Dealing with hemorrhoids

Sandra Baker35 said:Where exactly are these anal fissures located? And what kind of symptoms are we talking about... a dull ache or something sharp? For me, there's this constant burning sensation... though my primary care doctor told me nothing looks suspicious. She just noted one "prolapsed" hemorrhoid... whatever that's supposed to mean.
The pain isn't quite as intense as it used to be, but I'm still living in fear that it’ll all come rushing back.

I suspect the larger one is roughly 2 inches from the end of the rectum; there's zero chance of seeing it without a proctoscope.
My doctor mentioned these are likely old scars and the chances of them healing are slim, but since miracles happen, she suggested I keep trying some ointments.🤷

As for symptoms, it's a dull ache that lasts all day—especially while sitting—and then a sharp sting during bowel movements. There were moments when the pain was so bad I thought I might lose my mind; I felt completely helpless.😢 No bleeding on my end.
I did notice things take a turn for the worse once a month, usually about a week before my period starts.

Things improved significantly after I started drinking at least 2 liters of water a day and making sure to go for a walk every single day. 3.1 miles(I've scaled back the walking lately; those 3.1 miles walks were mostly when I was on vacation), plus I started using bran which really helped soften things up. I've also avoided spicy foods and cut my coffee intake down to just one cup a day.

I've noticed lately that after I go to the bathroom—mind you, I deal with constipation quite often—whenever I clean up, I feel something hard, maybe a little larger than a typical skin pimple, with a smooth surface. As soon as I finish washing up, it seems to recede. I wonder, could these actually be hemorrhoids?

graniteorca96 said:I'm thinking this bigger one is maybe about 2 inches away from the end of the colon—there’s no way you could spot it without a scope.
The doctor told me these are basically old scars at this point. He said chances of them healing are slim, but hey, miracles happen, so he suggested I give the ointment another shot for a bit longer. 🤷

As for symptoms, I get this dull ache all day long—especially when sitting down—but then it turns sharp whenever I'm actually using the bathroom. Honestly, I thought the pain was going to drive me insane; I felt so totally helpless. 😢 No bleeding on my end.
I did notice things tend to peak once a month, usually about a week before my period starts.

Things have improved a ton since I started chugging 2 liters of water a day and making sure to get a walk in every single day. 3.1 miles(Though I've cut back on the walking lately—those 3.1 miles walks were just when I was on vacation), plus I started taking bran which really helped soften everything up. I've also ditched anything spicy and cut my coffee down to just one cup a day.

Ugh... man, I feel almost exactly the same way. No bleeding for me either... but on top of that, I've got this stinging sensation too! 🤷
I'm definitely going to have to book an appointment with a specialist soon... I'm pretty regular, once a day, and nothing looks weird... not hard, not soft... it's just that I'm a super high-strung person—totally neurotic and anxious.

boldheron7 said:Most of the time, Detralex works within a few days—seven at most. Anything beyond that is just for prevention.

I wouldn't say you've had any peace and quiet for long with Pilex.

Someone already mentioned that you... $200 They aren't returning them.

Might as well drop $100 on Detralex first. See if it actually works, then decide if it's O.K. to keep going.

Luckily, nothing down there actually burst.😉I finished off the last of the Pilex. All that's left is one HEMO about the size of a small pimple. Finally, I can stop crying.🤣 I’m still able to train normally for now. I started on Detralex. My doctor suggested taking two tablets three times a day for the first three days, then dropping down to one tablet three times a day. You're right about prevention, too—you should take another box of Detralex at one tablet a day. I'll let you know once this last one finally clears up. It's only day two of the Detralex.
They told me I’ll be fine in a year once I finish the Pilex. A few people who used it gave me that same timeline, and the pharmacist at the local CVS said I should definitely be O.K. in about six months.🤷Now I don't even know if that's actually how it works. Not everyone seemed to fully back off, and honestly, I just took a double dose of 14 Pilex pills, so now I'm feeling pretty skeptical myself.😕 That’s all there is to it.

Why do so many people get carried away with this crazy idea that hemorrhoids just go away or heal on their own?? It’s not true—or maybe it is just a tiny bit, which I honestly can't say for sure—but based on what others are writing, it seems like it might work slightly for small, new ones. But I am absolutely certain that when they're old and large, nothing works anymore, except maybe keeping them somewhat under control so they don't keep growing or bleeding. Some of these "medicines" (which aren't actually medicines, let's be real) can even cause bleeding, so you have to be careful with Pilex—on old hemorrhoids, it does about as much as a glass of water. I'm not trying to advertise Detralex here, either... it's the exact same thing.

