Dealing with hemorrhoids – any advice?

Hey everyone, I’ve been dealing with hemorrhoids for about 15 years now. About a year and a half ago, I had a colonoscopy, and everything came back clean except for some stage 4 internal and external hemorrhoids.
So here’s the deal: a little spotting was expected, but for the last two days, things have gone south—I'm talking heavy bleeding every time I hit the bathroom. I started taking Detralex yesterday, but honestly, the paranoia is hitting hard. Like, okay, maybe it’s just the hemorrhoids, but what if it’s something else? Can things actually go sideways a full year after a totally clear colonoscopy, or god forbid, could it be coming from somewhere else in my GI tract? The blood itself is bright red and totally clear.

Betty Thomas78 said:Guys, seriously, I’ve already vented about this mess before... But about two months ago, my life basically turned into a nightmare. Pain during bowel movements, bleeding... I haven't had a moment of peace since. It’s like a roller coaster—one week everything feels fine, the next week it’s pure misery. When the pain stops, the bleeding stops too. But once the pain kicks in, it’s like a damn faucet every single time I go. And look, I know I can be a total hypochondriac, so my brain immediately jumped to "Oh god, it’s cancer." Usually, things settle down after a few days, but this past week has been a complete disaster. Up until now, nothing looked swollen on the outside, but today? Total horror show. Everything is inflamed, swollen, and hurting—nothing like I've ever dealt with. I was just sitting at home crying because the pain was so intense that I actually ended up in the ER. The doctor checked me out, gave me some painkillers and some Detralex, and told me if this doesn't chill out, I need to head back to the hospital at the Mayo Clinic
In my 30 years, I have never experienced anything like this. If anyone has any advice, please, let me hear it. Like, what should I absolutely avoid eating? How long does this usually take to clear up? Please, someone, give me some comfort here. 🙂

Man, let me tell you about my run-in with this nightmare. A good while back, I went a bit overboard combining way too much BBQ jerky with a heavy amount of red wine—classic mistake—and ended up with stools so rock-hard they caused insane straining and popped several hemorrhoids. To make matters worse, a day or two later, I was out doing some concrete work around the house—it was summer, so I was just in shorts—and I didn't realize that all that fine cement dust was going to stick to my already irritated, swollen area. That night and the next day were absolute hell. It created this weird combo of inflammation and infection that even the doctor (we were at the Mayo Clinic too) was baffled by. He basically said there was no choice but to see a specialist because I could barely walk—it felt like I was constantly walking around with stinging nettles shoved in my underwear. They gave me some cream and told me to do warm chamomile soaks several times a day—honestly, the details are a blur. Anyway, once the infection cleared up, I started a routine where *every single time* I finish up on the toilet, I rinse the area with lukewarm water using a super mild liquid soap (the gentle kind meant for sensitive skin). Since then, I can confidently say I haven't had a single issue. Of course, you really should eat stuff that keeps things moving rather than slowing them down (everyone's body is different), but I’ve noticed I tend to go hard on spicy, heavily seasoned food, and this method has passed every test so far—the problem is officially gone!

Here’s my reality: four years of pure misery following childbirth. Between the baby, work, and juggling everything else, I’ve been dealing with hemorrhoids and bleeding that just wouldn't quit. It felt like an endless cycle where you just have to suffer through it until something breaks. Eventually, things escalated to Grade 3, and the pain became absolutely unbearable. My doctor recommended a surgical ligation, and in a moment of sheer stupidity, I agreed because I thought, "How bad could it actually be?" Alaaaa, if only I had known. Now, since Wednesday, I’ve been going through hell. While things feel relatively okay—just some discomfort and mild aching after the procedure—the second I have to use the restroom, it feels like I'm dying. I honestly don't know how much longer I can endure this. 😓

Hey, I'm 32. Looking for some insight if anyone here deals with something similar. Basically, out of nowhere, I get this sharp pain in my anus—it feels just like that cramping you get when a kid is constipated and their backside starts aching. It lasts for a few minutes and then just vanishes. During the episode, I head to the restroom, pass something tiny, and once it's over, the pain stops immediately. This only happens rarely, maybe once or twice a year. I actually saw a specialist who did a digital rectal exam, but he didn't find anything unusual. Could this be symptoms of internal hemorrhoids? Also, can a finger exam actually detect anal cancer or whatever else a physical exam is supposed to catch?

