Hemorrhoids anyone?

SMLmom · March 2016

Soo... I may have them. I had them before and they hurt pretty much all the time, it hurt to sit down etc. This isn't like that. It does hurt for several hours after I poop though. It's like every time I poop I aggravate a wound.

Any insight? Anusol worked really well when I had them before but not sure it's safe when pregnant. I will mention it to my OB tomorrow at my apt but I'm curious if other people are dealing with anything similar. I know it's a bit of an awkward topic but it's a VERY uncomfortable problem!

Thanks ladies

alw12290 · March 2016

So, yes is the short answer for me. For my son, I had internal, apparently now I have external and never experienced them before. They were so painful that I could not sit or walk (must have become thrombosed) I just soaked a paper towel or cotton swab with witch hazel and left it there for hours. And finally they have started to bleed (TMI- I am sorry) which has caused some relief and the swelling has officially started to go down and pain is no longer present. I had to start taking stool softeners and actually taking a shower or bath after a BM with warm water; they say that helps minimizes the swelling that will take place after BM. Good luck!!

SMLmom · March 2016

Do not worry about TMI- we're discussing ass pain here, I'm pretty sure the TMI line has been crossed

. Mine were external last time and I'm wondering if they are internal this time as the pain is different (external was hell- sorry you went through that!!!!). I'll see what my OB says but I appreciate your input!! I'm so glad your pain is better now. Good to know about witch hazel.

BakerBird525 · March 2016

My husband gets hemorrhoids really easily (last summer he had 2 at once and had to get them removed) and I had never heard of using Witch Hazel. I'm going to ask him about that. He has all the wipes/creams/gels you can think of for hemorrhoids though.

A few weeks ago he went out to a b-day party and came back super drunk (our neighbors drove him home) and basically fell asleep on the toilet, apparently forgot to wipe - next day - hemorrhoid.

I am curious what others have tried (for DH's sake) so I'm going to keep an eye on this thread.

I've never had a hemorrhoid before but there are times during a BM where I feel something really sharp around the, ahem, a hole. Is that anything like how a hemorrhoid starts/feels like??

alw12290 · March 2016

@BakerBird525 I did read putting Vicks Vabor Rub on it helps reduce them and help them go away faster, however, I am terrified to try it!! However, the witch hazel worked really well for me and although they are not completely gone (I have two as well, lucky me!) they have significantly gone down in size and pain has gone. However, I think it is a must to make sure that your diet is high in fiber or at least take a stool softener that way the problem does not continue to get worse. As you know, once you have them, they never officially go away you will have 'flare ups' of them whenever straining too hard.

The pain you are describing could be an internal hemorrhoid (usually only painful during BM, not after) or could be an anal fissure--small tear. (I am not a nurse btw so don't quote me on any of it lol, I just suffer from chronic constipation (not just during pregnancy) and have dealt with and done a ton of research on this subject!)

VikingGirl12 · March 2016

Are you saying that you have a different thing this time that's not hemorrhoids? I thought I had them internally after my last pregnancy. It hurt so bad for hours and it was like I was opening a new wound every time I went to the bathroom. I cried in pain every morning when I went, it bled horribly, I gripped the tub next to me to get me through it, and bled a good bit. I went to my Ob and she said it was an anal fissure. She gave me some enemas that were super soothing and it healed it within days.

mamabird24 · March 2016

I don't want to scare anyone but here's my story. I used to get them before having kids, just occasionally after a BM. When I got pregnant with my first I'd get them more frequently due to the added pressure down there. Fast forward to delivery and 3 hours of pushing...I ended up with what felt like a fist (now we're getting into TMI lol) coming out of my butt. I went to the ER about 2 weeks post partum (on my birthday no less) because the pain was so intense. I had so many Dr's and nurses come in to look because they had never seen so many HUGE hemorrhoids. By the time I saw a specialist they had gone and nothing was done. With DD2, I got them occasionally again, but had a c-section so never delt with the massive ones. This time, I'm using witch hazel wipes a lot and trying to drink lots of water. I want a vbac but this is the only reason I'm scared to try. I haven't found anything that gets rid of them completely though, but may have to consider getting them removed after DD3 is born.
I wish I had more advice, but I'm just learning to live with them at this point.

