Dealing with hemorrhoids

I feel like I should add one thing to all these threads... for everyone here asking for advice on hemorrhoids—and believe me, I’ve been right there with you—wondering what to do when no ointment, no cream, and no home remedy seems to touch the problem, my honest advice is just to go see a doctor. Please, don't let embarrassment stop you. I let my own shame get the better of me, and all I did was prolong the misery. A doctor is there to actually figure out the stage of the hemorrhoids and give you a real roadmap for treatment. These exams aren't nearly as terrifying as the anxiety makes them out to be, and letting fear dictate your choices can lead to unbearable suffering, much like what I've endured. I'm speaking from direct experience here; I have a rectoscopy scheduled in two days, and if things go that way, I'll likely be heading toward surgery too. My quality of life has become so poor that I am honestly looking forward to finally getting this over with. I wasn't nearly as capable as Jessica Grant56 at keeping everything under control; my symptoms were relentless, and I was far too terrified to seek an exam, so now I'm facing the knife. And truthfully? I can't wait.😁

nimblebison1 said:I really hope nothing gets worse or more dangerous from this 🙄

That sounds pretty smart in theory... until one day you've got a red stream flowing that just won't stop, your head starts spinning, and pure panic sets in—then you realize things can definitely get much worse. A small opening doesn't have to be big to be a problem; under enough pressure, it can spray or flow quite heavily! So—seriously, you still need to be careful.

Olivia Doyle85 said:...keeping things somewhat under control...

Well, "somewhat" is putting it lightly... I mean, it's not the same every day. It’s been heating up lately, and I actually let myself get a little carried away—spent a day jumping around doing yard work out in the sun—and then suddenly... man, talk about a wake-up call! The heat kicked in and everything just flared up. I had to perform some quick emergency first aid—cold compress and some cream—and thankfully things settled down after about half an hour, but THEY ARE THERE, and you always have to keep that in mind. Whether you decide to take it easy or push through really depends on your age and how much you're moving around. Sitting down (as long as you have good airflow and cooling for your lower half!) usually isn't an issue, but all that physical jumping around always brings them out to play...

And here’s a little pro-tip! I picked up one of those straw seat covers for my car—the kind with the plastic mesh underneath that lifts you up just a couple of inches off the seat. It is PERFECT for ventilation and keeping things cool!! Works great while driving or even sitting at the computer, plus it's surprisingly comfy!

Lisa Cook81 said:I am completely wiped out... I honestly don't know what to do anymore..

I saw my doctor today and she told me I need to head to the hospital so they can figure out what to do about these external hemorrhoids. Since creams aren't doing squat, she mentioned I’ll probably need a hemorrhoid ligation...

And I just turned 20...
This sucks... I feel like such a loser... plus I'm already dealing with other health issues..😠

Has anyone here actually had a LIGATION? I know some people have gone through traditional surgery, but has anyone specifically done the ligation thing? What was the experience like...?!??

I'm terrified and I really don't want to go through all this.....😢 😢 😢

Peter Rivera2 🙂 I went through something similar when I was 22—my H area started acting up—and then again at 27 when I actually needed surgery. Luckily, I saw several doctors to see if there was any
alternative, because my dad had the ligation done and he was in total misery for two months.
In the end, one doctor recommended Malab Pilex (the 14-capsule pack) and everything cleared up after just a few days... I’d honestly suggest you try that before jumping into surgery.
I'm pretty sure you can pick it up at most pharmacies...

Good luck...

Jessica Grant56 says: Whether you decide to go under the knife or not really comes down to your age and how much you move around.

My physical activity has basically bottomed out at zero lately; things just keep popping out, and there isn't any way I can manage a thirty-minute walk without feeling like I'm counting every single star in the sky😢. My job is the real kicker here, though—having to be on my feet for seven hours straight😳. At this point, surgery seems like the only way to get my life back to some semblance of normalcy, and I’m looking at a traditional procedure. People tell me it’s not the horror story it used to be, claiming you’re walking out the door three days later, but honestly, my pain tolerance is through the roof. After everything I've already had to endure, what's a few extra days of recovery? It doesn't matter. As long as they finally just leave me alone, I'll take it.

