Dealing with hemorrhoids – any advice?

Hi there.
I see everyone mentioning how expensive Pilex tablets can be.
I was wondering if these are actually the same ones you guys are talking about?
https://www.ebay.de/p/1519988198?iid=285000086062

edit: I actually finished a whole box of Venalex (it has the same ingredients as Daflon, the dosage is identical, just much cheaper) and
I think I notice a difference, but it’s not quite hitting the mark. Now I'm debating whether to stick with Venalex or just make the switch to Pilex or Daflon.

Karen Green94 said:😂😂😂😂🤣! I've been using compresses—just soak some gauze with Octenisept and tuck it right under my butt. It makes sitting at the office way more bearable now (using a cushion), so maybe give that a shot. Grab the big bottle of Octenisept at the pharmacy because the small one will be gone in three days... Honestly, nothing else I've tried helps with the itching.

I'm mixing Octenisept with Cicatridin spray. Right now, I'm dealing with constipation even though I'm trying so hard to stay hydrated. Every movement is such a struggle since everything feels swollen and less flexible at the moment. I think I'll try adding some Jamnicki and dried fruit to my diet...
There's just a tiny bit of blood when I go.

Does Faktu require a prescription from a doctor, and what’s the current price tag on that?…

Uh... So, about 11 years ago, I went under the knife for a DG HAL procedure to deal with second-degree hemorrhoids. Before that, I’d dealt with occasional flare-ups for years, but they always seemed to settle down on their own. But nope... they just kept growing and getting worse.
Then I ended up with a fissure too, and man, I went through absolute hell before things finally calmed down around mid-2012.
Up until the day before yesterday, I was actually living without hemorrhoids, even though I'd deal with hard stools every now and then. But honestly, after the trauma and PTSD from back in 2012, I’ve been hyper-vigilant about my diet and bathroom habits, trying to avoid anything that might trigger a flare-up—even though I was told that surgery would fix everything forever.
On top of that, right after the surgery, I developed this massive prostate inflammation that left me with permanent damage. Basically, I’ve got chronic prostatitis that flares up several times a year now.

But yeah, like I said, this inflammation just hit me again after 11 years, and mentally... it’s hitting me really hard. It feels like I paid a massive price (this prostatitis) for absolutely nothing—just ten measly years of peace. They promised me that method would be a permanent fix. Right now, I'm taking Daflon and using Faktu suppositories, but so far? Zero improvement.
The real issue is that everything is rushing back—all those negative emotions—and I have no clue how to handle it. I truly thought the hemorrhoid chapter of my life was closed. Nobody in my family deals with this stuff, so I feel like I'm totally alone in this.

I'm terrified that these flare-ups are going to happen more often, or that I won't be able to manage my digestion well enough to stop them... and that I'll eventually be forced back onto some version of surgery again.
And even if I get through this current inflammation, I'm worried I won't fully recover, even though everything should have been "reset" by now.
The only silver lining is that there was quite a bit of blood on the first day, but I've had four clear movements since then.

Basically, I have two questions: Has anything significant changed in treatment over the last decade or so? Are there newer, safer, or less painful surgical methods out there now? Is there anything better than Faktu, Daflon, or Pilex? Has medical science actually made progress in this area? Also, are there any suppositories that contain corticosteroids? It seems like they mostly come in creams, which is just impractical for me to use...

And second... how do you guys deal with this mentally? How do you stop hemorrhoids from becoming your entire personality and your main obsession? And how do you balance a desk job (sitting for 8-9 hours with basically one 30-minute break) with this whole mess?

Back in 2012, I had it easy—I was still a student, no kids, no family responsibilities. Now, because of my family and my kid, I can't just shut myself away and spiral, even though I'm feeling pretty depressed that this is all happening all over again...
How do you pull yourself out of this emotional hole?

Why on earth are you depressed over having hemorrhoids?
I just pop some Daflon whenever those issues flare up.

cosmicmoose2 said:So... about 11 hours ago I finally went through with that DG HAL procedure for second-degree hemorrhoids. I’ve been dealing with occasional flare-ups for years, but they always seemed to settle down on their own. They just kept getting worse over time, though... slowly creeping up on me.
I ended up dealing with an anal fissure too... went through the whole ringer before things finally calmed down around mid-2012...
The other day, I was actually free from hemorrhoids, even if my stools were still a bit hard sometimes. But since I’ve basically been processing that trauma from back in 2012, you know, the PTSD side of things, I’ve always stayed on top of my digestive health... just trying to avoid those old triggers, even though that surgery was supposed to be the permanent fix...
Ever since that surgery, I've been dealing with a nasty case of prostatitis that just won't quit... It's turned into chronic issues that flare up a few times a year...

