stormymaker24 said:because if it isn't psychological trauma, what else could it be?
This is exactly one stereotype I’ve noticed in quite a few people: the idea that if your visit to the OB-GYN isn't traumatic, you aren't normal—or as you put it, you probably enjoy it🙄. Gross.
As for not going at all, I have a friend (my best friend), she's 32, smart, educated, sexually active, and yet, she's never 😕.
I bring it up to her sometimes and she just goes, "Ugh, fine, I know, I know, okay, I'll go, I know," and then she doesn't🤷. She's 32 years old.
Carol Scott98 said:If you're happy with your doctor, who cares if they aren't part of a massive private network? My physician is fantastic—I can be completely open with him about everything, and I don't have to worry about extra fees. 😍
Since she works at the hospital (the maternity ward),😁I can't make it there for an appointment. And honestly, if it were free? Man, I'd be showing up every two months!🤣.
You know that feeling when you just click with someone? It’s rare. Now, imagine having to start the whole search over from scratch. Honestly, I wouldn't mind at all if I could just find an amazing social worker. I really don't care about long wait times or even a run-down office—I'm not exactly looking for luxury. I don't care if the exam chair has those old-school footrests, either. But man, it feels like nobody worth seeing in Washington, D.C. is taking new patients. It seems like almost everyone is closed off, including the ones who would actually accept my insurance, which is the last thing I want to deal with.🤷.
And honestly, I feel like he’s going to be the death of me.
Goodness, you read some wild things on here—everything from crazy parents (just when I thought mine were the wildest, I read a new miracle🙄) to insane doctors and medical staff. As for me, I finally found a doctor who is absolutely incredible—but since he’s a department head at the Mayo Clinic😢, they’ll probably strip him of his private practice rights soon. I’m honestly devastated. I already know I’m going to start procrastinating and avoiding appointments again. I can’t even imagine how many more doctors I’ll have to cycle through to find someone this good🤷. I can already see myself slowly joining the crowd of people who just have sex instead of actually visiting a gynecologist🤣.
Carol Scott98 said:I don't need any ointments... I'm asking about capsules. 🙂 I have internal issues, but thankfully nothing major (maybe just after sitting too long or sometimes while on the toilet 🙄)... That’s why I’m looking at capsules; ointments just don't do much for me. Honestly, I don't even like how they feel—they aren't practical. After using them, I feel like I could sit on the toilet for ages 🤦
Any experiences??
Ointments haven't worked for me either. For me, Detralex was the best option. I went through three boxes; they didn't disappear completely, but I felt significantly better. You can find the dosage somewhere else in this thread—for the first box, I think it was either 2x3 or 3x2 per day 🤦, I can't remember exactly, but you don't really need to repeat the last part 🤷.
Megan Hill said:Why would anyone avoid Always pads?😕 I use them all the time. However, I’ve noticed that whenever I try those daily liners with aloe or "fresh" scents, I end up with irritation, yeast infections, itching, or burning...😠 I honestly don't know what else to use! 🤷
Ladies, what do you think of these new Nature Valley ones?
Also, do you guys use intimate wipes? I heard from a gynecologist that they aren't actually good for you.. 🙂 My doctor told me exactly that. Before the 1950s, there weren't even things like wet wipes or daily liners with aloe or chamomile... back then, women seemed much healthier with far fewer infections, yeast issues, or inflammation. Now, it feels like every other woman deals with these problems... 🙂
It's because they contain the most "plastic." Companies throw around a bunch of "natural" buzzwords like "nature," "bio," "eco," "chamomile," or "aloe vera," but those terms don't actually guarantee anything. If the packaging says 100% cotton, they are cotton. If it just says "cotton extract," they aren't actually made of cotton🤣. There are decent pads that aren't pure cotton, you just have to find the ones that work for you. If you don't have sensitive skin, Always can be perfectly fine.
I don't use any wet wipes at all—just a specific wash once a week.
I suspect any OBGYN will tell you the same thing: stick to cotton pads, wash with plain water, and wear cotton underwear. That is the healthiest way to go. Ultimately, everyone chooses what's most comfortable for their own body.
Karen Adams2 said:One more thing—I know I’m probably overthinking this, but how do I reply to two posts at once? If I click multi-quote, what’s the next step?🙈I figured it’s better to ask and look silly for five minutes than to stay clueless for the rest of my life.🙄
😁, just select multi-quote on every post you want to cite, and then hit quote.
I'm still hunting for that perfect cream. It's hard to accept that I might have to deal with this forever. Such a trivial issue, yet there's no easy fix.
Dennis Bennett43, did you mention you were pregnant? How are things going? Are the symptoms settling down?
