Dealing with hemorrhoids – any advice?

Paul Campbell10 said:Either you're pulling my leg or you missed what I actually wrote. Why quote just those last three words? I clearly said this:

Well, an operation includes the recovery and the period when you aren't under anesthesia. If they knock me out or numb my entire lower half, I won't feel a thing—not even if they were ripping my legs off. You wouldn't say tearing a leg off is painless in that state. You only see the reality once the drugs wear off, which is why I was confused. For some reason, you separated the surgery under anesthesia from everything else. To me—and I think the user you replied to agrees—"painless" means it doesn't hurt when you're awake and alert. We just have different definitions of a painless procedure. I've had two other surgeries, including one for a pilonidal sinus, and that was totally painless until the anesthesia wore off...

Benjamin Fox6 said:Well, surgery inherently includes the recovery period and the moments when you aren't under anesthesia. If I am sedated or my lower half is completely numb, I certainly won't feel anything—not even if my legs were being ripped off—so claiming leg amputation is painless would be technically true in that moment. The reality sets in once the drugs wear off; that's why I was confused. For some reason, you isolated the actual procedure under anesthesia from the rest of the experience. Personally, as I see from the user you replied to, "painless" implies there is no pain when you aren't drugged or unconscious. I am also searching for a truly painless operation. Clearly, we have different definitions of what a painless surgery looks like. I've had two other procedures, including a pilonidal sinus surgery, and that was perfectly painless until the anesthesia faded...

Fine. We can end this discussion here. I feared the surgery itself more than the recovery, and I was dead wrong. I know people who woke up mid-procedure, and others who claim they felt pain while under anesthesia... but let's move on; everyone has their own definition.

Unfortunately, I highly doubt you will find a painless recovery for hemorrhoid surgery. Those clinics advertise it just to lure patients in, but that isn't the reality in practice. To my knowledge, the procedure done at Home Depot or similar places is one of the most successful and least painful options available, but for me personally, the first day and a half of recovery was brutal. Perhaps there are people who actually went through it without any pain? I just prayed to God that the pain wouldn't last longer than a few days.

If someone were to ask me now if I would do it all over again if they returned, I would say I'd schedule the surgery within a week, regardless of knowing exactly what awaits me.

ruggedtinker43 said:Hey, I'm new here. I registered specifically because of some issues I've been dealing with over the last few days, and by all accounts, it's hemorrhoids. 😢
...

Hello.

This quote is part of a post I wrote over six years ago when this all started. I haven't posted since then. Here is the rest of the story. 🙂

From the first time I saw blood after a bowel movement, the bleeding occurred periodically—roughly every three or four months. It wasn't much blood; maybe a few drops in the toilet bowl and a trace on the paper. Then it would subside after a few days. This went on for two or three years.

Then the frequency increased to about every two months. The amount of blood remained roughly the same, and it would still last a few days. That lasted for about a year.

After that, the volume of blood increased significantly. It wasn't just a few drops or traces on the paper anymore; the entire toilet bowl would be bloody, splattered from rim to rim, with a stream of blood running down the sides. This would happen every month and a half to two months for an entire year.

Following that, the duration of the bleeding increased. It was no longer just a few days followed by a few weeks of remission. Now, it's almost the opposite: heavy bleeding lasts for two to three weeks, and the periods without bleeding only last ten days to a week.

That was when I finally took action, and my doctor referred me to a proctologist.
I had my first exam less than a year ago. Since then, I've had several follow-ups. In the meantime, I used various creams and suppositories, but they didn't really help. I underwent a colonoscopy, and the results were clear; hemorrhoids are the sole cause of the bleeding. I believe I have just one, located on the right side, Grade II/III. The proctologist told me I don't need to come back unless the situation worsens. If that happens, we'll decide on next steps, which might include surgery.

