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Dealing with hemorrhoids – any advice?

Started by amberfalcon6 · · 👁 41 views · 1.5K replies

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Participants amberfalcon6Michael Diaz4Karen Garcia6Jessica Baker2swiftbear86fadeddrifter21Michael Vaughn2urbanstag11Melissa Garcia11Mark Morales7Jason Morales76Bryan Turner4Dennis Castillo2rapidbear10Christian Smith2swiftgardener4Sophia KernEdward Watson15Walter Castillo2Susan Davis4James Scott6Casey Howard75Jonathan Newman10Angela Brooks4 …
Tyler James5 Tyler James5 Active Member
142 messages
joined Jul 2012
#281 ·
Michael Diaz4 said:Those creams are great for hemorrhoids, but again, if we're just talking about hemorrhoids...

Nah, corticosteroid creams aren't "super" for hemorrhoids. They aren't even good, let alone useful. Sure, they work to dial down inflammation in the short term, but the side effect is that your skin—especially the mucous membrane!—starts thinning out. It loses its elasticity, gets all dry, and then it just cracks easier and easier. You don't need that happening anywhere on your body, especially not in the perianal area.

So, basically: NO.
Michael Diaz4 Michael Diaz4 Active Member
154 messages
joined Nov 2009
#282 ·
Donna Johnson16 said:Look, I have to say it: corticosteroid creams aren't exactly a miracle cure for hemorrhoids. Honestly, they aren't even particularly good, let alone useful in the long run. Sure, they might knock down the inflammation for a split second, but there's a catch. They actually cause the skin—and especially the mucosal tissue—to atrophy. It thins out. You lose that essential elasticity, everything gets dry, and then you’re left with skin that cracks more easily than before. You don't need that kind of damage anywhere on your body, and you certainly don't want it in the perianal area.

So, my answer is: NO.

It’s interesting looking back. About twenty years ago, my old doctor told me that Faktu wasn't worth much because it lacks corticosteroids. Then, later on after my surgery, a professor told me that only Lidoprokt actually works. Since Lidoprokt contains lidocaine, I stuck with it—it numbs the tissue perfectly. For the digital massage, I just used a lidocaine-based gel. So, there were no corticosteroids involved in that routine either, which means...🤷 So, that brings up a valid question: why does almost every hemorrhoid cream out there rely on corticosteroids? From what I’ve seen personally, nothing works quite as well as a cream containing lidocaine. In fact, that was the only thing my doctor actually prescribed for me. So, yeah—lidocaine is definitely the way to go.
Tyler James5 Tyler James5 Active Member
142 messages
joined Jul 2012
#283 ·
Michael Diaz4 said:...

So the real question is why most hemorrhoid creams are loaded with corticosteroids...

That’s just not right.

Michael Diaz4 said:...

From what I've dealt with, the stuff with lidocaine worked best, and that was the only thing my professor ever prescribed... So yeah, lidocaine is fine...

The way a local anesthetic—like lidocaine—works has absolutely nothing to do with corticosteroids, which means it has zero connection to my point or what Hulleck was saying.
Michael Diaz4 Michael Diaz4 Active Member
154 messages
joined Nov 2009
#284 ·
Donna Johnson16 said:That's just not right.

The way a local anesthetic—specifically lidocaine—works has absolutely nothing to do with corticosteroids. That goes for my point and the comment from Body Halleck.

I actually think it does. Believe me, I spent 20 years dealing with this stuff. Most creams back then had corticosteroids in them, and I’m just repeating what my old doctor told me two decades ago... Back then, the advice was specifically not to use Fact because it lacked corticosteroids. And honestly? Fact didn't work for me back then either. Since it was during wartime, options were limited, so I used Lidoproct (it had a different name back then). That actually calmed things down. I never claimed lidocaine is chemically related to corticosteroids. What I said is that lidocaine is the best anesthetic. After my surgery, the instructions were to use only Lidoproct, which, again, has nothing to do with steroids. My recommendation remains Lidoproct, or anything similar that contains lidocaine...
Tyler James5 Tyler James5 Active Member
142 messages
joined Jul 2012
#285 ·
Michael Diaz4 said:I think they are... trust me, I spent 20 years fighting with them and most creams had steroids in them, and I already wrote down what my old doctor told me about 20 years ago...

Man, you really don't quit, do you? Since we're all just here giving advice to folks (mostly living in the US) and today, let's stick to modern knowledge and what's actually on the shelves right now.

