Dealing with hemorrhoids – any advice?

After finishing a course of antibiotics, I ended up with hemorrhoids. It’s uncomfortable, painful, and they've flared out. I've been using some over-the-counter ointment from the pharmacy, but a friend suggested switching to Detralex tablets. Should I jump straight to the pills, considering it's been three days since they appeared, or should I stick with the ointment first? There's no bleeding, but they're quite swollen and causing a lot of irritation.

Dear forum members,

I have been following your discussions for about six months now, but only now, as my ordeal finally nears its end, have I decided to log in and share my story with you all. I will attempt to be as brief as possible, though I suspect that may prove difficult... To begin, I feel it is important to mention that the creams, tablets, natural remedies, and everything else you recommend here might not work for everyone; please do not lose heart or feel frustrated if they don't help you while they seem to work for someone else. Furthermore, anyone making a recommendation should realize that every individual organism "reacts" differently to the same therapies, and one shouldn't pressure others by insisting their suggestion is the absolute best thing on the market or a guaranteed fix. In my case, I truly believe there isn't a cream, suppository, natural remedy, or pill I haven't already tried, and yet, nothing has provided relief...

The sole reason I am writing this post is to draw attention to the Butterfly Clinic and Dr. Ivanovic, whom I see receiving quite a bit of praise on this forum. To be perfectly honest, it was because of the posts shared here that I actually went to see him for a consultation, choosing the DG HAL et RAR method in hopes of resolving my issues.

During the initial examination, it was determined that I had stage III-IV hemorrhoids, fragile walls with hemorrhoidal bleeding, prolapse, an anal fissure, and a rectal polyp. An operative procedure was performed to ligate a branch of the lower hemorrhoidal artery using ultrasound Doppler, along with rectorectal repair. This also included a polypectomy of a fibroepithelial polyp and excision of the anal fissure, followed by sutures. Finally, I was prescribed a week of complete rest. As soon as I was discharged home, I developed a fever—peaking at 103.8°F—which lingered with me for a full month. Since then, over the last four months, I have undergone a total of five surgical procedures, all thanks to the charming and perpetually smiling Dr. Ivanovic.

