The specialist you’re looking for is a proctologist... and just like Jessica Grant56 mentioned, you should probably expect some level of privacy oversight during the process.😁From what I understand, there are at least three different types of exams they might perform.😳First, there's the digital exam where they use their fingers,😲then there's a rectoscopy, which involves inserting a small device about six inches long into the colon so the doctor can check for any immediate issues—it's definitely awkward, but honestly, if you can just relax, it isn't the end of the world. The third option is a colonoscopy, which I haven't personally gone through, but I've heard it can be quite uncomfortable and painful. Anyway, I really hope you don't end up dealing with anything too serious regarding hemorrhoids, but if things do escalate, please just go get checked out; it’ll save you a lot of misery in the long run. As for me, I'm heading in this Monday for a standard hemorrhoid surgery, and frankly, I can't wait to finally be rid of them.👍Once I'm discharged from the hospital, I'll come back and give you all the details, everything you need to know.
No, there isn't any pain at all, not even during the recovery phase, though you have to keep in mind that the whole thing is done under general anesthesia, which means you'll be spending three days in the hospital... but for this specific type of surgery, you really ought to sit down and have a serious talk with your surgeon first..
Lisa Cook81 said:Honestly, I’m dreading the exam itself... just the thought of it makes me uncomfortable, and the idea of having to clear everything out before surgery is even worse. I have my appointment scheduled for June 4th, and when we move forward with the rubber band ligation, I think I’ll try to schedule it a day or two after I stop eating entirely and just let them put me on an IV instead😁, rather than dealing with the whole ordeal of being prepped with tubes and fluids, if you know what I mean. 🙂
I’ve already gone through the stapled hemorrhoidectomy, and unfortunately, they did come back, but believe me, all that discomfort you face leading up to the procedure is worth enduring in the end. Are yours just external ones, or are you heading in for ligation for more than that?
In my case, it’s a mix of both, though the internal ones are really what cause the trouble—they just keep popping out, whereas I only have two external ones. The real issue lies with those internal hemorrhoids and the fact that the intestinal wall just can't hold them back anymore; once they're out, the pain and the sheer anxiety of it all make life pretty miserable.😠I’m personally opting against the rubber band ligation route and going for the standard surgical procedure instead, where they actually remove the three "primary" hemorrhoids that all the other smaller ones seem to be branching off from.
I finally went through with my rectoscopy today, and it looks like I'm scheduled for surgery on June 15th—though it might happen even sooner, depending on my doctor. He actually managed to squeeze me into his schedule despite being completely booked up for June, so I'm just counting down the days until I can finally get rid of this nuisance once and for all. I should mention, though, that the rectoscopy itself wasn't painful at all; honestly, it was just a bit uncomfortable and nothing more than that.
Jessica Grant56 says: Whether you decide to go under the knife or not really comes down to your age and how much you move around.
My physical activity has basically bottomed out at zero lately; things just keep popping out, and there isn't any way I can manage a thirty-minute walk without feeling like I'm counting every single star in the sky😢. My job is the real kicker here, though—having to be on my feet for seven hours straight😳. At this point, surgery seems like the only way to get my life back to some semblance of normalcy, and I’m looking at a traditional procedure. People tell me it’s not the horror story it used to be, claiming you’re walking out the door three days later, but honestly, my pain tolerance is through the roof. After everything I've already had to endure, what's a few extra days of recovery? It doesn't matter. As long as they finally just leave me alone, I'll take it.
I feel like I should add one thing to all these threads... for everyone here asking for advice on hemorrhoids—and believe me, I’ve been right there with you—wondering what to do when no ointment, no cream, and no home remedy seems to touch the problem, my honest advice is just to go see a doctor. Please, don't let embarrassment stop you. I let my own shame get the better of me, and all I did was prolong the misery. A doctor is there to actually figure out the stage of the hemorrhoids and give you a real roadmap for treatment. These exams aren't nearly as terrifying as the anxiety makes them out to be, and letting fear dictate your choices can lead to unbearable suffering, much like what I've endured. I'm speaking from direct experience here; I have a rectoscopy scheduled in two days, and if things go that way, I'll likely be heading toward surgery too. My quality of life has become so poor that I am honestly looking forward to finally getting this over with. I wasn't nearly as capable as Jessica Grant56 at keeping everything under control; my symptoms were relentless, and I was far too terrified to seek an exam, so now I'm facing the knife. And truthfully? I can't wait.😁
boldtinker72 said:I have a quick question.. Yesterday I noticed something that made me suspect it might be a hemorrhoid, though I'm not entirely sure if it's just a subcutaneous pimple, especially since when I applied a little pressure, a tiny amount of something actually came out of it. It doesn't sting, there's just a slight discomfort when I sit down, nothing is bleeding, and it's reddish but not intensely so; my bowel movements have been perfectly fine. What do you all think—is it a pimple or a hemorrhoid? I suspected a hemorrhoid because of its location near the opening and the fact that it feels like a small lump. -thanks for any input-
I found myself debating whether I should even respond to this, mostly because poking around down there on your own seems like a questionable way to diagnose anything... and honestly, if someone actually tries to handle it themselves without knowing the difference between a pimple and a hemorrhoid, they're asking for trouble. The distinction is actually quite significant; a hemorrhoid is essentially a swollen vein filled with blood, whereas a pimple is just an outgrowth of sebum or pus under the skin. If you look in a mirror, the difference should be pretty obvious. It might be worth browsing some medical websites regarding hemorrhoids just to compare what you're seeing with actual clinical images. Regardless, you absolutely do NOT squeeze a hemorrhoid; if you tried to do that, you'd probably jump through the ceiling from the pain alone.😲
You hit the nail on the head, Karen Adams2! Honestly, my only goal in life right now is to exist without constant pain, even if it takes me an entire year of trying to get there. I can't even tell you how long it's been since I managed to go for a simple two-hour stroll without those hemorrhoids acting up and making everything unbearable. I'm just counting down the days until my surgery... I just need someone to finally put this agony out of its misery.😛
So, I’ve finally decided to just go through with the classic surgery—you know, the one where they essentially cauterize those three main hemorrhoids that seem to act as magnets for all the other issues. Apparently, things like staplers or laser treatments don't do much when the hemorrhoids have reached this advanced stage; they just keep coming back. My doctor tried to reassure me that "classic" doesn't mean what it used to; he joked that it's no longer like using a sledgehammer and a chisel, which helped a little. He claims it's significantly less painful than the old days, and I might even be able to walk around the house by the third day. Granted, the recovery period is a bit more drawn out compared to the quick laser fixes, but the trade-off is that the chance of them returning is practically zero. I'm heading in for a rectoscopy in a few days, so if any of you have been through that, I’d love to hear your thoughts—is the procedure actually as painful as people make it out to be?🤷
I have a question for the group... My doctor gave me the chance to weigh my options yesterday regarding which type of surgery I should go through—the traditional method or using a stapler. Does anyone here have any personal experiences with this, or perhaps stories from close family members? My doctor explained that with the classic approach, they can remove all the hemorrhoids at once, but the recovery is a long, pretty painful slog. On the other hand, he said the stapler method isn't nearly as painful and the recovery is much faster, but there’s a catch: if the situation is severe, the hemorrhoids often just come back because that little device can't quite catch everything. Anyway, I'd really appreciate hearing your thoughts. Surgery is inevitable at this point...😢