Scared to death - Bowel Disorders Message Board

jasony · 04-12-2003, 11:51 PM

Guess I'm just posting to see if anyone has/is been through this experience. After the exams I've been through this week, I'm not really too embarrassed to share anything at this point, so forgive me if I'm providing "too much information".

I'm a 31 year-old male. I've had bouts with external hemarrhoids about once or twice a year since I was about 27. Usually something I can see/feel, externally, that hurts (once thrombosed) but goes away after 1-2 weeks. I've sinced been good about eating more fiber, drinking more water, etc.

About a month ago, I apparently was eating too much pizza and not enough whole grains. It was bad. But after a week or so, there was nothing externally to see or feel. But the pain didn't stop.

I'm going on a month now. I've donned quite a few hospital gowns in the last week, had all kinds of tests for blood in places it shouldn't be, even ultrasounded for testicular cancer. The docs still say i have hemarrhoids, and I'm being referred to a surgeon this week to see if that's what I need to have done.

Here's the deal though. If they are internal, someone tell me why it never itches, never bleeds, but hurts SO bad. Creams, oinments, or what I call the "wax bullets" don't seem to help. Anything "HC" actually seems to make worse. Hot baths and advil, with an occasional beer, are all the seem to help.

From what I have read so far (and I've read a lot) it seems like bleeding, itching, and (UGH) "prolapsing" go hand-in-hand with "internal" hemarrhoids. I have experiences NONE of these. But it still hurts, and I can literally feel swollen masses through the tissue around my.. ahem, ya know. Is this just an uncommon case, but a case that just won't go away without surgery?

To any of you that this might sound familiar too, did surgey make this stop? I'm so tired of being in what I consider a lot pain, 24 hours a day, with the only semi-relief coming in the form of a 20 minute hot bath. I just want to feel normal again.

Any insight would be great. Also - how bad is the pain afterwards, and how long does it last? What about these "lazer" or "infared" versions of surgery? Same pain and length of time to recovery?

Pardon my verbosity.
~j

Samuelemouse · 04-13-2003, 05:52 AM

I don't know how bad yours really are. But with mine I could not sit down. I changed my diet to avoid constipation and got a bit of exercise. That helped. I have not had surgery and will avoid it if I can. I have heard stories about it eg the pain and problems afterwards but I can't believe that surgery is all that bad. Nonetheless try other things because all hemorrhoids are is varicose veins in the wrong place and with the right care they will not be so bad.

jasony · 04-14-2003, 10:58 AM

Thanks for the reply. I would really like to believe I can avoid surgery. I can barely handle trips to the dentist. I've always been able to fend them off with diet before, but I'm paying a high price for falling of the fiber wagon this time. I'm going on week 5 and it just seems to get worse. Usually it's only 1-2 weeks of hell. Thank you for your encouragement though, I'm still keeping faith that I can avoid surgery. At this point though, I'm almost willing to do anything to just get back to normal life.

Harry · 04-14-2003, 11:34 AM

I have had the surgery and your anus muscles are never the same. The pain after surgery is Ba---d.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to take a water soluble fiber supplement like Metamucil twice daily and never but never allow yourelf to get constipated. That is the biggest cause of hemorrhoids!!!!

God Bless---Harry

kat721 · 04-14-2003, 04:34 PM

Ditto. Never let your self get constipated again and never fall off the fiber wagon.
I suppose that means no Pizza too.
My husband had his internal stuff banded to avoid surgery. That wasn't a fun experience either.
I guess most anything in that part of the anatomy is going to be uncomfortable. Best to do preventative maintenance with lifestyle changes.
Keep it regular and keep on truckin'

kat