Painful haemorrhoids

Hello Jean, I welcome you to the group and sorry to hear you are having an uncomfortable time at the moment. I noticed you have had a number of views and not had a response to your questions. I think members don’t always know what to say like me sometimes or not sure they will give the right advice. I am sixteen months post treatment and made a good recovery so far. I am trying to remember being around the time you are at but I didn’t suffer from haemorrhoids but did have surgery prior to treatment that left me with a grape size lump/swelling protruding from my bottom. Boy that was so sore and using wipes was a no no. My husband attached a bidet spray to our shower with a long hose so every time I used the toilet I was able to spray cooling water around that area and pat dry. I also had the famous sitz bath which was a godsend during bowel movements. I wore loose boxer type stretchy cotton knickers so nothing rubbed. With regard to creams I think we are all different and what worked for one doesn’t always work for another. At your stage of treatment the best people for advice would be your prescribing team. You could ask about instagel which is numbing and may give relief. I was also prescribed a kind of gauze called polymem which you slightly wet and place it on your sore bits but these don’t stick in place but I used them at night in bed. I was on oromorph plus paracetamol and ibuprofen but of course not everyone needs that much pain relief. Don’t sit and suffer in silence and tell your team you are not coping and they should be doing everything they can to help you through this journey. Take care Julie

You have my utmost sympathy, more than six months after my treatment, I still have external and internal piles.  I found that my stomach calmed down when treatment finished and the piles weren't quite so painful.  However, the pain meds they gave me in the early days after treatment ended caused chronic constipation so be prepared with perhaps Laxido (your treating team will probably prescribe this for you) or another stool softener, I use Normacol granules every day even now and Germaloid suppositaries.  Julie's advice about the the Sitz bath is absolutely right, sitting with your bottom in luke-warm water is tremendously soothing AND using it for a bowel movements. I was also given Flaminal Forte Alginate Gel which I applied in conjunction with the Polymem foam dressings, I used this constantly every time I went to the loo.  You are in the part of the treatment which has the most side effects for most people, and a couple of weeks ofter the end of treatment you will be through the worst.  Keep your treating team in the loop every visit, there are lots of treatments they can give you to help with the pain.  Thinking about you.

Thank you gor your advice Julie. I will be speaking to my team this week

Jean 

Hi Irene thank you for your reply i have been in hospital again with overflow diahorea.  So i am on laxative and bowels moving ok at present but very painful. I will be speaking to my treatment team this week. Its good to speak to others.

Jean

Jean, you sound as if you have really been going through the mill.  I am seven months on from my treatment ending and the thought of constipation fills me with dread, so I am still taking Normacol every day.  I am guessing your treatment has finished and yes, the weeks after the end tend to be the worst of the sores and bowel problems, hopefully things will improve for you now.  Please come back and let us know how you get on.

Irene x

I’m still in pain 7 months post treatment. Back pain left side, bowl pain some days, I just take each day at a time.

I'm sure this is normal, for most of us with Anal Cancer. 

Had my internal up bum 6 weeks ago, they said all is ok. I’m happy with that, just don’t think my body down below will ever be the same again. I’m happy living my life age 62 xxxxxx

Hi Jean (Jeanbean),

I’m so sorry you’re going through the mill st the minute! 

I suffered constipation throughout my treatment, although how much of this was true constipation & how much was internal inflammation I do wonder but towards the end of treatment & for 3 years after I was taking 1 to 2 Movicol or Laxido sachets a day to keep things soft enough so as not to cause pain when going to the loo. It’s only been this last 16 months or so that I’ve stopped taking these & find it comfortable to ‘go’ naturally. Hopefully your team will prescribe you something to keep things moving & comfortable for you while you’re still healing from your treatment. 

Nicola 

Hello Jeanbean we totally understand the pain your in. Regular pain killers will help (not just when you’re in pain) so do try and keep on top of that but I was also given the tip of Instillagel (on the NHS). It’s a an anaesthetic gel that you can pop on the outside directly on your haemorrhoid and it’s a pre filled syringe format so you can pop it inside too for any inner fissures etc. Honestly was one of the best pain reliefs I had! And because it’s topical it’s not going through our liver and system. If they won’t prescribe you can buy it online or ask a GP or just a pharmacy to order for you. It comes in a box  of 10 syringes that at 11ml. Each one has a cap so you can just use what you need each time. In fact I still use it now if I know I’m a bit constipated and by goodness it helps with the pain! There is really no reason your hospital team or GP could not supply you with this! Good luck xx