Initially, Dr. Ivanovic from the Butterfly Clinic allowed me to remain completely blocked for seven days—literally, for seven days, absolutely nothing would pass, not even gas or stool—and he constantly tried to soothe me with charming anecdotes, insisting that things would move along and that all my symptoms, including the fever, were perfectly normal. After a week of misery, averaging only two hours of sleep per night (I lost 15 pounds, yet my abdomen swelled up as if I were five months pregnant), he sent me to his facility, KB Merkur, for an emergency enema. It wasn't until the second attempt that they managed to administer a plug made from stool and blood from the polyp, which ended up sticking to the wall. I should mention that during this time, I couldn't even urinate properly due to the swelling and the blockage, and because of the intense pain and cramping over the final two or three days, I couldn't eat or drink anything. Throughout that week, I sent countless messages and calls to the doctor telling him I was doing poorly; I even stopped by a local clinic one evening, but he didn't take much action beyond charmingly patronizing me with reassurances that everything would be fine. During that exam, he performed a dilation and gave me an IV drip containing a cocktail of anti-spasmodics and sedatives. Following the first enema, I felt two rice-sized grains near my anus that were incredibly painful and appeared white. He messaged me saying they were likely just irritation from the enema and told me to apply Betrion cream. After sending yet more messages and calls, I returned to him for another exam, where he merely brushed his hand quickly over those two lumps and told me it was just minor local inflammation that would clear up with the cream. In the meantime, I also caught a cold (my husband and I both had fevers, though his lasted only one day). That evening, as my nose started running, my temperature spiked to 101.3°F, and the next day it settled back into the 98-100°F range. Because of the fever, my primary care physician wanted to send me to the ER, but Dr. Ivanovic, when I returned for the second time regarding those two small, pus-filled lumps, insisted there was no need for the ER. He claimed it was all normal, that fever is expected after such surgeries, and since I had a cold, the temperature was surely just from that—he even joked that if I went to the ER, they would just laugh at me. Meanwhile, after the first enema, I had a few days of bowel movements before becoming constipated again. Ten days after the first enema, my mother called the clinic and begged the nurse to have Dr. Ivanovic call me (since I am far too proud to call myself), but I was still not well. I still had the fever and was once again completely blocked. I arranged to see Dr. Ivanovic on Saturday at the Butterfly Clinic (since he would be traveling outside the US the following week), but the clinic was closed and he didn't have the key. We spoke for literally five minutes in the hallway; he just calmed me down, smiled, and told me everything would be fine and entirely normal. He even asked me at the end if I felt better now that we had talked! He suggested I try drinking coffee, apple cider vinegar with honey and water, lemon in lukewarm water, mountain tea, or Prunella syrup; if those failed, he said he would arrange another enema for me at KB Merkur. On Sunday, I consumed all of those suggestions plus magnesium chloride granules, but I felt like I was going to burst from the cramps and pain, and there was still no sign of a bowel movement. That evening, I went to the ER, but my doctor there noted that because of the fever, I should go to Internal Medicine rather than surgery, and they found nothing... just slightly elevated CRP and white blood cell counts. For the constipation, they gave me a suppository, which also did nothing. I sent a message to Dr. Ivanovic stating I couldn't take it anymore and asked him to arrange the enema again. On Monday afternoon, I went for the second enema at KB Merkur. The cleansing process lasted from 3:00 PM Monday until noon Tuesday. I literally did not sleep for a single minute. On Tuesday evening, while showering, I felt a lump on my perineum. On Wednesday morning, I frantically messaged Dr. Ivanovic describing everything and asking what to do next. I called the Butterfly Clinic because the doctor hadn't responded, explaining the situation and pleading with them to tell him to contact me urgently. The nurse at the clinic told me it was probably just irritation from the enema and that the lump would subside. Dr. Ivanovic didn't get back to me until six days later (on Monday), messaging me to say he had only just received my message upon arriving back in the States. I should note that I did not send the message via Viber or WhatsApp; it was sent to his business number. Even if he had been in Tonga, he should have received it, unless his phone was turned off...
By Thursday, I found myself in the emergency room at a local hospital where they immediately performed an incision and drained a pocket of pus—the diagnosis was a 2x2cm perianal abscess. This was occurring in the exact same spot where those two tiny "grains of rice" had been, for which Dr. Ivanovic had only prescribed an antibiotic cream, claiming it was just a minor case of local inflammation. My fever vanished instantly after the procedure, despite having run a temperature every single day for a month because Dr. Ivanovic insisted, over and over again, that my condition was perfectly normal. Following the surgery for the abscess, I had to undergo two separate operations for a fistula that developed because the abscess wasn't caught in time, and finally, a fifth—hopefully my last—procedure to remove a seton, which was essentially a thread inserted to allow drainage from the fistula and prevent the channels from clogging and forming another abscess...

Instead of the week of rest Dr. Ivanovic recommended, I ended up being out of work for more than three months. Instead of one simple surgery, I endured five...

Now, don't get me wrong, Dr. Ivanovic is a very charming physician; he listens, he smiles, he tells you exactly what you want to hear, and he has a way of calming you down. As long as everything goes perfectly post-op, he would be considered the finest doctor in America. However, Butterfly Clinic is absolutely lacking in terms of equipment or medical aids that could assist if complications arise, aside from basic IV medications. They don't even carry a flexible rectal probe or a cleansing catheter, which is why I was forced to head over to KB Merkur instead...
Furthermore, besides my initial discharge summary, Dr. Ivanovic failed to document a single word regarding the subsequent developments or complications. In order for me to extend my medical leave, my primary care physician requested just two or three sentences explaining my condition and why I wasn't well enough to return to work. I actually had to go back and ask him to note that I had received IV fluids for spasms and sedation, that I had follow-up exams with him, and that I underwent cleansing procedures. Regarding the second cleansing, for instance, I have no paperwork whatsoever since I was admitted to KB Merkur as a self-pay patient, without a referral or any formal record of my visit...
To wrap things up, Butterfly Clinic offers a whole spectrum of pricing for DG HAL and RAR procedures... $3.00 cash WITHOUT A RECEIPT, $3.25 cash WITH A RECEIPT, and $3.75 installment plans for credit cards...
I apologize that this post has become so lengthy, regardless of how much I tried to condense it... This has simply been my experience with Dr. Ivanovic and the Butterfly Clinic. It hasn't happened again, and honestly, even if they paid me, I would never step foot in there ever again. I truly hope that sharing my journey with Dr. Ivanovic and the Butterfly Clinic might be of some help to someone else...