Fact ointment:
Active ingredients include polycrezulen and cinchocaine hydrochloride. Every 1 gram of ointment contains 50 mg of polycrezulen and 10 mg of cinchocaine hydrochloride.
Other ingredients are disodium edetate, macrogol cetostearyl ether; butylhydroxytoluene (E321); silicon dioxide, colloidal anhydrous; macrogol 300; macrogol 1500; macrogol 400; sodium hydroxide; Water, purified; edetic acid.

Hemopip plus ointment:
PETROLATUM, ADEPS LANAE, ROYAL JELLY, PROPOLIS EXTRACT, CALENDULA OFFICINALIS FLOWER EXTRACT, CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA FLOWER EXTRACT

PROKTEN® ointment:
active ingredients: aloe vera extract, chamomile extract, olive oil, Allantoin
excipients: white petrolatum, liquid paraffin, lanolin, zinc oxide, balsam of Peru, vitamin E.

Hemero protect:
The cream contains Water, Petrolatum, Cetyl Stearyl alcohol, Ceteth-20, Stearyl alcohol, Paraffinum liquidum, Glycerin, d-panthenol. Chamomilla recutita extract, Phenoxyethanol, Beta-glucan, Methylparaben, Allantoin, Lactic acid, Ethylparaben, Butylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben.

Hemopropin ointment:
propolis tincture
chamomile tincture
white petrolatum (excipient)
Lanolin (excipient)

Aromara Hemo ex:
PINE CONE
TEA TREE (Melaleuca alternifolia)
CYPRESS (Cupressus sempervirens)
GERANIUM
CHAMOMILE
LAVENDER
LEMON
MYRRH (Commiphora myrrha)
PATCHOULI
SANDALWOOD
HELICHRYSUM;
BASE OILS AND MACERATES:
ST. JOHN'S WORT
BLACK CUMIN
OLIVE OIL
CALENDULA
SUNFLOWER

Hemoran ointment Herbalist MB Indianapolis
Composition: ointment, white petrolatum, beeswax, pine essential oil, St. John's wort oil, fish oil, olive oil, calendula flower, nettle leaf, plantain, and valerian root.

So, those are seven options available right now, and none of them have any steroids in them.
Michael Diaz4 Michael Diaz4 Active Member
154 messages
joined Nov 2009
#286 ·
Donna Johnson16 said:You guys are certainly persistent. Since we’re sharing advice for people living here (mostly in the US) and looking at things from today's perspective, let’s stick to what we know right now regarding current products and knowledge.

Fact ointment:
The active ingredients are polycrezulen and cinchocaine hydrochloride. Each gram of ointment contains 50 mg of polycrezulen and 10 mg of cinchocaine hydrochloride.
Other ingredients include disodium edetate, macrogol cetostearyl ether; butylhydroxytoluene (E321); silicon dioxide, colloidal anhydrous; macrogol 300; macrogol 1500; macrogol 400; sodium hydroxide; purified Water; edetic acid.

Hemopip plus ointment:
PETROLATUM, ADEPS LANAE, ROYAL JELLY, PROPOLIS EXTRACT, CALENDULA OFFICINALIS FLOWER EXTRACT, CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA FLOWER EXTRACT

PROKTEN® ointment:
active ingredients: aloe vera extract, chamomile extract, olive oil, Allantoin
excipients: white Vaseline, liquid Paraffinum, lanolin, zinc oxide, Peruvian balsam, vitamin E.

Hemeroprotect:
The cream contains Water, Petrolatum, Cetyl Stearyl alcohol, Ceteth-20, Stearyl alcohol, Paraffinum liquidum, Glycerin, d-panthenol. Chamomilla recutita extract, Phenoxyethanol, Beta-glucan, Methylparaben, Allantoin, Lactic acid, Ethylparaben, Butylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben.

Hemopropin ointment:
propolis tincture
chamomile tincture
white Vaseline (excipient)
Lanolin (excipient)

Aromara Hemo ex:
PINE CONE
TEA TREE (Melaleuca alternifolia)
CYPRESS (Cupressus sempervirens)
GERANIUM
CHAMOMILE
LAVANDIN
LEMON
MYRRH (Commiphora myrrha)
PATCHOULI
SANDALWOOD
IMPERIAL HELICHRYSUM;
BASE OILS AND MACERATES:
ST. JOHN'S WORT
BLACK CUMIN
OLIVE OIL
CALENDULA
SUNFLOWER

Hemoran ointment Herbalist MB Indianapolis
Composition: ointment, white Vaseline, beeswax, pine essential oil, St. John's Wort oil, fish oil, olive oil, calendula flower, nettle leaf, plantain, and valerian root.

