If you've had piles - I've got questions - been told need surgery, help!

[ohtheindignity]

Hello,

am a regular but have namechanged, cos you know, don't want you to see my normal threads and think "there's that woman with the broken arse again" instead...

Anyway have had, what I assume is piles for years, but having just had my second baby things seem to have got worse. I've used cream but it only relieves the symptoms and whatever it is isn't going away. I say "whatever it is" because no one's had a look since about 2 years ago, and that doctor said she couldn't see any piles, but she's not generally that thorough. There are small bumps in there, but they don't feel huge, like I always thought piles would. Really itchy though, and recently they've been bleeding a bit, and the other week (TMI warning) I almost felt like something popped when I went to the loo, and there was some blood.

I've been to the doctor today and she said that I'm going to need surgery. I didn't ask, but what I want to know is, does this involve general anaesthetic? Overnight in hospital? And does what I have actually sound like piles? Nothing's hanging out or anything, they're all small bumps just inside.

Can anyone tell me anything?

Have you had a look at NHS Direct?

internal piles may not be felt by blind examination. depends on what exactly is going on. go to sugical outpatients you should at least get a proctoscopy (think rectal equivelant of a speculum for your smear) they may be able to perform some procedure in the outpatient clinic.
HTH

YOu can have internal and external piles.

I had a prolapsed pile last year (an insidey one that has popped out ) and it was truly dreadful. I wAS prescribed steroid cream for a fortnight and with that and being very careful about my diet - much fruit & veg and not too much wheat which tends to bung me up) - I managed to get rid of it.

I say get rid of it - it's still there, just doesn;t pop out or cause problems atm.

I'm sorry the Dr says you need surgery...I was trying to avoid going down that route, and it wasn;t suggested.

I think the bleeding might be why the Dr wants to refer you, and why it might be a good idea to get them checked out.

I think there are various surgical options.

Much sympathy though

Clearly everyone who cares to may already know I am the woman with the broken arse

Sorry to hear you are suffering, and for so long as well. I am a bit surprised that your gp is already talking about surgery. Unless she specialises in colorectal or general surgery, I wouldnt have though she'd be qualified to make that assumption? Its a big assumption to make. Has she referred you? You may find that you dont need surgery and there are other things they can try first. Hope you get sorted soon.

you need to see a colorectal consultant and have a more thorough examination to find out exaclty what is going on.

a lot of folks have schlerotherapy, where the pile is injected with stuff that makes it shrink up basically, before surgery.

Thanks for getting back to me everyone. The doctor I saw was eastern european and we did have some difficulties communicating, so maybe that's why she said what she did. I'm assuming she's referred me, so hopefully then we might be able to (pardon the pun) get to the bottom of it. I feel like I've been fobbed off for the last two years - I was initially told it was thrush, and asked (in a slightly judgey tone) if I was partial to anal sex! The whole thing has been (again, I apologise) a massive pain in the arse and I just want it sorting.

Also - is it normal to have to get your norks out at a 6 week check? I don't remember doing that last time...

I didn't think it was normal to get anything out at 6 week check if all well.
Who wanted to see yer tits?
(And sorry obv. but lol like drain at 'woman with broken arse')

My DH had terrible piles, the blood used to gush out of him. He had them 'tied' (small elastic bands put around them to 'kill' them) and he was going to have surgery.

He chickened out of the surgery, when he phoned the hospital to cancel the nurse said"I won't do it either it's horrendous" .

To be honest the tying did a good job and I think the surgery wasn't neccessry in the end.

Hello! I have just had an operation on my bottom! It was an overnight stay, under GA. My bottom had a face lift . What they did was tighten up the muscles in my rectum and remove my piles (or whatever they were as they were like you describe) at the same time. They tell me that I should not have any problems for at least the next 20/30 years!!!!

I was like you and went for a few years not doing anything about it until they started to bleed all the time. Every time I went to toilet, the pan would be filled with blood, that is why my GP referred me to a specialist to get it checked out.

I hope they manage to sort you out one way or the other. It is not pleasant I know but if they do operate, you will feel like a new woman!

The doctor said she wanted to see if I had "lumps" in norks. I'm so used to having them more out than in at the moment (breastfeeding, not wanton exhibitionism) that I didn't really think much of it at the time.

coco - your poor husband, that sounds awful! See, mine aren't that bad, you def couldn't get an elastic band reound 'em, which is why I thought surgery sounded a bit extreme? Am hoping, like expat says, that they could do something a bit less drastic.

Candlewax - glad your arse feels better! It must feel amazing to not have any problems, I've got so used to it I can't imagine feeling alright.

I'm glad yer arse is better too CW!

I have never had my boobs checked at my 6 weeks' checks but I know friends who have - I think it depends on the doctor.

I'm not an expert on piles by any means but you do have my sympathy - I had them so badly after ds1 - I was in agony (worse than labour). I was lucky - they eventually gave me steroid cream for them and that sorted them out - though it took a few days and in the meantime one of the midwives provided me with an inflatable 'ring' cushion to sit on while breast-feeding. Only it had a slow puncture in one of the chambers so I constantly found myself listing to one side like the Titanic.

I'm waffling (post-piles trauma, clearly) - I hope you get them sorted out soon.