Hey everyone! Quick question for you all—if I have an external hemorrhoid, will it just disappear on its own once the fissure heals, or am I looking at needing surgery to get rid of it?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Noah Alvarez said:Hi everyone,

I’ve been following this forum for about six months now, but I finally decided to log in and share my story just as the end of my ordeal is approaching. I’ll try to keep this brief, though that might be easier said than done. First off, I believe that the creams, pills, natural remedies, and everything else you recommend here can work for some, but they may not work for everyone. Please don't feel discouraged or get frustrated if something doesn't help you when it clearly helped someone else. Also, anyone making a recommendation should realize that every body reacts differently to treatments; there shouldn't be pressure to suggest that one specific thing is the absolute "best" on the market and guaranteed to work. In my case, I’ve tried every cream, suppository, natural remedy, and pill imaginable, and nothing seemed to help...

The sole reason I am writing this post is to bring attention to the Butterfly Clinic and Dr. Ivanovic, whom I see being praised quite often here. To be honest, it was actually because of the posts on this forum that I decided to go see him for a consultation, opting for the DG HAL and RAR method to resolve my issues.

During the initial exam, it was determined that I had Stage III-IV hemorrhoids, fragile tissue causing bleeding, prolapse, an anal fissure, and a rectal polyp. An operative procedure was performed to ligate the branch of the inferior hemorrhoidal artery using ultrasound Doppler, along with rectorectal repair. They also performed a polypectomy of the fibroepithelial polyp and excision of the anal fissure, including stitches. Afterward, I was prescribed a week of rest. As soon as I was discharged, I developed a fever (peaking at 103.8°F) that lingered with me for nearly a month. Since then, over the last four months, I have undergone a total of five surgical procedures, all thanks to the charming and ever-smiling Dr. Ivanovic.

