try a sitz bath..how long before this worked for you guys? Now it's the weekend I'm hoping I can fit this in and my husband can take care of the baby

Thanks so much for everyone that has replied. I've been so stressed and it seems the lump is getting bigger. I'm terrified it will just grow more and more massive. Its the size of a grape now.

Strange thing was before Tues it was painless, and in the morning that day had shrunk and almost looked like it was gone but by the afternoon was swollen and massive

I'm really scared my poo will get blocked by the lump...can this happen?!?

@Janefx40 wonderful nightmare is a good way to describe it. I love him...but I miss my old body and life and sometimes wish we hadn't done this. Some days feel like an actual nightmare when it's one health problem after another.

@New2020 Good to hear that you’ve got some of the good stuff now! It worked within a few days for me so fingers crossed it will do the same for you. The ice and sitz baths did offer immediate comfort but noticeably shrunk things within a few days. Hopefully some relief is in sight for you soon!

I think the chances of a blockage are probably slim… I think that the position of it likely changes during a bowel movement as things move around down there… crikey that’s probably TMI isn’t it.

It sounds like you’ve had a rough ride since having your little one, I’m sorry it’s been such a struggle. You’re certainly not alone feeling how you are, you do lose yourself in many ways when you become a mummy. However it does get easier and you will once more feel more like yourself again in time, hopefully once you’ve got the piles under control that will start to happen a bit more easily. Take care x

@Buttons0522 hahaha this whole thread is probably TMI. I've certainly lost a lot of dignity. I often wonder how my husband can find me attractive after everything he has seen and been forced to check

I'm just using the bath tub for a sitz bath...is that the same thing?!

Oh god praying for no blockage I've been in a bit of a state all day as it was difficult to go this morning..it felt like it was stuck and I've been pretty regular since the surgery

I cant tha k you enough for your messages and support, it's a lonely time and I don't have many people I can talk to about this or to get advice from

Yes they will inflame after a bowel movement unfortunately.
If they do not go, you can have them treated. Depending on the severity will depend on what treatment is done for you.

banding is the least invasive but only suitable for certain hermorroids.

I think mine were either from pushing in labour for 2 hours. Or possibly carrying my toddler while pregnant.

I had to have surgical removal. It was a brutal brutal recovery (renowned for being one of the most painful recovery- but only for the first few days. There are some Facebook support groups for the surgery)

As you are so early since giving birth, give it a couple of years. But I’d certainly recommend getting on your nhs list to see a specialist, as that can take years. (I went privately in the end as got sick of waiting)

Tha ks for sharing your experience. I really pray it does calm down.

It was a bit strange as when I first spotted mine it was painless and then flared up after I started using creams. Does yours being there cause any issues?

It seems like there are few options for treating external haemorrhoids

I'm terrified of having any more surgery after my csection and even more scared knowing that it is a very very painful recovery. How did you find the first few days? What made it so painful?

Take fybogel twice a day, have as many baths as you can (one of the best things for the stinging and inflammation), and start upping your fibre and drinking lots of water. I live with really bad piles and fissures, as surgical options can do more harm than good if you’re prone to fissures.

Mine are controlled by a strict high fibre diet, I make sure I get at least 20g per day and I take supplements if I’m not sure (like when I’m working away).

look up YouTube videos on how to poo properly and get yourself a squatty potty - it makes a big difference and reduces the strain in your rectum. I make a hmmm noise when I poo and it makes it come out more easily.

fissures are insanely painful, like haemorrhoids x 10, so I am highly motivated to avoid bringing them back on which mean I’ve researched all this thoroughly. The internet is full of people whose lives have been ruined by them.

I don’t even have kids so thought I’d avoid these kind of issues but I have a really slow metabolism from getting thyroid disease quite young so think that’s what ruined me, despite being otherwise fit and healthy.

good luck! It’s miserable.

Also, I would say, try to down regulate your pain. Remind yourself it is only piles, it’s not serious, it will get better. I found trying to relax and meditate my way through the pain after a bowel movement helped - it sounds weird but your brain is involved in how strongly your body will feel the pain so you do have some control over it by telling yourself it’s not that bad.