AAARRRGGGHHH! Just back from bum clinic [blush] and so pee'd off, opinions please!

[dee24]

Ok, this was embarrassing at first but now I'm just damn fed up!

After having my lovely dd 14 months ago I was left with a few small piles (hate that word ) round the opening of my bottom. Been making it painful to go to the loo, gives me an achy feeling most of the time and generally makes me feel old and very unattractive (I'm 24). Have went right off sex because of it and poor dp is getting paranoid. So way back in August I though sod it and went to the docs. As they are only visible when doing the loo she couldn't see anything but prescribed suppositries which worked great, only for them to come back a few weeks later. Went again, she gave me a longer course which again worked great but yet again they came back. She said she would refer me to the hospital to see consultant who would band them (woohoo!)

So, went to consultant, endured not very pleasent examinations etc Booked me in for a sigmoidoscopy and told me they would band at the same time. Different consultant carried out sigmoidoscopy end of Nov which hurt like bloody hell (only bit I remember as I was sedated, I was told it would be uncomfortable!) but afterwards thought 'great, they will be gone soon!'. But no, for the weeks afterwards it still hurt to poo So called hospital to ask what went on, consultant never returned my call. Ever since the sigmoidoscopy I have had symptoms very similar to IBS so thought I had better mention that today.

Off to my appointment today! Went to the loo before heading out and yip it hurt and there was actually more blood than usual so thought great maybe they will see something now. Different consultant yet again, asked how I was and I said things were pretty rubbish. Still painful and actually more blood than before. Then mentioned that I had an irritated bowel since the procedure (my GP presribed meds for it but it made my little problem worse so I stopped them and have been drinking peppermint tea ). So again some nasty examinations etc, to be told you must have IBS, I will send a letter to your GP and come back in 2 months. WTF!!!!???? I said that's not what I'm here for, I've been in pain going to the loo for 14 months! He replied that yes I probably have a couple of small piles as they are not that noticible so it would be worthwhile giving the medication for IBS a go as they may be making the problem worse than what it is. AHHHHHHHH! No you idiot, they will make my poo even harder and make my bum more painful. I could cry. I'm so annoyed and feel like asking my GP to be referred elsewhere, am I being unreasonable? Should I ask to go see another consultant in another hospital? I know my problem isn't the worst out there, it's more where they are down there, but it is really getting me down.

Sorry for the rant, but there's nobody around here to rant to!!!

aww, it does sound like u where fobbed off, tell your GP that u want to get the origional treatment u where offered without all the other palava, i cant understand why they where doing invasive tests for the sake of a pile?

Piles are just little varicose veins round the bum - painful to you but not much of a deal to anyone else (sorry), they may think yours are too trivial to band. Assume you have tried the dietary stuff to make your poo soft and squishy - high fibre everything and lots to drink? that plus germaloids may be the best thing you can do, all this fiddling around in your bum just Isn't Natural!

or can you go private? more likely to get what you want!

I do eat really well so very rarely have to strain, although it's been going on so long I now have to make an effort to 'relax' as I know it will hurt Tried the creams for months and they didn't help, the only thing that did was the suppositries the doc gave me but I think you can only use those short term. I know that they are not a big deal to some people but when it hurts everytime you poo and leaves my bottom aching it does get you down (not exactly something I can share with my friends, eek!)

I think they are looking and thinking I'm making it sound worse, I'm pretty sure that if they were not at the opening of my botty they probably wouldn't be giving me all this pain etc.

Bugger, just been offered a new job which has private health care but you need to be there 6 months before you are eligible

But I suppose at this rate I'll probably still have the flippin things!

If I don't I'd cry lol!

and no pushing, i believe, straining that is.

can you write a letter to consultant saying you have been fobbed off?

Maybe you've got a small fissure at opening of your bottom (small tear often caused by constipation & anus stretching too far & tearing - pleasant sounding eh?!)
This'll cause extreme sharp pain ('like passing bit of glass') & lots of fresh blood. If you've had you're piles banded then your sympyoms should have at least reduced. If not & the prob is definately plies, are they big & dangling out? If so, they may need surgical removal. If there's no external pile, then it sounds like a fissure & your GP should be able to see it.
Sounds like you've been messed about. Poor you.

When I sit on the toilet I can feel them bulging slightly from my bottom, and when I am finished doing a poo they are even more bulging and bleeding. Usually I hold a piece of wet toilet paper on them for a minute for relief, dry it, then a little vaseline to stop the skin becoming irrated. After a few minutes they have went back to where they came from. When I am being examined while lying on my side they can't see them (and I didn't really fancy saying 'well hold on and I'll squat then ) which is why I feel like they don't believe me.

Apparantly the finger up the botty examination (aaarrgh!) is how they check for a fissure so they have pretty much ruled that out several times.

I didn't get them banded as they were not that bad in their opinion. I've told them countless times though that I'm quite sure they are not the worst but the problem seems to be where they are. I'm beginning to lose hope of ever doing a painless poo ever again

Just made an appointment with the doctor for next week, so will discuss it with her and see what she thinks. Also queried to see the cost of going private....just want it all sorted!