Hi there!

Has anyone here ever undergone laser hemorrhoidoplasty (LHP)? I've been dealing with a third-degree hemorrhoid for over a decade now, and it’s become pretty clear that I need some kind of intervention, even if it's just a temporary fix... I’m mostly curious about the success rates and what the recovery process is actually like, specifically regarding the pain levels...

Greetings,
I underwent a colonoscopy yesterday.
For roughly a year now, I have been plagued by persistent bloating, gas, and constant rumbling in my stomach.
During the procedure, they discovered a polyp, which was removed immediately. They also confirmed the presence of one second-degree hemorrhoid and two first-degree ones—all internal. While the doctor took the time to explain the removal of the polyp, he said absolutely nothing regarding the hemorrhoids, merely noting their existence. Perhaps I was still too groggy from the anesthesia during our consultation to think to ask how one treats them? Or does he simply assume no action is required? I find myself thinking some intervention is necessary, given that my rectal area feels irritated after almost every bowel movement, feeling as though there are three or four small, soft, sensitive cushions present that only subside after several hours.
Could anyone offer some advice or recommendations?
I have little faith that my primary care physician will provide any meaningful insight; when I finally decided to visit him, he seemed entirely uninterested in listening to my concerns, opting instead to simply scribble out referrals for a urologist and a gastroenterologist.

Hey everyone, I was wondering if anyone here has gone through hemorrhoid surgery over at St. Jude’s recently? If you have, please reach out—I'd love to hear what the actual experience was like before I jump in headfirst.

Hey everyone... so for the last two or three weeks, I've been seeing some bright red blood when I go to the bathroom. I'm also getting pretty bad cramps right before it happens, though it isn't diarrhea or anything. Could this be internal hemorrhoids? It doesn't feel like external ones, and I don't have any other weird symptoms going on. I’m honestly lost on which specialist I should actually book an appointment with. Should I see a proctologist or just a gastroenterologist?
Has anyone else dealt with something similar?

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Does anyone experience any actual pain or stinging when applying the cream or using the suppositories?

What does it actually mean when a report mentions orderly internal hemorrhoids...?

My proctologist (Dr. Ivanović over at Mayo Clinic) told me everything looks fine—just that I have a minor fissure (which, honestly, has been lingering for six months now)—but now I’m reading this part about hemorrhoids on my results that he didn't even bring up. Why the confusion?

So, they aren't swollen or bleeding either.

dustyowl29 said:So they aren't enlarged or bleeding, then.

Thanks for the reply. I didn't realize we all essentially deal with internal hemorrhoids—it just depends on whether they're behaving or not—but I read up on that later.

By the way, I received a recommendation for Dr. Ivanović here; while he is pleasant enough, his examination was quite rough—so much so that he aggravated the fissures I've been treating for weeks, leaving me in pain for days now. He also rushed through the appointment just to chat with another doctor in the room. I definitely wouldn't go back to him.

If anyone has a recommendation for a high-quality proctologist, please let me know. So far, I've seen Dr. Kekez, Dr. Ivanović, and Dr. Ratancic—but none of them actually resolved my issue or gave me their full attention. I don't mind paying for quality service.

Diet, staying active, sitting less... though let's be real, most of us can't even do that because of work... if you fix those, the problem pretty much solves itself

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By Friday, this nagging discomfort starts creeping in during my shift at work, and by evening, the pain hits hard enough that I’m literally reaching back to deal with a hemorrhoid that doesn't even hurt much to the touch; I manage to push it back in, but within seconds, it pops right back out. After a sleepless night spent messing with suppositories and grabbing some medicated ointment from a 24-hour CVS, I somehow limp my way through the weekend and into Monday. Tuesday arrives, and for a moment, there's a glimmer of hope—just a mild irritation in the morning, no need for a suppository, and by the afternoon, the pain has vanished and the swelling seems to have subsided entirely. I was actually starting to feel optimistic. Then, late Tuesday evening, I go to the restroom and—good grief—there's a significant amount of blood. For the first time in my life, I am staring at blood in the toilet bowl. Even after finishing, I felt okay since I could walk and sit without major issues, but then, damn it all, right around 11 PM when I should have been falling asleep to be ready for work, the agony returns, sharper than ever. Unlike the previous days where the pain ebbed and flowed depending on how I moved, tonight is nothing but pure, unrelenting torment that drives a man to the brink of madness.

