Posts by Patrick Taylor16

I mentioned this before... dealt with hemorrhoids for over 15 years... went to Sunce Clinic on June 31, 2013, paid 186 miles, had the DG HAL procedure done, and honestly? I'm thrilled today... I eat whatever I want—even when things get a bit tough in the bathroom—no issues at all, though I still try to avoid that like any sane person would (it happens sometimes, obviously)...

Just check my older posts—the date, the price, even the doctor's name is in one of them...

For the first two months, I actually thought I’d screwed myself big time. But like the doctor told me: it’s all about time and patience. Turns out he was right—you’ll remember me for the rest of your life, but for all the right reasons...

Seriously though... considering what this surgery costs elsewhere, this was an absolute steal...

If you have more questions, just ask...

Someone was asking who my surgeon was... his name is Adnan Begović

I went through the General Dynamics procedure in Pittsburgh—full deal, including all the checkups and the actual surgery. Total cost ended up being 227 miles (that's 300 for the surgery, plus 40 for pre-ops, and 25 for the follow-up after 21 days). It’s been 52 days since the operation and honestly, I'm still tripping out that it turned out this well... I'm stoked. Thank God and the geniuses who actually came up with this... After 15 years of pure misery, it's finally over. And honestly, it was basically free when you factor in how much I wasted on random creams, ointments, and pills over the years... not to mention the mental toll, the sleepless nights, the constant pain, and being stuck in place... you can't put a price tag on getting that life back.

I was playing it pessimistic at first, but the surgery was a total success... didn't even see the real results until about 40 days post-op...

First off, don't even bother using soap on that area... it just dries out your skin, which leads to that "amazing" itching sensation later... honestly, just grab one of those modern body washes you see everywhere... find one that works and stick to it. Keeping things clean is step one, period.

Now, the real question is—can you actually push it back in manually, or is it stuck? If you can't, then we're talking external issues, which are a total pain to deal with compared to internal ones... my advice? Go see a specialist right now. Don't sit around waiting like everyone else does (guilty as charged, unfortunately)... eat more fiber, drink milk, snack on some prunes... get your digestion dialed in so things aren't too hard or too loose. And for god's sake, skip the spicy food, the booze, and anything greasy or heavily seasoned...
Every CVS or Walgreens is packed with creams you can try first... I won't list them all, but just ask the pharmacist for hemorrhoid cream and they'll point you to the whole shelf... honestly, any of them is better than doing nothing.

If this doesn't clear up soon (which I hope it does), go see a doctor properly... I spent 15 years trying "natural remedies" and amateur hacks... probably wasted thousands of dollars at various clinics... if I had any sense back then, I would've gone to a pro from day one.

There are plenty of people on this forum who'll throw more useful tips your way... good luck man... hope this helps even a little bit.

25 days post-op... feeling way better than before... doctor checked me out today and says everything should be back to 100% about 50 days after surgery. according to him, recovery is right on track—and honestly, I can definitely feel it too... 😁
hopefully in another 25 days I can finally say goodbye to all those chemicals.

Spot on... honestly the best advice you'll get—just confirming what we already know here.

The local clinic guys... there's two of them doing this stuff in my neck of the woods... honestly... I found a few others too, but I don't have the cash—I'm currently unemployed... you won't believe it, but I literally scraped this together from my allowance... even though I'm 30 years old 😢 😢 😢 , and I've got zero shame left to ask anyone for anything... I cost them a fortune through my entire education, which isn't worth a dime today

Oh, forgot to mention—I'm not actually in physical pain, it's just the mental toll that really breaks a person... you can feel it, like something is just constantly gnawing at your nerves

I could've gone that route in Chicago—using my insurance card—but if I did things their way, I'd be bedridden for at least three months... because we're talking about a surgical blade here

What can I say... to me, it sounds like that skin flap from a hemorrhoid—you know, when it pops and then dries up... though maybe I'm just talking out of my ass. I've dealt with this a few times before. Usually, once it cracks, it stings for a good two or three days, and if that little flap shows up right then, I know exactly what's going on. I’m heading in for a follow-up soon—it’s been 21 days since my HAL procedure—and honestly, I’m not feeling great about it. This one massive hemorrhoid that's been bugging me for the last 15 years just popped back up. The others seem fine, but this giant is back in action 😢. I need to see what the doc says because right now, I'm pretty annoyed... and I don't have the cash to just keep paying for more HAL procedures. 🙂 I didn't ask the doctor if there's any kind of guarantee—like, if this doesn't stick, will he redo it at no extra cost? Has anyone actually dealt with this before????