Initially, Dr. Ivanovic from the Butterfly Clinic allowed me to stay completely blocked up for seven days—literally, for seven full days, nothing could pass, not even gas or stool. He kept trying to soothe me with charming stories, insisting that things would move along and that my symptoms, including the fever, were perfectly normal. After a week of misery and averaging only two hours of sleep (I lost 15 pounds, and my abdomen swelled up like I was five months pregnant), he sent me to his facility, KB Merkur, for an emergency enema. It wasn't until the second attempt that they managed to use a plug made from stool and blood from the polyp, which ended up getting stuck against the wall. I should mention that during this time, I couldn't even urinate properly due to the swelling and the blockage, and because of the pain and cramping in those last few days, I couldn't eat or drink anything. I sent countless messages and calls to the doctor during that week letting him know I was doing poorly; I even went to a clinic one evening, but he didn't take much action beyond charmingly reassuring me that everything would be fine. During that exam, he performed a dilation and gave me an IV with a cocktail of medications for cramps and sedation. After the first enema, I felt two rice-sized lumps near my anus that were extremely painful and white. He messaged me saying it was likely irritation from the enema and told me to use Betrion cream. After many more messages and calls, I went back to see him again, but he just quickly ran his hand over the two lumps and dismissed them as minor local inflammation that would clear up with cream. Meanwhile, I caught a cold (my husband and I both had fevers for just one day). That evening, as my nose started running, my temperature spiked to 101.3°F, and the next day it was back to around 100°F. Because of the fever, my primary care doctor wanted to send me to the ER, but Dr. Ivanovic, when I returned for the second time regarding those two small, pus-filled lumps, insisted there was no need for the ER. He claimed it was all normal, that fever is expected after such surgeries, and since I had a cold, the temperature was surely from that. He even suggested that if I went to the ER, they would just laugh at me. Following that first enema, I had stool for a couple of days before becoming constipated again. Ten days after the first enema, my mother called the clinic begging the nurse to have Dr. Ivanovic call me (since I am too proud to call myself), but I still wasn't well. I still had a fever and was backed up again. I arranged to see Dr. Ivanovic on Saturday at the Butterfly Clinic (as he was traveling outside the US the following week), but the clinic was closed and he didn't have the key. We spoke for literally five minutes in the hallway; he just soothed me, smiled, and said it would all be okay and was totally normal. He even asked if I felt better just from talking to him! He suggested I try drinking coffee, apple cider vinegar with honey, lemon in lukewarm water, mountain tea, or prune syrup, and if that didn't work, he would arrange another enema for me at KB Merkur. Over the weekend, I tried all of that plus magnesium chloride granules, but I felt like I was going to burst from the cramps and pain, and there was still no sign of a bowel movement. That night, I went to the ER, but my doctor there insisted that because of the fever, I should go to internal medicine rather than surgery, and they didn't find anything conclusive... just slightly elevated CRP and white blood cell counts. For the constipation, they gave me a suppository, but again, nothing happened. I messaged Dr. Ivanovic saying I couldn't take it anymore and to please arrange another enema. On Monday afternoon, I went for a second enema at KB Merkur. The process lasted from 3:00 PM Monday until noon Tuesday. I literally didn't sleep for a single minute. On Tuesday evening while showering, I felt a lump on my perineum. On Wednesday morning, I frantically messaged Dr. Ivanovic describing everything and asking what to do next. I called the Butterfly Clinic because the doctor wasn't returning my calls, explaining the situation and pleading with them to tell him to contact me urgently. The nurse at the clinic told me it was probably just irritation from the enema and the lump would settle down. Dr. Ivanovic didn't get back to me until six days later (on Monday) via message, claiming he only just received it upon arriving back in the US. I should note that I didn't send the message via Viber or WhatsApp; I sent it to the business number. Even if he were in Tonga, he should have received it, unless he had his phone turned off...
On Thursday, I ended up in the ER at a local hospital where they immediately performed an incision and drainage of purulent material—the diagnosis was a 2x2cm perianal abscess. This was occurring exactly where those two tiny "rice grain" spots were located, which Dr. Ivanovic had previously dismissed as just minor local inflammation, prescribing nothing but antibiotic cream. My fever vanished instantly after the procedure, despite having suffered from it every single day for a month while Dr. Ivanovic insisted repeatedly that it was perfectly normal. Following the abscess surgery, I had to undergo two separate operations for a fistula that developed because the initial abscess wasn't caught in time, and finally, a fifth—hopefully my last—procedure to remove a seton, which was placed to allow the fistula drainage to exit and prevent the channels from clogging and forming another abscess again...

Instead of the one week of rest Dr. Ivanovic prescribed, I ended up on medical leave for over three months. Instead of a single operation, I went through five...

Dr. Ivanovic is a very charming physician; he listens, smiles, tells you exactly what you want to hear, and knows how to soothe you. As long as everything goes perfectly post-op, he’d be considered the best doctor in America. However, Butterfly Clinic lacks absolutely any equipment or supplies to assist if complications arise, aside from basic IV medications. They don't even carry flexible rectal probes or enema catheters, which is why I had to go to KB Merkur...
Furthermore, aside from the initial discharge summary, Dr. Ivanovic failed to document a single word regarding the subsequent developments or complications. In order for me to extend my medical leave, my primary care physician requested at least two or three sentences detailing my condition and symptoms so she could justify keeping me off work. I actually had to follow up with him to ask him to note that I had received IV medication for spasms and sedation, that I had returned for follow-up exams, and that I had undergone enemas. Regarding the enemas, for instance, I have no paperwork whatsoever since I was admitted to KB Merkur as a self-pay patient without a referral, formal documentation, or any record of my visit there...
To wrap things up, Butterfly Clinic offers a range of pricing for DG HAL et RAR procedures... $3.00 cash WITHOUT A RECEIPT, $3.25 cash WITH A RECEIPT, and $3.75 installment plans for credit cards...
I apologize that this post turned out so long, despite my best efforts to keep it brief. This was my personal experience with Dr. Ivanovic and Butterfly Clinic. It hasn't happened again, and honestly, even if they paid me, I would never step foot in there again. I truly hope my experience with Dr. Ivanovic and Butterfly Clinic helps someone else out there...