So, like I said, the inflammation flared up again after 11 years... and honestly, the mental toll of this is just heavy. Feels like I paid such a massive price for nothing, all that struggle with prostatitis just to get a measly 10 grams of peace. I was promised this method would fix everything for good... Currently taking Daflon and using Faktu suppositories, but so far, nothing's really helping...
The thing is, everything is just hitting me all at once now... all those negative emotions are flooding back. I really thought I was finally past the whole hemorrhoid issue. No one in my family deals with this kind of stuff, so I feel like they just don't get it...

I'm a bit worried that the flare-ups might start happening more often... like I won't be able to get my digestion under control enough to stop them... which means I might end up needing one of those surgeries again...
Even if I manage to get everything back to baseline, this inflammation might still stick around for a while...
The only silver lining is that there was quite a bit of blood on the first day, but since then... nothing. Four days without a single movement...

So, I'm really looking at two main things here... Has anything major actually changed with treatment over the last decade or so? Are there newer surgical options out there that are more permanent, safer, or just less painful? Also, is there anything better than Faktu or using Daflon and Pilex? I'm wondering if the field has truly advanced... Oh, and one more thing—are there any steroid vaccines available? It seems like they only come in ointments, which just isn't practical for me...

And honestly, how are you guys all holding up mentally? Like, how do you stop hemorrhoids from becoming your entire personality... How do you even deal with a desk job where you're stuck sitting for 8 or 9 hours with just one little 30-minute break... it's tough...

Back in 2012, I had the luxury of still being in school... no kid, no family responsibilities. Now, between work and the little one, I can't exactly afford to just shut myself away, even though things are feeling pretty heavy lately because everything is starting to happen all over again...
How do you even begin to shake those feelings...

Yeah, it’s honestly traumatic. That constant pain... you can't sit, walk, stand, or even lie down properly...
Obsessed with every single bite, every bathroom trip... waking up every morning just dreading what the day is going to hold. I honestly can't even remember what it feels like to actually feel good, to stay focused or interested in things. So, I totally get you. Plenty of other people are going through this exact same struggle too, they're just way too embarrassed to talk about it. Some handle it better than others, I guess...
It’s been almost a month since my procedure to fix that grade two external hemorrhoid. Finally seeing some progress—no blood since yesterday, just a tiny bit when I go... but the pain is still there. I definitely need to get one of those donut pillows. Plus, my old tailbone injury flared up again, so sometimes it’s hard to tell which part is actually hurting me...
And yeah, all the other organs just go haywire too. My girlfriend is dealing with some vaginal issues, and I've got some irritation in my urethra from drinking way too much water to try and prevent constipation...
I just use Sudocr, and those ProktisM rings are honestly the only thing gentle enough for my irritated backside...
In the past, I’ve been able to calm things down with Hepan, so maybe give that a shot. My specialist recommended it, though you might need a prescription. I never leave the house without my Hepan handy.
Patience is really the biggest part of this whole thing...
Anyway, you aren't alone in this.

Can anyone give me a hand here?
I'm trying to figure out if there's any way to get the DG HAL RAR hemorrhoid surgery done without having to shell out a ton of cash.
From what I’ve gathered while scrolling through all these old posts—and man, there are a lot of them—it sounds like it might be an option at the Mayo Clinic. Does anyone know how you actually book an appointment there? Also, any specific doctors I should look into?

On another note, what's the deal with the classic surgery? My insurance provider already sent me over to a surgeon at the local county hospital for the standard procedure.

