Dealing with hemorrhoids – any advice?

I find myself feeling somewhat ambivalent about the current situation. It’s one of those moments where I’m caught between two different perspectives, unable to fully commit to either side. I’ve been sitting here reflecting on it for a while, trying to weigh the pros and cons, but the more I think, the more the lines seem to blur. It isn't an easy place to be—that sense of being stuck in the middle—but I suppose it's a natural reaction when things aren't clearly black or white. vividsailor7 says:
What are your thoughts on this? I am truly at a loss for words. This is just completely ridiculous.
I’ve been using Hemophar alongside some homemade comfrey salve lately, and I have to say, I’m feeling much better. It seems to me that comfrey works as a really solid alternative to calendula ointment; honestly, it’s such a reliable remedy for almost any kind of skin irritation or wound.

Which aloe-based cream have you used, and where can I actually pick one up around here?🙂

I have a question. I underwent a lateral sphincterotomy procedure today—I went in for some anal dilation, basically received local anesthesia, and they performed the procedure on me... now, what I’m wondering is whether there are multiple ways to perform a lateral sphincterotomy, or if there is really just one specific method? Because since they make an incision, and even though I was under local anesthesia, I didn't actually feel like they were cutting me! All I felt was something being pushed into my anus!

Carl Wilson10 said:I have a question regarding my procedure today—it was labeled as a Lateral Sphincterotomy. I went in for anal dilation, received local anesthesia, and they performed some sort of intervention... but now I'm wondering, are there various methods for performing a Lateral Sphincterotomy, or is there strictly just one way to do it? Since they essentially make an incision, and while I know I was under local anesthesia, I didn't actually feel any cutting! All I really felt was something being inserted into the anus!

In that case, it sounds like you only underwent the anal dilation... where did you have the procedure done, and how are you feeling now? I'm scheduled for mine soon, and I suspect I'll likely start with the lateral one too.

And tell me, did you actually feel any pain during the process?

Has anyone here actually gone through the HAL RAR procedure over at Mercury Hospital in the States?
I'm curious, how long does the recovery really take after such a modern surgery?

At the Lastrić clinic, the local anesthesia actually hurts—mostly because it’s such a sensitive area and they have to inject all around the site. Once the Niš procedure is over, though, you don't feel a thing. As for the day after, I didn't go back to the WCU, but so far it's just a stinging sensation, and you really have to be careful about how you sit. 😁

Casey Rogers47 said:Has anyone here actually gone through the HAL RAR procedure at the Mercury hospital in the city?
I'm wondering how long the recovery period typically lasts after such a modern surgery.

When it comes to the actual procedure itself, you've got access to a huge wealth of fresh information right here, so I’d really suggest giving yourself enough time to sit down and read through at least the last ten pages; that way, you can truly grasp the reality of the situation.
The surgery isn't overly intense, and the recovery usually takes about 10 days—though honestly, I’d say it could be even faster than that, but that's just my rough estimate.

I've had a few procedures to remove colon polyps in the past. Now I'm dealing with issues again, but this time my doctor isn't quite sure if it's a new polyp or just a thrombosed hemorrhoid. For now, we're just leaving it as is. Does anyone know how to tell the difference?

Well, here I am, joining the club... 🙂

From Sept 14th to Sept 22nd, I was dealing with watery stools (diarrhea) once a day, usually in the morning...

I didn't think much of it at first because my digestion has always been weird. Then on Sept 22nd, things finally leveled out and everything seemed normal. Went out... grabbed some drinks with the guys...

(Friday) Sept 23rd, I wake up and start scratching my ass because... well... things aren't looking too great back there. =/

And that's how I find out I've got a hemorrhoid... 🙂... honestly, I wasn't even breaking out in a cold sweat, I was almost in tears from the sheer misery of realizing it hurts, it itches, and one whole side of my poor little butt is swollen shut.

