Dealing with hemorrhoids – any advice?

Thanks for getting back to me. 😢

I see some diet advice here that just isn't going to work for me, since it looks like the main goal is just to soften things up,🤷 but I deal with IBS and tend to have diarrhea, so that's not really an option. My stool isn't hard or anything.😁
So what should I be doing? Other than just using creams?

A few years back, I noticed tiny spots of blood on the paper, but then it went away on its own. Well, I saw it again today.😢
Nothing hurts, though it was a little itchy some days.

Michael Diaz4 said:Well, I think you’re mistaken there—you really ought to go see a doctor. It isn't exactly right for us to be tossing out medical advice on a forum like we’re all some kind of specialists. A physician is the authority on these matters, though if things are feeling unclear, I suppose I can offer some practical perspective based on my own rather extensive struggles with this particular nuisance. I’ll admit, I was once foolish enough to believe it would just resolve itself through conservative measures, like playing around with various creams and ointments. Those might offer some relief during the early stages, I guess, but by Stage 4? Not a chance. So, please, make sure you get a professional to take a look at it. If you want a real saga, feel free to dig through my old posts along with others who actually managed to beat this thing. In the end, we all made it through, but seriously, go see a doctor...

Plex is absolute garbage, a total scam, and quite possibly the worst kind of fraud out there because it doesn't help one bit. I went through two whole bottles—a friend brought them straight over from the United States, and I paid through the nose for them—and it did absolutely nothing. Nothing at all. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Just a complete waste of time...

Brandon Green3 said:Plex is absolute garbage. It’s a total scam, a complete rip-off, and honestly, it doesn't help at all. I went through two whole bottles—a friend brought them straight from the US, and I paid top dollar for them—but they did absolutely nothing. Zilch. Nada. Zero. Nothing at all...

Look, you don't need to tell me about it. I've tried the creams too. Of course they didn't work. We all know what the actual solution for hemorrhoids is...

Nancy Morris5 said:I see some dietary advice here that just isn't an option for me. It seems like the main goal is softening things up,🤷 but I deal with IBS and tend toward diarrhea, so that won't work. My stool isn't hard.😁
So what should I do? Besides just using creams?

A few years back, I noticed tiny spots of blood on the paper, but it went away on its own. Today, I saw it again.😢
There’s no pain, though it was a little itchy one day.

That's how hemorrhoids start. They tend to get worse over time. Of course, that doesn't mean you need surgery right this second, but it might be worth looking into the DG HAL RAR treatment method while it's still in the early stages...

Nancy Morris5 said:I see some dietary advice being thrown around here that just isn't an option for me. It seems like the main goal for everyone is softening things up,🤷 but I actually deal with IBS and tend toward diarrhea, so those suggestions don't really apply to my situation. My stools aren't hard.😁
So, what should I be doing? Besides just using creams?

A few years back, I noticed tiny spots of blood on the paper, but that cleared up on its own. Well, I saw it again today.😢
There’s no pain involved, though I did feel a little bit of itching one day.

If you're dealing with IBS, you really ought to try taking Lepicol.

So, how do you actually figure out which stage of hemorrhoids you're dealing with?

Laura Parker32 said:How can you actually tell what stage your hemorrhoids are at?

Look, you really can't guess. You have to go in for an exam and let a doctor determine the exact stage for you.

So, look, after nine days, the pain has definitely dialed back a bit—which is good—but the thing itself is still just as big. 🤷 You don't think it's actually going to stay this size forever, do you?

Laura Parker32 said:Look, after nine days the pain has definitely gone down, but the hemorrhoid is still just as big. 🤷Is there any chance it’s going to stay this size forever?

For crying out loud, just book an appointment with a proctologist and you'll get your answer immediately. I don't get why people freak out over a one-minute exam. Honestly, those doctors see so many butts all day long, I have no idea why you're making such a huge deal out of yours.

lonefalcon41 said:Hey there—just go book an appointment with a proctologist and you'll have your answers right away. I really don't get why people freak out over a one-minute exam. Honestly, those doctors see so many backsides all day long that I don't know why anyone would be panicking about their own.

I honestly don't see the need for such a heated tone here. 🙄 I already received the advice to go see a doctor, and I've already said thanks for that. I actually went to see my primary care physician, but we don't have a specialist in my town, and even if we did, the wait time for an appointment is like three weeks. Besides, do you really think I wouldn't realize that just walking into a clinic and asking questions is the easiest way to handle this? If everyone just went straight to a doctor, this whole thread—and this entire subforum—wouldn't exist with hundreds of pages of posts. What I'm looking for is perspective from someone who has actually been through the whole ordeal themselves.

But, regardless, thanks for the input.