MynaBird · March 2016

We had a really good thread about this a few months ago with lots of great advice:
https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12636771/the-ultimate-hemorrhoid-thread

SMLmom · March 2016

@VikingGirl12 I'm not sure what I have... certainly not external ones like last time but I'm beginning to suspect I might have internal ones. I was hoping the pain would just go away but, like you say, it's like every morning a wound is opened again.
@mamabird24 yikes that sounds horrible. You've definitely inspired me to ask about it at my OB apt tomorrow (it's weird- I'm comfortable talking to this woman about all things vaginal but more hesitant about this!)
@MynaBird Thank you.

BPaisley · March 2016

I agree with witch hazel. You can just get a bottle of it at target and it works well for putting in your peri bottle that typically is used whenever you pee after delivery, particularly if you have stitches or a tear and get that lovely burning feeling when you pee.

I also had Earth Angel bottom balm, which is like a cooling ointment that kind of tingles and gives a little pain relief when you've got some bad ones. I'd recommend trying it.

Danniella21 · March 2016

Yup..dealing with one right now. Its huge. I'm relieving it with ice cubes wrapped in cloth until i can get some cream. It helps reduce the swelling which essentially is what a hemmorhoid is. Feels fine for a few hours and then i have to do it again. Pain in the butt...literally.

peregrinefalconx · March 2016

I found someplace online (you can google it--it was on a preg website, I believe, as a "grandma's recipe") where you take a teaspoon of nutmeg in water in the AM and PM. I was actually mixing it with water and drinking it, which wasn't awful, but got kind of gross. I was going to buy those gel pills and fill it with the nutmeg, but found that by day 5 or so, they had subsided. I can't say for certain that this was the reason, but it's worth a try.

Other than that, keep your stools soft and regular if you can. Use wipes after you go, not toilet paper (ones with witchhazel/aloe, etc) and that should help soothe the outside ones. You can sit in a little salt water and keep clean after a BM. I found that the cremes didn't help over much but they can't hurt.

SMLmom · March 2016

Update: my OB thinks I have an anal tear. She suggested witch hazel wipes (like some of you have). Fingers crossed!

alw12290 · March 2016

Ugh that stinks! I would also take a stool softener to help soften the stool so it can heal and go away and not Come back! Good luck

VikingGirl12 · March 2016

SMLmom said:

Update: my OB thinks I have an anal tear. She suggested witch hazel wipes (like some of you have). Fingers crossed!

Yes this is like an anal fissure that I described above. They are absolutely awful, I am so sorry you're going through that. The pain was up there with the worst pain I've ever experienced.

alsbaldwin · March 2016

I didn't have hemmys until after DS1 was born. The nurses said it was a little one, but I'm a wimp because that was more uncomfortable than my 2nd degree tear. Ever since then, it'll flare up whenever I strain too hard. I've also had a fissure, which was absolutely horrible. As PP said, I gripped the edge of the tub to get through each BM. It was excruciating. With both problems, I try to drink more water and I don't poo until I really, really have to- that way there isn't straining or pushing. That, Tucks and witch hazel have helped so much.

alw12290 · March 2016

@alsbaldwin I love that you also use the word hemmys!

peregrinefalconx · March 2016

For internal Hs and prob tears too (I think I had a tear or maybe a twisted H?), I found the Preparation H suppositories helpful. They are just made with aloe and a couple of other ingredients. I found they eased the pain with the added bonus of making the passage kind of oily if you are really constipated, thus avoiding future tears with less straining.

Man, I wish I wasn't so well versed in anal problems...

mamalindsayof3 · March 2016

You're not alone! I had them for about a week at the 20 week mark with my first pregnancy, and now at 25 weeks with my second. Normally all it takes for me is a lot of TLC with the area including tucks (pads soaked in witch hazel) and basically laying on my side as much as possible.

Best of luck!

alsbaldwin · March 2016

alw12290 said:

@alsbaldwin I love that you also use the word hemmys!

Ha, I do it so I don't feel so gross while having an itchy and painful bum-hole!

alw12290 · March 2016

I agree it is a much 'cuter' name for them! LOL That is what I call them as well.

KRuthie25 · March 2016

I had a thrombosed external one at 22 weeks and it's still there around the size of a blueberry now at 29 weeks now. My midwife told me to apply ice for 10 minutes then warmth for 20 minutes and it provided instant relief! I purchased ice/hot packs from Amazon called TendHer care...get it?! Haha..Also using prescription hydrocortisone cream (Anusol). Have already had a surgical consult to have it removed after labor since that is the only way to get rid of them! Oh and I second the comments about a stool softener (colace) twice daily!

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