So fed up - piles? Rectal prolapse? Agh

[sheeplikessleep]

Ds3 is 6 months old tomorrow. For the last 8 months, I have had daily v painful poos and piles. Tried anusol, proctesydel (sp), lots of water, sitz baths, with hazel, scheriproct, fibrogel etc etc.
The last couple of months, I've also really struggled to poo. I'm not constipated, but it feels like I am when I m pushing. I remember before all this started, when I pooed, a gentle push and the muscles just did the rest. Now it feels like I have no muscles and I really strain. Which I hate doing as from about 8am until mid afternoon, I am in agony with the piles (caused by pushing). Every time I eat, it stimulates my bowels and hurts even more. I also have this heavy feeling in my bum too.
It's really affecting my day to day life, my enjoyment of my three beautiful boys and I just feel so grumpy. I am crying in pain and desperation every morning. DH is being fab, taking the lead with the kids etc, but I know he feels as helpless as I do.
I'm eating lots of fibre, loads of jacket potatoes, veg, salad etc. And I'm trying to drink as much water as I can. Inevitably, I'm beginning to lose weight, because I just don't want to eat.
I've been to the doctors twice and she has now referred me for a colonoscopy with the colo-rectal team. I'm awaiting through the appointment.
I am breastfeeding ds3, so don't want any surgery that requires me to stop, but I am getting to the point where I need my life back.
Has anyone been through anything similar?

I am getting desperate to find out exactly what I have. I don't think it's just piles, because the fact I have to strain to poo.

Any advice or experiences really welcome. Thankyou for letting me rant.

I had 3 anal fissures from the birth of DS that took 8 months to heal. I also have piles. I tried everything going cream wise. I was finally seen by a colo-rectal surgeon who referred me for a colonoscopy. 3 months wait.

In that 3 months I stopped all cream. I basically ate fruit. Lots of tinned peaches, pears. Beans on brown toast and that's pretty much it! No caffeine. Lots of orange juice. also had Movicol every morning. I made sure I never pushed, even if I was sat for 20 minutes just waiting. Blow air through your lips like a horse and it stops your muscles from going into spasm as much.

Never wipe. Always shower after the toilet instead. If you can lay on your side for 20 mins after the shower to let everything have a rest from gravity!

I stopped baths as I figured that keeping the skin moist wouldn't let it heal. It was temporary relief but decided I wouldn't keep a cut on my finger wet so followed that principle!

The fissures have gone. It took the full 3 months but when the appointment came I felt confident that they would find nothing. I still have problems with the piles and still get some pain but it is so much better!

It is so miserable being in pain in such a vunrable area and for so look. I am terrified of them coming back but feel more confident that I wouldn't get in that state again.

Floppy, that diet sounds quite hardcore! I worry whether I will still be able to breastfeed on such a restricted diet, without it affecting my supply. Though as I say, I'm starting to wonder whether I will have to stop anyway, to try to get myself back on track.
How did you know you had fissures? Do they cause the need to strain?
I hate the fact I'm straining, I know it's the worst thing to do, but my god, every morning I feel like I'm ready to explode (prob the fibrogel). Probably too much information, but as soon as the first bit of poo is out, the rest just follows through. It's the start of it that I really struggle with.

That diet was only for the first few weeks to get myself back under control. I then phased things back in bit still don't have caffiene or any meat other than chicken.

I strongly recommend movicol rather than the fibogel which did nothing for me!

I was also breastfeeding and I must admit I only started to improve when DS slept through the night and I started to breastfeed less. He was about 8 months. I still breastfed until he was 12 months but far less regularly.

Fissures feel like glass tearing you! The muscles then spasm which is the pain for hours after. This stops the fissure from healing. It's a vicious circle.

I think the straining is also a bit of a panic about getting the pain out of the way quickly. It was a real psychological battle for me to stay relaxed and not rush things!

Your post rings so true. I'm already dreading the toilet trip tomorrow morning I really am.
I'm going to ring the doctor and chase up of the colo rectal referral.

Likewise, I feel pain for hours after going and then it hits about 3.30pm and it just seems to stop.

I'm bleeding every time too.
But the doctor said last time it was piles.
I just want to feel normal again.
Thankyou for posting. It's also one of those things that isn't discussed in real life.

It sounds just like a fissure to me. I would go and get some Movicol tomorrow and get your bowels back under your command!

Would a fissure explain why I am having to strain?

This morning was awful, like I literally was needing to push more than when I birthed my sons! I felt constipated, but when the poo came, it wasn't hard at all. I'm also worried about diarheah, as when I have had it from time to time in the last 8 months, that hurt like hell. In fact, immediately after pooing, it always stings like hell (I am often shivering in pain for about 10 seconds whilst I use a wet wipe and jump straight in the shower and the hot way hits me).
Thanks for posting, I do appreciate it. I've just blubbed on the phone to my mum about how crap I feel about it all at the moment. I am starting to question if I will ever have a normal poo again.

way water

I'm not sure a fissure would explain the need to push hard. Although I do seem to remember that it was a real effort to push like the muscle had pulld tight and wouldn't let go! It's so important that you relax. I used hypnobirthing techniques!

I phoned up the doctors this morning and managed to get a cancellation appointment this Thursday with someone from the colo-rectal team, rather than waiting for a referral. So relieved that I might finally be on the road to getting back to normal.

That's great news. Make sure you have a list of questions you want to ask as mine was less than forward at talking about diet or any way to help sort it! Just looked and said he would put me on the list for colonoscopy.

Good luck!

yeah, could be a rectocele too. if they think it is, please get a referral to a gynae specialising in pelvic floor and prolapse. feel for you. x

You may need a haemorrhoidectomy. Worse part is getting rid of the packing - ask for pain relief. Otherwise I had very good results and no return

• several years now. Such a relief

Hello how are you now?

this is a very old post but it’s worried me that you never replied to the thread once you had the cancellation appointment, are you okay?!