Look, hemorrhoids don't just pop up overnight. It’s a perfect storm of physical inactivity, a diet lacking fiber, sitting around too much, and just plain old genetics.
So, I don't get the panic if you have to wait 20 days for an appointment. If the pain is actually unbearable and you can't sit still, go to the ER—they have to see you.

thanks so much. 🙂

Since nobody seems to be replying to me over on the colonoscopy subforum, maybe I'll have better luck here...

Might as well join the crowd of patients on this thread...
I went to see a proctologist today following a colonoscopy I had five months ago—mainly because I can't seem to get rid of this rectal bleeding. I see that vividsailor7 and several others have shared plenty of experience and solid advice here, so I figured I'd lay out my situation.
First, here is the colonoscopy report from December 22, 2011:

"Light anemia noted during processing; no local findings; stool is normal, but frequent bleeding from hemorrhoids/splattered anal verge. General status is good; patient is not pale; tongue is coated; abdomen is soft, non-tender upon palpation, no meteorism.
EXTERNAL FINDINGS: Skin appears calm; external hemorrhoid at the 3 o'clock position looks calm.
DIGITAL RECTAL EXAM: Rectal ampulla is empty; internal hemorrhoids are palpable.
Using a flexible endoscope to the cecum: Mucosa looks normal; diverticula in the sigmoid; significant spasms; sigmoid is highly tortuous; sharp linear flexure; double hepatic flexure; mucosa appears normal; large, vulnerable internal hemorrhoids, currently not bleeding.
Diagnosis: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Sigmoid Diverticulosis, Grade III Hemorrhoidal Nodules."

For treatment, I was prescribed Detralex and Hemero protect cream. I was told that if the bleeding and anemia persist, I should return to the proctologist for an evaluation and potential surgery. Since I'm still seeing blood (even though there’s zero pain), I decided to go back in for a follow-up today.

The exam was done today, and the specialist's findings are as follows:


Just a side note—during that colonoscopy five months ago, the pain was pretty intense, apparently due to how twisted my intestines are. I really don't relish the idea of doing that all over again, but if it's necessary...
A friend of mine who went through the same thing claims they told him he’s been clear for five years now.

fadednomad23 said:Since I can't seem to get a single response over on the colonoscopy subforum, maybe I'll have better luck here...

I figured I’d join the rest of you patients on this thread...
I went to see a specialist today following a colonoscopy I had five months ago, mostly because I just can't seem to stop the rectal bleeding. I noticed that vividsailor7 and several others here have shared quite a bit of experience and smart advice, so I thought I’d lay out my situation.
First, here is the report from the colonoscopy back on December 22, 2011.

"Light anemia noted during processing; no abnormal findings present, stool consistency normal, but frequent bleeding from hemorrhoids/splattered mucosa. General status is good, patient is not pale, tongue is coated, abdomen is soft, non-tender to palpation, no meteorism.
EXTERNAL FINDINGS: Skin appears calm; external hemorrhoid at the 3 o'clock position looks calm.
DIGITAL RECTAL EXAM: Rectal ampulla is empty; internal hemorrhoids are palpable.
Flexible endoscopy shows normal mucosa up to the cecum; diverticula in the sigmoid colon, significant spasms, highly tortuous sigmoid, sharp linear flexure, double hepatic flexure, mucosa appears normal, large vulnerable internal hemorrhoids, currently not bleeding.
Diagnosis: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Sigmoid Diverticulosis, Grade III Hemorrhoidal Nodules."

For treatment, I was prescribed Detralex and Hemero protect cream. I was told if the bleeding continues or if anemia develops, I should return to the specialist for a follow-up and potential surgery. Since I am still seeing blood (even though there's zero pain), I decided to go back to the specialist today.

The exam happened today, and the specialist's findings are as follows:


One thing to mention—during that colonoscopy five months ago, I was in quite a bit of pain, apparently due to how twisted my intestines are. Honestly, the idea of doing that all over again doesn't exactly thrill me, but if it's necessary...
A friend of mine who went through the same thing claims they told him he's been clear for five years now.

So, no polyps. That’s great news. Really great. Look into the DG RAR HAL method and deal with this once and for all, rather than waiting five years. A surgeon will remove those enlarged hemorrhoids, and yeah, it might hurt, but you just have to push through it. For a happy ending to this thriller, read about my own experience. Just fix it now and be done with it forever...☕

Do you actually have a link to your solution? We're looking at 118 pages here, after all 😁

fadednomad23 said:Do you have a link to your solution? We're dealing with 118 pages here, after all.😁

Try looking back around March or April of last year. Your best bet is to search for my name under the participant list and go from there. You'll definitely find it interesting. And honestly? That primary doctor's medical report doesn't look high-quality to me. Go see a different SPECIALIST for this kind of thing. To be blunt, the report feels incomplete—I feel like I could write parts of it myself. It's not that I'm attacking his expertise, but find someone else who specializes in this and actually inspires confidence. This specific report just doesn't make me trust that physician, even if he's great at other things. Get a second opinion. At the end of the day, it's your own ass on the line...😁 And the DG HAL RAR method is the gold standard for hemorrhoids. Good luck...🙂
EDIT: Oh, I didn't realize I had posted this many times. A real veteran in this thread... It all starts right here...