What should I do now? I was actually preparing to go in for an exam with them...

Aaron Sanchez4 said:What now? I was actually preparing to go in for an exam with them myself.

Aaron Sanchez4 ...I really don't want to tell you whether you should see him or stay away. My own hard-earned lesson from everything I have endured over these last few months is that I will never again turn to a private practice for something that seems even remotely trivial. A hospital is still a hospital, after all, and if—God forbid—something were to get complicated during a procedure, I know I would always find exactly what I need within the hospital system. Up until this point, I have actually handled about 70% of my exams and surgeries privately, mostly because it feels "faster" and I always harbored this expectation that if I pay, I will receive better, more attentive care. Now, Dr. Domagoj Ivanovic is a truly charming physician; he is the kind of doctor who listens, offers comfort, holds your hand, calms your nerves, and is always smiling while answering every single question... and honestly, that is exactly the kind of doctor everyone wants, and people are absolutely thrilled with them. If he had taken proper care of me post-operatively, if he had truly listened whenever I told him I was feeling unwell, and if he had finally looked after me properly at the hospital where he works, I would be calling him the number one doctor in the entire US. However, my current doctor—the one who took over after Dr. Domagoj Ivanovic made such a mess of things—isn't chatty or smiling at all; he is quite cold and reserved, but I have to admit that unlike Dr. Ivanovic, who listens without actually hearing, this doctor truly hears me when I express a concern. About four years ago, I dealt with second-degree hemorrhoids and opted for rubber band ligation. In my case, it didn't help at all, and things just continued to spiral downward despite following a reduced diet, ensuring soft stools every day, and maintaining a daily exercise routine. I have heard that Dr. Fila is quite good, and I know he performs ligations as well. He performed a second-degree ligation for a relative of mine three years ago, and nothing has returned since; he was absolutely delighted with the results. I have also heard that at KB Merkur, Dr. Kocman and Dr. Jadrijevic, who heads the department, are excellent. As for the major hospitals like Mount Sinai, I’ve heard Dr. Kovačević, Dr. Glavan, and Dr. Doko, the department head, are quite good there too. Ultimately, the choice is yours: whether you entrust yourself to Dr. Domagoj Ivanovic or seek out someone else. Regardless, I wish you the very best in choosing both your physician and your method, and I truly hope you can finally move past these ten years of suffering...

Noah Alvarez said:Aaron Sanchez4 ...I really don't want to tell you whether you should go to him or not. My own personal lesson from everything I've been through over the last few months is that I will never again turn to private clinics for seemingly trivial procedures. A hospital is still a hospital, and if heaven forbid something gets complicated, I know I will always find everything I need within a hospital system. Up until now, I’ve actually had about 70% of my checkups and surgeries done privately (since it’s "faster" and I always expected better, more personalized care if I was paying for it). Dr. Domagoj Ivanovic is a very pleasant doctor who listens, coddles you, holds your hand, calms you down, and is always smiling; he answers every single question... and those are the kind of doctors everyone wants, and everyone is thrilled with them. If he had taken proper care of me post-operatively, listened every time I told him I felt unwell, and ultimately managed my care at the hospital where he works, I would have called him the number one doctor in America. My current doctor, who took over after Dr. Domagoj Ivanovic messed things up, isn't chatty or smiley at all—he’s quite cold and reserved—but I have to admit that unlike Dr. Ivanovic, who listens but doesn't actually hear, this doctor truly hears me when I complain about something. About four years ago, I had stage 2 hemorrhoids and went in for rubber band ligation. It didn't help me either, and things just kept getting worse (despite a reduced diet, soft stools every day, and daily exercise). I’ve heard that Dr. Fila is good and I know he performs ligations. He performed a stage 2 ligation for my cousin three years ago, nothing has returned since, and he was absolutely delighted with him. I’ve also heard that at KB Merkur, Dr. Kocman and Dr. Jadrijevic, who is the department head, are excellent. As for the main city hospital, I’ve heard that Dr. Kovačević, Dr. Glavan, and Dr. Doko, the department head, are quite good. It is entirely up to you whether you place your trust in Dr. Domagoj Ivanovic or look for someone else. In any case, I wish you luck with choosing your doctor and method, and I hope you can finally be free from your ten years of misery...