The reason I am venting here is that I have a summer vacation to Florida booked for June 4th, and I can't exactly cancel it without losing my deposit. I am willing to try absolutely anything just to ensure I am healed by the time that week rolls around.

By the looks of everyone's comments, it seems I've reached stage four and an operation is inevitable. Is there any chance this will magically retreat on its own, given that yesterday it truly felt like it was receding?

And honestly, for years I dealt with this itching that I dismissed as something trivial, especially since a bit of basic hand lotion always seemed to soothe it enough to keep me going. Looking back now, I realize there were many times after a bowel movement where I felt "something" protruding, but it would instantly slip back in without any pain. How could I have possibly known what was actually happening?

Hey everyone—just wanted to jump in here and share my own little success story. I finally, *finally* sorted out that whole anal issue I’ve been dealing with for what feels like forever—at least five years, if I’m being honest. I went through the whole ringer with doctors prescribing all sorts of fancy hemorrhoid creams and specialized ointments for cracked skin, but nothing seemed to touch it. It was honestly miserable; I couldn't even take care of business normally because the stinging was just so intense. So, I figured, why not try something totally basic? I grabbed some standard Zinc cream meant for diaper rash since I'd heard it works wonders for skin irritation, and I thought, "Eh, let's give it a shot." Well, after applying it for just a few days, the problems are completely gone. I'm seriously over the moon! My only real frustration is that none of those specialists ever thought to suggest something so simple during all those years of appointments—it's actually kind of infuriating when you think about it. Anyway, that's my experience. Just feeling incredibly relieved to finally get back to living life normally. Catch ya later!

Lisa Kim5 said:Hey everyone—just wanted to jump in and share my own experience. I finally sorted out that whole anal issue after dealing with it for what feels like forever... probably at least five years. I went through all sorts of specialized hemorrhoid creams and skin fissure treatments—you name it—but nothing really worked. It was honestly miserable; just trying to use the bathroom was pure agony because of the stinging. So, I decided to try something totally different—just a basic zinc cream you’d usually use for a diaper rash, since I heard it works wonders for irritation. Well, after applying it for just a few days, the problems are completely gone. I'm seriously relieved! My only frustration is that none of those specialists ever thought to suggest such a simple fix during all those years of appointments... it's pretty annoying, actually. Anyway, that's my story. Just happy to finally get back to living life normally. Cheers!

Did the hemorrhoids disappear completely?
Are they totally gone now?
Which specific cream did you end up buying?

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Hi everyone, has anyone here used Prokten 1000 mg before? I'm trying to figure out the maximum duration for use. The instructions suggest just a week—specifically, taking one tablet three times a day for four days, then dropping to twice a day for the remaining three. However, my specialist prescribed a month-long regimen involving dietary adjustments alongside these Prokten 1000 mg tablets, followed by a fecal occult blood test. The confusion is whether that month-long timeframe applies to the diet alone or if I should be taking the Prokten 1000 mg for the full thirty days as well. Neither I nor my primary care physician are entirely sure.

For external hemorrhoids during pregnancy, I’ve found that using pine water compresses works wonders. I usually apply two throughout the day, and honestly, it might just save someone else some misery if they give it a shot.

What’s everyone’s experience been with Faktu ointment?

Using it for hemorrhoids is fine.
About ten years ago, I dealt with a massive external one—it got hard and hurt like hell. Back then, my specialist put me on Daflon.
I just picked up a 60-count bottle of Daflon 500; for the first three days, I take 3 twice a day, then I scale back to 2 twice a day until the bottle is empty.
The second I feel a tiny hemorrhoid popping up, I run through a round of those and it stays gone for about six months.

The real problem is people waiting way too long to see a specialist. Honestly, just check yourself once a month while you're showering—use a finger to see if everything feels smooth or if there's some kind of lump. If there is, go straight to a specialist.