The way I see it, the surgery was only a partial success. So, now what?

Got a follow-up appointment in a few days... not complaining or anything... but some of this feels a bit off. I'll wait to see what the doctor says, though I'm definitely going to lay out my own take on things—I'm not just sitting here silently. Things are better than they used to be, but whether it's too early for me to start expecting major shifts? That’s what I’ll ask. Hopefully 😁

Look, regardless of who the doctor is, they’re lightyears ahead of us randoms on this forum... at the end of the day, they actually have a degree. And trust me—if they’re recommending surgery, don't overthink it for even a second. Just take it. Healthy eating is always a plus, sure, but creams? Less is more. In my opinion, those things are just a temporary fix—they don't do squat in the long run. Whatever grows down there isn't just going to vanish on its own; you have to deal with it using actual medical science. If you've got the cash, you get to pick your preferred method—otherwise, you just take whatever's offered for free. 😢

Look, I get where you're coming from and everything you're dealing with... don't take this the wrong way, but I've gotta ask one simple question: HAS IT EVEN CROSSED YOUR MIND TO SEE A DOCTOR??? I dealt with this crap for 15 years straight... trust me, I know every single phase you're describing... just go see a specialist ASAP... stop relying solely on home remedies... look, I'm not saying they have zero value—they do have their place—but if you're actually sick, go to a doctor... there's a massive difference between prevention and actually treating a disease... creams, warm baths, diet, all that stuff... that might help with Stage I or II hemorrhoids, but after that? God knows.

If you aren't planning on spending the rest of your life living like this, here's my honest advice: get professional medical help... I was an idiot and waited way too long, so don't make the same mistake you're making right now...

Oh, I totally forgot to mention—I’ve tried every single method and drug out there over the last 15 years. None of it sticks. I might get better for a few days, but then it’s right back to square one... creams, ointments, whatever else you want to call them. Nothing has actually worked. I’ve been lurking on this forum for ages, so I’ll be checking in every now and then to see if this surgery actually delivers lasting results or if it's just more of the same...

Hey... I've been dealing with this issue since 7th grade. Now that I'm 30, I finally decided to just get it over with. About 15 days ago, I went to the Mayo Clinic in unknown, Canada—paid for a proctologist exam 25 miles, and he scheduled my surgery for June 1st, 2013. It was the so-called HAL method. After doing the prep work they gave me instructions for the day before, I showed up for the procedure... lasted maybe 7-10 minutes. A bit awkward—partly because of the nurses, partly because of the pain—but thank God it was quick. Ten days post-op and I feel great. Got my follow-up in 21 days. Things aren't quite 100% back to normal yet (my doctor pointed that out too), but there's a massive difference, both physically down there and just in how I carry myself. No more irritability or being on edge. Since one hemorrhoid was way bigger than the others, the doc said it’ll gradually recede over about 5-8 weeks... as for the smaller ones, I don't even notice them when I'm using the bathroom anymore.

The whole thing cost me 211 miles, the exam was 25 miles + 186 miles for the HAL method surgery... I checked other places and their prices are sky-high compared to this. Plus, most clinical centers only know the Morgan/Miligan method (basically old-school butchery), so I didn't think twice. I suffered for over 15 years, and now it's all settled in just 10 days... looking back, I can't believe I was such an idiot for waiting this long to fix it.

Oh, and no bleeding during bowel movements. I stuck to a really light diet for 7 days (fruit, veggies, oatmeal, milk, turkey, and definitely dried prunes—about 5 or 6 a day), and I sat less. I tried to stay active, and if I had to sit, I either leaned back or used a donut pillow to take the pressure off the area...