Medical Problem Advice (1 Viewer)

[Adam Sanchez]

Hey all,

First of all if I am out of line at all in posting this, I apologize and feel free to delete this post if you need to. I have a problem I am just sick of living with and I an sorting of looking for a "everyman's" opinion on how I might deal with it as opposed to some medical site with treatment advice.

I hope I in no way offend anyone or anything like that, I am just really looking for some help/advice.

To get down to it very directly, I'm talking ahout Hemorrhoids. I have had then for literally years and am sick of it. I'm not that old, 28, and I'm pretty darn sure it's not the norm for someone my age. I admit my diet isn't great or ny workout habbits. I'm not overweight or anything. I know I should obviously goto the doctor but I cant at the moment. (No medical currently.) When I did go in the past, the doctor never really did much. I had talked about the option of needing surgery but then lost a job (and coverage of course) before I could persue it.

I am frankly sick of living with them and spending WAY too much of my life in pain or in a bathroom for way way too long each day. I will pay for something to be done ASAP when I can but for now I am looking for anything, any suggestions, products, etc that I could use or things I could try to get them down on my own... maybe to where something extreme as surgery would not be required.

I know I don't eat well and am willing to change my diet but I need to find a way to get rid of what I have now. When I say it's rediculous, it's an understatement!

I again apolgize for this message if I grossed anyone out. I am embrassed, but I am more worried about getting help than the embarassment.

 

[Joe Szott]

I've had this problem too. It's like a hernia, once you get it for any reason it's easier and easier for it to come back. Two words for you friend:

Witch Hazel

Go to your local pharmacists and look for it (it's herbal so over the counter) or ask them about it. Usually it comes in two forms for your ailment: a topical pad steeped in the stuff (think of an acne pad), and a liquid concentrate that you add to a bath and soak in. Witch Hazel is pretty benign, it will only affect sore, bruised, or inflamed areas of your skin. Go get both kinds and you'll be good by this weekend. The stuff works wonders for H sufferers.

 

[Adam Sanchez]

Thanks I will look into it. I had soaked in epson salt in the past....didn't help much.

My H's are most EXTERNAL... (at least a large bit I can see is... I know... yuck)

Would the WH still help? So you suggest I try BOTH application methods? Where is a store will I find it, and it is actually called Witch Hazel?

Thanks again!

 

[DonnyD]

A treatment for preventing your H from getting worse, or reappearing once reduced, is to begin a diet that includes high fiber, or even a stool softener of some type. That would definitely reduce the strain you apparently in when you go...........

 

[willyTass]

Agree

i tell my patients to eat lots of fruit/ use stool softeners.

Next step is proctosedyl suppositories (that's the australian name) BUT if you REALLY want to get rid of haemorrhoids get referred to a surgeon for a formal haemorrhoiectomy

then you can kiss the pain goodbye

 

[Adam Sanchez]

Thanks for the input guys, I wll definately look into all of this. Sorry again for asking about a most unpleasant subject.

The softeners sound like a good helpful idea, especially for me. H's are caused often by pressure are they not? I do have constipation problems often so I imagine (and hope the fiber and or stool softeners will help me alot.

Having external ones and a large case of them (I'm guessing my case is bad.) Is it even possible to get rid of them or get them down using home remedies or am I most likely going to have to see about surgery? Willy, I'm guessing you are a doctor of some kind so that is aimed at you. If surgery is needed (I've never had surgery of any kind ever) what happens during it?

I am curious to know if my H's are small time or seriously bad. They don't always bother me, though they are always there but sometimes go back in then out. (which is really awful to talk about, again I'm sorry.) When they "Flare up" like yesterday it's horrible and I just feel painful pressure.

Important to mention this: I do bleed sometimes, but NEVER when they are being painful... which I find rather odd. The only reason I ever know I've bled is just by seeing it.

Has anyone else experienced these symptoms associated with these? Curious to see how other suffers problems are.

If anyone wants to PM me more rather than continue this, please do so. Also my email is [email protected].

Thanks...

 

[Robbie R]

Here's a remedy very similar to Joe's.

Go to the pharmacy and buy some Witch Hazel and make-up removal pads (Thin cotton pads about 2" in Diameter) Soak the pads in Witch Hazel and place them in Zip-Lock bags and put them in the freezer. Apply the frozen pads to..........well you know where.

 

[Joe Szott]

The diet ideas are good long term, but unfortunately (and as you probably know), short term that doesn't help out a bit. You need to get those suckers to be de-inflamed ASAP before anything else. That's where the witch hazel comes in.