First time dealing with this kind of mess... truth be told, I don't even have the guts to actually look at it, but based on the pictures I've seen online and what I can feel, it's definitely it (hemorrhoids). By feel, it seems like about 3/4 of one side of my anus is swollen, and there's one specific spot that hurts more than all the rest.

I can't deal with this for the rest of my life, and I definitely can't afford to cut back on physical activity for a month or two (however long it takes for the swelling to go down... or for the hemorrhoid to recede, whatever happens).

Given that my lifestyle hasn't exactly been "proper" (lots of messing around and drinking on the weekends), I'm pretty sure that played a part.

What I really want to know is: can this go away for good so it doesn't come back? That's my main concern. Can I still hang out with the crew on weekends? (Just asking... I'm a real party animal, obviously). Is just applying calendula oil and chamomile ointment enough? Should I be applying it inside too, or just on the surface?

I'm 24 and I've never had any issues with hemorrhoids before (if I ever had internal ones, who knows).

So, I've got grade 1 internal ones.
Basically, they don't cause massive issues or any bleeding, but I deal with inflammation a few times a year—and when that happens, it hurts and usually gets pretty itchy.
When things flare up, my anal muscles tighten so much that having a bowel movement becomes a struggle; the stool ends up being narrow, and that lasts for a couple of days before everything goes back to normal.
I'm young, so I still enjoy the occasional BBQ and a beer, but I'm starting to see that lifestyle definitely doesn't sit well with me.
I've seen a proctologist a few times, and his advice was basically to regulate my diet so stools stay soft, move more, watch what I drink, and just live under a glass bell jar while applying Fact ointments whenever needed.

I see a lot of people mentioning dilation—in what kind of situations is that actually done?

Is anyone else dealing with stool issues similar to mine?

Raymond Long23 said:Well, here I am, joining the ranks of the miserable among you. 🙂

From September 14th to September 22nd, 2011, I dealt with watery stools (diarrhea) once a day, every single day (usually in the morning)...

I didn't think it was anything serious since my digestion has always been a bit weird. On September 22nd, things finally seemed to normalize. My bathroom habits improved, everything felt fine. So, I went out... grabbed some drinks with the guys,

Then came Saturday, September 23rd. I woke up and started itching... because, uh... let's just say things down south weren't exactly feeling right. =/

That's when I realized I have a hemorrhoid on my anus... 🙂... Honestly, it wasn't even a cold sweat; I almost burst into tears from the sheer misery once I realized it actually hurts, it itches, and one whole side of my poor, innocent backside is completely swollen.

This is my first time dealing with anything like this. To be perfectly honest, I don't even have the guts to look at it. But based on the photos I've looked up online and what I can feel, I'm pretty sure that's it (a hemorrhoid). From the sensation, it feels like about three-quarters of one side of my anus is swollen, and there's one specific spot that hurts more than all the rest.

I can't live like this for the rest of my life, nor can I afford to cut back on physical activity for a month or two—however long it takes for the swelling to go down or for the hemorrhoid to recede (whatever the process is called).

Looking back, I realize my lifestyle hasn't exactly been "proper" (lots of messing around and drinking heavily on the weekends), so I'm certain that played a role.

What I really need to know is: can this go away for good so it doesn't come back? (That's my main concern). Can I still hang out and grab drinks with my crew on the weekends? (Just so you know... I'm a pretty decent guy). Is applying dandelion oil and calendula ointment enough? And should I apply it internally as well, or just on the surface?

For context, I'm 24 years old and I've never had any issues with hemorrhoids before (if I had internal ones, who knows).

You need to see a proctologist.
"Can this go away for good so it doesn't come back?" It can, but there's no guarantee.
"Should I apply it internally or just on the surface?" Use either calendula ointment or Hemophar, both internally and on the surface.