Over the last six months, things have calmed down slightly. The bleeding doesn't last two or three weeks anymore, just a few days. When it does start, I try to stick to a liquid or soft food diet—puddings, yogurt, and things like that. The logic is that if the stool is softer, it won't irritate the hemorrhoid as much, allowing the bleeding to stop faster.

My bowel movements are regular; I aim for once a day. I've noticed that if I go twice or more, I irritate the area, which can trigger bleeding. So, I try to maintain a once-a-day rhythm and always shower immediately afterward.

Additionally, for the past few months, I've experienced prolapse after almost every bowel movement. Sometimes it recedes on its own within minutes—I can see it's gone after showering—but sometimes it takes several hours, depending on how far it protruded and how swollen it is. If it doesn't recede quickly, it causes problems during the day. It can be painful or chafing, and I can't function normally because it creates stress; I worry about bleeding through my clothes, which has actually happened two or three times already.

So, I want to know: if it doesn't go back in on its own after a few minutes, is it okay to "force" it back in with a finger?

I also see recommendations to take one or two teaspoons of olive or flaxseed oil. I'm going to try that to see if it helps.

Man, I'd love to see that 🙂 In all my years, I’ve only had bleeding twice—just one or two drops—and it definitely left me feeling a bit lightheaded (though no actual pain). Based on what you’re describing, I wouldn't call that just a single grade 2 or 3 hemorrhoid. If I were in your shoes, I'd be thinking stage 4, probably with at least three or four of them. Anyway, I'm currently looking into where I can get some treatment done, so we'll see how things play out.

I had never once dealt with hemorrhoids until they decided to show up during my pregnancy, which was quite the unexpected development. I happened to be reading some advice online suggesting that one could soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and apply it directly to the area for about thirty minutes, repeating this several times throughout the day. Well, being a bit more thorough than the instructions suggested, I ended up leaving it on all night long. It stung just a little bit, but to my absolute surprise, the swelling subsided within a single day. Now, I suppose I’ll just have to wait and see if they decide to make another appearance... but honestly, if you're suffering, you might want to give it a try.

Roughly how long is the wait for hemorrhoid surgery if you aren't going private? From what I can tell, it looks like third-degree... hasn't been an issue until now, though. It literally popped up overnight—about the size of a walnut—and now I can't even go to the bathroom normally. No bleeding or anything. For the last few years, I just had some minor, occasional bleeding from this tiny one that never actually prolapsed. Barely even felt it, never caused any trouble...

I need some advice. I just got back from seeing my primary care physician.
I told her I think I’ve developed hemorrhoids—though I suspect it might be a fissure too, but I didn't dare say it out loud. I hate that feeling when you suggest a diagnosis and they act like you're being arrogant.
She did a quick check for a few seconds and just said, "Yeah, but they're small... it's nothing." Well, I wouldn't exactly call them small, but maybe that's just subjective. She gave me some ointment and told me to cut out bread and eat more vegetables. I told her I haven't touched bread in a year and veggies make up 80% of my diet, yet I'm still dealing with constipation and hard stools. Her response? "If you start bleeding, don't panic immediately... it's all quite normal." Really? Then why does everything I read online says you need to react right away? Why shouldn't I wait until they reach stage 3 or 4?

I pointed out that I can't fix this on my own. She knows I've been coming to her for years for stomach and intestinal pain, and she just keeps ignoring it. After about four years of intense abdominal pain, I finally had a gastroscopy. They found H. pylori and gastritis. I finished the treatment, changed my diet, and I feel much better now. But when I think about how much I suffered all those years 😢 I really don't want this to follow the same pattern.
Is there anything I can do about this myself?

Every time I Google it, I end up on diverticulosis. I'm starting to wonder if that's actually what's going on, since the symptoms and stool consistency match perfectly.