Melissa James70 said:That’s strange, because most of us here have already said that you absolutely can—and should—learn on patients. Following standard medical ethics and basic courtesy, you simply ask if they're comfortable with it. In those cases, most people are perfectly fine with it.
True, but most people go in assuming it will be:
1. done without even asking 2. involving far more than just one or two cases—likely at least ten 3. handled by a bunch of bored guys who are really just there to ogle women
Most of this advice is just noise. You have to burn more than you consume, and if you eat a lot, you simply need to work out harder. That’s the whole game; everything else is nonsense. There isn't a single diet out there that doesn't result in the yo-yo effect. Once someone switches to healthy eating—in normal portions, mind you, not starvation levels—they'll never touch junk food again because it'll actually make them feel sick.
Some people are naturally built a bit heavier, while others are leaner. I believe everyone should aim for their own natural weight. Forcing yourself to drop those "last two annoying pounds" can be incredibly taxing on your body.
I used to think dieting was the shortcut—you grind for a month and then you're set for life. But like people have said a thousand times: DIETS ARE GARBAGE! The fastest, most sustainable way to lose weight is through healthy nutrition, which is discussed plenty in our nutrition and fitness threads.
Grace Rodriguez10 said:There are essentially two types of people here: 1. Those who don't mind and are fine with it. 2. Those who have their reasons for saying no.
Why does it bother some while others stay indifferent? Simple: we aren't all built the same. Some people are just shy, some are anxious, and others have their own unique hang-ups. These reasons don't even have to be logical—after all, humans aren't always rational creatures. That doesn't give doctors a pass to treat them like data points instead of actual people.
I respect personal boundaries, but the "they probably didn't teach me this in school" argument feels pretty hollow. That goes for anyone dealing with shyness or personal discomfort too.
I don't mind medical students, even at a gynecologist's office. Having ten in the room would be overkill, but two or three is perfectly fine. They have to learn somehow, after all.🤷 I find that argument—"they shouldn't have to practice on me"—completely nonsensical. It’s as if there are different tiers of people you can learn on. What categories could those possibly be? Which patients are "practice" patients and which ones aren't?😕.
It was fine to watch😁, but I have to admit: if we're talking about an actual procedure, I wouldn't want someone performing it on me if it's their very first time, especially if they seem unsure. A simple blood draw or a routine exam? Sure. But a surgical procedure involving a scalpel? I'd pass.
Ultimately, I believe a doctor should always ask for the patient's consent. Even if they don't ask, I wouldn't appreciate being caught off guard. I'd simply speak up—not out of anger, just clearly stating that I'm not comfortable with it.🤷. But look, they have to gain experience. Otherwise, our children will be treated by doctors with zero hands-on training, and none of us want that.😁.
Casey Cooper49 said:Where can I pick up that ointment?
😲 So, what's the hold-up? Are you still not Hemo-free yet?
Sandra Baker35 said:Heh... the issue is that I’m feeling pretty anxious and convinced that I have, who knows what. Again, I went back to see my doctor, and she told me she didn't think I needed to go any further. Honestly, that was exactly what I needed to hear, given how much I'm dreading going elsewhere. I'll see—I'll probably end up seeking more help eventually, it's just a matter of when I finally reach my breaking point and just call to schedule an appointment. Everything hurts at times... all over. I had this feeling like my groin glands were aching, though they don't feel swollen to me. My armpits are hurting too. Maybe I'm just dealing with some nasty pain. 😕🤷😲It’s not exactly pain, more like an intense itch... a painful kind of itching. There isn't any swelling, though; that's nothing new for me. Honestly, maybe it would be best if I just went to the doctor and dealt with all these fears once and for all. 🙄
Man, I'm dealing with swollen glands under my armpits too.😁Honestly, maybe group therapy would be your best bet. I know a few people who struggled with health anxiety, and that really turned things around for them. It’s a great way to keep your mind off everything else. I actually know two people who attend regularly, and they absolutely love it—they say it's fantastic. I’d join in myself, but my budget just won't allow it right now.
Sandra Baker35 said:You haven't replaced me; I used to post over there too. At one point, everything down there started hurting so much that I couldn't even tell what was wrong. First, I saw my primary doctor, who didn't see anything suspicious 😕, and then I ended up at my gynecologist because of the stinging and pain in that area. I thought... well, you know what I thought. But even he found that everything was more or less within normal limits, aside from a minor infection... so I got some wipes and things, and it was fine for a while. Things calmed down. But now, I'm feeling that sharp, cutting pain again, and sometimes it spreads out in a dull ache. I haven't noticed any other pains. I'm not bleeding, but I did feel some thickening near my anus for a while. Now, all I have are these occasional pains and moments where it feels like my bowels are going to burst... just this pressure in the anus. That’s about all I can say. When I apply creams, it "calms down" a little... but then once I sit for a long time or after a bowel movement, the pain or burning returns. My stools have been more regular lately. For a while they were soft and unformed, but now they are mostly normal. I am a very neurotic and anxious person, though... I believe those two traits don't help matters; they actually make things worse. 🤷
Honestly, I also experience pain somewhere in that middle area. Since I had my Bartholin gland removed this year, I never know if the sensation is from the surgery or from hemorrhoids, since it's right in between. Dealing with neurosis and anxiety—I can only imagine how tough that is for you 😢. Still, maybe seeing a proctologist would reveal something else entirely. I don't want to scare you, though 😁.
