Bad haemorroids - anybody else? Any advice (*TMI, sorry)

[demongrrl23]

34 wks gone now with baby no.4......developed haemorroids with baby no 2 10 yrs ago and they never really went away, just flared up every now and then...they were managable so I never really worried about them being there. Never had a problem with them during pregnancy number 3 three years ago, but they have now flared up with a vengence and are making my life HELL!!! lol!! I cant sit down on the loo without pain, and it is causing pain in my butt cheeks, right up to the end of my tailbone.....very itchy as well (thankfully no bleeding!). Find myself taking painkillers and using Anusol cream but I dont like taking painkillers too often for obvious reasons and the cream does very little.

Just wondering if anybody else has had the same problem and what kind of things worked for you? I find that lying down helps takes the pressure off but with a toddler to chase around, hubby at work and two older kids who need this, that and the other, lying down all day isnt an option!

But what Im more worried about though, is how this is going to impact on giving birth? All the pushing and pressure....worried the damn things may burst!!!

Would appreciate any advice, thanks

[first_time_mummy]

I am very interested in answers to this thread also. Im not sure if I have hemmroids, as I dont have any physhical signs of lumps down there, however i do have a lit of pain when i go to the toilet, and often get a pressure pain through the bum when i sit down. Its only just started now at 28 weeks, I dont know much about them, but was wondering if i may have them or whether mine is just pressure from bub pushing on everything.

I have had wind, very badly throughout my pregnancy so far, and my fiance reakons thats what may have caused the pain i have don there now...

[willow5]

ICE! I find ice can help. Rectinol cream and the wipes (long as they're safe for pregnancy) And lots of food to keep you regular and soft..liquorice, prunes,dried fruit apricots are good, porridge is great, lots of fruit.

I worry about mine during birthing too I don't know that there's a lot we can do about that the hemorrhoids are already there and we're going to have alot of pressure and pushing happening and it has to be done.

[missya]

I could have written your post right down to the type of cream you are using and your worry about the impact giving birth will have on them. I have two weeks till my due date and my MW says not to expect to get rid of them due to pressure from the baby. But I have visions of my intestines falling out as I push and it terrifies me!. Sorry I have no magic advise to offer but just wanted to sympathize with you.
Hope you find a miracle cure, Cheers Missy

[Taurean]

You poor thing! They tend to get worse during labour - sorry! Our hossi has physios visiting the wards and suggest laser treatment for haemorroids. The midwives say it works wonders. Maybe see if you can get some laser treatment done now but you would need to see a physio who specialise in pregnancy and womens health.

[willow5]

I wonder if they could laser the excess hair while they're there??... LOL...Sorry don't mean to make light of the situation but if I don't laugh about it sometimes I think I'd cry!
I didn't know you could have laser treatment I just saw a physio yesterday and it never crossed my mind to ask her about hemorrhoid treatment I'll ask next time.

[demongrrl23]

The laser treatment is an interesting one....I never would have thought of that (removing excess hair would be a bonus but they'd probably charge extra for it, lol!!!) I know they can be removed surgically though, so I may consider it after bubs arrives.
I find sometimes that when you get the undies wedgie from some undies that can irritate and cause them to flare up, so Im wearing big ol granny panties to stop the wedgies......also when you get the increased discharge from the latter stages, it doesnt help either (mine has increased over the last couple of days, which I think is why they have come up again, so I am wearing pads now to keep dry)

Having baths helps. Not too hot and no additives (ie: bath salts or bubbles), tends to take the pressure off, but I cant stay in there forever!! And I think a bit of a fibre increase will help too...Ill give the ice trick a try as well.

I hate it when i can feel them and its even worse when I can see them (which i can now), and I hate having to go near them when putting the cream on...but I figure Ive got 6 weeks to go so hopefully I can get them down to a miniscule size like they usually are and it wont pose too much of a drama come birthing time

Sorry for the TMI gist of this post as well..thankfully it looks like Ive got plenty of fellow sufferers and sympathisers...hope all of you are coping alright as well

[willow5]

Don't worry bout the TMI! I'm doing ok with mine at the moment but had a bad couple of weeks with them about 8 weeks back, was pretty constipated and they flared up and bled alot for the first time...not nice. They seem to be under control for now, but I do worry as bub gets bigger and there's more pressure and then labour

I'm with you the cream is not a fun job!!
Never would have thought to ask a physio about laser treatment!!...You'd think they'd throw in some hair reduction while they were in the area though

[Sequoia]

I had ultrasound on mine in hossy after pushing out DS. So, so bad! Worse thing about labour, sorry to spring that on you. I used Proctosedyl afterwards which helped them to go down. But then I ended up with a fissure, but you don't want to know about that....

[Taurean]

LOL - hair reduction/haemorroid treatment '2-for-1'.

Just so you girls know, specially trained physios can also do laser treatment on cracked nipples from breastfeeding AND ultrasound on the perineum after a vaginal birth. All of this is offered at my hossi so I'll be sure to sample all of them if needed!

[willow5]

Wow none of this stuff was around when I had my first 2 bubs...unless I just didn't know I guess
Good to know thanks Taurean

[Taurean]

Wow none of this stuff was around when I had my first 2 bubs...unless I just didn't know I guess
Good to know thanks Taurean

No probs willow! I just don't think they promote these services enough. I've been doing antenatal aqua aerobics at my physio and their preparation for childbirth classes so we've chatted about their services available during your stay in hossi. I don't think a lot of hospitals offer physio treatment in maternity but it's good to know for when you're released. I was so surprised that a physio can do so much to help us post birth!

[tippytoes]

Hey there...I hear you loud and clear. I used a combination of daily coloxyl (stool softner - no tummy pains with cause it doesn't contain senna), ointment called protesedyl (sp?) very good - much better than anusol and an inflatable donut! These things combined really helped and I feel as though I can get through the labor now whereas 3 weeks ago - I was petrified! :0
Wishing you all the best hun,
Rach xx

[Kazbah]

I got mine lanced by the GP - I was in so much pain around 30weeks that it was a relief. When getting them lanced, it hurts like anything and then is a sharp pain for a couple of days, but afterwards - oh, the relief! It's worth doing, I was in tears every time I went to the loo before they were lanced!

[Rommy'sMummy]

Its not nice is it??

I had some with DS's pregnancy but have (so far) avoided them with this bub. Lets see what happens after the birth! I have heard that even birth attendants and midwives can end up with them from coaching the woman to bear down and unconsciously doing it themselves! LOL!!

I used whichhazel on a VERY soft toilet paper (my GP recommended I used 4ply paper only) with my previous pregnancy. Worked a treat in reducing the swelling and releaving the pain. You can get it from pharmacies I think. Its just a watery solution. Might even be good added to the bath from memory.

Good luck!

[demongrrl23]

Thanks for the replies everybody...didnt realise there were so many options out there! The laser treatment sounds brilliant, so I might investigate that further, and I never would have thought of witchazel...I have always thought of that as a skin toner!

The day after starting this thread, unfortunatly they took a turn for the worse and started bleeding...only went for a day thank goodness, so I tried the ice for a while and also had a warm bath that night to take the pressure off, which helped a lot.
They are slowly going down and are not quite so bad as last week so if I keep going at this rate hopefully they wont pose so much of a problem when it comes to D-Day!!

Again, thanks for the tips and advice everyone