Dealing with hemorrhoids – any advice?

Avoid fast food—think burgers, pizza, whatever. Steer clear of sharp, heavily spiced stuff too. Don't overdo it on the pepper, hot peppers, or anything spicy.
Cut back on milk chocolate, alcohol, and soda.
Stick to plain water for hydration. You want stools to be softer. The more frequent and easier they are, the better.
Eat more fresh fruits and veggies. For snacks? Go with almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.
You should be eating a more balanced diet rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber throughout the day.
Don't sit for long stretches. Only stay seated long enough to finish breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Stop lifting heavy objects frequently.
And don't strain when you're on the toilet.
After a big bowel movement, you really ought to rinse off—start with warm water, then lukewarm, then finish with cool.
Pat dry afterward. If you can't afford a full shower right then, use wet wipes—though, honestly, some of them feel like sandpaper to me.
*Ideally, after cleaning up, you’d lie on your stomach, then briefly on your sides, try a short walk, and then get back to lying on your stomach and then your sides.
When I say *ideally*, I mean we shouldn't have to rush straight back to work after a big bathroom trip (whether it's a physical job or an office desk job).
For me, that burning and stinging sensation sometimes lets up after two hours, sometimes after six. And if I have to head straight to work? That burning and stinging won't go away even after eight hours.
As far as topical creams go, I can't think of a single one that provides instant relief to kill the burning and dull the pain. In my opinion, you should be applying these daily to help things stay where they belong inside, rather than just waiting until the hemorrhoids pop out after a BM.

Taking everything I just said into account, I personally know people who drink tons of alcohol, sit all day, and eat whatever junk they want without ever having hemorrhoids. We aren't all built the same. People who suffer from hemorrhoids simply have a biological predisposition to developing them.

I had the DG HAL-RaR done about 20 days ago, but I’m still dealing with pain and burning during and after bowel movements. Plus, I can still see a large hemorrhoid—I originally had one big one and two small ones—right at the exit. It looks like it's just "tightened up" inside now and isn't popping out anymore, obviously, but it still feels pretty sizable to me. No bleeding, though—not right after the surgery anyway, just a little spotting a few days later.
So, I'm wondering—is it normal to still have this pain and burning when going, and for the hemorrhoid to still be clearly visible? Or did something go wrong here? :/
How long does it actually take for everything to fully retract and disappear?

I’ve been scrolling through tons of pages on this forum, back and forth... You’ve definitely put together quite a collection of "oh no, I shouldn't have read that" stories here!
Honestly, I got a little spooked for a second—really swallowed hard. I just told myself, "No way, it won't happen to me!"

I deal with this little nuisance every now and then. Ugh—whenever I'm staying at my boyfriend's place by the coast, at his folks' house, there's always this tense atmosphere, plus a few stressful situations here and there. And since yesterday—after my workout—we were doing some heavy lifting. (It was functional training, a mix of aerobics and weightlifting, you know how it goes!) Since you have to stand in a weird squatting position like you're trying to go to the bathroom... 🙄 after showering, the little devils are back again.

Aside from them being super annoying and causing this light itching here and there, I don't have any other major issues.

So, quick question: can anyone tell me how you manage this on a day-to-day basis?

People say things like, "I couldn't walk or sit for three days"—so I'm wondering, how does that actually work when you have a job?
Like, do you take a day off or use vacation time? We all know there are bosses out there who are total taskmasters and have zero empathy (especially those who haven't felt the pain themselves, specifically in their butt 😁).

Luckily, I'm working at a big corporation right now where I'm not exactly indispensable—(it would be embarrassing if word got out about my situation, but honestly, I could handle it). I've only been here a year, so I'm not sure about the long term yet. So, what's your situation like at work regarding this condition?

Do you carry a cushion around?

And how are mornings? If you have to stay sitting on the toilet... do you end up running late for work?
🤦

I'm still in that slightly "shy" phase about all of this. But my mom dealt with both mild and nasty stuff... so I've seen what it looks like. (Though she worked back in the "old days," when you didn't have to give 100% of yourself every single day and sign over your kidney to the company if you made one mistake).

She never really had trouble taking a day off or being late, unless things were really bad.

