Dealing with hemorrhoids

I've got these external hemorrhoids that flare up every now and then.
But honestly, the bloody stools are what's really messing with me. Anyone else dealt with this crap?

Look, the truth is simple: healthy fats and fiber are the absolute gold standard for your diet.

anunaki said:Iron helps some people. Give it a shot.

👎 It was actually the exact opposite for me. I never had any issues with chemicals until I started taking iron supplements for anemia—the kind where the label explicitly warns about side effects. Once I stopped, everything cleared up. What a relief.🙏

I see a lot of you guys suggesting fixing digestion through diet.
But what if someone already has a regular routine—or maybe even goes way too often? How are all these fiber-heavy meals and extra liquids actually going to affect things? Am I just supposed to spend my entire day glued to the toilet then? Because honestly, I’m already dealing with enough as it is. 😢

Look, maybe don't go overboard with all that extra fiber all at once. Just focus on keeping things moving smoothly, and honestly? You really need to go see a doctor about this—though you didn't actually say what the specific issue is here.
As for me, they just discharged me, so I'm home nursing the baby before I have to head back in for my surgery tomorrow morning.
The doctor actually caught me in the hallway with a smile; he shook my hand and basically told me he could tell I was freaking out. Well, duh! What am I supposed to do when I can't even hide how terrified I am? They told me I should be heading home this Saturday, which feels like a lifetime away. I am seriously counting down the minutes until this whole mess with my backside is finally over.

Finally back home! They let me off early because of the baby.
Anyway, the surgery went incredibly smooth. It was actually pretty quick since I opted for spinal anesthesia. My surgeon told me it wouldn't be nearly as bad as he originally anticipated. They just placed a small tampon in my rectal area, which they removed this morning, and now the main instruction is just to keep everything cleaned up and showered thoroughly. Honestly? There’s zero pain. I can't believe it. After seven months of absolute hell and constant, agonizing pain, they just cut it out and—boom—nothing. It’s such a pleasant surprise. I know it doesn't look pretty right now since there's a little incision near my anus, but I'm sure it'll look much better once it heals up.
Look, I'm not going to pretend I'm auditioning for a scene in an adult movie where everything has to look flawless, right?
So, if anyone out there is facing surgery for a perianal fistula, just know that the recovery isn't painful at all. Yay!
I have a follow-up appointment in ten days, so until then, it's just lots of cleaning.

Steven Martinez7 said:Basically, the surgery went great. It was super quick since I opted for spinal anesthesia. My doctor mentioned it wouldn't be as bad as he initially feared, and they just placed a tampon in my rectal area which they removed this morning. All I have to do now is keep the area clean with showers. Honestly, there’s zero pain—I can't believe it. After seven months of pure misery and intense pain, they just cut it out and now... nothing. It's actually a pleasant surprise. It doesn't look pretty right now because of the incision near the anus, but I suppose it'll look better once it heals.
I mean, I'm not starring in a movie where everything has to look perfect, right?
Anyway, if anyone is getting surgery for a perianal fistula, just know that there's virtually no pain afterward. Yay!
I have a follow-up appointment in ten days; until then, just lots of cleaning.

Bravo. I'm honestly so glad you've given all of us dealing with perianal fistulas some hope.
HOORAY FOR STEVEN MARTINEZ7 AND ALL HIS SUCCESSES...!!!

I was rooting for you. Let's stay in touch.

Best regards

Jeremy Cox3, I see you finally stumbled upon us here on the forum. Good luck, man—just sit back, read up, and enjoy the ride. Personally, I've managed to dig up a ton of useful info while hanging out here myself.

Oh, I’m just thrilled for you—good luck!!👍

finally

glad you're not in pain

get well soon

enjoy that little one

Good luck to you guys too. I’m really holding out hope that we can finally shake these headaches and get some peace for a while.

I wonder how many fans Steven Martinez7 actually has
it feels like a total recovery is practically guaranteed at this point

regards to the whole crew

After taking everyone’s advice to heart, here is what actually worked for me:
Taking muscle relaxants and Advil in the morning
Maintaining impeccable hygiene using lukewarm water
Getting plenty of walks in
Cutting back on the spicy food
The occasional application of hemorrhoid cream

And now, everything is perfectly fine. 👋

Hey everyone... I know this might be a bit off-topic for this thread, but I could really use some advice.
The skin around my anal area has turned white, and I’ve been dealing with some stinging right after using the bathroom, followed by redness. It leaves me feeling pretty uncomfortable—just a sharp stinging sensation for about 5 to 10 minutes—before it settles down, though the redness sticks around. I’ve tried rubbing on various creams, which helped dull the redness a bit, but it's still clearly visible. Has anyone else dealt with this or found something that actually works?

Alright, time for me to vent a little bit too.

Up until I hit 35, I cruised through life without any of this drama—honestly, when I used to hear people whining about chemicals in food, I was just thanking my lucky stars I didn't have any gut issues. My digestion was perfectly regular and everything was 👍

But then, about a month ago, I noticed some blood when I went to the bathroom and I absolutely lost it. I’ve been bleeding every single day (not a ton, but literally every day) and my bowel movements have gone totally haywire. Some days I’m running to the restroom 3 to 5 times, and other days I can barely go once. So, I finally went to the doctor, and they ran a million tests—nothing specifically related to my intestines, mostly blood work and ultrasounds, probably based on the symptoms—and the grand conclusion? Either hemorrhoids or fissures. So, they handed me some Faktu cream and called it a day.