He’s tried just about every ointment out there—nothing provides any lasting relief, not even for a moment...
He gave Pilex a shot because his mother insisted, but it didn't do a thing... 👎

Has anyone here actually experimented with homeopathy or acupuncture?

I find myself nodding along with what Jessica Grant56 said; when you're dealing with chronic hemorrhoids, there isn't really a magic fix other than learning how to manage them and figuring out how to coexist with the discomfort. I've been through the wringer with this myself, suffering for quite a while before finally deciding to have two surgeries. It wasn't until that last traditional procedure that I actually felt like I could live a normal life again. Thankfully, pregnancy hasn't brought them back on me yet, though I'm crossing my fingers that it stays that way. My takeaway from all this is pretty simple: you either stick to the management routine mentioned earlier or you go under the knife—specifically the classic surgery if things have gotten as bad as they were for me. Honestly, life just feels so much better when you aren't constantly fighting hemorrhoids.🙂

I know, it's true, but mine aren't exactly catastrophic—they only show up when I'm using the restroom and then they settle back down. There’s no bleeding, but there is definitely some stinging, itching, and occasional pain. Honestly, this doesn't feel like surgery territory yet. I've been living like this for over a year now, and things aren't improving. None of the creams have helped much either. I actually started taking Detralex recently (I had to stop breastfeeding so I could start the pills), and I did experience some light bleeding😢, but nothing major. Now I'm torn on whether to stick with it or quit. Sometimes I think if the situation were actually worse, I'd finally know it's time for surgery. But as it stands, I'm just stuck in this limbo indefinitely😢.

Chloe Gomez6 said:True, I get it. But mine aren't exactly catastrophic; they only show up when I'm using the bathroom and then they retreat. There’s no bleeding, just this burning itch and the occasional ache. It doesn't feel like surgery territory yet. I've been living like this for over a year now, and nothing is improving. No cream has helped. I started taking Detralex—had to stop breastfeeding first so I could take the pills—and I bled a little😢, but it was manageable. Now I'm stuck wondering if I should stick with it or quit. Sometimes I wish things were worse just so I'd have a clear reason to get the surgery. Otherwise, I'm just stuck in this limbo for life😢.

Mine have only bled twice in the last 16 years. Both times, once the bleeding stopped, everything felt better and they vanished for years. But this current situation? It’s a seven-month losing battle that’ll drive you insane😢. It’s honestly terrible. It goes so deep that I can't even be intimate with my husband without worrying😢. I'm always bracing for how much worse it'll feel afterward, and I worry he'll eventually get sick of both me and this whole mess😱.

I don't get it. Everyone else seems to have hemorrhoids right at the anal opening, so why is mine (if that's even what it is) way up at the top of my butt, right where the crack starts? It bleeds whenever I touch it, and sitting on hard surfaces makes it bleed even more. Plus, the itching is driving me crazy. Probably just a hemorrhoid, right?
Should I hit up my primary care doctor first?

Casey Cooper49 said:Over the last 16 years, I've only dealt with bleeding twice. Both times, things felt much better immediately after, and they stayed away for years without any issues. But this current situation? It’s enough to drive you crazy. I've been fighting this battle for seven months straight now. 😢I’m dealing with... honestly, it feels terrible. It goes so far that I can't even relax in bed with my husband without worrying about it.😢 I can't help but feel that things are only going to get worse after this. He’s going to be stuck dealing with both me and everyone else constantly.😱

How’s Detralex working out for you? Is it actually helping? Personally, I'm not seeing much of an effect. To make matters worse, I'm on my period right now, so I can't even tell if the bleeding is coming from the hemorrhoids or just my cycle.🙄It looks like it came from there.

Chloe Gomez6 said:So how’s the Detralex working for you? Is it actually doing anything? It’s not helping me much. Plus, I've got my period going on, so honestly, I can't even tell where the bleeding is coming from.🙄, feels like it's coming from everywhere.