So, basically, how do you navigate this in real life? Do you apply Fact while at work?
And can that bleeding just start out of nowhere (God forbid, while you're at the office, or is it strictly limited to the restroom?)

Thanks! :* 🙂

Hey there! I've got another question for the group... I’ve been reading through all of this, but I noticed that everyone discussing these DG HAL+(RAR) procedures seems to be talking about surgeons by name rather than specific facilities. Based on your experiences, which clinic in the States is actually the best for this kind of surgery? I think I might only need the HAL procedure, but we'll see what happens after the consultation. It doesn't necessarily have to be a clinic here in the US—I'm open to looking abroad too, as long as the quality of care is top-tier. If anyone has had experience with a particular clinic, please feel free to shoot me a private message! Thanks so much!

People... in any case, before you go surrendering yourselves to the "doctors" and heading into surgery, just try everything first... they tried to push me toward an operation too, but I’m really not keen on handing myself over to them unless it becomes absolutely, desperately necessary... I spent a few months using Hemosens, and more than half of my issues just vanished... so, what does that mean? It means no surgery for me...

I kid you not, whether you believe me or not, my issues totally vanished once I started using Vaseline. I began coating the toilet paper with it before wiping.
That’s just my routine now, and I haven't dealt with any more stinging or bleeding since I started.

Whenever I'm dehydrated or just feeling off, I can tell my stool is going to be a bit harder. I just apply some Vaseline right before things happen, and that does the trick.

Look, I've tried Vaseline and similar stuff myself—it provides some temporary relief, sure, just enough to get you through until the next morning... but the real goal here is actually addressing the root cause of the hemorrhoid. As I mentioned in my post above yours, I managed to sort it out—but definitely not by using Vaseline.

So, how did you actually deal with the root cause of your hemorrhoids? I guess what I’m really asking is—what was even triggering them for you in the first place?

I’ve got this swelling on the outside, right near the anal opening. It swells up and then eventually subsides after a while (I’ve been using Fact cream and Hemorrhoid cream).

Every so often, it seems like it’s almost entirely gone, and then out of nowhere, the swelling just flares back up again.

Could the reason be that I stopped using the Fact cream? Is it possible that stopping suddenly caused it to return (kind of like when you stop taking antibiotics too early and the infection comes back even worse), or does quitting Fact cream abruptly have nothing to do with it?

Roger Sanders said:I’ve got this swelling on the outside—near the anus. It flares up and then eventually subsides after a while (I've been using Fact cream and Hemorrhoid cream).

Sometimes it feels like it’s almost completely gone, then out of nowhere, the swelling just explodes again.

Could the reason be that I stopped using the Fact cream? Like, does it come back all at once because I quit—kind of like how an infection comes back even worse if you stop taking antibiotics too early—or does stopping the Fact cream suddenly have nothing to do with it?

Go see a doctor. I had the exact same symptoms and spent 2-3 weeks just going in circles—actually, it felt even worse than that. Finally, I went to a doctor and found out it wasn't even hemorrhoids; it was just an ingrown hair that got inflamed and caused all those issues—swelling up, calming down, then popping up again right when you think you're fine, leaving you barely able to sit for two days. None of those creams actually help with that.

They first gave me antibiotics, and when that didn't fully clear it up (it helped, but not entirely), they did a minor procedure—just a quick incision with a scalpel to let everything drain, they clean it out, wrap it in gauze, and you're good to go home. I couldn't sit at all for the first 2-3 days, but after that, things improved, and within a week, I felt like a new man, totally pain-free.

Bottom line: go to a doctor and stop suffering. Self-diagnosing is usually a nightmare. It’s better to spend five minutes getting an exam so you actually know what's happening and how to fix it, rather than struggling for weeks like I did. And don't feel embarrassed—they see this stuff every single day; it's just their job.

Can someone break it down for me—is there actually any difference between Fact cream and Hemo protect? I’ve been sticking strictly to Fact cream up until now, but the second I stop using it for even a week or two, I start seeing blood when I go. So, I was thinking about switching things up and giving Hemo protect a shot.
Honestly, I’m starting to wonder if I can even function without these creams. If I don't use them, I’d basically have to be on a strict diet and constantly loading up on fiber, which sounds exhausting. Plus, I’m sitting in a chair for over 12 hours a day right now, which definitely isn't helping matters.

