Dealing with hemorrhoids – any advice?

Betty Murphy50 said:but for me, it’s right at the anus, right at the exit 😁

it wouldn't be a Bartholin's cyst then..
but definitely let us know what it ends up being.. good luck and hang in there..

Donna Brooks18 said:Jose Ramirez2...and everyone else who reached out to me...thank you all from the bottom of my heart. A friend just sent me 30 tablets of Daflon and they're already at the post office...they should arrive the day after tomorrow according to them...thanks to all you good people for the help and the offers of support...

Hey, I went to see my GP today and she told me I have a massive external hemorrhoid (I already knew that, she just confirmed it and then terrified me by using the word MASSIVE) :O

Since we're dealing with the exact same issue and both taking Daflon right now, please let me know if it actually helps with your two external ones. I’d honestly do anything just to avoid having to go under the knife. 🤦

Maria Reyes35 said:Then it isn't a Bartholin's cyst...
But definitely let us know what ends up being the diagnosis. Good luck, hang in there!

Alright, here’s the update. I saw my primary care doctor today, and she told me I have a large external hemorrhoid. She prescribed some Johnson & Johnson cream and Daflon tablets. Now comes the fun part: I have to get blood work done and provide stool samples three times—basically over three days. Then, I have to see a proctologist for an exam where they'll stick a finger in... (honestly, I am terrified of that part; I’d much rather they just knock me out so they can poke wherever they want).

I'm on a strict diet now: no red meat, no beets, nothing spicy, and absolutely no fruit with skin (like oranges or tangerines).
I have to drink tons of water and stick to liquid foods, plus soak myself in cold chamomile tea.

And to top it all off, she said if this doesn't clear up, surgery is the next step :O So, we'll see if it works or not.

Where in Washington, D.C. can I get the THD method performed?

Here are my thoughts after about a week and a half of treating my little angel—well, not that he’s tiny, he's about the size of a kidney bean—external hemorrhoid.

I've been taking two Daflon pills a day, applying some Fact cream, and soaking in chamomile baths.
Regular hygiene and a clean diet are part of the routine, too.

Honestly, I don't feel like things are getting any better. Once the stool is completely out, the hemorrhoid tucks itself back inside for a moment, but then it just pops right back out again. It does the same thing overnight—it goes in slightly, then as soon as I start walking around in the morning, it's back out.

I'm applying the Fact cream, but only directly on the hemorrhoid and the area around it. To be truthful, I'm terrified of trying to go deeper because I can't even see the anus clearly through the swelling, and I'm scared I might accidentally shove the applicator or my finger somewhere I really shouldn't.

How long does this "popping in and out" phase usually last? Is there anything else I should be trying?
Maybe I should switch to a different cream, because every time I put on the Fact, everything just stings like crazy.

I'm genuinely worried it won't go back in at all. If that happens, my doctor already told me I'll have to go in for the cik-cak procedure.

Since walking, climbing stairs, bending over—not to mention any kind of exercise—is basically impossible right now, I don't have much choice but to stay in bed. I'm not even sitting; I'm just lying down, shifting from one side to the other.

Please, if anyone has any advice, throw it my way. I would really, really love for it to just stay tucked inside on its own... :/

Here’s a little trick, maybe someone already posted it but whatever... Grab a pot and pour in about a cup of wine vinegar (I used some homemade stuff), bring it to a boil, then set the pot on the floor. Strip down, squat over it (to get everything out there), and just hover over the steam for as long as you can stand it. Afterward, wipe things down a bit (not the painful part) and you're done. It was a lifesaver for me... won't cure the hemorrhoids, but it helps when they start acting up... works for me.
Forgot to mention I have external ones, so I'm not sure if this does anything for internal ones.
Hope it helps at least one person out there...
later

Some nasty hemorrhoids popped out on me. I'm guessing they're internal, but they keep bulging out after I go to the bathroom. 🤦 I've been applying some hemorrhoid cream, which helps the pain, but one of them turned this weird grayish color... looks like it might be infected or something. 🤦 What should I do? They aren't sliding back inside anymore after a few days like they used to.

Andrew Carter31 said:Here’s a little home remedy—maybe someone else has shared this already, but I figured it was worth a shot... You take about a cup of wine vinegar (I used some homemade stuff) and bring it to a boil. Then, you set the pot on the floor, strip down, squat over it (to make sure as much steam gets in there as possible), and hold yourself over the vapor for as long as you can stand it. Afterward, just give things a quick wipe (avoiding the tender spots) and you're done. This was a lifesaver for me; it won't cure hemorrhoids, but it definitely takes the edge off when they start acting up... at least for me.
I forgot to mention that mine were external, so I'm not entirely sure if this works for internal ones too.
Hopefully, this helps at least one person out there...
Best regards

Hey, I've got that one external one that just refuses to go back inside. It doesn't really hurt anymore—sitting in chamomile tea helped a ton—but I still can't sit properly because it's just uncomfortable. I'm basically stuck lying down or standing up.
Do yours actually shrink back inside after this treatment, or does it just soothe the irritation? How do you actually get them to retreat back into their "cave"? 😁

Don't hold back, just kill the pain and things get easier. I tried every damn cream out there before finding the one that actually works. If I don't apply it, I'm stuck suffering for like 7 days... but when I use the cream, it's gone in three... gotta find a way to deal with this...