Susan Brooks48 said:Yeah, it’s absolutely traumatic. That constant pain... you can't sit, you can't walk, you can't stand, you can't even lie down...
You become obsessed with every single bite you take, every bathroom trip, every morning you wake up terrified of what’s coming next. Honestly, I don't even remember what it feels like to just feel *good*, to be able to focus or actually enjoy life. So, I totally get it. Other people are going through this exact same hell too, they’re just way too embarrassed to talk about it. Some people handle it better than others, obviously.
It’s been almost a month since I had a second-degree external hemorrhoid removed. Only since yesterday have there been no traces of blood—well, maybe just a tiny bit with my stool—but the pain is still there. I seriously need one of those actual donut pillows. Plus, I have this old tailbone injury that flared right back up, so sometimes it's hard to tell which part is actually hurting.
And yeah, the surrounding organs just go haywire. My girlfriend deals with vaginal issues because of it, and I’m having trouble with my urethra because I’m chugging so much water just to try and stop the constipation.
I use Sudocrem, and ProktisM wipes are honestly the only thing gentle enough for my irritated underside to handle.
In the past, I could calm a hemorrhoid down using Hepan, so maybe give that a shot. My proctologist recommended it, though you might need a prescription. I never went anywhere without Hepan before this mess started.
Patience is the biggest factor here, really.
Anyway, you aren't alone in this.

God, it’s awful. Today is my tenth day. I’m watching every single morsel I eat, taking Daflon, using wipes... and things were actually getting better. Then I had a bathroom trip that wasn't even that bad, and now everything has gone south again. It’s killing me mentally. I can't get this inflammation to go away and I'm at my wit's end. I avoid every single food that might cause issues, but despite all that effort, nothing is working.
I can't even describe the sheer anger and injustice of feeling this way.

Is anyone actually willing to share what they know about this surgery?

😵 🙂 🙏

Matthew Cook5 said:Can someone help me out here.
I'm trying to figure out if there’s any way to get the DG HAL RAR method done without paying out of pocket.
If I read all those old threads correctly, it's supposed to be an option at the Mayo Clinic. How does one even go about booking an appointment there? And does anyone have a specific doctor they’d vouch for?

What’s the deal with the classic surgery, though? My insurance provider basically told me to just go see a surgeon at the local county hospital for the standard procedure.

What kind of ointment is this exactly? I'm actually pretty interested.

Jack Harris48 said:Looking to ditch hemorrhoids in just a week using an all-natural ointment made from my own secret recipe? Hit me up—I’ll send some out for free to a few people who are interested.
It's worked for tons of people, and they haven't had a single issue in over a year. No side effects either,
since everything in it is 100% natural, zero chemicals involved. It'll be a real win if this works for you (and honestly, I'm pretty sure it will).

cosmicmoose2 said:It’s just awful. I’m on day ten now. I’m watching every single bite I take, taking my Daflon and my supplements—and honestly, things were actually looking up before. I even had a bathroom trip that wasn't a total disaster, but now? Everything has taken a turn for the worse again. Mentally, this is just crushing me; I can't seem to shake this inflammation and I'm at my wits' end. I am avoiding absolutely every food that messes with my digestion, but despite all that effort, nothing is changing.
I can't even put into words this sense of fury and injustice I feel about dealing with this.

Honestly, I think you might be overthinking the bloating a bit—if it's bothering you that much, just go back under the knife. Bite the bullet, get the surgery done, and be finished with it. Personally, I'm fully aware that a second procedure is a real possibility; life is long, and if this ends up being my biggest hurdle, then so be it! There are way worse things to deal with out there.
Based on the advice my doctor gave me, you just have to keep a constant eye on things—meaning regular checkups, and if any swelling pops up while it's still at stage one or two, you look into ligation. You watch what you eat, and that's basically all you can control. I spend most of my day sitting because of my job, but I make sure to get up and stretch every once in a while; I know I can't just sit there for hours on end because that's bad news for a dozen different reasons. Anyway, if you do decide to go through with surgery, you'll be smarter about it this time—you know exactly what to expect, and realistically, people face much heavier burdens than this. Don't go hating on the doctors.

Matthew Cook5 said:Is nobody willing to share what they know about the surgery?

😵 🙂 🙏

What counts as a "classic" surgery? In my case, they just cut the external part out and let the wound close on its own... but it takes forever, and it just reopens the moment I have a hard stool. It’s been a month and a half since the procedure, and things are still stinging because I had a rough movement a few days ago that got stuck. More bleeding, too. You really need a ton of patience for this. Definitely apply Bepanthen to keep everything elastic, otherwise, it all goes south again...

Does anyone have firsthand experience from the last year or two regarding DG HAL and RAR surgery at Arither? From what I’ve gathered, the Butterfly Clinic uses general anesthesia, whereas Arither claims "local" (not sure if they mean spinal or just enhanced local). Feel free to DM me. Thanks.