Right now, I’m stuck on a triple antibiotic cocktail because I tested positive for H. pylori.

What’s driving me absolutely insane is how much my digestion has shifted. I’m still going several times a day, but it's such a struggle now—whereas before, I could just pop in for five minutes, get it done, and be out the door... 😢 god, those were the days.
It's not like I'm constipated, but I constantly feel like I haven't quite finished the job.

And, of course, there's the daily bleeding. It feels like nobody else posting here is dealing with stuff quite this intense.

I’m actually terrified that if I try changing my diet—and I don't even know what to change, since I eat soups and stews, plenty of veggies (both cooked and raw), not huge amounts of fruit, some muesli, prunes, nuts, and I'm basically drowning myself in yogurt and probiotics)—that I'll end up having to run to the bathroom even more often. Honestly, I want to fix things so I go *less* frequently, not more.

Oh, and before the doctor gave me the Faktu, I was using some lavender oil. That didn't do much for the bleeding, but at least my skin wasn't irritated. Ever since I started using the Faktu, everything down there feels tight and dry, and suddenly I'm dealing with itching and stinging—which I never had before—and the bleeding hasn't stopped either.
😢 Anyone got any advice?

If you're dealing with hemorrhoids, honestly, just get moving. Hit the gym or go for a run; staying active is probably your best bet.
I actually went through this myself during my sophomore year of college—I spent way too many hours glued to a desk studying and barely moved an inch.
For those who aren't exactly feeling the "marathon runner" vibe, maybe look into essential oils. Do a little digging to see which ones actually help, then try applying them or adding them to a warm bath. Good luck! 😉

You might want to try applying some Lidocaine gel; it provides a bit of numbing if you’re feeling that internal discomfort, and it helps prevent things from getting too dry. My doctor actually suggested I use it alongside my suppositories because I’ve been dealing with a fissure—basically a little tear in the lining—which causes this constant stinging, itching, and quite a bit of bleeding. As far as digestion goes, my main issue used to be incredibly hard stools, but lately, if you'll excuse my bluntness, I've been hitting the bathroom several times a day. It tends to come in waves for me. Honestly, I think having softer stools is better because it hurts less, but if you're going too frequently, then the irritation starts all over again. I don't know, just thinking out loud here.
Maybe it's a side effect of the medication, too, since antibiotics are notorious for absolutely wrecking your digestive system. How much longer are you stuck on that triple therapy regimen?

Steven Martinez7 said:You could try using some Lidocaine gel—it helps numb things out if there's internal pain, plus it keeps things from getting too dry. My doctor actually suggested that to me along with the Factu because I’ve been dealing with an anal fissure—basically a tear in the lining—so everything stings, itches, and I've had quite a bit of bleeding. As for digestion, my main issue was being backed up, but lately—if you'll excuse the bluntness—I'm hitting the bathroom several times a day. It comes in waves, though. Personally, I think having softer stools is better since it hurts less, but if you're going *too* often, then the irritation kicks in again. I don't know, just thinking out loud here.
maybe it's the meds, honestly. Antibiotics are notorious for absolutely wrecking your gut flora. How long are you stuck on that triple therapy combo?

Two antibiotics and some kind of "soothing" med for 7 days (got 3 😢 left), then another 6 weeks of just the "soother."

The whole time I'm just sitting here hoping this is all just a side effect of the treatment, even though these issues started before I even began the meds. Or maybe it's the bacteria itself... I just really need to believe this stuff is actually gonna clear up. 😢

Avoid nuts if your digestion is acting up. Why bother?

It basically shreds your colon lining. Feels like someone’s performing surgery on you without anesthesia. You ever experienced that?
Peanuts, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds... just forget the whole lot of it.

Eat some plums in the evening. Make them your last meal before bed. Follow them up with a glass of water—or more if you need it. What else is there?

If you’re going several times a day but it feels like a total struggle, doesn't that just mean things aren't soft or bulky enough to actually move through?

Had my gallbladder out. Now I take magnesium on an empty stomach every single morning. Might be worth a shot?
Focus on the fiber. Lots of veggies and fruit—pears, apples, prunes, figs, oranges. That's the key, right?
You need to find whatever it is that actually drives you. Because just struggling through life feeling like you haven't even cleared out the mental junk? It isn't working.
Always wash your butt in lukewarm water after you go. Or cold water. Whatever. Does it really matter?

Since nobody got back to me, I’m going to ask again... I have this patch of white skin right around my anus—maybe about half an inch away—and it tends to get red and a little itchy. I’ve been rubbing Nivea cream on it constantly, which helped clear up the redness, but that white patch is still there along with some lingering irritation. This has been going on for ages. I’m pretty young, and honestly, I’m too embarrassed to even bring it up with my parents! At this point, I know I probably need to see a doctor, but I have absolutely no clue where to go or how to handle it.