Thank you so much for the response and for all the information. I wish you plenty of health and happiness in your life...

I’m heading to the doctor in a few days because I’ve been seeing blood in my stool for quite a while now... Back when my diet was terrible, it was just on the toilet paper, but now it's actually in the stool. It hurt pretty bad today when I went to the bathroom, and there were streaks of blood visible... Honestly, I'm terrified it might be stage 4 and I'll end up needing surgery..
Can anyone tell me what an exam for hemorrhoids is actually like? And does it hurt?

Basically, whenever I have a harder bowel movement, the blood shows up...
But I don't get why it's showing up in the stool now instead of just on the paper??

Before I started hitting the gym and eating better, I used to see blood on the paper all the time... I haven't had any issues with blood on the paper for about two years, but now it's appearing in the stool itself, which makes no sense to me

Michael Torres80 said:I’m heading to see my doctor in a few days because I’ve been seeing blood in my stool for quite a while now... back when I wasn't eating very well, there was just some on the toilet paper, but now it’s actually in the stool itself. Today, when I went to the bathroom, it was incredibly painful, and there were streaks of blood in the stool... I'm honestly terrified that it might be Stage 4 and that I'll have to undergo surgery..
Can anyone tell me what a hemorrhoid exam is actually like, and does it hurt?

My issue is that whenever I have a harder bowel movement, the blood shows up right then
but I don't understand why it's appearing in the stool now instead of just on the paper??

Before I started going to the gym, and when I was eating a diet low in fiber, I used to frequently see blood on the paper when wiping... and I haven't had any blood on the paper for about two years, but now it's showing up in the stool, so I just can't make sense of it

There are many different reasons why you might see blood in your stool, and unfortunately, no one can give you a definitive answer based solely on what you’ve described here. It would certainly be wise to schedule a specialist appointment to determine the actual cause—whether it's hemorrhoids, polyps, a fissure, or something more serious... Since you haven't mentioned any other symptoms besides the bleeding, I find it unlikely that you are dealing with Stage 4 hemorrhoids, because if you were, believe me, you would definitely notice it. For instance, I once experienced bleeding so intense it was practically pouring out, and I couldn't stop it at all (that was due to a combination of several things, not just hemorrhoids). I can describe how it felt when I dealt with Stage III-IV hemorrhoids, a polyp, a fissure, and damaged intestinal walls, which might help calm your nerves a little bit. At that time, I literally could not walk, stand, or sit; it felt as though my intestines were protruding, and my anus felt as swollen as a child's small fist. You cannot push Stage 4 hemorrhoids back inside; they stay external all the time, and trust me, you would know if they were there. Stage 3 hemorrhoids may prolapse during a bowel movement, but you can physically push them back in. As for the examination, it really depends on how much you can relax and what the doctor manages to observe. The initial check for hemorrhoids is most often done with a proctoscope, and from there, the doctor will decide on the next steps and whether a colonoscopy is necessary. During my last proctoscope exam, it lasted less than a minute because the pain was so severe and the bleeding was so heavy that the doctor couldn't get a clear view. In any case, the best course of action is to find a reputable proctologist, book your appointment, and follow whatever instructions they provide. Best of luck...

It sounds like classic second-degree hemorrhoids to me. You really need to stay on top of hygiene and keep your digestion regular. Don't strain yourself. If you want some peace of mind, go see a doctor so they can prescribe something specific for them. And don't just wipe; make sure you're actually washing the area, and everything should turn out fine.