I've already finished an entire box and I'm starting the second one (never thought I'd sink this much cash into my backside, between the $333 pills and the cream). The hemorrhoids have shrunk significantly and feel less swollen—they aren't hard anymore and the pain is gone. Just wondering how much longer I'll need to stay on Detralex before things go back to normal.

urbanjackal14 said:I don't get it. It seems like everyone else has hemorrhoids right around the anal opening, so why is mine (if that's even what it is) sitting way up at the top of my butt, right at the start of the crack??? It bleeds whenever I touch it, and if I sit on something hard, the bleeding gets even worse. Plus, it’s itching like crazy. It’s probably just a hemorrhoid.
Should I hit up my primary care doctor first?

That’s not just some hemorrhoid issue. Honestly, I’d bet money it’s an anal fissure or something similar. He needs to get his act together and see a proctologist immediately to figure out what's actually going on.

Casey Cooper49 said:I finished an entire box and I'm already on my second one (I’ve never spent this much money on my backside in my life, maybe $333 between tablets and creams)... the hemorrhoids have shrunk completely and feel deflated, like they aren't hard anymore, and there's no pain... I'm really curious how much longer I'll need to take Detralex before they vanish entirely.

Well, I guess I'll keep taking it then, through this second round, even if 🤷.

Is constipation actually linked to hemorrhoids? I honestly can't tell if that's what I'm dealing with right now. I've been feeling this discomfort today—nothing extreme, but it's a dull ache radiating toward my lower abdomen. My stomach has also been acting up all day, and I'm pretty backed up. Could this be hemorrhoids?

Here’s a little story about a married couple dealing with hemorrhoids; feel free to give it a read if you find that sort of thing interesting.. http://sarenasvakodnevnica.blogspot.com

There are some pretty intriguing details in there...

Chloe Gomez6 said:Fine, I guess I'll just keep drinking that other one too, though 🤷.

Chloe Gomez6, have you managed to get your symptoms under control as of today?

I finished one box and finally felt some relief. The symptoms haven't vanished entirely, but things have improved by about 50%. Since it was the weekend and I couldn't make it to the drugstore, I had a three-day break (plus a BBQ and bread😠=hard stools), and now the symptoms are back😠.
I picked up a new box today, but now I'm unsure about the dosage. Should I stick to the instructions from the first box, or switch to taking one in the morning and one at night🤷? That’s my guess. I also grabbed some Faktu suppositories to use alongside it. I assume they can be used together. Honestly, I am just totally frustrated at this point.

How did you handle your treatment? Did you get fully cured, or did it just improve? Are you planning to keep taking them for prevention?

Chloe Gomez6 said:I finished one box and felt an improvement for the first time. They didn't disappear, but things got about 50% better. Since it was the weekend and I didn't feel like hitting the pharmacy, I took a three-day break (plus BBQ and bread😠=hard stools), and now I'm back at it😠.
Today I bought a new box and now I'm not sure if I should follow the instructions from the first box again or just take one in the morning and one at night🤷. I'm guessing the latter. I also picked up some Faktu suppositories to combine with it. I assume they can be used together. Honestly, I'm totally frustrated.

How did you treat yours? Did it clear up completely or just get better? Are you planning to keep taking them for prevention?

Time will tell if I've actually healed long-term or if this is just a few days of relief... either way, I'd suggest you restart that initial dose meant for acute inflammation—basically, start over from the beginning. Personally, the Faktu suppositories didn't do much for me... as far as diet goes, I made sure to eat plenty of oatmeal or grits, drank lots of fluids, and took herbal digestive tablets. 👍

I've continued taking Detralex as a preventative measure (twice a day) and once I finish this second box, I'll grab a third... then I'm hoping for peace for at least six months.

It looks like you repeated my mistake because that's exactly how I messed up a few months ago. I felt better, so I stopped the pills, relaxed my diet, and then the whole hell cycle started all over again.👎

I think it's vital to watch your diet both during treatment and moving forward.

I've already started the 2x1 routine, so I’m going to stick with it. Plus, one more. I feel better. I can still feel them if I check, but there's no pain, no itching, and no burning.

I know you can't be certain if you're cured for good (though I really hope you are😁), but I was wondering about the appearance? Is everything back to normal? Can you no longer feel anything unusual? Are you able to wipe without any fear after a bowel movement?

As for the food, I'm being careful. But when I go out for lunch, it feels silly to be overly picky (or maybe that's just an excuse to indulge in the very things I'm supposed to avoid😁).