For me, things are moving along quite well. It feels significantly smaller now, and I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to start pushing it in a bit more soon. The best part? There's absolutely no pain involved—I can sit down just like anyone else without any issues at all. 😁

For me, applying Linaria was one of those rare things that actually worked.

I had surgery about 4 months ago—HAL-RAR plus a sphincterotomy. I was dealing with stage 2 hemorrhoids and a nasty fissure. Everything was going great until three days ago when, after catching a stomach bug and dealing with some bad diarrhea, a huge external hemorrhoid popped up with a lump about the size of a hazelnut. It’s been stinging and burning 24/7 since then. No bleeding, though. I've just been applying Fact cream and Hemoex. I'm guessing it's basically a thrombosed hemorrhoid. Will it just go away on its own? Any advice on what I should do?

Linda Ward312 said:I had surgery about 4 months ago—HAL-RAR plus a sphincterotomy. I was dealing with second-degree hemorrhoids and a nasty fissure at the time. Everything was going smoothly until three days ago when, following a bout of stomach flu and some pretty bad diarrhea, an external hemorrhoid popped out with a lump about the size of a hazelnut. It’s been stinging and burning 24/7 since then. No bleeding, though. I've been applying Fact cream and Hemoex. I'm guessing it's basically just a thrombosed hemorrhoid. Will it just clear up on its own? What should I do?

Honestly, your best bet is to get back in to see your surgeon for an exam as soon as possible.

Looking for some advice or info here. So, a relative of mine has been scheduled for surgery at a hospital in Washington, D.C. (with Dr. Duje Kovacevic?). We don't have a clue which method they’ll be using, but the diagnosis is stage 3/4 with prolapse. Does anyone know how they handle things at that hospital, or would it be better to go to Mercury instead? Specifically, we're looking for someone who can handle the issue using the DG HAL + RAR method. We actually have connections at both hospitals, so we have options. We really need any kind of info ASAP since he's called in for next week. Thanks in advance—feel free to DM me if that's easier.

Linda Ward312 said:I had surgery about 4 months ago—HAL-RAR plus sphincterotomy. I was dealing with second-degree hemorrhoids and a nasty fissure. Everything was going great until three days ago when, following a stomach bug and some diarrhea, an external hemorrhoid popped out with a lump about the size of a hazelnut. It’s been stinging and burning 24/7. No bleeding, though. I've been applying Fact cream and Hemoex. I'm assuming it's basically a thrombosed hemorrhoid. Will it just resolve on its own? What should I do?

You need to be consistent with the creams (I used Fact) and take some pills for it (I take Daflon). I had a massive external hemorrhoid—though my doctor told me I had internal ones too—that finally receded after about 3 or 4 weeks. From what I've heard, a surgeon won't perform any kind of procedure on a hemorrhoid if it's currently thrombosed. The only option, if you're looking for one, is to have it removed once it returns to its normal color and state. Mine was about the size of two kidney beans joined together. I could barely walk, let alone do anything, but thankfully it went back inside. I don't think mine was thrombosed. Just keep applying the cream and taking the tablets. On top of that, I used to do chamomile tea sitz baths at least 2 or 3 times a day.
Of course, it’s going to take some time to heal. Good luck! 🙂

By the way, I'm curious—how did you feel when you were dealing with that fissure? Any specific symptoms or anything else?

Is there an actual hospital or somewhere else where you can get hemorrhoids removed effectively without having to pay out of pocket?

Harold James25, I've been dealing with fissure symptoms—mostly pain and burning right after a bowel movement. From what I've read, that pain can be absolutely brutal and just lingers for a while afterward. It wasn't super intense for me, but I could actually see the fissure on the outside and feel it when I touched it.

cosmicviper18, you can head to any hospital that has a general surgeon specializing in that stuff (like Washington, D.C. University Hospital, or even a local Mayo Clinic branch). Just make sure you have a referral from your doctor. Since you've got coverage, it shouldn't cost you a dime.

Linda Ward312 said:Harold James25, symptoms are fissure pain and burning after a bowel movement. From what I've read, that pain can be absolutely brutal and linger for a while after you're done. It wasn't agonizing for me, but I could actually see and feel the fissure from the outside.

cosmicviper18, just go to any hospital with an abdominal surgeon specializing in this (like Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, or Cleveland Clinic...). Just use your insurance referral. No out-of-pocket costs.

Yeah, but I'm asking about the quality of care and if there's an option that isn't a standard surgery.

I’ve got an appointment scheduled at Rebro with a proctologist—has anyone here dealt with their doctors before?

Linda Ward312 said:Harold James25, my symptoms are this fissure pain and then that burning sensation right after a bowel movement. From what I've been reading, that pain can be absolutely brutal and just linger for quite a while afterward. It wasn't intensely painful for me, but I could actually see the fissure on the outside and feel it when I touched it.

Aha. I don't really deal with any pain or burning once I'm done. My main goal is just keeping things soft so everything passes easily. But on the outside, right by the anus—on the external skin—it burns like crazy sometimes, and it feels like there are these little bumps or an uneven texture appearing, almost like a rash or something. And the itching is just unbearable. Could that be a fissure, maybe an internal one?