Where do I go for help? Constipation & piles

[JustPilesHopefully]

I think I'm constipated. My stools are type 1 on the stool chart at the moment. I try hard with my diet, but I should drink more water.

When I go to the toilet (every couple of days sometimes more) I feel like I haven't completely passed everything. If I insert a finger I can manually evacuate a few more lumps of stool.

I don't want to strain too much as I have quite bad piles.

I'm thinking I probably need to see a doctor about this. I can't face seeing our male GP and there is no alternative.

I also need a smear which is always tricky (bad ectropion so bleeding often ruins them and I've broken the speculum a couple of times as I find them really stressful).

And my mirena coil needs replacing soon-ish. You can imagine how well that goes....

Do you think the STD clinic could do the smear and check the piles to make sure it's nothing more serious?

Pharmacy first.

Really? For piles treatments? I'm not sure what they sell here (not in UK).

Anusol in the UK.

Treating the constipation will be the best thing you can do to help the piles. Are you taking a stool softener like Movicol/Cosmocol? Or Bisocodyl or Senna? The piles will never heal while you're constipated.

Go to your local pharmacy first and speak to the pharmacist for advice.

Also, look at your diet? Are you drinking enough fluid, and fibre?