You can get it at Walgreens, Target, anywhere with a decent pharmacy. It is also used for other ailments, so you don't have to admit your problem by buying it It is actually called Witch Hazel as well. Go get some today...

The ways I have found to keep the [H] at bay:

* Don't sit on the toilet for long periods. When you need to go, do it in 2 minutes and then get off.

* Fiber is good, for many reasons. Get some everyday.

* As soon as you feel 'burning' or irritation, bust out the Witch Hazel and get it under control before it gets bad.

* Get enough sleep and rest. It's funny how much this one effects so many aspects of our health, yet is almost never mentioned. You have an injury, let your body heal it like any other.

* Figure out what you are doing to irritate it and then change that activity or eliminate it. For me, it was riding hard bike seats. So I bought a softie gel seat cover and limited by bike riding. Worked like a charm, way less outbreaks now.

My [H]s were bad, real bad. I won't go into too much detail, but at it's worst sitting wasn't really a happy option. It can be beat and brought to heel, I wouldn't entertain surgery just yet. Mine are practically non-existent today, but if I feel irritation I will still treat it ASAP.

Good luck man.

 

[Adam Sanchez]

Thanks again for the replies. I'm going to post more later but just a quick question for now. How is the Witch Hazel administered? Do I need to be at home to lay down after I put it on? I can't imagine it being easy to sit after I've just put some medicine on down there.

One method like you said is just a pad I use down there right?

I'm getting my hopes up that I can finally get this under control! I'm glad I came here for help.

 

[Joe Szott]

The WH is like a compound, an extract of the herb. So when I say it's like an acne pad, it's exactly like an acne pad. An additive for your bath is just like epsom salt, or Mr. Bubbles, or ??? You don't use the actual herb, it's distilled and put in different solutions for you to use like vitamins or such.

The only thing you NEED to do after using the pad is wash your hands. Since the other stuff is a bath additive, uhhh yes, most likely you want to be at home when using that one

 

[Eric Samonte]

Adam, do u know any surgical interns? When I was doing my postgrad internship, I did several of my friends' relatives and also friends hemmorhoidectomies for free since its mostly an office procedure or minor. Well, not entirely free, they had to get their own supplies.
If only u lived around the block or somehting....

 

[Chu Gai]

Additional information can be found on WebMD and http://www.hemorrhoid.net/ has some good, practical information which might allow you to classify your situation. Now get a job with medical coverage and hope for the best.

 

[Adam Sanchez]

Joe, I emailed you personally last night. I hope that is alright and I hope you got it.

 

[Scott Dautel]

link without commentary .....

 

[Joe Szott]

I have images of those York Peppermint Patty commercials looking at that product Scott.

"Exhilerating" doesn't even come close to how that would feel...

 

[willyTass]

I'm happy for u to use witch hazel or any traditional remedy provided it helps.

All I'm saying is that the vast majority of patients who underwent formal haemorrhoidectomy with a reputable and experienced surgeon have never looked back.
The surgery is simple; they anesthetise you ,pull out the dilated prolapsed veins (which is what haemorrhoids are) and excise them. You'll be a bit tender for a few days but then you'll be back to your old self. haemorrhoids can come back years later.
If you drink heaps of alcohol haemorrhoids COULD be a sign of liver damage.

Severe excruciating haemorrhoid pain is a sign of thrombosis (blood clot) of one of the rectal veins- if that ever happens you should go straight to your ER for incision and removal of clot. It will bring water to your eyes ( a bit like last night when I had to endure the crap story and wooden acting of Revenge of the sith)

cheers

Ps i am a doctor practicing in Australia

 

[Jay Taylor]

A dietary tip to help prevent hemorrhoids is to reduce the amount of dairy products that you consume. I know many people who have gotten rid of hemorrhoids by temporarily eliminating cheese and ice cream from their diet.

The following is from here.

What can I do about hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids are most often a short-term problem. Constipation is one of the main things that can lead to hemorrhoids.

Preventing constipation:

- Include more fibre in your diet. Fibre helps soften stools. Fresh fruit, leafy vegetables, and whole-grain breads and cereals are good sources of fibre.

- Avoid low-fibre foods, such as ice cream, cheese, white bread and meat.

- Drink plenty of fluids (except alcohol). Eight glasses of water a day is ideal.

- Exercise regularly. Bulk-forming laxatives may be helpful.

- Bulk-forming laxatives include bran, psyllium (some examples are Metamucil, Fibrepur, Novo-Mucilax, Prodiem ) and others (an example is Fibyrax).

- Avoid laxatives for more than occasional use unless they're bulk-forming.

- If you feel the need to have a bowel movement, don't wait too long to use the bathroom. Your stool will get drier and harder the longer you wait.