Joshua Kim2 said:Peter Rivera2 🙂 Malab Pilex (14 capsules)

Everything really is relative, isn't it? I mean, that insanely overpriced Malab Pilex—which, by the way, cost me over $600 for just 14 tablets—actually ended up being the thing that helped me. It’s just like last year’s snow—nothing special, really....but honestly, it ended up messing with my digestion—which turned into some pretty uncomfortable issues after just a few days. It looks like things have triggered some bleeding. I ended up dealing with some pretty intense hemorrhoids—which, honestly, I didn't even realize were connected at first. It was one of those things that only clicked for me much later on. Just a heads-up to everyone out there: definitely be careful!

I’m a little worried about using "Joshua Kim2" as a handle—it sounds fine enough—but I definitely wouldn't recommend it as a medical treatment plan...

Olivia Doyle85 said:

Look, we really need to define what our THRESHOLD is. If you haven't set one, there's honestly nothing to wait for. For me—I’m right at that point where after maybe 3 or 4 hours of nonstop physical activity or jumping around... (though maybe I should probably take a quick breather every thirty minutes??) ...well, that's my limit. I think everyone should figure out their own THRESHOLD: how long can you actually handle your job, go for a hike, or do something physically demanding before you hit that wall and think, "Man, I seriously need to sit down." Once you know that number, everything becomes much easier to manage!

I honestly have no idea where my dear doctor got the brilliant notion that a standard antibiotic would actually do anything for ME?! I haven't felt even a shred better, so I went to see my physician today and just completely vented all my frustrations—because why not?—and well, there's no denying it; she's now prescribed yet another antibiotic to pair with the first one, taking the initial one every 8 hours and this second one every 12 hours, two at a time... On top of all that, she also handed me some sedative pills 😲 because the last time this flared up, I was absolutely livid at work. And then there are those incredibly potent painkillers my doctor insisted on prescribing for my stiff neck, though I gracefully declined that particular suggestion and decided to handle it through regular exercise instead. Anyway, once you swallow all of this, everything feels just wonderful 🙄 Next week, I'll be reaching out to the doctor to schedule the surgery... provided this "chemical cocktail" doesn't kill me off in the meantime ☕

I finally went through with my rectoscopy today, and it looks like I'm scheduled for surgery on June 15th—though it might happen even sooner, depending on my doctor. He actually managed to squeeze me into his schedule despite being completely booked up for June, so I'm just counting down the days until I can finally get rid of this nuisance once and for all. I should mention, though, that the rectoscopy itself wasn't painful at all; honestly, it was just a bit uncomfortable and nothing more than that.

Olivia Doyle85 said:I finally went through with my sigmoidoscopy today, and it looks like I'm scheduled for surgery on June 15th—though maybe even sooner, since my doctor was kind enough to squeeze me into his schedule despite how packed his June calendar is. Honestly, I'm just looking forward to finally getting rid of this constant nuisance. I should probably mention that the exam itself wasn't painful at all; it’s more of a weird, slightly uncomfortable sensation, I suppose, but that's about it.

Man, I really dread having that kind of exam done...
The mere thought of it makes me uneasy, and honestly, the prep work before surgery sounds even worse.
I have my appointment set for June 4th, and once we figure out the timing for the procedure, I think I might try to arrive a day or two early so I can just fast and perhaps get put on an IV instead 😁, rather than dealing with the whole process of being pumped full of liquid prep, if you know what I mean... 🙂

Olivia Doyle85 said:So, I finally pulled the trigger on that rectoscopy today, and it looks like my surgery is set for June 15th—maybe even sooner if my doctor can squeeze me in, since the guy actually managed to carve out some space for me despite his schedule being absolutely slammed in June. Honestly, I’m just counting down the days until I can finally get rid of this constant nuisance... and I have to say, the rectoscopy itself wasn't painful at all, really. It was just a bit uncomfortable, nothing more than that.

