piles - tmi, but need help!

[addictedishavingagirl]

please help, my bum is falling out!

i have piles, i've had them for a few weeks, but they are getting worse. i've never had them before, i'm too embarrased to go see a doc and am too embarrised to talk to dh... so i'm posting about it on the world wide web!

my pregnancy book says that they will go a few weeks after pregnancy - i'm only 22+3 weeks and cant deal with this for 18+ weeks!

is there anything i can do to get rid?

Go to your GP! They will have seen it all before and its common in pregnancy, plus treatment will be free for you!

The pharmacist probably wont be able to help you, they don't like to hand medicines to pregnant women.

I know how you feel, i got them during my pregnancy and now have them still 6 years later!

Can vary but normally use Canestan with applicator.

Best bet is to ensure enough roughage in your diet (using oat bran in yoghurt is an easy way to do this) and don't spend too long sitting on the loo as gravity has a habit of making this worse when in this sitting position. Do the business then get up so no more reading the paper etc.

I know the feeling!!
Really make sure you improve your diet...I've included lots of oats, orange, activia yogurts, prunes, etc... coffee works wonders but not so good during pregnancy...

Also, ask your GP about Laevolac, I just cannot live without it! It's a very sugary sirup (allowed during pregnancy) that helps to soften your n.2, so you don't need to "push" and therefore, avoid bringing your piles even more out!

Also, apply some ice rapped in a tea towel not to get burned - it helps to reduce the swelling!
Loads of water, LOADS and walking...avoid sitting for too long.
Good luck!

A warm bath after going to loo can help.
Lactulose is great for softening stools (hate that word!), sounds like it's the same as what neshi mentioned - liquid sugar.
My pharmacist said any over the counter creams are fine in pg, as they don't contain hydrocortisone (the prescription ones do).

Fybogel sachets are good - a sachet of orange flavoured fibre. Add it to a glass of water, and you've drunk yr daily fibre dose.

Anything that means you won't strain can help, eg prune juice, plenty fruit and veg, wholegrains, etc.

Like spanishharlot, I've still got mine 6 yrs after having ds. I'm expecting them to get worse with this pg and labour... it's basically all about managing the symptoms

I would definately go to the Drs if you can face it, I had the same problem and felt really embarrassed but the Dr was great and gave me a prescription for a big bottle of lactulose and some supositories. Also had a good chat about diet etc. Not sure about the other posters on here, but I wasn't examined or anything, I just explained what the problem was and got my prescription - so if that's what's putting you off seeing your Dr then don't worry about it. You could also try asking to see a female Dr, in case that would help you feel less embarrassed.

Agree with everyone else, you've got to 'soften your stools'!! Fybergel is excellent, tastes a bit nasty but it does the job, also as everyone else has said, you have got to make sure you are getting the right diet. Whatever you do, don't strain when you go to the toliet, it will only make them worse.

i dont actually have a problem with hard stools. i dont 'strain when i go to the toilet, i've never needed a book or mag to read whilst ont he toilet and always thought dh was odd for doing this! untill i realised that this was actually quite normal behaviour.

i thought my diet was quite healthy, ok so i have the odd suggery craving but nothing that i would say is a poor diet? maybe i do need to revisit that.

right noodle if your sure they wont examine me, i'll go and discuss it with the gp

good to hear addicted, I didn't have a problem with constipation/hard stools either, the piles just decided to pop out one day . My Dr said that some of us just get them regardless of diet. The suppositories made a real difference and the problem went away pretty quick, so the relief was definately worth a few minutes of cringing at the Drs surgery, and afterall, if the dr does suggest an examination you can always say no.

Do pelvic tilts and the "bridge" posture and take lots of lactulose....

Is the Minor Ailments scheme available in yr area? In Scotland, if u qualify for free prescriptions - which we obviously do - the pharmacist can give you some types of prescription, including things like lactulose and piles cream - I got mine last week on prescription without any visit to the Doctor.
In any event, if u have to visit yr gp, it is highly unlikely that he/she will examine u, unless you are in horrendous pain. It's so common that doctors believe u when u say u have piles.

Def check with your doc - no need to be emabarassed, they'll have heard it all before! I'm using Anusol suppositories which are great - my doc okayed them. Canesten isn't for piles btw.

I'm hijacking again, sorry, but how do they GO??? I have no probs going to the loo, eat loads of fibre, no pain etc but they're still there! The creams just relieve the symptoms. How do you get rid of them???

No, the creams allegedly make the skin shrink back into place. But, as I said in previous post, I've had mine for six years, so I tend to be slightly cynical about this theory