Dealing with hemorrhoids

I tried using FactSet ointment for about two weeks now, but I honestly haven't noticed any real difference... so I decided to pick up some Dolocaine instead. Does anyone happen to know the exact way I should be applying this? Like, how many times a day am I supposed to use it? The instructions aren't really saying much at all. If someone could help me out, I'd really appreciate it...

I’ve got a serious situation on my hands. I’ve been dealing with hemorrhoids for about 14 years now. To be honest, I haven’t actually seen a doctor about it yet because the whole thing is just incredibly awkward. The real issue is that for the last 10 days, I've been bleeding every single time I go to the bathroom. It used to happen maybe once a month, but now it’s happening every time. Is there any way to fix this without having to step foot in a clinic? I know, I know... I really should see a professional, but the embarrassment is massive. I'm 34. Thanks.

Brian Barrett70 said:I'm facing a major issue here. I've been dealing with hemorrhoids for about 14 years now. To be honest, I haven't actually seen a doctor yet—it’s just an incredibly awkward situation to deal with. The real problem is that for the last 10 days, I've been bleeding every single time I have a bowel movement. It used to happen maybe once a month, but now it's happening every time. Is there any way to handle this without seeing a physician? I know... I know I really should go, but the embarrassment is massive. I'm 34. Thanks.

Maybe try picking up some over-the-counter ointment at a pharmacy for immediate relief, but you absolutely need to see a doctor—constant bleeding isn't something you want to brush off.

Brian Barrett70 said:I've got a massive problem. I've been dealing with hemorrhoids for 14 years now. I haven't seen a doctor yet because honestly, the whole thing is just embarrassing. The issue is that for the last 10 days, I've been bleeding every single time I go to the bathroom. It used to happen maybe once a month, but now it's every time. Is there any way to fix this without seeing a doctor? I know... I know I should go, but I'm just really uncomfortable with the idea. I'm 34. Thanks.

Don't let embarrassment stop you. Go see your doctor first thing tomorrow. Constant bleeding can be a sign of something much more serious happening in your lower digestive tract.

Lisa Cook81 said:I tried using that FactSet ointment for two weeks, but honestly, it didn't do a thing for me... so I ended up picking up some Dolocaine instead. Can anyone tell me how you're actually supposed to use this? Like, how many times a day should I be applying it? The instructions are totally vague... please help me out...

Still, you really ought to check with your doctor first—it has lidocaine in it, which is an anesthetic meant to dull the discomfort, so... it's probably not the best idea to rely on a forum for medical advice! If you’re set on looking it up yourself, just type the name into Google; you'll find plenty of "personal experience" posts out there.

You actually have a much more extensive discussion on this topic right here -->>

Gerald Doyle said:There’s no reason to feel embarrassed. You need to get to your doctor first thing tomorrow morning. Persistent blood in your stool can be a sign of something much more serious, like cancer in the lower digestive tract.

I guess it's time to make that appointment... You guys spent the whole morning talking sense into me (I actually went ahead and booked a slot at a private clinic). Look, I’m not exactly a sensitive type; but when I think about them shoving a camera up my backside to check things out? It makes me nauseous. Thanks for all the input... truly. Appreciate it. Cheers.

So, I finally made it to the doctor, and man, what a disaster. You wouldn't believe how much that exam hurt. Anyway, I walked away with hospital admission orders today, and apparently, they’re sending an ambulance to pick me up (I can barely sit still enough to type this). Since the weekend is hitting, I'm wondering if it's actually smart to head to the ER right now, and does anyone know how long these admission orders are actually valid for? Thanks in advance.

Brian Barrett70 said:So, I finally made it to the doctor and man, it was brutal! Seriously, you wouldn't believe how much that exam hurt. Anyway, I just got my referral for hospital admission—they said they'd send an ambulance to pick me up (honestly, I can barely sit still enough to type this)—and since the weekend is hitting, I'm wondering if I should just head to the ER right now? Also, does anyone know how long these hospital referrals actually stay valid? Thanks and cheers.

Look, whether it's the weekend or not, it really depends on how bad you feel. As for the referral—I think they usually last about a month—but if I were in your shoes, I’d get to the hospital ASAP. Especially if they're talking about inpatient care.

Brian Barrett70 said:I finally made it to see the doctor, and let me tell you—it was absolutely brutal! I honestly can't even describe how painful that exam was. Anyway, I walked away today with referrals for hospital treatment and instructions for EMS to come pick me up (I can barely stay seated while typing this out). Since the weekend is right around the corner, I’m wondering if it’s actually wise to head into the hospital today, and does anyone know how long these hospital admission orders are valid for? Thanks in advance for any advice!