Alright, I’ve been scrolling through a ton of posts here and seeing the sheer variety of issues people deal with. I decided to lay out my own situation—maybe someone else has dealt with something similar.
For instance, I've been dealing with hemorrhoids for ages—honestly, since the war, if I recall correctly. At first, I tried every ointment and remedy I could get my hands on, but nothing worked. If anything, things just kept getting worse. I’ve dealt with heavy bleeding and unbearable pain—basically everything this condition throws at you.
Then about four years ago, after one particular bowel movement, I just couldn't stop the bleeding. Ended up in the ER and stayed in the hospital for three days. It wasn't until the second day that the bleeding finally stopped (I went through an insane amount of Always pads), and that’s when they told me I needed urgent surgery because I had internal and external hemorrhoids, grade 3 or 4. To make matters worse, I couldn't even use Faktu cream because it just triggered more bleeding.
So, I went through with the surgery. The doctor mentioned it was a tough one🤷—I didn't really grasp what he meant by that, and honestly, I didn't have the guts to ask.
Anyway, they told me they fixed everything except for one small external one that would supposedly just rot away or something. (And whatever, I didn't even realize how bad the internal ones were; whenever they flared up, the pain centered right on that "small" spot they left behind).
Regardless, I was relieved. I thought the nightmare was over, despite enduring that week-long postoperative recovery—anyone who's been through it knows how brutal it is.
Fast forward a few months🙂
That thing they said would just disappear? It's causing problems again. After using the bathroom, I can feel it—it's about the size of a thumb. And the heavy bleeding is back, along with constant pain. If I don't lie down for thirty minutes to an hour after a BM, there's no way I'm surviving the day without something for the pain. If I drink for a couple of days, I'm living on Voltaren and stuff...
So now, I'm facing the whole cycle all over again: the prep before surgery (which was easily the worst part of the whole ordeal), the procedure itself, then the massive headache of postoperative recovery, and so on...
I'm dreading the whole thing because I know exactly how much it sucks. Plus, I'm stuck wondering—what if this time doesn't fix everything either?
Now that I've laid it all out, I'm not even sure if I'm looking for advice or if I'm just venting here.
Sorry for the long post, but I couldn't really condense my situation any further.

Brandon Palmer2, please don't fall back into the trap of opting for that old-school surgery, because it’s just a temporary fix and leaves you stuck in recovery for ages; instead, you should really look into the DG NASA procedure. There have been so many insightful discussions popping up about it lately, so I'd highly recommend diving into the threads... 😉

vividsailor7 said:You really ought to check in with a proctologist.
I'm wondering if this can just go away for good so it doesn't come back (that's my main concern here).It can, though there's no guarantee.
Should I apply it inside as well, or just on the surface? Use Neven's ointment or Hemophar both internally and externally.

At the end of the day, you just need to figure out what stage we're looking at. These are all early-stage struggles and nothing is cause for panic right now, but if you're a doctor, you certainly know more about this than I ever will. It could be several years before things actually get worse or escalate. In fact, once the situation becomes unbearable, people usually end up begging to just have the surgery. Like you mentioned, the key is finding a solid surgeon to finally put this nuisance behind you once and for all...🙂

