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Michael Diaz4, you have no idea how much it warms my heart to know that my little bit of advice actually helped someone, especially since there have been so many kind souls on this forum who have stepped up to save me more than a few times myself. That’s honestly why I felt compelled to share my thoughts.
Once you’re back from your surgery and feeling more like yourself, please, please write a detailed post about everything—tell us the doctor's name and exactly what procedure they performed, just so anyone else struggling with these same issues can gather as much intel as possible. For me, the absolute hardest part was navigating the overwhelming search for a doctor I could actually trust. 🤷
As for the pain... you’ll be doing just fine at the clinic because they’ll have you hooked up to an IV, pumping you full of strong antibiotics and meds so you won't feel much of anything at all. The real "party" starts once you step through your front door at home. But listen to me, even after the initial discomfort, it won't be unbearable. And just remember, once this is over, those constant nuisances will finally be gone for good!!!
I am sending you so much luck, wishing you a lightning-fast recovery and the absolute minimum amount of post-op pain! 😉
I think I wasn't being very clear with my wording earlier; what I really meant was that surgery is often the only truly PERMANENT fix available, whereas everything else just acts like a temporary bandage to dull the symptoms.
I completely agree that there are other options out there and that you can definitely manage hemorrhoids successfully for your whole life—after all, I managed to live my life pretty normally for a couple of years myself—but "managing" shouldn't mean you have to endure agonizing pain several times a year or feel like you can't function like a regular person. I was talking about one specific, extreme situation here. Even I wouldn't dream of stepping foot in an operating room if things hadn't reached a point where they were simply unbearable.
The doctors told me that most people don't actually show up until they're in the final stages or when serious complications start popping up, and honestly, what Leslie is describing sounds exactly like that. It’s just not a normal or healthy way to live if someone is stuck inside their house for three weeks straight and spiraling into depression, right?
Of course, if someone has mild symptoms and can handle them without much trouble, they shouldn't be rushing straight to the surgeon's table. If everything is under control, that's great, but the moment it isn't, you need to head straight to the doctor.
Michael Diaz4, please take a second to look back at what I wrote before... 🙂
I know exactly how you feel because I spent a month and a half practically housebound, just suffering through unbearable pain, when looking back, I realized I could have fixed this so much sooner.
You really need to go see a specialist and do some deep diving online into all the different ways they handle hemorrhoids. There isn't just one way to do it; there are various surgical options, and depending on which path you take, you might be facing a grueling, long recovery or something where you're back on your feet almost immediately.
It’s a bit of a trade-off: laser surgery tends to be much easier on the body, though there’s always that nagging chance the issue might come back, whereas traditional surgeries offer a more permanent fix but leave you dealing with a much tougher recovery period.
If you're only dealing with internal issues, definitely look into the THD method, since it’s incredibly effective and doesn't require any downtime at all.
Right now, if you want the most advanced, least invasive, and lasting solution out there, you should check out the Hal et Rar method.
At the end of the day, you just have to make the call and get it done. So many people from our community who were once struggling right where you are are living completely symptom-free today. It honestly makes no sense to keep dragging this pain along with you.
Since you mentioned you've been battling this for twenty years already, why not spend the next twenty
living life without even thinking about it? 🙂
All those creams, ointments, and over-the-counter meds are basically just putting a Band-Aid on the problem—they mask the symptoms but don't actually touch the root cause. Unfortunately, surgery is the only real way to put this to rest, so just make sure you do your homework to pick the best approach for you.
Wishing you the absolute best!
It feels like it’s been forever since I last checked in here, but I finally felt like it was time to jump in and contribute my own little slice of experience, hoping that maybe my story might offer some helpful advice to someone else, just like the kind souls in this thread have done for me.
So, here goes nothing...
I’ve been dealing with hemorrhoids for a few years now, but because I managed to handle them reasonably well and they were mostly just an aesthetic annoyance rather than a physical crisis, I kept putting off seeing a doctor. Looking back, that was easily my biggest mistake.
About a month and a half ago, the pain escalated to a point where I literally couldn't walk, stand, or even lie down comfortably... it was just total agony. Even then, out of pure embarrassment and discomfort, I kept stalling the doctor visit, scrolling through this thread instead, and buying every over-the-counter cream and pill I could find. Nothing worked. If anything, everything just seemed to be spiraling downward.
Pretty soon, the pain was so intense I couldn't even sleep, let alone function like a normal human being in my daily life. It felt like I was being sliced open down there constantly, every single second of the day.
Finally, I hit my breaking point. I had to see a specialist. But which one? Finding reliable info online is a minefield, and I really wasn't feeling up to asking people I know if they could recommend a decent proctologist.
