Posts by John Parker5

Karen Adams2 said:Try drinking some knotweed tea—it really helped me deal with the bleeding.

And here I was thinking I’d already tried everything—drinking stuff, rubbing stuff, shoving stuff in, stuffing stuff everywhere!😁..thanks, I'll give that a shot too..

Eric Chase12 said:Are you guys seriously still freaking out?? You two have it way worse than most, so stop stalling—you probably need surgery, and then we'll deal with whatever comes next. Even though not many people are posting here, the number of patients out there is massive! Only a lucky few actually escape without issues. But you two totally skipped over all the milder cases, even though everyone deals with that nightmare encounter where it just sprays! That’s honestly the worst part—it's not even leaking, it’s pulsing in rhythm with your heartbeat!

Look, besides that ice idea, there's a simpler trick when this happens in the bathroom: sit on the edge of the tub and aim a cold shower spray directly at it from underneath to "cool" things down until it stops. If it goes on too long, you won't have much choice but to sit on something hard that puts direct pressure right on the spot; that should help. Of course, the absolute worst thing is just sitting on the toilet waiting... It really depends on your blood type and stuff, and everyone knows how you judge an injury by whether the bleeding quits fast or drags on.

Anyway, don't panic. Even if it looks like you're drowning in blood, in reality, it's usually smaller amounts—though it feels like we've lost over 7 liters or something... But, if it keeps going, here's another tip: always keep your phone in the Restroom! And if things start spinning, call someone with a car to come grab you, or just dial 911.

Oh, there is definitely enough reason to be scared.😉Everything looks twice as terrifying as it actually is... After I went through those bleeds and had my surgery, everything became much more manageable. Everything will be fine, even if this feels like the worst thing that's ever happened to us! A person ends up enduring exactly what they thought would be impossible to survive. Keep your heads up, everyone, fight as hard as you can, and the results will come eventually!👍

Karen Adams2 said:Smart people say there's hope in prayer, but honestly?😁Believe me, I’m terrified even thinking about what stage four looks like. For me, the bleeding was so bad I was scared to even leave the house. Every single time I hit the restroom, everything was just a bloody mess behind me. By the time I finally made it to the tub to clean up, there would be a literal trail of blood left on the tiles—like two feet of it! And the pain? I lived through eight months of pure agony. One winter, it hit me so hard I couldn't get out of bed for two whole days, let alone lie on my back. Don't even get me started on sitting down... Now, after eight months, I can finally say I don't feel my "rear end" anymore.😁I stopped using those suppositories because the label said you shouldn't use them for more than a month. Instead, I'm using some herbal oil called "hemo-ex." As for Detralex, my doctor suggested giving it a shot. I tried it last year, but it didn't do squat. Later, I found out you're supposed to take it for six months straight, and I only finished three boxes. Look, I'm not even against surgery. I know what it's like when you're willing to do anything just to get some relief right now, but I don't see the point if they just come right back—especially since I'm prone to them... really prone. Now I finally understand why Americans call someone who's being difficult a "pain in the ass."

Well, they came back for me too after surgery, though at least I had about a year of peace before they flared up again... and I know exactly what it's like to literally leave bloody trails all over your house. It's a horror show! There were times I'd grab whatever frozen thing I could find in the freezer just to sit on it, hoping it would stop the bleeding... Now, my biggest worry is that I want another baby, and I have no clue how that's going to go down if I don't get surgery again. I'm genuinely terrified I'll bleed out on the table in the delivery room! What am I supposed to do?!🤷

Karen Adams2 said:Oh, come ON! What am I even supposed to do?! I have never had issues with my bathroom habits before—everything is regular, I’ve NEVER sat on cold surfaces, I wash up after EVERY single trip to the restroom, I eat healthy, and my job literally requires me to be WALKING for 8 hours straight. I walk, I exercise, I do everything right... So what else do I need to do, kick myself???!!!😠I honestly just don't get it anymore... Like, is all this effort totally pointless? All these creams I'm using—what's the point? I am so incredibly pissed off about this whole thing that it's scary. It makes me want to strip down, sit on a block of frozen concrete, eat nothing but dry crackers, wear thongs exclusively, and just stop washing altogether... then maybe it would finally make sense why I'm dealing with this!😢🙂

Unfortunately, it's happening to you too, and it's happening to me. Not trying to scare you, but you might just be predisposed to this, and honestly, I think you might end up needing surgery eventually. I know it sucks to hear that, and maybe it's not "nice" of me not to offer some sweet comfort, but if you actually hit stage 4, you'll be begging to have them surgically removed. Your entire life starts revolving around this one issue; they basically hold you hostage until you get rid of them. The only other thing you could try is those Detralex tablets... I'm going to start taking them again, so we'll see. We can't lose hope just yet, right?

