Erm, piles - help me improve my diet

[BettyButterknife]

38 weeks and suffering with piles which I know will get worse after labour.

I'm trying to add more fibre to my diet to try to improve things as much as possible. Can anyone suggest some easy ways to up my fibre intake please?

Fybogel is safe to take in pregnancy.

Food wise - apricots, raisins. I find if I eat an apple a day - keeps me regular.

Unfortunately I still have piles. I don't think it's the diet, just the pressure on my rectum according to mw.

It's horrible isn't it?

Thanks fifi. Do you think Fybogel is better than lactulose?

Just made some flapjacks full of dried fruit

It's really horrible! Have you got any other tips for easing the pain? Am dreading labour - they're going to be monster at the end of it

Fibrogel and lactulose are different things. LActulose makes the stool softer so it is easier to pass. Fibrogel is pretty much just a whole load of fibre in a drink so is a very easy way of adding lots of fibre to your diet.

When you go to the loo then use a stool to put your feet on so your knees are up as though you are squatting. This is the best position for doing poos.

Don't panic!

I eat a big bowl of all bran every morning - laced with sugar!! really does the job. try to cut out caffiene, bananas etc And drink lots of water

Have you been treating them? I would use the time you have before labour to blitz them with Anusol so they have shrunk as much as possible. Mine didn't get worse after giving birth so don't worry. And once you don't have the weight of the baby they will get better quickly.

I've been using Germaloid suppositories and Nelson H-care cream (perhaps time to switch to a more hardcore cream).

I'm going to start eating bran flakes for breakfast with linseeds, drinking loads of water and basically not going to have a meal unless it contains oodles of fibre (lentils, veg, wholegrains etc). My diet has definitely deteriorated into more trashy foods recently

I did take a Senokot tablet last night but perhaps I should lay off these in favour of one of the ones you mention Easily? Not sure which I should opt for? Thanks for the tip re a stool(!) - will try it next time.

Try a new cream - I fond Anusol worked whereas germoloids didn't

also, fibre can reduce your iron absorption so make sure you're not missing out on that

agree with Indith re using a stool

Get a prescription pile cream - miles better than over the counter ones. I had Anugesic HC and it worked a treat.

Why don't you make an appointment with the GP? You can get is all on prescription instead of paying for it. They will be able to advise you what is best.

Ok, I'll give it a go. If I can get an appointment before I give birth!

Will try a different cream in the meantime - I have some Preparation H in my hospital bag.

I suffer from piles 'or did' frequently, I found that it completely stopped when I stopped eating wheat! Pasta, Bread all that bulk that builds up and bloats you. Try eating fruit, vegetables, salads, rice, fish, herbal teas....I soon started losing weight, skin improved, felt great.

be careful with the HC creams - it's not great to use hydrocortisone during pg. HOWEVER, if I were you, I'd get a tube on prescription to take with you to the hospital. Mine were horrendous after giving birth, and I only wish I'd been told about the prescription creams - they are SO much better.

Bloody GP - stupid new system means I can only book a telephone consultation for 'some time' on Friday afternoon, after which the GP will decide whether I can come in for an actual face-to-face appointment. I'll have given birth by then!

So I've just been to talk to my local pharmacist who sold me the HC suppositories and cream - she seemed to think that at this stage in the pregnancy there wouldn't be any harm done by using hydrocortisone. I'll see whether it does the trick - honestly, it feels as though someone's stuck a fork up my bum I can barely walk.

Good tip, vmcd, I'll make sure it goes into the hospital bag too.

I know how you feel. I've suffered for years, and when I was 8 months pg with my ds, I lay in bed for a whole weekend sobbing. AWFUL.
Good that you can use the HC ones - they really help.
I wouldnt even bother with the gp appointment, tbh, they cant do much more than give you an HC cream.

Betty, if you ring up tomorrow morning between 8:30 and 9, you should be able to get an appointment on the day.

Poor you! Mine aren't painful thankfully but am worried about them after the birth - after all that pushing.

Hope you get sorted out OP!

Just wanted to come back and say thanks to those who suggested the HC treatments - 24 hours later and there's been a vast improvement!

Thank you