I deal with hemorrhoids every now and then. It’s usually not even an issue of actual pain—more just this constant, annoying itch that won't quit.
If it’s just minor discomfort for you and not some massive medical emergency, here’s what I suggest—basically just staying clean. I mean, shower up and make sure you wash properly after a bowel movement; use lukewarm water and a totally neutral soap. Personally, I use that Intima Roberts chamomile wash—you can grab it at any CVS, Walmart, or similar drugstore. Also, I do potassium permanganate soaks. Basically, you head to the pharmacy, ask for a potassium permanganate solution, pour about a liter or two of lukewarm water into a basin, drop in maybe 15 drops of the stuff, and just sit in there for about 10 minutes. After that, apply whatever cream you have on hand—Faktu works fine. You can do this morning and night, or even in the afternoon if things get really unbearable. Just don't go overboard and do it for more than 4 or 5 days straight, because that potassium permanganate stuff is pretty potent.
My routine is mostly just the Intima Roberts soap and cream, though I bring out the potassium permanganate when things hit a critical stage. My order of operations is pretty set: first, wash with the Intima Roberts soap, immediately follow that up with the soak, and finish off by applying the cream.
Anyway, those are just my amateur tips. If none of that works for you, find your own way to handle it and let us know what worked. Good luck!

Paul Lewis8 said:I went through with the procedure at Home Depot three days ago... Ask whatever you want to know.

Where did you have the surgery performed, and I suppose you might tell me if the recovery was painful?

I don't get why everyone is struggling and suffering so much. You've probably dealt with plenty of real pain in your lives, so a week or two of recovery isn't a big deal 🙂
I'm not a huge believer in pills, creams, or herbal stuff since none of that ever worked for me, so I just opted for surgery. It solved everything, and honestly, I've been living life without any issues for almost five months now 🙂
Just go get it fixed so you can move on 🙂 Don't drag your feet, because if you wait, the condition will only get worse, making the eventual procedure way more intense
Take care and good luck

Richard Miller15 said:I honestly don't get why everyone is making such a massive deal out of this. Why are you guys struggling and whining so much? I guarantee you’ve all dealt with way worse pain in your lives than this. A week, two weeks, maybe even three weeks to recover? Please. In the grand scheme of things, that's nothing. Get over it. 🙂
I’m honestly done with all that nonsense—pills, ointments, herbal supplements... none of it ever did a damn thing for me. I wasted so much time on stuff that promised the world and delivered zero results. So, I finally just pulled the trigger on surgery to get it over with, and honestly? Best decision I ever made. I’ve been living my life completely pain-free for almost five months now. It's a total game-changer. 🙂
Come on, just get it done already so we can move on! 🙂 Don't drag your feet on this, seriously. If you wait too long, the condition is just going to get worse, and then you're looking at much more intense procedures and even more invasive surgery. Get it handled now before it becomes a massive headache.
Hey, what's up? Good luck out there!

So, I finally pulled the trigger and scheduled surgery for my hemorrhoids. It looks like it’ll be in about two weeks, which honestly feels pretty quick if you ask me. I've been dealing with these external ones for years now, and I've hit that breaking point where nothing works anymore—not the creams, not the antibiotics, basically nothing. To make matters worse, I have this total mental block whenever I actually sit down in front of my doctor; I completely freeze up and forget to ask the most basic questions about what I should be doing next. 😵So, I'm trying to get the scoop on how this whole thing actually works. Like, what position is the patient even in during the surgery? And once it's all over, how long are we talking for the hospital stay—is it just a day, two days, or what? I also want to know about the recovery grind. How long did it take for you guys to actually feel like humans again? I mean, when could you realistically get back to your normal routine—handling work, using the bathroom without a struggle, all that stuff? Give it to me straight.

I had surgery for hemorrhoids back around 1998. They were external ones. It was a quick turnaround—one day I was in surgery, and the next I was already back home from the hospital. Everything seemed fine initially, but once I settled in at home, the pain set in. It was nonstop for about a week. Just constant, unrelenting pain, day and night. I ended up popping handfuls of painkillers—didn't really care which brand they were—just until I felt numb enough to finally drift off to sleep. The procedure was just a classic surgery; nothing fancy like lasers or any of those modern methods.

