How long should haemorrhoid treatment creams be used for?

[needtosort]

Hello,

Can anyone tell me how long treatment needs to be for haemorrhoids?

The GP at least took a look, said it was pretty severe and they didn’t know how I’d left it so long. You can get an anal fissure as well as haemorrhoids same time together is all I’m told.

So I’ve ended up with two types of cream but confused if I should only use for 7 days or whether you can use up to a full month?

I identify with the cause being overweight and sitting on my backside having a call centre job but I’ve been active every day for months and eat fairly high fibre to go everyday, no pregnancies, but did lose a stone very quickly in a fortnight, could it have been that contributing? I accept stress plays on the gut as well.

Many thanks

I’m definitely not an expert but I had some really bad haemorrhoids towards the end of my pregnancy. I would check with your GP as the different creams can have different ingredients. I found taking regular baths helped and trying not to sit down for too long - you can use a doughnut cushion, which helps a bit. Long term though you basically have to get them banded - I had a private consultation for it and apparently it’s pretty quick but you’d need someone to drive you home.

Thank you lovely, I cannot take a bath due to spinal condition and lymphoedema (I have to use public places like the leisure centre which has a shower as I just cannot risk bathing alone and hadn't got round to doing a wet room conversion.

The GP I saw as sweet as he was only handle one issue in 10 minutes and normally is one to go off on a tangent you're not my patient! but I have another female GP going to call me later this week so I can I suppose question it then.

My Dad who has had bowel cancer said don't take them up on banding and I kind of put up with the anal fissure on and off since early adulthood but genuinely didn't know you can get both together.

If you can't have a bath another solution is to use a Sitz bath. It's a small shallow basin that is placed on your toilet and means you can have a good soak, get relief and also feel nice and clean. Re the cream if you've been given 2 types then check the ingredients, one is most likely a steroid and will have a shelf life but check with your pharmacist if that's easier than seeing the GP. There is also a cream often given for anal fissures but that should have specific instructions.

I have been given two different creams although I have only used one at the time, 1 week of the non-fridge one, then a few days later, intermittently, the other one.

Somehow it helped 🤞

Weirdly, I convinced myself that adding collagen to the diet should strengthen the soft tissue so been eating jelly cubes, 1-2 per day... who knows, it could be psychological even but it all feels back to normal 🤞