Hi everyone. I’m not quite sure where to start, so maybe I'll just begin at the beginning. I am 14 weeks pregnant, and it seems like my digestive issues started right around the time I conceived. I wouldn't say I had regular bowel movements before, but now it feels like it only happens every three or four days. Naturally, the stool is hard, which leads to a lot of pain and blood in my stool and on the toilet paper. There is also blood left behind in the toilet bowl—it leaves a trail wherever it goes. I called my primary care physician, and she promptly referred me to my OB-GYN. He suggested I focus on my diet and try using glycerin suppositories. That has softened things up a bit; I’ve actually managed to go three days in a row now. However, on the first day, there wasn't a drop of blood, but by the second day, it felt like it was stinging as everything passed, along with the blood. Today was the same, and it isn't just a tiny amount. I looked, and every movement leaves a trace, and the amount of blood on the toilet paper is just crazy. I am honestly terrified right now. Is it possible for hemorrhoids to cause this much bleeding? My husband looked and saw two or three small fissures near my anus, but I don't know if that explains all this blood. My appointment with the OB-GYN isn't until the 16th, but I'm feeling lost. Does anyone have experience with this? Any advice? Also, do they perform colonoscopies during pregnancy? How uncomfortable is that procedure? I tend to panic easily, and now I'm imagining the absolute worst-case scenarios. Please, if anyone can offer some comfort or guidance, I would really appreciate it. 😭

Hi there—does anyone happen to know how to soothe some redness around the anal area? I don't think it's hemorrhoids, because I'm not seeing any of those lumps or swellings you typically see when you Google them, but occasionally when I wipe, I notice some streaks of blood. I'm assuming it's coming from the irritation, though it's never a large amount—just a few little streaks.

Maybe someone could recommend a soothing cream, or would I absolutely have to go see a doctor? Thanks so much for any help. 🙂

Pure facts.

Hey everyone, so these hemorrhoids are starting to seriously get on my nerves—they're popping up more and more often lately. I’ve been using Ultraproct cream, which actually helped, though the lady at the pharmacy told my wife that we shouldn't overdo it with that stuff too frequently.
Yesterday, I went to see a specialist at Misir Clinic to figure out exactly what was going on. Based on how everything felt, I was dead certain I was dealing with external ones, but turns out I was totally wrong.😁They're internal..

Diagnosis: Nod.hem.in.gr. ll
Results:
Hemorrhoidal issues present. Anal region appears normal upon inspection. Anoscopy shows a full ring of internal hemorrhoids. Indications for IRC therapy exist, but it's being postponed for now..

The report says to stick to a light diet and use some baby cream (like Desitin)
They quoted me $2,500 for laser removal at their facility. According to the doc, it's permanent, and the whole procedure takes maybe 10 to 15 minutes. After that, I can jump right back into my daily routine, provided I watch what I eat. It looks like there are three or four little things to deal with, so I'd have to go in three times, once every three weeks, for the laser sessions.

So, my sister is telling me that stage one is the easiest, then stage two is short, and then you hit stages three and four, which I assume are way more complicated and definitely pricier..

I'm heading to see my regular doctor tomorrow to run this by her..
I wanted to ask, what kind of options am I really looking at here?
Is there anywhere that does this cheaper?
Is the laser method actually the most effective way to go?
Has anyone here actually gone to Misir Clinic to get those things removed?

Since all these creams are just temporary fixes and things could easily spiral, I don't want to drag my feet. If I don't go the private route, the next step is the hospital..
Look, I'm no genius—deciding between a private clinic or the public hospital is tough. I don't want to end up being someone's "learning experience" because they're having a bad day.😁 Obviously, the hospital is the best move since it's free, but I really don't want to be the guinea pig for some resident practicing their skills..

About 2.5 years ago, I had a rectoscopy done at a different clinic. I still have the paperwork, but they didn't find anything regarding hemorrhoids back then. My doctor even told me I was fine, though the lining was a bit inflamed and I was feeling symptoms too. Clearly, they've progressed to stage two since then.🤔

Michael Torres80 said:I'm headed to the doctor in a few days because I've been seeing blood in my stool for quite a while now... back when my diet was pretty poor, it would just show up on the toilet paper, but now it's actually in the stool itself. Today, when I went to the bathroom, it was really painful and there were streaks of blood in my stool... I'm honestly terrified it might be Stage 4 and that I'll end up needing surgery.
Can anyone tell me what an exam for hemorrhoids is actually like? And does it hurt?

My main issue is that whenever my stool gets firm, the bleeding starts.
But I don't get why it's showing up in the stool now instead of just on the paper.