Karen Green94 said:I think you're overthinking this way too much. If it's bothering you that badly, just go back under the knife, handle it like a man, and be done with it. Personally, I know there’s a chance I might need surgery again—but hey, life is long, and if that ends up being my biggest struggle, then screw it! There are way worse things to deal with out there!
Based on what my doctor told me, you just have to stay on top of it. Constant checkups, regular exams... if you notice swelling while it's still at stage one or two, get it ligated immediately. Watch your diet, and honestly, that’s about all you can do. My job keeps me sitting all day, but I try to get up and stretch here and there because staying glued to a chair for hours is terrible for basically everything else. Anyway, if you decide to go through with the surgery, at least you'll be smarter about it next time since you know what to expect. Realistically, people have much bigger problems than this. Stop hating on the procedures.

Look, I’m pretty sure my past experience gave me actual PTSD. It’s not like I can just flip a switch and suddenly have a "positive perspective" on it. DG HAL probably wouldn't go through it again either, because from what I've seen, it gets repeated quite often, even though doctors market it like it's a permanent fix.
I just saw that there's also some kind of laser hemorrhoidoplasty. But I have no clue if it's actually a long-term solution (and it's pricey) and I haven't really seen any head-to-head comparisons between that and DG HAL. Laser is definitely better than classic surgery like the Morgan Milligan method, but I'm more interested in how these newer methods stack up against each other...

Anyone here actually have experience with laser hemorrhoidoplasty?

I mean, just soak your backside in COLD water... definitely stay away from anything warm... maybe try doing that every single day right after "Big N"
and those hemorrhoids might actually disappear.
Trust me on this one!

P.S. — besides Daflon and Pilex, I was reading that rutin (another flavonoid) can actually help with vascular health too.
Has anyone here tried swapping out Daflon for it, or maybe taking it alongside? What’s the verdict... any real results?

Terry Ross3 said:Just stick your butt in COLD water... never hot... do it every single day right after a "big n"
hemorrhoids just vanish.
I know it works!

That’s just one out of a hundred ways to handle it.
Look, there are a hundred different ways to get hemorrhoids, so there are obviously a hundred ways to fix them too.
I’m just following this thread because everyone’s got their own thing—one person says this, someone else says that, and everyone finds something different that actually helps.
Hemorrhoids are a total mess caused by a million different combinations. Honestly, medicine isn't even the main fix; it's more about actually knowing how your own damn body works.

Matthew Cook5 said:Can someone help me out?
I want to know if there's any way to get DG HAL RAR hemorrhoid surgery done without paying out of pocket.
If I read the previous posts correctly, this can be done at the Mayo Clinic. How do I schedule an appointment there? Does anyone have a doctor they recommend?

What are your experiences with traditional surgery? My insurance referred me to a surgeon for standard surgery at a local county hospital.

I went to Mayo Clinic for an exam.
I'm from SD.
Grade 3-4.
In the end, I didn't go through with it even after the anesthesia screening... 🤦🏼‍♀️
I'm using Hemosens cream and pills.
It's okay. They still flare up, but much less often than before.
They are external.
And I realized mine react to stress rather than food.
But I'll eventually have to get the surgery done anyway.
My insurance gave me the referral.

So, does that mean surgery at Mercury is totally free?
If there’s a bill, what are we talking about? How much?
What kind of surgical method do they actually use over at Mercury?
Anyone got the scoop on how to book a consultation at Mercury? I’m not from around the Zg area.
Any bit of info helps, seriously.
I need to get this surgery done, and if I'm going through the trouble, I want it to be a permanent fix, you know?

😉

jadejackal11 said:Mercury—just had my checkup there.
I'm coming all the way from Zd.
Dealing with grade 3 or 4 stuff.
In the end, I didn't even go through with it, even though I already finished the anesthesia screening 🤷‍♀️
I've been using Hemosens cream and pills.
It’s alright; things still flare up, but definitely way less often than they used to.
The issues are external.
And I realized my body reacts more to stress than to whatever I eat.
But yeah, I'll eventually have to bite the bullet and do the surgery.
My doctor gave me the referral.

So, I see people talking about paying extra or not for hemorrhoid surgery at one of our local hospitals? Isn't it pretty clear—if your primary doctor refers you to an abdominal surgeon and they recommend surgery, then if you have insurance and pay your premiums, you shouldn't be facing additional costs for the procedure? What kind of "extra payment" are we even discussing if you're going to a public hospital?