In the end, I decided to go with a big name. I made an appointment at Dr. Misir's clinic, thinking that would finally be the end of my misery. The exam itself was a bit awkward, and since it was my first time, I was absolutely terrified, but it was over quickly enough. However, the diagnosis came as a bit of a shock.
See, because I had external hemorrhoids, I assumed the issue was just surface-level and had been treating "them" with various creams this whole time. But it turns out I also had an anal fissure, which was actually the true culprit behind all that excruciating pain.
The doctor told me that by using those specific creams, I was actually making things worse—it was basically like pouring salt directly into an open wound.
But hey, isn't that just wonderful... 🙄
The proposed treatment: laser removal for the hemorrhoids and ten different injections to fix the fissure.
When he mentioned the injections, I honestly felt lightheaded; the idea of anyone touching that area, let alone poking it with needles, felt completely unthinkable to me.
The price tag? A total joke! 22 $0.00! 😲
Yes, you read that correctly! But honestly, at that point, I would have done just about anything just to make the pain stop....
After the weekend passed, I was just getting ready to call Dr. Misir and commit to the procedure when my primary care physician reached out with a warning. She told me, absolutely do not go to him; she said his prices are ridiculous and that those treatments would likely just wear off in six to eight months anyway.
Hmm, that sounds a bit suspicious to me... especially since the specialist had been insisting that his methods were the gold standard and that any other doctor would just resort to surgery.
Given how much money we're talking about, I didn't really stop to question it because my only priority was escaping the pain.
Eventually, the doctor suggested I head over to a major hospital like Mayo Clinic, since they have the top-tier proctologists and he wanted me to get a second opinion from the best.
I wasn't thrilled about that, as I was really hoping to just zip in and out of a private clinic to get this over with quickly, but I figured I'd give it a shot.
Then came another week of waiting. At this point, I can practically see stars. The waiting is just unbearable.
I eventually show up at the hospital, feeling incredibly frustrated with myself for waiting this long instead of just finishing everything with Dr. Misir. On top of that, I still had to endure another uncomfortable exam with a different doctor.
I arrived at the facility to see Dr. Ivanovic, the recommended specialist.
He comes in, chats with me for a bit, looks over my charts, and begins the exam. Now, that was the one weak spot. While at Dr. Misir's you're on a specialized chair and get to wear these little garments, here you have to climb onto a table and essentially just expose yourself. 👎
That said, Dr. Ivanovic seems incredibly professional and has this calming presence that actually makes you relax. Even though there was some awkwardness, it wasn't nearly as bad as my previous experience.
He was so patient and thorough in answering all my questions, and I was genuinely relieved that I had come to him.
Oh, and right—the doctor did find internal hemorrhoids as well, so that needed addressing too.
The method? DG HAL-RAR, which is a permanent solution and supposedly much more effective than any laser treatment, along with a tiny incision above the fissure, which he says is a much better long-term fix than Botox injections, which apparently just wear off after six months and leave you right back where you started.
Honestly, just think about it...
The catch? They couldn't even get me on the schedule for another five months because the waiting lists are just endless. Ugh, when you're dealing with pain this intense, waiting even one more week feels like an eternity, let alone months.
But, luckily, Ivanovic also practices over at the Mayo Clinic, so he can get everything sorted for me there right after the weekend. Such a relief!
As for the cost? It was 8 $0.00 total for both the hemorrhoids and the fissure. Compared to what I expected, this was practically pocket change, especially if it finally puts an end to all this misery once and for all.
I showed up at the clinic feeling absolutely wrecked, mostly because I just couldn't deal with the discomfort anymore...
The staff there was so incredibly kind and sweet that I could hardly believe it—honestly, I'm speechless. If only I had stumbled upon them a month ago!
I went under general anesthesia, and everything went smoothly; I stayed overnight at the facility where everyone took such wonderful care of me, and then the doctor checked in on me the next morning before sending me home.
They prescribed some antibiotics, a topical gel, pain meds, and ordered strict bed rest for a week. Full recovery should take about four to five weeks, and then I head back for a follow-up.
I have to be real with you though: those first two days after surgery were brutal, with the pain being so sharp and relentless that I didn't sleep for two whole nights, but by the third day, things finally started looking up.
I’m still feeling a little tender, but nothing major. The main thing is that the worst part is behind me.
I just really want to tell anyone who has been struggling with this for years: please don't put off seeing a doctor. Don't try to play doctor like I did—which honestly just made my situation worse—and don't fear the exam. Sure, it might be a bit awkward, but keep in mind that doctors have seen it all before, and taking action now can save you so much suffering later.
From what I understand, they also perform the Hal et Rar method over at Mercury, so if you can handle the wait, just book it and get it over with in a few months.
If the pain is truly unbearable, though, the Mayo Clinic is an option too.
If anyone has any questions at all, please just ask. Wishing you all the best of luck in fighting these little nuisances! 🙂