Back before I started hitting the gym, when I wasn't eating much fiber, I used to see blood on the paper quite often. It hasn't been on the paper for about two years, so this sudden appearance in the stool just doesn't make sense to me.

Blood mixed into the stool isn't something you want to ignore. Go get a colonoscopy done; trust me, it's much easier than dealing with chemo or surgery.😉

Listen, if you're dealing with hemorrhoids, stop sitting on the toilet like a statue. It’s killing you. Get two small stools, put them under your feet, and squat while leaning forward. You need your knees to be higher than your hips. This mimics how our bodies are actually designed to go; it opens up the rectum so everything moves out of your colon much smoother. Trust me, I've tested this, and it actually works.

so-called squatting position

Chloe Brooks4 said:If you're dealing with hemorrhoids, please—never try to take a big dump just sitting flat on the toilet. Instead, grab two small stools and put them under your feet so you're basically squatting and leaning forward. The key is getting those knees up above your hips. It mimics the body's natural position for going, which helps the rectum open up and pushes everything out of your colon more easily. Trust me, it actually works.

Does this help with hemorrhoids that have ALREADY flared up, making them recede?
Would that basically count as a type of natural remedy?

Or is it more about preventing them from forming in the first place?

Alright, just wanted to drop a quick heads-up for everyone here based on my own run-in with one particular private clinic...
Back about two years ago—after dealing with two months of absolute misery—I went in for a checkup at this high-end private facility (think Chicago, near Central Park... just enough detail for you to get the vibe) where, after the exam ( $133 ), they told me I had 2nd or 3rd degree hemorrhoids and suggested I call them back once the inflammation died down to schedule surgery.
The swelling eventually went away, life got busy, and everything seemed fine until about a month and a half ago.
Then, boom—same pain, same inflammation (can't sleep, can't sit, can't even lie down...), so I head right back to that same clinic for another look and to finally settle the deal on surgery so I can put this nightmare behind me forever.
$133, apparently it’s 2nd or 3rd degree hemorrhoids, and they’re pitching the HAL RAR procedure plus removing some rectal polyps = $4167. Honestly, if it means the end of the pain, I was game.
We already had a date set, but then a buddy of mine dropped by—he’s a surgeon himself (different specialty, obviously)—and he casually suggested I go see a colleague of his over at KB Dubrava instead. He said the guy is top-tier, so I figured, why not get a second opinion?
So, I go in today, and man, what a shocker. It turns out I don't have hemorrhoids at all; I have a fissure measuring about 10x6x2 mm. As for those polyps? Not a trace. Turns out what I actually have is something called a sentinel skin tag (anal papilla, I think).
Even my surgeon friend (who specializes in hips and knees) told me that once I described the pain, he was 99% sure it was a fissure, even though that's not his field.
Seriously though, watch yourselves—it feels like these private places are purely motivated by the bottom line. Always seek a second opinion before committing to surgery, because they really convinced me the hemorrhoids were the issue and didn't even mention the fissure.
Public hospitals can be a headache with the wait times, but at least there, they try to actually treat the patient like a human being rather than just trying to fleece you for an operation you don't even need.
Anyway, time for some grits and cereal...

Michael Torres80 said:I'm heading to the doctor in a few days because I've been seeing blood in my stool for quite a while now... Back when my diet was pretty bad, it was just on the toilet paper, but now it's actually in the stool itself. Today, when I went to the bathroom, it hurt really badly and there were streaks of blood in the stool... I'm honestly terrified it might be stage 4 and that I'll need surgery..
Can anyone tell me what an exam for hemorrhoids is actually like? And does it hurt?

My issue is that whenever I have a harder bowel movement, the blood shows up right then.
But I don't get why it's appearing in the stool now instead of just on the paper??

Back before I started hitting the gym, and when I wasn't eating much fiber, I used to see blood on the paper all the time... I haven't had any blood on the paper for about two years, but now it's showing up in the stool, so I'm just confused.

You've got internal hemorrhoids..

A few years back, I went through laser ablation... everything was perfectly fine for seven whole years, but now the symptoms have started creeping back in. I went in for an exam today, and my surgery is already on the calendar.🙂
Honestly, I just don't get people who hesitate or spend forever overthinking this; I'm actually counting down the days until this is finally behind me.