Brandon Palmer2 said:So, I’ve been reading through a lot of posts here and seeing all kinds of struggles people face, so I decided to lay out my own situation. Maybe someone else has gone through something similar.
For me, I've been dealing with hemorrhoids for a long time—honestly, since the war, I think. At first, I tried every ointment and remedy I could get my hands on, but nothing helped. If anything, things just kept getting worse. There was heavy bleeding and unbearable pain; basically everything this condition throws at you.
Then about four years ago, after one particular bowel movement, I just couldn't stop the bleeding. I ended up in the ER and stayed in the hospital for three days. It wasn't until the second day that the bleeding finally stopped (after going through God knows how many Always pads), and that's when they told me I needed urgent surgery because I had grade 3 and 4 internal and external hemorrhoids. To make matters worse, I couldn't even use Faktu cream because it would trigger fresh bleeding.
So, I went through with the surgery. The doctor mentioned it was a tough one🤷, though I didn't really grasp what he meant and wasn't exactly brave enough to ask.
Basically, they told me they fixed everything except for one small external one that would eventually just rot away or something (and honestly, since I didn't even know about the internal ones, whenever I felt pain or inflammation, it was right in that spot where they left that "little" thing).
Still, I was happy. I thought the nightmare was over, despite enduring that week-long postoperative recovery—anyone who's been through it knows exactly how brutal that is.
And then, a few months later, 🙂
That little thing they said would just recede and disappear is causing problems again (I can feel it after a bowel movement, and it feels as large as a thumb). And the heavy bleeding is back, the pain is constant, and if I don't lie down for half an hour to an hour after using the bathroom, there's no way I can survive the day without some kind of painkiller. If I drink for a couple of days, I'm living on Voltaren and stuff...
So now, I'm facing the whole cycle again: the prep before surgery (which was the absolute worst part of the whole ordeal for me), the procedure itself, and then the massive headache of post-op recovery.
Now I'm terrified of the whole thing because I know exactly how bad it gets. Plus, I'm stuck wondering—what if it doesn't fix everything this time either?
Writing all this out, I honestly don't know if I'm looking for advice or if I'm just venting.
Sorry for the long post, but I couldn't find a shorter way to explain what I'm going through.

Just look through my posts from March onwards. I’ve detailed everything there, and I think it might help others too. Go see a doctor immediately; you're only making the situation more complicated by waiting. Don't be afraid. Honestly, after everything I've been through, I'm not scared of much anymore. Avoiding a standard procedure is a bad move. I've shared plenty of advice based exactly on what my doctor and his team told me—everything from the specifics to my life during the recovery period. If you were in my city (Boston), I’d recommend you go to the specialist who saved both me and many others. Don't fear it; you have to get it operated on. What you're going through is terrible. Once the surgery is done properly, life starts over. And I mean a real, high-quality life... Good luck...😉

Big thanks to Michael Diaz4 and Karen Thompson10 for pointing me in the right direction. I'm diving into this entire thread now—once I've processed all the info here, I'll probably make a call on fixing this problem pretty quickly.

I'd love to get some perspective on something... There are plenty of people here who have been dealing with this for years, so you likely know much more than I do.
About three months ago, I noticed blood after a bowel movement for the first time—not light red, but a deep, bright red—and it only happened once or twice back then.
Since that initial incident, everything seemed fine. But lately, during my last two or three trips to the bathroom (I usually go right before bed), I've noticed the bleeding again... and what’s really bothering me is when I wake up in the morning and head to the restroom—I see blood from the anal area on the toilet paper. 😕
It doesn't keep bleeding throughout the day, though; it just seems to happen in the morning right after I wake up—again, that same bright red color.

Has anyone else dealt with something similar? Is this just hemorrhoids, or could it be something else? 😕

How can we really know? It’s most likely just hemorrhoids, but you should definitely go see a doctor just to be safe. If there's even a little bit of pain involved, then it's probably hemorrhoids...

swiftbear said:Please, I need your input on this! There are so many people here who have been dealing with this stuff for years, so I'm sure you all know way more than I do...
About three months ago, I noticed blood after a bowel movement for the first time—not just a light tint, but bright red blood—and it only happened once or twice back then.
Since then, things had actually been fine. But lately, during my last two or three trips to the bathroom (I usually go right before bed), I’ve seen blood again. And what’s really bothering me is when I wake up in the morning and go to pee, I notice blood from the anal area on the toilet paper. 😕
It doesn't keep bleeding throughout the day, though; it's just that little bit of bright red blood I see in the morning after waking up.

Has anyone else gone through this? Is this just hemorrhoids, or could it be something else? 😕

You need to talk to a doctor. It might be hemorrhoids, but it could also be something like an anal fissure after a bowel movement or something similar.

What should someone do if a small hole opens up on an external hemorrhoid and it just keeps bleeding quite heavily?