Sandra Baker35 said:Here I am again 😲! So, I went to see my doctor who examined my anal area 😉 and told me I just have one prolapsed hemorrhoid. Even when she did a digital exam, nothing hurt... but now, I’m feeling this stinging, cutting pain down there 😲 and I’m lost. Can that prolapsed hemorrhoid swell up again??? Also... does it ever cause pain in your leg (referred pain), or am I just imagining things? It feels like the pain is spreading everywhere.😕 Basically, I've dealt with irritable bowel issues for years, but lately, the bloating and gas have just gone totally out of control. There's no blood in my stool, but whenever I go, it feels like everything down there is burning afterward—as if the movement itself is destructive. This whole thing is driving me crazy.😠
I get leg pain too, just on one side (the left😁). It feels like a nerve ache🤷. It only happens occasionally. And what did she say? That she couldn't feel anything during the exam?😕 Maybe she doesn't really know what she's looking for. As for that "prolapsed" part (I think I have it too)—why doesn't that skin just retract? To me, it looks like a little tail hanging there, it's just annoying.😢 I'm not sure what to tell you. Weren't you posting on the ZZ forum about thinking this might be a gynecological issue? Or maybe I'm confusing you with someone else.
I've already started the 2x1 routine, so I’m going to stick with it. Plus, one more. I feel better. I can still feel them if I check, but there's no pain, no itching, and no burning.
I know you can't be certain if you're cured for good (though I really hope you are😁), but I was wondering about the appearance? Is everything back to normal? Can you no longer feel anything unusual? Are you able to wipe without any fear after a bowel movement?
As for the food, I'm being careful. But when I go out for lunch, it feels silly to be overly picky (or maybe that's just an excuse to indulge in the very things I'm supposed to avoid😁).
I finished one box and finally felt some relief. The symptoms haven't vanished entirely, but things have improved by about 50%. Since it was the weekend and I couldn't make it to the drugstore, I had a three-day break (plus a BBQ and bread😠=hard stools), and now the symptoms are back😠. I picked up a new box today, but now I'm unsure about the dosage. Should I stick to the instructions from the first box, or switch to taking one in the morning and one at night🤷? That’s my guess. I also grabbed some Faktu suppositories to use alongside it. I assume they can be used together. Honestly, I am just totally frustrated at this point.
How did you handle your treatment? Did you get fully cured, or did it just improve? Are you planning to keep taking them for prevention?
Casey Cooper49 said:I finished an entire box and I'm already on my second one (I’ve never spent this much money on my backside in my life, maybe $333 between tablets and creams)... the hemorrhoids have shrunk completely and feel deflated, like they aren't hard anymore, and there's no pain... I'm really curious how much longer I'll need to take Detralex before they vanish entirely.
Well, I guess I'll keep taking it then, through this second round, even if 🤷.
Casey Cooper49 said:Over the last 16 years, I've only dealt with bleeding twice. Both times, things felt much better immediately after, and they stayed away for years without any issues. But this current situation? It’s enough to drive you crazy. I've been fighting this battle for seven months straight now. 😢I’m dealing with... honestly, it feels terrible. It goes so far that I can't even relax in bed with my husband without worrying about it.😢 I can't help but feel that things are only going to get worse after this. He’s going to be stuck dealing with both me and everyone else constantly.😱
How’s Detralex working out for you? Is it actually helping? Personally, I'm not seeing much of an effect. To make matters worse, I'm on my period right now, so I can't even tell if the bleeding is coming from the hemorrhoids or just my cycle.🙄It looks like it came from there.
I know, it's true, but mine aren't exactly catastrophic—they only show up when I'm using the restroom and then they settle back down. There’s no bleeding, but there is definitely some stinging, itching, and occasional pain. Honestly, this doesn't feel like surgery territory yet. I've been living like this for over a year now, and things aren't improving. None of the creams have helped much either. I actually started taking Detralex recently (I had to stop breastfeeding so I could start the pills), and I did experience some light bleeding😢, but nothing major. Now I'm torn on whether to stick with it or quit. Sometimes I think if the situation were actually worse, I'd finally know it's time for surgery. But as it stands, I'm just stuck in this limbo indefinitely😢.