Hey there!
Big thanks to everyone who’s been posting in this thread!
I just have one more question: since people keep mentioning needing to clean up regularly with cool water, I was wondering—should I be using soap? Does it dry things out too much or irritate the anus, or is it fine? Or is it actually better to just rinse with water? Has anyone dealt with this? Since I’ve been using soap, is it possible that could be causing the itching and irritation when I go?

A few months back, I had issues with itching and seeing blood in my stool and on the toilet paper, mostly because of hard stools caused by a pretty bad diet...
Mainly, it was bleeding, and you could clearly see red streaks running along the stool 🐔 so I kept telling myself it was just surface-level stuff and easy to fix. 🐔

I changed my habits, started eating way more fruits and veggies, got moving more outdoors, and everything seemed to settle down.
But then over the holidays, I totally overdid it with the junk food again. Plus, this freezing weather has kept me stuck inside; I tried going for a jog a couple of times, but ended up catching a cold and a sore throat...
Anyway, after being cooped up for about two days, the problem came roaring back:
When I went to the bathroom, the whole toilet bowl was splattered, and the toilet paper—even after folding it twice—was literally soaked in blood. I've never felt this bad.
I'm watching my diet again and it seems to be helping, though there are still traces of blood sometimes if I eat sweets or junk food, and my stool isn't quite "smooth" yet.
Usually, when I'm crushing salads, stews, and fruit, everything goes smoothly and easily. Sorry for the graphic descriptions!
But what I really want to know is, when you all talk
about bleeding during a bowel movement, how much volume are we actually talking about? And is the kind of bleeding I described above an emergency where I should run to the doctor, or not??

crimsondrifter71 said:Hey there.
Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences in this thread.
Just one more question: since people mention cleaning the area regularly with cool water, I’m wondering about soap. Does using soap dry things out too much or irritate the anus? Or is it better to just stick to water? Has anyone dealt with this? I currently use soap—could that be why I'm dealing with itching and irritation during bowel movements?

A few months back, I had issues with itching and blood on the toilet paper and in my stool due to constipation caused by a poor diet.
It was definitely bleeding; you could clearly see red streaks along the stool 🐔 so I tried to convince myself it was just superficial and easy to fix. 🐔

I changed my habits, ate more fruit and veg, stayed active, and the problem seemed to vanish.
But over the holidays, I went overboard with the junk food again. Plus, the cold weather keeps me stuck indoors; I went jogging a couple of times and ended up catching a cold and a sore throat.
Basically, after being backed up for about two days, the problem returned:
When I finally went, the whole bowl was splattered with blood, and the toilet paper was absolutely soaked through even after folding it twice. I've never felt this bad.
I'm watching my diet again and it seems to be helping, though there are still traces of blood sometimes if I eat sweets or junk food—my stool isn't exactly smooth like a pigeon's.
Usually, when I stick to salads, stews, and fruit, everything moves quite easily. Apologies for the graphic descriptions
but I have to ask:
when people talk about bleeding during bowel movements, what kind of volume are we talking about? Is what I described above an emergency that requires a doctor immediately, or not??

Doctors always say you have to report suspected blood in your stool so they can run a test for occult blood.
They're constantly talking about it on TV and radio as a preventative measure for early colorectal cancer detection.

...and then you go asking a question like this.

When my Ulcerative Colitis flares up, I deal with as much blood as I want—sometimes up to 1.5 oz or even 2 oz a day, and I have no idea where it's coming from unless I get a colonoscopy.
Sometimes it's hemorrhoids, other times it's inflamed spots on the intestinal wall.
No creams or ointments help at that point, and diet changes don't do much either; nothing works except Salafalk enemas and massive amounts of water to try and soften things up.
And you never know if it’s going to hit you as constipation, diarrhea, or just regular movements until it actually happens.

Elizabeth Rodriguez34 said:Doctors always tell you that if you suspect there’s blood in your stool, you absolutely have to get checked out with a fecal occult blood test.
It's all over the TV and radio constantly—they preach it like it's the holy grail of preventative screenings to catch colon cancer early.

...and then you come here asking something this ridiculous...