That makes seven currently available preparations, none of which contain corticosteroids.

I have never used those specific ones (except for Fact, which worked only twice—once initially and then again about 15 years later when things flared up a bit; after that, never again). Actually, those are newer products, and my stance on all these creams is pretty clear: they don't provide a cure, they just offer temporary relief by treating symptoms... And when you look at generics, they are all basically the same, meaning they might only differ in their names. Most of them DO contain corticosteroids... Plus, the most proven anesthetic for the anal area is lidocaine... So, I recommend anything based on lidocaine to everyone. After battling hemorrhoids for 20 years, I can tell you that's the only thing that works, though when things get truly bad, surgery is the only real cure...

EDIT: If you are specifically looking for American medications, Dolocaine gel is top tier. It’s used for hemorrhoids, and I actually used it for massage after surgery. It contains lidocaine and is built on that base...
Tyler James5 Tyler James5 Active Member
142 messages
joined Jul 2012
#287 ·
I mean, let’s be real, if you’ve been fighting this battle for 20 years, those creams clearly didn't do the trick... obviously. Sure, corticosteroids might help calm things down for a second, but in the long run they SIGNIFICANTLY wreck your skin and mucosal tissue, which can even lead to fissures.

Standard hemorrhoid creams don't include corticosteroids because it's just common knowledge that they do more harm than good—and I'm not just throwing my opinion out there.

And again, I'm totally not talking about lidocaine here.
Michael Diaz4 Michael Diaz4 Active Member
154 messages
joined Nov 2009
#288 ·
Donna Johnson16 said:It’s pretty obvious you haven't actually cured yourselves with those creams if you've been fighting this for twenty years. Corticosteroids might help calm inflammation in the short term, but long-term, they SIGNIFICANTLY worsen the condition of your skin and mucous membranes, which can lead to fissures.

Modern hemorrhoid creams don't even include corticosteroids anymore because it's a known fact that they cause harm—that isn't just my personal opinion.

And again, I am not talking about lidocaine at all.

Whether there are corticosteroids in them now or not, I really don't know.🤷 I stopped following that field because, thank God, I don't need to anymore... As for lidocaine, it’s an incredibly effective anesthetic, and I specifically said that is the only thing I recommend. I wrote all of this two years ago. Here is a quick detail regarding Dolocaine, which is a local gel: it claims to be very fast-acting, but the effects are short-lived...
Tyler James5 Tyler James5 Active Member
142 messages
joined Jul 2012
#289 ·
Michael Diaz4 said:EDIT: If you're looking at American brands... Dolocaine gel is top tier. People usually grab it for hemorrhoids, but honestly, I used it for massage work after my surgery. It’s got lidocaine in it and the base is basically...

Health Subforum Rules:

8. This Health subforum stays strictly tied to official (conventional) medicine based on science.

... promoting any medications not approved by the FDA is strictly prohibited.

Just a heads up—Dolocaine isn't actually a hemorrhoid treatment; it's a local anesthetic. It doesn't cure anything, it just numbs the pain for a bit...

What's inside Dolocaine gel:
Every 1 gram of gel contains 20 mg of lidocaine hydrochloride.
Inactive ingredients: propylene glycol; potassium dihydrogen phosphate; disodium phosphate, dihydrate; sodium chloride; hydroxyethylcellulose; purified Water.

NO corticosteroids in here.
Michael Diaz4 Michael Diaz4 Active Member
154 messages
joined Nov 2009
#290 ·
Are you actually reading what I write? I haven’t advertised anything, nor am I recommending corticosteroids. My suggestion is strictly about using lidocaine-based products to ease the suffering, not to provide a cure. My stance has been clear from the start: surgery is the only permanent solution. This specific gel is manufactured right here in the States and is fully approved by the FDA. I'm not talking about some quack medicine, and as I mentioned before, this isn't a steroid base—it's lidocaine. That idea about steroids probably comes from twenty years ago when most creams were formulated that way. You can't treat hemorrhoids with medication or conservative methods alone. Please, stop putting words in my mouth that I never said... Lidoproct, Dolocaine, and similar creams are used for post-op care as well as conservative management to soothe acute symptoms and reduce pain. I'd appreciate it if people would read my previous posts without bias; I'm not writing this from outside the US. I've shared this advice through private messages too, and I'm genuinely glad I could help people.
Tyler James5 Tyler James5 Active Member
142 messages
joined Jul 2012
#291 ·
Michael Diaz4 said:...