Standing upright is actually considered a major risk factor for developing hemorrhoids. You could almost argue that hemorrhoidal disease is just a byproduct of human evolution. Essentially, hemorrhoids are what happens when the venous plexus in the rectal area and anal region undergoes varicose expansion.

It’s a massive issue, affecting more than 80 percent of the population. It seems to hit men just a bit harder than women—roughly a 55:45 split.

Swollen veins

Internal hemorrhoids involve the dilated veins within the internal plexus, located above the dentate line (which sits about an inch from the anal opening) and covered by the mucosal lining of the lower colon. External ones sit below that line and are covered by skin.

The main red flags include bleeding, pain, itching, burning sensations, general discomfort, and messy discharge that can soak through underwear. Eventually, if the bleeding becomes frequent enough, you can end up dealing with secondary anemia.

There are plenty of reasons why this happens. Genetics plays a huge role here. If you talk to people suffering from this, they often mention it runs in the family—parents or siblings have dealt with it too.

Again, our upright posture is a big culprit. It’s part of our evolutionary history. But humans haven't fully adapted to living vertically, which leads to various pathological issues, including hemorrhoids—what some call the "pathology of verticality."

Modern life requires us to fight back against this vertical pathology through physical activity, sports, and taking regular breaks during the day, at night, or on summer vacations. Another significant factor is the lack of certain valves in the portal vein system; the way the portal vein communicates with the hemorrhoidal veins is a major piece of the puzzle.

You see it most often in people whose jobs require them to be sitting for long stretches—think office workers, drivers, or tailors—but also in those who stand all day without moving much, like surgeons.

Degenerative changes

Interestingly, even athletes—football players or basketball players—deal with this, though their cases are usually driven by different factors like intense physical strain or genetics.

As we age, tissues undergo degenerative changes and lose their fibromuscular structure. This applies to blood vessels as well, which is why hemorrhoids are so common among the elderly.

There is even a psychological component. Emotional stress can change tissue tone, which in turn increases pressure within the blood vessels.

Mechanical causes

Several mechanical triggers play a role in the development of the disease: constipation, tumors in the pelvic or abdominal organs, kidney issues, foreign objects, muscle spasms, pregnancy, liver cirrhosis, obstructive lung or heart disease, and even the increased intra-abdominal pressure caused by heavy coughing, sneezing, or vomiting.

It’s worth noting that chronic constipation can actually be a result of hemorrhoids rather than just the cause. Once the underlying issue is treated, the constipation usually clears up.

Hey there. So, I figured I’d jump in and share my own little nightmare. About eight months ago, I had my baby, and ever since then, hemorrhoids have decided to make themselves right at home. It was painful and honestly pretty miserable every time I had to use the bathroom, but since they were internal, things would settle down enough that I didn't really panic. Well, three days ago, one of them decided to stage a full-on breakout, and let me tell you, the pain is absolutely unbearable now. From what I can see, it looks like this hard, blue, immovable little lump about half an inch long. I’ve never really dealt with hemorrhoids before, though I’ve always struggled with being constipated and irregular, and it doesn't run in my family either. Everyone kept pushing Plex on me, which turned out to be a massive mistake—just a bunch of expensive marketing fluff—because two weeks after taking it, things went south fast. About a month ago, I saw my doctor, who checked everything out and said there wasn't anything palpable internally, suggesting the blood in my stool was probably just from some intestinal irritation. She recommended Detralex, which I actually just started using three days ago. My current routine involves eating bran with a glass of Donat mg in the morning, cleaning up after every bathroom trip, doing chamomile soaks twice a day, applying some ointment from a local pharmacy, and taking Detralex 2 x2. Is there anything else I could possibly do or take, keeping in mind that I am breastfeeding?

Hey there, how’s it going?

I hit my late 40s and suddenly, out of nowhere, I started dealing with this whole hemorrhoid situation, and honestly, it’s been creeping up on me more and more every single year.
Man, I’ve been dealing with this absolute nightmare lately—this weird lump that pops out right after I go to the bathroom, leaving me with some seriously yellowed underwear and occasional spotting, plus this dull ache that just lingers all day long.
So, seeing some bleeding for a few days straight along with constipation—that’s pretty much textbook when a condition starts to flare up.
I know—it’s all about those miles under the belt...

Best thing ever. I really think it might be time to go see a doctor and get everything checked out properly. I guess I should probably go ahead and talk things over with someone first.