If you don't mind me asking, what kind of hemorrhoids are we talking about here—are they external or internal?

In my case, it’s a mix of both, though the internal ones are really what cause the trouble—they just keep popping out, whereas I only have two external ones. The real issue lies with those internal hemorrhoids and the fact that the intestinal wall just can't hold them back anymore; once they're out, the pain and the sheer anxiety of it all make life pretty miserable.😠I’m personally opting against the rubber band ligation route and going for the standard surgical procedure instead, where they actually remove the three "primary" hemorrhoids that all the other smaller ones seem to be branching off from.

Lisa Cook81 said:Honestly, I’m dreading the exam itself...
just the thought of it makes me uncomfortable, and the idea of having to clear everything out before surgery is even worse.
I have my appointment scheduled for June 4th, and when we move forward with the rubber band ligation, I think I’ll try to schedule it a day or two after I stop eating entirely and just let them put me on an IV instead😁, rather than dealing with the whole ordeal of being prepped with tubes and fluids, if you know what I mean. 🙂

I’ve already gone through the stapled hemorrhoidectomy, and unfortunately, they did come back, but believe me, all that discomfort you face leading up to the procedure is worth enduring in the end. Are yours just external ones, or are you heading in for ligation for more than that?

Olivia Doyle85 said:I’ve actually gone through the stapled hemorrhoid surgery before, and honestly, they did come back, but I suppose all that discomfort you deal with leading up to the procedure makes it feel worth it in the end... Are yours just external, or are you looking at something like a ligation?

Mine are just external, I think.. I guess I'm wondering if the stapler procedure is painful, and how long the recovery usually takes.?

No, there isn't any pain at all, not even during the recovery phase, though you have to keep in mind that the whole thing is done under general anesthesia, which means you'll be spending three days in the hospital... but for this specific type of surgery, you really ought to sit down and have a serious talk with your surgeon first..

So, I’ve been chewing on some stuff regarding internal hemorrhoids lately, mostly because I’m currently dealing with my own little situation:

1) What do you even call the specialist who actually handles this kind of thing? 🙂
2) And what does the actual exam look like once you get there? I was skimming through some info online and it sounds like they shove something into the rectum just to figure out what's going on—is that actually painful, and how much of my afternoon am I going to lose to this?

thanks 😉

nimblebison1 said:

Yeah, there is security footage running... but honestly, if you just relax, it's really not an issue. It basically stays on until the doctor is happy with what they're seeing on the monitor. Don't worry—there isn't a football game scheduled on the screen or anything!

The specialist you’re looking for is a proctologist... and just like Jessica Grant56 mentioned, you should probably expect some level of privacy oversight during the process.😁From what I understand, there are at least three different types of exams they might perform.😳First, there's the digital exam where they use their fingers,😲then there's a rectoscopy, which involves inserting a small device about six inches long into the colon so the doctor can check for any immediate issues—it's definitely awkward, but honestly, if you can just relax, it isn't the end of the world. The third option is a colonoscopy, which I haven't personally gone through, but I've heard it can be quite uncomfortable and painful. Anyway, I really hope you don't end up dealing with anything too serious regarding hemorrhoids, but if things do escalate, please just go get checked out; it’ll save you a lot of misery in the long run. As for me, I'm heading in this Monday for a standard hemorrhoid surgery, and frankly, I can't wait to finally be rid of them.👍Once I'm discharged from the hospital, I'll come back and give you all the details,
everything you need to know.

Olivia Doyle85 said:

Are you actually trying to give the nervous folks some courage, or are you just scaring them even more?!?

Honestly, Malab Pilex is the real deal—it did more for me in just a few days than Detralex managed to do over two whole months.