Completely TMI but...

[XLMuffnTop]

I wanted input whether any of you ladies have had this problem because I'm at my wit's end.

Many women get hemorroids during labor and delivery which is totally understandable. I got them with both of mine during delivery but no other time including pregnancy. However, after my second child was born in September, I continued battling them. They just wouldn't stay away!

Then late November early December, one turned extremely painful. I swear, the pain was worse than childbirth. Totally embarrassed, I finally went to the doctor and found out it was thrombosed (clotted). They gave me medication for it and said if it didn't improve to come back Friday (two days later). Well, Friday rolled around and I was still waking up from the pain every night and couldn't sleep unless I was in a hot bath. So, I decided to go back.

This doctor was so RUDE to me. He pretty much said "What do you want me to do about it?" then later "You know, they always hurt" while I'm in tears from the pain and sleep deprivation. Needless to say, I just went home and dealt with it on my own and it showed some improvement. But now, it's horrid again so I'm going back on Thursday to see my doctor, not the walk-in clinic.

Do these things ever go away?!? What the heck can they do to help other than some crappy medication which doesn't really help the thrombosed vein? I'm dying from pain! (exaggeration but jeez! ) It's making it really difficult to enjoy the time I have with my kids or get anything done around the house.

[beerab]

Have you tried a sitz bath? Maybe some stool softener to ease pressure when you go?

I'm sorry the doctor was so mean to you

[cherrypie]

my son is 8 and I still have mine. Doesn't hurt though. I thought they could do something about them though?

[XLMuffnTop]

Beerab - I don't have a sitz but I'm constantly in the bath because I can lay down and take pressure off and keep it really hot. I don't even feel the need for a softener due to the fact it was never caused by constipation. I still go regularly and never feel like I'm straining.

Cherry - I'm sure they can do something about it but the jerk doctor wasn't exactly informative and I don't trust half of what's on the internet. It varies from just lancing to a surgery with a 4-6 week recovery time. Both options turn my stomach to think about. I don't know anyone who's had these so no one can offer an opinion or advice. I hate to just blindly trust doctors - they are only human after all.

[SheriWantsToRun]

My ex-husband had three of his lanced years ago.. and they never came back. It may be as simple as that for you, too! Good Luck. It's, literally, a pain in the ***

[goodforme]

I had thrombosed hemmie's in both of my pregnancies, and they are horrible. I went to a general surgeon and got them lanced/excised or whatever they call it. No stitches required, and the pain relief was immediate. And, I still have hemmie's, always will once they develop, unless you have them removed surgically (not an option I'm open to) so I've had to learn to live with them. High fiber diet, try not to sit on the potty too long, stay hydrated to try to avoid constipation, and use ice packs and "shrinking" meds like Preparation H as needed.

Good luck!

[AnnieDrews]

You might try visiting a proctologist. He would probably be more sensitive to your needs and could help you. Good luck!

...and I'd fire the other doctor.

[XLMuffnTop]

Thanks ladies. I guess I feel better reading about others experiences since no one around me can related.

And the jerk doctor wasn't my GP, he was merely the attending for walk-ins. First time I've ever had a bad experience with any doctor at the clinic but I will not be seeing that one ever again. If it can't wait and he's seeing walk-ins, I'll go to the ER! My doctor will get an earful about him Thursday.

[jitterfish]

Don't you love this forum, that we can ask these questions! I had my first thrombosed hemmie about three weeks after the birth of my son and the pain was awful so you have my sympathy.

Are you considering complaining about the walk in Dr? I hate it when you have to see someone that isn't your normal Dr, it always seems that I have had terrible luck when having to see someone else!

[rivkasreviews]

XLMuffinTop- I hope you don't think I'm crazy, but I had acupuncture to treat my hemorrhoids and they haven't come back since. It has something to do with "building blood" and an acupuncturist can explain to you more about that and how having hemorrhoids is a result of "low" blood chi- hard to understand because chinese medicine is different than western, and western seems to only recognize anemic levels, but in chinese medicine it is possible to treat "low blood" chi without any invasive treatments and then all sorts of symptoms from low blood such as hemorrhoids, disappear!

[19Deltawifey]

Probably TMI but once I started squatting to poop I no longer had to deal with hemorroids (sp?), the porcelain throne (toilet) caused my hemmroids. Maybe this is something you can try, also they make squatting platforms to put over a regular toilet. Squatting has been a blessing for me I no longer cry, scream, strain, etc when it comes to pooping. My husband finds it weird but he understands how much squatting has helped me.

Just google "squatting to poop" and you will find lots of different sites about how this helps with bowel movements. I never have the incomplete bowel movement feeling, all of the fecal matter comes out quickly and none of it is left behind. I used to sit on the toilet forever and getting out maybe a small peice of poop but now I have the long "S" shape that Dr. Oz talks about. Also if I do get constipated it is not painful like it is when I sit on the toilet. I dreaded being constipated and sitting on a regular toilet but squatting really opens you up and it's not painful at all. Good Luck try it and see if this helps.

[Mitza24]

I get these from time to time still if I strain. But I got a cream from the doc that has some steroid medication in it to get rid of them. Use it once or twice a day and within a week, its completly gone. I will look at the name of it when I get home since maybe you can get some to keep around the house when it gets bad.

[XLMuffnTop]

Thanks for the input everyone.

It turned out not to be hemorroids at all but an abscess which became infected. I ended up in the ER on January 30th with a 101.9 fever so they checked me in and took me to surgery the next morning.

Similar to a thrombosed hemorroid, I felt a thousand times better once it was drained but holy crap!!!! Changing the packing in the wound was pure torture, plain and simple. I've never sobbed like that in my life (from physical pain).

Needless to say, the topical creams they were giving me were pretty much pointless! Now the wound is healing nicely and hope to be back to my old habits soon.

[jitterfish]

I'm glad to hear its resolved. But does it make you feel more annoyed at the Dr who just dismissed you?

[XLMuffnTop]

After the appointment with that particular doctor I knew he as a jackhole to put it nicely. I've already written to complain to the clinic about it and will never see him and have stated so.

I have no problems letting clinics and hospitals know when they've screwed up. When the nurse who changed my packing pretty much tortured me (removed it and packed it dry instead of wet to dry), I told the charge nurse what happened and called to talk to higher administrators after the fact.

I know being a doctor and a nurse is hard work and I try to be pretty understanding of that fact but you can't dismiss people like that and I won't let it happen again... because I won't see them. I tell everyone I know about the particular doctor so they won't see him either. Eventually enough of their patients will refuse to see him and he'll be fired or move on somewhere else.