Once I finally got that bleeding under control with some Factu ointment, I figured it was high time to actually step up my game and start making some real changes to my lifestyle.

Here’s the breakdown of what’s going on:
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So, I was just wondering how you guys would go about easing up on the pressure, since I've basically just gotten used to living through the grind. Honestly, I’ve been trying to up my game by having two stools instead of just one every single day, but man, it’s a bit of a struggle to stay consistent with it.I usually grab my morning coffee before heading into work and then maybe squeeze in another around 6:00 PM once I've finished up dinner.

When I’m doing my squats, I actually avoid sitting directly on the board—my doctors told me that kind of pressure is pretty rough on the veins—so instead, I... I'm just standing here, practically nose-to-nose with a giant clam.I'm thinking about hitting some ab workouts right before I head out to crush my lifting session. Just taking a quick squat here. I gotta go take care of business.
I usually just get things sorted out in maybe two or three tries, if I'm being honest.
I honestly feel like there's way less strain on all those vulnerable spots now.
Man, I don't know why sometimes a little bit of that "material" just flies way off target and lands exactly where you definitely don't want it to, it's honestly such a total mess.
It's just one of those things where you really have to stay on top of it and pay a little extra attention to get through.

So, after you've taken care of business and given everything a really thorough wipe... I’ve honestly been trying out those ice-cold showers lately, just blasting myself with pure cold water every morning, and man, it’s such a trip how much it actually wakes you up.I'm telling you, don't go doing it ice cold or boiling hot either—just keep it somewhere in the middle.
The move is simple: just hop in the tub, grab the showerhead, and let it rip—though honestly, getting into that awkward position in the basin again always feels like a bit of a struggle.

I was browsing some stuff online the other day—can't seem to track down that specific link right now, though—but I saw this doctor giving some advice. Honestly, you really just need to go for that deep clean..

Just gonna grab some more paper to dab away any leftover moisture or bits of fluid left behind.

That’s all she wrote for now. Honestly, just go ahead and wash your hands like twenty times, it's probably worth the effort.!!!

4.) I guess I’m just one of those people who thinks everything can be improved with a little bit of targeted training, even if we're talking about working on your sphincter muscles..
The doctor mentioned in point three suggested that just taking a few minutes out of my day to squeeze and then relax my muscles would actually do the trick.
I'll definitely get that taken care of. I usually just knock this out right before I brush my teeth at night, keeping things simple..

5.) I’ve really been trying to stick to a diet that keeps things moving smoothly, you know, just eating stuff that prevents that whole dreaded constipation and hard stool situation from ever starting..
There are honestly so many different ways to approach this topic, and it's wide enough to get lost in if you aren't careful.

I always make sure to grab some for either breakfast or dinner. Just a simple bowl of milk, some oats or maybe rice or cornflakes, and a little drizzle of honey... honestly, sometimes you can't beat the classics when you want something easy..
I honestly feel like as people get older, they just can't process milk like they used to, so maybe there’s some kind of hidden laxative effect in there or something.
So, like, magnesium—you know, that Donat mg stuff—can definitely act as a bit of a laxative, and honestly, iron works pretty much the same way as a natural one too.

If you aren't getting enough dairy in your diet every day, you might find that things get pretty backed up and uncomfortable down there.

I usually just grab some dry food from a bakery for lunch at work, so I tend to wash it down with a little bit of whatever I've got on hand. I’ve been thinking about Bioaktiv lately, just wondering if it actually does what it says on the tin or if it's all just hype.Man, I feel like I'm going through packaging like there's no tomorrow, just burning through it constantly.
Keep the meat portions light and just load up on all that fiber-rich fruit and veggies instead.

6.) I really feel like I need to start moving around more, just getting my body in gear and staying active instead of being such a couch potato all day. This one’s specifically for those of you stuck behind a desk all day, just like me.
Honestly, even though it’s absolutely sweltering out there right now, I find it way easier to actually get myself moving compared to those freezing winter months when the weather is just miserable.

So, basically, that’s my two cents on the whole thing.
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I haven't noticed any symptoms popping up for a couple of weeks now, so I'm just out here living my best life and being extra careful about everything I do.
I'm not even gonna lie to myself here—with getting older, those hemorrhoids are probably just gonna make another comeback sooner or later.
You really shouldn't skip that doctor's appointment, because honestly, bleeding can be a sign of some pretty heavy stuff going on under the hood.

Maybe it was just one specific thing that tipped the scales, like everyone being way more active this time of year?
I’m starting to realize that when I’m not dealing with any hemorrhoid issues, it usually lines up perfectly with staying out of jail and having nice, soft stools.

If you’re just starting to deal with some hemorrhoid trouble, there might be a few things on this list that could actually make life a little easier for you. I honestly wanted to see you guys find some relief, so I figured I'd just jump in here and share what’s worked for me.

feralsurfer172.