Dealing with hemorrhoids
in Health ·
Hi everyone,
I’m dealing with pretty much the same issues as most of you on here. About six years ago, I was diagnosed with grade 1 and 2 internal hemorrhoids. There isn't actually a "cure" for them; it's all about managing your diet—adding more fiber like eating two apples a day, having some muesli, staying hydrated, and so on. For me, everything was fine until I let my guard down. I thought I was totally cured, so I started indulging in greasy fast food, pizza, and stuff like that. Well, six months ago, a really painful lump flared up again, and it was so bad I couldn't even make it to work for a few days. My GP helped me out with a cream, though you shouldn't use it for more than a week because it contains corticosteroids. It’s great for calming inflammation and making the pain bearable while it settles down, but it's important to remember that these creams only mask the symptoms. They don't make the hemorrhoids disappear, and using them too long can actually cause side effects by thinning the mucosal lining, which leads to other complications later on. This time, the lump didn't subside until it actually ruptured... I was relieved thinking it was finally over, but of course, it wasn't. Since then, I’ve noticed blood on the paper every time I have a hard stool. This has been going on for almost six months now, and I finally started panicking, so I went to get a referral for a specialist...
Yesterday, I had my exam at the Mayo Clinic. I knew what to expect since I’d been there six years ago, but it was still pretty unpleasant. Honestly, the doctor was really nice; he talked a mile a minute just to distract me, but the exam itself was still a bit painful... I guess it depends on the person, and since my pain tolerance isn't exactly high, I might not be the best judge, but he was very considerate and wouldn't force the procedure (a rectoscopy, I think) if you couldn't handle it. It lasts about ten minutes or so. After the rectoscopy, my wonderful doctor decided to take care of the problem right then and there, so he performed a quick little procedure (a rubber band ligation) on the internal hemorrhoid. They place a tiny band around the artery supplying blood to the hemorrhoid, and after a few days, that part is supposed to just fall off naturally during a bowel movement... that specific part doesn't hurt at all! It's done without anesthesia and takes maybe a minute. After everything was finished, the doctor told me I could head back to work. I stayed home anyway, mostly just to wrap my head around everything because I'd been spiraling with anxiety for days, rather than from actual physical pain. It started hurting a little in the afternoon, so I took some Ketorolac and it settled down. I was able to go to work this morning just like normal... as for what happens next... I have no idea... I'll keep you posted, but I hope my little medical saga helps some of you out. Regardless, I'd advise anyone to just go get an exam and get a professional diagnosis... there are plenty of other conditions that aren't hemorrhoids, and if you let fear and unrealistic ideas about these things get to you, you might end up with unnecessary complications.
My main issue is just being prone to hard stools, so I really need to learn how to live with that by constantly managing my digestion...
I’m dealing with pretty much the same issues as most of you on here. About six years ago, I was diagnosed with grade 1 and 2 internal hemorrhoids. There isn't actually a "cure" for them; it's all about managing your diet—adding more fiber like eating two apples a day, having some muesli, staying hydrated, and so on. For me, everything was fine until I let my guard down. I thought I was totally cured, so I started indulging in greasy fast food, pizza, and stuff like that. Well, six months ago, a really painful lump flared up again, and it was so bad I couldn't even make it to work for a few days. My GP helped me out with a cream, though you shouldn't use it for more than a week because it contains corticosteroids. It’s great for calming inflammation and making the pain bearable while it settles down, but it's important to remember that these creams only mask the symptoms. They don't make the hemorrhoids disappear, and using them too long can actually cause side effects by thinning the mucosal lining, which leads to other complications later on. This time, the lump didn't subside until it actually ruptured... I was relieved thinking it was finally over, but of course, it wasn't. Since then, I’ve noticed blood on the paper every time I have a hard stool. This has been going on for almost six months now, and I finally started panicking, so I went to get a referral for a specialist...
Yesterday, I had my exam at the Mayo Clinic. I knew what to expect since I’d been there six years ago, but it was still pretty unpleasant. Honestly, the doctor was really nice; he talked a mile a minute just to distract me, but the exam itself was still a bit painful... I guess it depends on the person, and since my pain tolerance isn't exactly high, I might not be the best judge, but he was very considerate and wouldn't force the procedure (a rectoscopy, I think) if you couldn't handle it. It lasts about ten minutes or so. After the rectoscopy, my wonderful doctor decided to take care of the problem right then and there, so he performed a quick little procedure (a rubber band ligation) on the internal hemorrhoid. They place a tiny band around the artery supplying blood to the hemorrhoid, and after a few days, that part is supposed to just fall off naturally during a bowel movement... that specific part doesn't hurt at all! It's done without anesthesia and takes maybe a minute. After everything was finished, the doctor told me I could head back to work. I stayed home anyway, mostly just to wrap my head around everything because I'd been spiraling with anxiety for days, rather than from actual physical pain. It started hurting a little in the afternoon, so I took some Ketorolac and it settled down. I was able to go to work this morning just like normal... as for what happens next... I have no idea... I'll keep you posted, but I hope my little medical saga helps some of you out. Regardless, I'd advise anyone to just go get an exam and get a professional diagnosis... there are plenty of other conditions that aren't hemorrhoids, and if you let fear and unrealistic ideas about these things get to you, you might end up with unnecessary complications.
My main issue is just being prone to hard stools, so I really need to learn how to live with that by constantly managing my digestion...