Maybe try some creams that actually have corticosteroids or lidocaine in them... honestly... it might help...

So, my buddy and I both jumped in on that thread above... those were your exact words, after all. We both gave you the same answer: absolutely not to the corticosteroid. And look, I’ve already mentioned this a couple of times now, but lidocaine has nothing to do with that—it's just an anesthetic. So yeah, feel free to use it and pass it along to others... are we finally on the same page?

Wait, didn't you write that? Post #2762...
Michael Diaz4 Michael Diaz4 Active Member
154 messages
joined Nov 2009
#292 ·
Donna Johnson16 said:My colleague and I both reacted to what you said above. Those were your own words. We both said no to corticosteroids. I also mentioned a few times that lidocaine has nothing to do with them since it's just an anesthetic—so please, feel free to use it and recommend it. Are we understanding each other?

You didn't write that, did you? Check post #2762.

Maybe try reading that again, along with the older posts... For the last two years, I have exclusively recommended these two lidocaine-based medications. What I wrote regarding corticosteroids was just info about how things used to be under the old doctors decades ago, back when most creams were corticosteroid-based. If that isn't the case anymore, then things have changed, but if those creams still exist, write to the Department of Health and ask them to ban them. As far as I'm concerned, a lidocaine base is the gold standard...
melloworca6 melloworca6 Regular
551 messages
joined May 2010
#293 ·
Michael Diaz4, that’s enough.

A fellow member warned you; she gave you the exact snippet from the rules. It doesn't matter where you're from—the point is what's approved here in the US and whether it's actually available. You can't recommend something on this PDF if the FDA hasn't cleared it. How are people supposed to get it here, through some random website? We don't care what's allowed in other countries. Marijuana might be legal in the Netherlands, but it isn't here, so we aren't going to write about it on this platform when it's prohibited. This is the same deal. If the FDA hasn't approved a certain medication, it doesn't matter if people are taking it, rubbing it on, or swallowing it elsewhere—anyone using it in the US is using it illegally. We aren't posting about that on this PDF or advising people to use things that aren't permitted in our country.

I'm advising everyone: talk to your doctor before using any creams. Otherwise, you might realize too late that hemorrhoids are nothing compared to the mess you made by using drugs without a doctor's approval.

By the way, you aren't a doctor. You can't tell people what to prescribe for specific conditions (you can say "I used this" or "this helped me," but that's it). Even the doctors who post here don't do that; whenever they offer advice, they always include a disclaimer to check with your own physician first. If people could just determine their own treatments over the internet, everyone would be doing it. For real medical issues, you need a medical history and actual expertise.
Tyler James5 Tyler James5 Active Member
142 messages
joined Jul 2012
#294 ·
Since apparently I haven't said this enough times already:

Stop putting corticosteroids on the perianal area. And for the love of God, absolutely NOT if there's even a hint of a fungal infection.
melloworca6 melloworca6 Regular
551 messages
joined May 2010
#295 ·
🙂

That’s it. I'm done talking about this. Who you choose to listen to on this thread is entirely up to you. Just keep in mind that advice on this forum isn't a substitute for seeing a doctor. If things get worse or you end up hurting yourself, that's on you.
Bryan Fisher Bryan Fisher Member
10 messages
joined Feb 2009
#296 ·
melloworca6 said:🙂

And that’s my final word on this matter. At the end of the day, who you choose to listen to on this thread is entirely up to you. Just please keep in mind that advice found on a forum isn't a substitute for seeing a doctor—if things take a turn for the worse or if you hurt yourself, that's on you.

Look, melloworca6... sometimes these tips are actually quite helpful. For instance, I reached out to my doctor and explained that even after using Fact ointment and Canesten, the itching just won't quit. I told her I've tried practically every cream under the sun, and all she says is, "Well, I gave you the Canesten in case it was a fungal issue, so just keep applying that." She only prescribed one little tube that lasts maybe a week or two—so what am I supposed to do then? Instead of scheduling more tests, she seems completely indifferent, even though I constantly tell her how hard this is to deal with. I really want her to check my stool samples and other things, but whenever I need advice or help, I feel terrible because I already know what her response will be. She avoids prescribing anything meaningful. It’s not really the main topic here—and it ties back to that discussion we had about hormones on the other thread—but she just brushed it off by saying everyone's hormone levels fluctuate from high to low, and left it at that.