They'll likely move forward with surgery. The recovery process can be a bit of a grind, but you'll pull through.😉

About a month ago, I noticed maybe three or four tiny little red spots—just about a millimeter wide—on the toilet paper, which definitely caught my attention. I tried to investigate a bit to see if there were any clots or anything resembling a small lump, but I didn't find anything out of the ordinary back then. Since that first time, everything seemed fine, but today I spotted a tiny little "bump," maybe 2mm or so. I'm just wondering if this sounds more like internal or external issues? Also, do you think I really need to go see a doctor for this? I’m honestly hoping to avoid an unnecessary rectal exam if I can help it! Is there any chance I could manage this with some simple home remedies, like washing with cold water and staying away from alcohol or heavy, greasy foods?

@ gentleotter11: Honestly, why don't you just go through all twenty pages of the forum? It’ll actually be worth your time!

I’ve been doing some thinking lately, and I’ve come to the conclusion that about 90% of people probably don't even bother seeing a doctor because they don't view their hemorrhoids as a major issue and just try to manage things at home, while the small group who actually does seek medical help usually just ends up complaining about the experience anyway. 🙂

gentleotter11 said:I’ve been thinking about this, and I've realized that 90% of people just don't bother seeing a doctor because they don't think their hemorrhoids are a big deal—they figure they can just handle it at home. But the ones who actually make it to a clinic? They always end up complaining. 🙂

That’s not exactly a groundbreaking realization, but... look, it really boils down to this: if you strike while the enemy is weak and small—using the right tools like good hygiene, decent ointments, maybe some home remedies—you can actually win the fight. But once it grows to the size of, say, a thumbnail? You can't defeat it anymore. At that point, you basically just sign a peace treaty where you agree not to shoot or leak, and then you spend the rest of your life just kind of managing the situation. It's like living with this constant, nagging idea that hitting 100 years old is a stretch anyway, so eventually, the issue will just be defeated by time. If it doesn't bleed, doesn't hurt, and doesn't get in your way, you got lucky—it worked for me, personally. Anyway, I’ve still got a long way to go before I hit a century, so I’ll let you know how it goes.

Look, if you want the only actual fix for hemorrhoids and chronic vein issues, it's DETRALEX!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Man... I feel like these meds are driving me crazy. They're just wrecking my life. Both physically and mentally.
It's madness... one week I'm fine, then it's back to hell again. It's exhausting.
I hate them.
And honestly, I think I might quit my job. I've been sitting at a desk all day for the last year, and right now, I can't help but blame my workspace for everything.
ugh.

jadestag11 said:Man... I’m already losing my mind from all these meds... they’re totally wrecking my life. Physically and mentally.
I feel like I'm going crazy...

Honestly, it sounds easier to just grab a brick and whack yourself in the head—then maybe let us know how you're doing after twenty years of dealing with this without complaining! This is way too pessimistic.
In the meantime, check WHAT you're actually sitting on! If your seat isn't breathable—like if it’s some kind of faux leather, lacquered wood, or plastic—well, that should tell you everything you need to know. Also, think about hygiene and what creams you're using... or are you even using anything at all??

Eric Chase12 said:It’s easy to say just hit yourself in the head with a brick, but let us know how that works out once you've been dealing with this for 20 years without complaining. This is way too pessimistic!
In the meantime, check WHAT you're sitting on! If the surface isn't breathable—like if it's some faux leather, lacquered wood, or plastic—then everything should be clear! Then there's hygiene and what creams you're using, or are you not doing that either??

Hygiene isn't the issue🙂, I've been using FAKTU ointment for about three months now, and like I said, sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't.
I try to watch my diet, but sometimes it's just impossible to resist...
Today I was actually reading about tomatoes👎and how you shouldn't eat them... I definitely didn't know that... and that I should drink mineral water too... I'll give it a shot.
As for where I sit... just a regular fabric office chair... but still, I SIT for 8 or more hours.
I'm not being overly pessimistic... it's just that (thank Bog) I've never had major health issues before, so this really threw me off.
Especially the crying in the bathroom, and not being able to walk or sit normally.
😠😠😠

If it makes you feel any better, I’ve been dealing with this alongside them for over 20 years—maybe even 25 at this point—and we’re getting along just fine, aside from the occasional flare-up. My little "secret," if you can call it that, is using things like Vaseline or similar vein-strengthening creams; they seem to help keep everything resilient so things don't rupture as easily. Plus, I spend just as much time sitting down as you do.

And yeah, you might want to say goodbye to spicy peppers and hot chili sauce for a while... though a quick heads-up: if anything triggers a bout of diarrhea, I don't know why, but it feels like those spices irritate everything so badly it actually causes ruptures!

Using cold water is definitely a good preventative measure—it helps cool things down so the situation doesn't escalate. Also, try to sit on a breathable cushion, and watch out for what it's made of (avoid synthetic fabrics!). You can actually find specialized seat pads designed specifically for people who tend to sweat more.

Just hang in there. Honestly, I don't think anyone has ever actually died from hemorrhoids. At least there's some silver lining in all this...

I really admire you🙏 🙏 🙏...but what about a sling or something similar? Have you given any thought to that?
I have... but then people say there's no guarantee it won't come back... so I'm torn.😢
The worst part is how tedious everything feels.
But I'm truly glad I can talk openly with someone about this.🙄