Hey Gregory White76, if you or a couple of other guys dealing with hemorrhoids are interested, I’m happy to send some over for free.
I've got this herbal ointment that’s been tested a thousand times over. It clears up hemorrhoids in about a week with zero side effects. I actually developed this myself—give it a shot and see for yourself.

Hey everyone. I’m on day three post-op, and honestly, trying to go to the bathroom is absolute torture. My stomach feels totally bloated and I’ve got gas going everywhere. Has anyone else dealt with this crazy intestinal bloating after surgery? I’m being super careful about what I eat just to try and keep things soft, but man, it’s a struggle. Every time I hit the restroom, it’s just pure agony.

Matthew Kelly36 said:Where did you have the surgery, and was the recovery process painful?

I had my procedure at the Mall of America. (To be honest, the facility and the staff there felt more like a roadside clinic than a professional medical center.)

The post-op period is incredibly painful. If you want actual, realistic information, look at American forums outside of our local circles. People claiming they were back at work after 3, 4, or even 7 days... I just don't buy it.

My recovery: For the first 3 weeks, I didn't leave the house (just the bed, the restroom, and the shower).
For the following 3 weeks, I dealt with pain specifically during and after bowel movements.

So, has nobody here actually had LHP surgery? I’m seeing zero mentions of LHP. People bring up lasers occasionally, but then they immediately start talking about staplers or stitches, which isn't the same thing at all. I've been digging through various sites, but I'm finding random info instead of actual personal experiences.

Paul Lewis8 said:And if you want real info, try checking forums outside the US. Some people here claim they were back at work after just 3 or 4 days—I'm not so sure about that!

Could you shoot me a DM with a link? I'd love to see if there are any actual laser surgery stories over there.

Sandra Lewis22 said:Hello. I am on my third day post-op, and trying to have a bowel movement is absolutely brutal. I've also noticed my stomach feels bloated and I'm dealing with gas. Has anyone else dealt with intestinal bloating after surgery? I'm being extremely careful with my diet to try and soften things up, but even then, going is a nightmare. Once I finally make it to the restroom, the pain is just exhausting.

I experienced that same bloating and the constant urge to empty myself after my procedure. It lasted about four or five days for me. After that, everything settled down perfectly. As for the pain, I was only dealing with that for less than two days.

It has been a month since my surgery now, and honestly, I’ve already forgotten all about it. By the tenth day, I felt like I was finally over the hump.

I have a follow-up appointment in ten days. I can only hope the doctor confirms that everything went according to plan.

Quick question about using the restroom. Do you guys actually use herbal teas to help things move along, or what? I’ve been trying this mountain tea, but I honestly can't nail the timing. If I drink it at night, by morning I’m already dealing with a total bottleneck, and then it’s a nightmare in the restroom because I can't fully empty my system. I end up having to drink more just because I'm terrified of getting backed up. I’m eating super light and drinking tons of water just to get it out, but it feels like every time I take one step forward, I end up taking two steps back. How are you all handling this business? P.S. Paul Campbell10, thanks for the reply! :

I'm wondering how long it actually takes for a lump like this to go away—pretty sure it's just a hemorrhoid near my rear. I've been struggling with it for about 10 days now... using ointments and taking pills, which helps a bit, I guess.

So, looks like I'm finally dealing with hemorrhoids—even though I've spent my entire life wondering what the hell those actually were, and now I guess I've got my answer in the absolute worst way possible. Basically, I've got this weird lump around my anus, sort of sac-like, looking like some kind of growth or polyp or whatever... so, I’m wondering, can I just fix this with some ointment, or am I stuck going in for a full exam? Honestly, I'd much rather go with the first option, because if I go in for a checkup, there's a chance they'll suggest a colonoscopy or something equally terrifying, and that is definitely NOT on my bucket list. So, is it actually possible to just rub some cream on the area and make this whole thing vanish?