Piles - how can something so small hurt so much?

[NorkyButNice]

OK, talk to me about piles. Obviously this is a TMI post....

Am 38 weeks pregnant and I've been taken over by an alien growth out of my bumhole - it's tiny but SO painful!

What can I do about it? Will it go away by itself or do I need to get some kind of treatment? I bought some Germaloids from Boots today which made it hurt even more (just smeared around the entrance - do I have to actually stick some inside? eeeek).

Any advice warmly and gratefully received!

GP will be happy to prescribe something stronger for you, like Anusol HC with steroid in it help take the swelling down(and they will likely take your word for it, and prescribe without looking)

And try a sandwich bag with a handful of frozen peas in, wrapped in a tea towel for a cold compress. Lots of fruit so no straining.

Will probably settle once the baby is out.

Oh crikey - is there anything more undignified than showing the doctor your bottom?

Frozen peas and rubber ring coming up!

More undignified? Like childbirth maybe?? Ah, the GP will have seen so many piles, they probably don't ask to look cos they are bored of them!

Hi, you poor poor thing, however remember that Doctors have seen this so many times it is just so routine and oddly enough as a doctor there are far worse places to be sticking your finger than up someone's bottom. So try not to associate this undignified 'view' of you as being one that the doctor will forever remember.

Now, to the nitty gritty, get some Germaloid ointment, not cream, from the chemist, use about 1 cm on your index finger and gently massage into the lump. If you can then hold a germaloid suppository and gently insert it into the anus, after about 1 cm it will disappear inside. Repeat this when it becomes sore again and particularly at nighttime and after any bowel movement. This should help a lot, if still sore you can try the HC variant which has a low dose of hydrocortisone.

The good news is that it should spontaneously cure itself in the very near future!

Childbirth pales in comparison to bottom issues I reckon!

I'm seeing the consultant tomorrow to discuss oversize baby, so might have to bite the bullet and ask him for some tips!