Help! Tortured by giant piles

[lifesnotaspectatorsport]

Sorry for the gross thread but has anyone got any advice on what to do about giant piles? I've been suffering with them for about a week now. What started off as smallish pink piles that just came out when I had a poo, and I could push back in, to two enormous fat swollen lumps that are stuck on the outside. They are so painful, and just disgusting - so hard to clean after the loo, I can feel them when I sit down or walk (and it hurts to do both). I've just been crying for the last half hour because I'm so sick of it. I'm 34 weeks now, due for a section at 37 weeks (twins) but can't bear the thought of them getting worse for another 3 weeks. I feel like half my arse is hanging out 😭

I've got an appointment with a proctologist on Sunday but please, please has anyone got any advice for what I can do till then? I'm putting ice on them, taking shallow baths, salt water etc but nothing's helping.

Are they thrombosed? Eventually if so they are going to pop which will bring some relief but really they aren't going to go away until the babies are born. But you can find relief ! The only thing that helped me was a prescription for a cream called procort, not sure what the equivalent is in uk but it was amazing. Assume you've tried the OTC remedies like Anusol etc? Just make sure the doc on Sunday gives you some good strong cream with a steroid in it.

@Mesacasa thanks for the reply. You've confirmed my fears that I'm stuck with them till after the birth 😭 I think I just need to accept that. It's just so gross! I hate feeling them there.

Yes, tried OTC stuff and my OB prescribed a cream and suppositories. They didn't contain steroids though and haven't really done anything.
Hopefully the proctologist can give me something stronger.

Witch hazel! Soak it onto pads and put them on the piles. Literally the only thing that got rid of mine!

Oh, not sure if they are thrombosed. They're purplish and one in particular was agony but is now just tender. All 3 are the size of big grapes. God, I hate them!

Epsom salt bath really soothed mine. I was in agony, I couldn't even lay still without mine absolutely stinging me

I had these in the late stages of my second pregnancy - I sympathise - bloody awful. I had some steroid cream from the GP, that helped, and soaked a flannel in cold water and wedged it up my bum crack and lay down. Keep off your feet as much as possible, preferably lying down on your side. Glamorous it ain't but it did provide relief, until they popped OP as they were thrombosed. After that it was marvellous and manageable. Good luck!

Thanks all. DH has gone to the pharmacy and got Epsom salts so I'll try a bath with those.

I'm a bit scared of the 'popping' - do you just end up with blood everywhere? 😮

Currently lying in bed with a cloth wrapped over ice cubes wedged up my crack.

Should I give up on trying to push them back in? Last two tries were so painful I cried and they didn't budge.

I would give up trying to push them back in tbh. I’m only 24 weeks but have had mild piles (after a bought of constipation) I’m bracing myself for it to get worse the bigger I get!

It’s probably not going to go away/get better until babies are out as it’s the weight/pressure of them causing it. I’d get yourself some of those fancy toilet wipes as will be much nicer than cleaning with tissue, carry on treating how you are doing and avoid going for a poo unless you really need it.

(Not sure if it’s just me but I quite often can’t tell what’s baby pressure and what’s the early stages of ‘needing a poo’ 😂)

@WorldsOnFire I've stolen my toddler's water wipes! Also soaking them after a poo in the bidet to make sure it's all clean.

And yes to not being sure when I need to go. Just bloody miserable about it all.

Try acupuncture. A registered practitioner of course, with maternity experience. I had piles recur and become worse with each of my three pregnancies. I couldn't bear the idea of giving birth with them so I sought help from a skilled acupuncturist. She was amazing and worked on relieving inflammation and pressure. I had about 4-5 sessions in the 2 weeks that my last baby was overdue. I've no idea why acupuncture works for me, but in some of these situations it really has done the trick. I always drift immediately into an incredibly relaxing and restoring sleep as well so as a therapy it really seems to benefit me.
I had auricular therapy for the last 2 sessions as my daughter was at 12 days past due date and 24hrs after my last session my labour started (in a way that was very consistent with the consultation chat I had with the therapist - needed to remove psychological and emotional 'blockages'. My mind was playing a large part in holding her back).
I also laboured and birthed in a birth pool, again partly because of the relief it gave me to be in water (realise that isn't possible as part of a scheduled c-section for multiples). Anyhow, I would recommend acupuncture. Hope you find relief soon and good luck with the birth.

Witch hazel shrinks them I think. I'd get some urgently.

I found a liberal application of sudocrem both before and after a poo really helped.

See if you can get Hemoclin gel. I've used it for both piles and anal tears and get relief within 24 hours.

@Imnotaslimjim Got some! Trying that next 🤞

Good luck. It was like a miracle cure for me.

I know ive already said it but Please please try witch hazel. I tried everything else first and was crying in pain. Within a day I had no pain and within three days they were gone x

Well, Epsom salt sitz baths and Hemoclin/ Sudocrem have helped with the original piles. But now I have a new one that's just as agonising 😢 Did this happen to you, where you just keep getting new piles as you shrink the old ones?!

Update: saw colorectal surgeon today and I'm having urgent surgery on them tomorrow 😮 He says they are grade 4, thrombosed, and no amount of creams, ice or warm baths can cure them. Will be having the surgery under spinal anaesthetic only due to pregnancy. I'm feeling a bit nervous but as he said, the recovery can't be any more painful than the pain I am in now 😢

Oh goodness, I hope it goes well!

Thanks @Throughabushbackwards

I had the op this morning and staying in overnight. The spinal wore off very fast, alas, so I'm now on paracetamol plus tramadol. Not going to lie, it hurts as bad as the piles but at least I know it is healing. Babies are fine. It's been a hell of a week.

That doesn't sound fun @lifesnotaspectatorsport but I hope you are on the road to not having them as a problem anymore x