I have to keep buying things on my own now, because obviously, these creams could make things worse, but they’re currently my only solution—without them, it's even more unbearable. It’s honestly a disaster how many bad doctors are out there! If it weren't for this forum, I wouldn't even know about some of these other creams... frankly, my doctor is being far too stingy with actual advice.

Someone suggested I look for some propolis ointment mentioned here on the forum, but unfortunately, I checked the local shops in my town today and couldn't find anything. 😢

Michael Diaz4, once I head over to Canada, I'll give your suggestion a shot.

Does anyone have experience with Hadens cream? Sadly, they don't sell it here where I live. 😢
Paul Flores4 Paul Flores4 Newcomer
2 messages
joined Jul 2013
#297 ·
So, I’ve got a question... basically, for about a month and a half now, this little thing keeps popping up and then disappearing. It’s just a tiny little bump, like the size of a grain of corn, right at the opening...
Since I'm only 16 and the whole thing just vanishes after a few days, do you think it could actually be hemorrhoids?
Michael Diaz4 Michael Diaz4 Active Member
154 messages
joined Nov 2009
#298 ·
Emily Fisher said:Lelo... though honestly, some advice is actually useful. Look, I reached out to my doctor and explained that even after using Fact ointment, Canesten, and everything else, the itching just won't quit. I told her I've tried a hundred different creams, but she just shrugs. She basically said, "I gave you the Canesten in case it was fungal, so just keep using that." That was it. One little tube that lasts maybe a week or two... then what? Instead of scheduling more tests, she just doesn't seem to care, even though I keep telling her how hard this is to deal with. I want her to check my stool samples or whatever else is needed, but every time I need advice or help, I feel terrible because I already know what her response will be. She avoids prescribing anything meaningful. It’s not really the point here, and it ties back to that hormone discussion we had on another thread. She just dismissed it, saying everyone's hormones fluctuate constantly, and left it at that.

I have to keep buying things myself now. Of course, these creams could make things worse, but right now they're the only option—without them, it's even more unbearable. It's a disaster how many bad doctors are out there! If it weren't for this forum, I wouldn't even know about certain other creams... because frankly, my doctor is way too stingy with actual advice!!

Someone suggested I pick up some propolis ointment here on the forum... unfortunately, I searched the small town where I live today and couldn't find 😢

Michael Diaz4, when I travel to Canada, I'll try your suggestion..

Does anyone have experience with Hadens cream? Unfortunately, they don't sell it here in my area.😢

Hadens provides good cooling relief, but it didn't work for my specific situation—though that was the final stage when nothing else was helping anyway. Give it a shot, but I know of at least one other case where it failed. For some, it works... What did your doctor say regarding your hemorrhoid grade? To the moderators: I am not advertising anything. Every time you call me out, it feels like vanity and a misunderstanding; it would be senseless to penalize me. I haven't broken any rules, I'm careful about that... You all claim Dolocaine isn't allowed. That's incorrect. Dolocaine gel is regularly purchased in America; it's an American product and is on the approved medication list. It is a proven, effective, and probably the best medication for this type of issue. Anyone claiming otherwise is simply uninformed. And again, I'm stating a fact: there are hemorrhoid creams containing corticosteroids that doctors prescribe to patients; I didn't make that up. I'm saying it because some doctors actually argue that a lidocaine-based drug is the most effective for pain reduction because it's such a great anesthetic. For specifics, please read the instructions and definitely consult with medical professionals. I won't sit here and take false accusations or threats for no reason...
Michael Diaz4 Michael Diaz4 Active Member
154 messages
joined Nov 2009
#299 ·
Paul Flores4 said:I have a question. For about a month and a half now, I've been getting this little bump—about the size of a pea—right at the opening of my anus. It comes and goes. Since I'm only 16 and the bump DISAPPEARS after a few days, could it actually be hemorrhoids?

Honestly, only a doctor can tell you for sure if those are hemorrhoids...
Bryan Fisher Bryan Fisher Member
10 messages
joined Feb 2009
#300 ·
Michael Diaz4 said:Hadensa provides decent cooling relief—but honestly, it didn't really do much for me. Then again, I was already at the final stage where nothing seems to touch the pain. It’s worth a shot, though; I know one other person it didn't help either. Some people swear by it, I guess... anyway, what did your doctor say? Did they give you a specific grade for the hemorrhoids?

She didn't give me much detail, really—just handed me a referral to a proctologist and prescribed some Canesten and Faktu ointment. The waiting lists are incredibly long right now... so for the time being, I'm just stuck waiting and trying to tough it out.🙄

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