When my Ulcerative Colitis flares up, I've got enough blood to fill a cup—sometimes even up to a decent amount, like 1.5 or 2 deciliters—and honestly, unless you actually get a colonoscopy done right then and there, you have no clue where it's coming from.
Sometimes it's just hemorrhoids acting up, and other times it's inflamed red spots along the intestinal wall.
No amount of creams, ointments, or diet changes does a damn thing for me; nothing works except Salofalk enemas and drinking massive amounts of water to try and soften things up a bit.
And you never know how the flare will hit—constipation, diarrhea, or just weirdly frequent normal stools—until it actually happens.

Could you maybe explain those two terms mentioned above? I'm somewhat new to all this. Btw, I'm dealing with the exact same issues as everyone else here, and now I'm wondering: is it even possible to pinpoint the source of the bleeding if you don't get a colonoscopy while the bleeding is actually happening?

Thomas Jones4 said:Could you perhaps clarify what those two terms above actually mean? I'm somewhat of a newcomer to all this... by the way. I'm dealing with the exact same issues as everyone else here—now I'm wondering if it's even possible to pinpoint the source of the bleeding if you don't get a colonoscopy done while the bleeding is actually happening...?

In any case, before you jump straight into getting a colonoscopy, try some easier methods first—and if nothing works, then go for it. I’ve been through a colonoscopy myself, and let me tell you, it is absolutely horrific...
Everyone found something that worked for them; for me, honestly, Hemosens does the trick.

Thomas Jones4 said:Could you clarify those two terms mentioned above? I'm somewhat new to all this. By the way, I'm dealing with the same issues as everyone else here, and now I'm wondering—is it even possible to pinpoint the exact source of bleeding if a colonoscopy isn't performed while the bleeding is actually happening?

Salofalk is a prescription medication prescribed by a gastroenterologist.
https://mediately.co/rs/drugs/IZxPZA...a#interactions
You can only truly know the cause of the bleeding if you have a colonoscopy or a similar exam where a doctor can actually see hemorrhoids, inflamed or damaged intestinal lining, both, or something else entirely (if there's another underlying reason).

The decision has finally been made after ten years of struggling. As I mentioned before, I have been battling this for a decade now, and I have decided to seek a private consultation in Washington, D.C. Therefore, I would truly appreciate it if you could offer some recommendations on which specialist to visit. After reading through many posts by "dreamland," Dr. Ivanovic seemed like a reasonable option, and a procedure there costs roughly $1,500 to $1,600. However, I am now seeing that people are also quite satisfied with Dr. Fil, who is significantly more affordable if I decide to move forward with surgery. Just to clarify, I don't have external hemorrhoids, only internal ones, and based on what I've read from "dreamland," I suspect I might not even have a fissure since I've stopped using corticosteroid creams or suppositories. I recently underwent a colonoscopy, and the doctor noted that I have second-degree hemorrhoids that aren't severe enough for surgery, so I am feeling a bit uncertain about my next steps...

Aaron Sanchez4 said:The decision is finally made after ten years of fighting this... ten long years. As I mentioned before, I've been battling this for a decade now and I’ve decided to head to Washington, D.C. for a private consultation—so, please, I am begging for recommendations on which doctor to see. After wading through a mountain of posts by "dreamland," Dr. Ivanovic seemed like a decent option, though the procedure there runs about $1,500 to $1,600... but then I read that people are also quite happy with Dr. Fil, who is significantly more affordable if I decide to pull the trigger on surgery. Just to clarify, I don't have external hemorrhoids—it's internal—and based on what dreamland wrote, I doubt I even have a fissure anymore since I stopped using those steroid creams and suppositories. I had a colonoscopy recently and the doctor told me I have second-degree hemorrhoids that don't even require surgery... so now I'm just stuck, wondering what the move is.

Well, like your doctor so kindly pointed out, you really don't need to go under the knife.
Prevention is always better than a cure—believe me on that one...
http://www.hemosens-com/
Trust me, you won't regret skipping the surgery.

That just doesn't seem right to me...

Michael Diaz4 said:That just doesn't seem right to me...

I’ve tried to just ignore it, but I simply can't. I have attempted various ways to move past this, yet nothing seems to yield any results...