Has anyone actually taken DETRALEX for a long stretch? I was on them for a bit once, but honestly, right before my surgery, they didn't do squat... there were just too many hemorrhoids piled up for a few pills to make any difference. I'm thinking about starting them up again, but if anyone here has some real experience with these tablets, please let me know.

Sam Williams53 said:A colonoscopy basically has nothing to do with hemorrhoids—it’s done to rule out or confirm other, much more dangerous diseases.
Before my surgery, I had one done because the surgeon insisted on a colonoscopy first just to make sure there wasn't some other bleeding happening inside the large intestine—everything turned out fine, though; it was just the hemorrhoids bleeding.

Anyway, when you're getting older, it's a good idea to get screenings like a colonoscopy done because you can catch serious issues early...

Yeah, I know it’s not directly related, but still, I think it would be smart to do it just to rule out anything worse than hemorrhoids. And just so you guys know, I picked up this ointment from a guy living over in a suburb near Chicago—it’s all-natural stuff and I’ve been using it for a few days now. I think I’m seeing some slight improvement, but it’s way too soon to give anyone a real verdict. Since I have both internal and external ones, I actually make little frozen pellets out of the ointment and pop them in the freezer. If this works, it’ll be the first thing that actually gives me some relief from the pain.

I’m pretty sure it hurts less than the actual hemorrhoids when they start acting up... honestly, speaking of pain thresholds, mine is insanely high. Maybe it should be lower so I'd actually make a decision to go get checked out sooner, but nope—instead of panicking, I just sit there and suffer through the pain. Before my first surgery, I never had a colonoscopy, but since things have flared up again after a year and a half, I really need some advice. Is it actually smart to insist on getting one even if the doctors aren't pushing for it? Should I be demanding that specific exam?

Sam Williams53 said:It’s not that bad, man. It’s quick, maybe just a little uncomfortable—they just slide a metal device into your anus so the doctor can actually see what's going on inside....

Ugh, I am being so airheaded! I actually had that exam done before my surgery, but it was at a private clinic so they probably didn't bother mentioning the specific name... But wait, does a colonoscopy hurt? I've heard it does, and apparently you can request anesthesia if you want..

Can someone give me the lowdown on rectoscopies? What am I actually looking at here, and is it going to hurt like hell?

Megan Jackson9 said:Alright, look, can someone please just break this down for me? I need to know what this surgery actually entails and how long the recovery really takes. Like, when am I actually going to be done with the constant pain and the bleeding? When does that part end and I'm just left dealing with those tiny, annoying bumps? Give it to me straight.☕

Look, I can tell you firsthand about my surgery, and honestly, it wasn't painful at all—not even for a second. They use this thing called a stapler. It’s just this little single-use device that snips out those internal hemorrhoids and seals the wound all at once. I had the whole procedure done at the Mayo Clinic in Minneapolis. Once it's over, there isn't even a visible incision; there aren't even any stitches. The device just goes deep through the rectum and cleans up everything that's wrong. Unfortunately, I had a massive amount of issues, and the device couldn't catch everything. So, two years later, the hemorrhoids are back. For me, it's just a combination of genetics and the kind of work I do, plus stress plays a huge role in all of this. Exercise is good for you, provided you aren't putting massive strain directly on those veins, but the best thing you can do is just walk—it helps strengthen the intestinal walls. I guess I'm just going to have to learn to live with these little "enemies" and accept them as part of who I am. Seriously, only someone who has actually dealt with this pain knows how hard it is to live with it. Maybe one day it'll finally go away. In hope, there is salvation! P.S. You undergo the surgery under general anesthesia and stay in the hospital for about 4 or 5 days. It really doesn't hurt, and recovery is basically just resting and sticking to a light diet.