Was the sigmoidoscopy results ok? That'll be making sure there's nothing more sinister further up your bowel.
Well, if the Consultants you've seen say the plies are too small to band then you really must persevere with avoiding constipation, straining etc. Make sure diet is high in fibre & drinks lots of water.
Good luck x

I don't think I can persevere for any longer without losing it, surely you can't just be made to put up with this? I've done all those things for a year now and they are still there (with no improvment). Eating nothing but wholegrain/wholemeal pasta bread etc, plenty of fruit and veg and loads of water and peppermint tea. There is no way at the age of 24 I'm accepting this as part of life, and it will certainly stop me having another baby if so!!! I've read about many things they can do for piles, and my frustration comes from the way they have completely ignored my initial problem and are now telling me I have IBS and that they will do another scope (no chance!) even though the first one was ok! There has been absolutly no mention of treatment for these flaming things

Sorry to hear your having a crappy time. If you know the consultant that you are under ring his/her secretary. Ring your hospital and go through switch board just asking for soandsos sec. Explain how upset and frustrated you are and you'd like to see your consultant face to face asap.

I my experience you can be seen by all variety's of locum and junior drs. Secretaries are usually very understanding and use to these kind of requests from patients.

Good luck hope you get it sorted

That sounds awful. You have all my sympathy. You shouldn't have to put up with this. I agree with babalon. Make sure you get to see your consultant face to face,

I have lots of sympathy Dee because I had a prolapsed pile recently (the kind that won;t go back in) and I was really uncomfortable and miserable with it. I used the suppositories for a week, as well as some cream and it resolved within about 2 weeks.

I also took some horse chestnut extract which is recommended for varicose veins, piles etc if you are interested in trying an alternative approach.

It's a horrible thing to put up with and I would lay it on thick when you go back to your GP and say it's making your life a misery, and see what they can do. I think at the least they could find out why they wouldn't do the banding. There is no reason why they can;t ring the hospital and discuss it with them if necessary.

Thanks for your replies. I will call his secretary, I did that after the sigmoidoscopy for an explanation as to why they didn't band then and got no reply But I will try again and failing that can ask my gp to call.

I googled this like crazy before even going to my gp as I didn't want to make a fuss over nothing and was so pleased to read it could be easily resolved......I thought at the most they would do an anoscope, then either band or do Sclerotherapy depending on how big etc they were (as these are used for smaller ones).

I just can't understand why they won't deal with the actual problem and have decided to diagnose IBS when I don't have IBS Just take my flippin piles away ffs! But no I keep getting prodded, got a very painful scope and now they are making me feel as though I'm wasting their time. God help my poor gp when I get there lol!

you don't need another scope to have then banded. The put a clear probe in your rectum this is conected to a light. The using suction they can isolate each pile and pop the band around it. Takes minutes

If you are only having wholewheat in your diet, and no refined wheat, you could actually give yourself the symptoms of IBS. Some people cannot cope with too much wheatfibre in their diet. Try eating less wheatbran and wholeweat, and instead up your intake of oats. Wheatfibre works partly by irritating your bowel to move things along, whereas oatfibre works by bulking out and softening the contents of your gut through water absorption. This may make you feel a bit better!

Have you tried a cream called Proctosedyl? I think it's prescription only, but it is a complete godsend for piles. I've had awful piles after each of my 3 labours. Ordinary creams did nothing for them, whereas Proctosedyl shrank them and brought them to a tolerable level within days.

Vaseline may also cause you more discomfort than you excpect. Again, some people are sensitive to it (brings me out in a rash whereever I@ve applied it). Olive oil might be better than vaseline.

HTH, and that you find some resolution soon.

Yesterday I heard on the radio that wild chamomile is good for hemorrhoids. Try googling and see what you come up with.

That's what I thought I would have had (that's what the anoscope is I think?) and I really don't see why I had the sigmoidoscopy in the first place never mind get another. I'm going to say all this to my gp, and really think it would be best to go to another hospital.

Funnily enough I just spoke to a friend, one of her mates is my age with two kids and has the same problem. Was referred to the same consultant and has been getting fobbed off/getting test after test and she's still as bad as ever.

Use vaseline already, didn't know about the effects of eating too much wheat...I'll talk to the GP about that as well. I still believe that if they were not right at the opening they would be tolerable, I think I'm just unlucky with their location

You are not alone dee24. I am 24 too and have had piles for 4 years now. Nothing I have tried works. I haven't had any kids, but do have IBS. Everytime I go to the docs they just say eat more fibre and drink more water. I did try a colonic irrigation twice. The first time worked really well and cleared the piles up, but the second time brought them back again. I should have stopped whilst ahead.

I do have times (say a couple of weeks) where they seem to ease off, but if I go out for a meal or don't quite get my 4 pints of water in that day, they come straight back.

Have you managed to get any further forward with your problem? If so, any advise would be appreciated.

I daren't go to the doctors...I know I went for a colonic irrigation but that was carried out by female nurses. The thought of my male doctor inspecting my backside doesn't thrill me.

My latest experiment in prune juice. I will let you know how it goes.

Sounds miserable dee. I was fobbed off as having post baby problems and "moderate" piles for about nine months before my GP found a tumour via sigmoidoscopy. Great, not. Anyway, I was then sent for a colonoscopy to check the rest for the bowel. This wasn't great but needs must.

Have you googled IBS forums? I'm pretty certain there are some where you could get some better advice about a. your condition and b. what to push which doctor for.

Don't be embarrassed. I'd be on my way to dying with secondary cancer if I hadn't kept going back about my odd poo-ing and bottom pain, or if I'd been squeamish about having by rectum probed and poked by too many fingers and devices.

It sounds pretty shitty (sorry, I have many more where that came from) that you have just been sent away. Don't let it lie but get yourself informed before you next see your GP.

Explain in words of one syllable that you cannot cope with the pain.