It’s an embarrassing one… piles 😳

[AngeloMysterioso]

I’ve had them for quite a while (thanks a million, IBS) but in the last few days they’ve become bigger and really quite painful. I’ve got a bum like a baboon.
Has anyone else had this issue and found something that works very well? I’ve read about anusol/germoloids, is there much difference between them? Is one more effective than the other? Or should I just skip the OTC stuff and go straight to the GP?

I would go to the GP to get something bit stronger than OTC
Although I've used germoloids and anusol in the past, I've found germoloids helps numb the pain a little and anusol helps shrink them. As yours are big best you ask the GP
Look online for home remedies too, try changing your diet and eat dried prunes and apricots as snacks.

Really common.

I'd try the OTC ones first, and see GP if they make no difference (IIRC they contain small amounts of analgesia, so you'll know pretty much straight away if they're making a difference)

Pregnancy related piles are hormone driven, and normally they disappear spontaneously shortly after you give birth.

I found sugar water really helped to relieve the pain. Mix sugar and a bit of water and put in on the piles, wash off after about 15 minutes.

Doesn't get rid of them but eases the pain for a while xz

I asked my midwife and she gave me a tube of anusol there and then (for free!).

I get piles. I don’t know why. Usually once a year, just the one but very painful. Anusol doesn’t really help, I think because they are internal ones that have popped out and become strangulated which I think is what causes the pain, the blood supply getting cut off. Thankfully they go within a few weeks by themselves.

If I were you I’d call the doctors. There’s this idea about piles that because they’re around your bum it’s a funny / less serious complaint. I do tend to make a Joke about mine but in all seriousness they are a misery. Be direct if the receptionist starts asking questions or fobbing you off with OTC remedies, tell her they are not working and how much pain you are in. You can get complications from piles which believe it or not are even worse than the piles themselves. I’m not sure what the doctor has to offer that OTC remedies can’t but if you know OTC stuff doesn’t help then you’ve done all you can and are justified in seeking a GP for help.

Get some scheriproct from the GP. It’s marvellous stuff!

Oh so sorry OP. Piles are the worst! I could barely move when I had them during pregnancy! I’m pregnant again now and dreading piles, so I’m eating lots of fruit and veg, going to get dried fruit and prunes today, and drinking lots of water. For me, it was constipation related, so anything to avoid constipation. Anusol cream helped a bit, and basically just pushing them back in as hard as I could manage, and then staying very very still. And the anusol wet wipes were cooling.

But yes, hellish, you’ve got my every sympathy. Pregnancy and birth is very different to how the media portrays it. How on earth Kate and Meghan totter around in heels and pencil skirts at full term in beyond me! Do they not get piles?!

That's a bit harsh on Kate - she had HG!

Sympathies op I had them too, good news is they have never come back.

I spoke to my midwife about it but she just gave me a rubber glove and told me to fill it with water, freeze it and then hold that against them… have done an “e-consult” 🙄 for the GP but they might not get back to me until the end of the day tomorrow, so I guess it’ll have to be an OTC remedy for now… any recommendations?

Ah, the “e-consult” is back… and they’ve referred me to the pharmacy. Great.

I had them after DD and one in particular was horrendously painful. I couldn't walk!
Someone on an old thread suggested tea tree oil a warm shallow bath. I did that, slathered it in anusol and pushed it back in as far as it would go. Just had to keep doing it and luckily it went in about a week. Horrible things, I got to the point where I think if someone had offered to cut it off I would have let them!

Pranicura, you have to order it online and it is expensive but it works. Also I found icing them did really help reduce the swelling.

I had them during pregnancy and they were awful. I found the Anusol suppositories and the cream worked pretty well. Oh, and learn from my mistake, no matter how curious you are do NOT look at them in a mirror!

Best I found so far was Germoloid suppositories and then cream to soothe the general area. You can use germolene if you don't have a specific thing to hand!

I’ve tried dabbing on some olive oil and pushing them back in but they pop out again after a few minutes 😳 unfortunately keeping still isn’t an option as I have a toddler and a nearly 4 year old to run around after, and I work evenings/nights so can only have a bath on my nights off.