Haemorrhoids......how do YOU treat them?

[Hoody]

Hello All,
As you have prob gathered from the title "i have haemorrhoids" and they are becoming a pain in the butt quite literally. I did not get them with my 1st pg but have had severe constipation this time around (sorry for TMI) i have worked on that by taking a softener and drinking plenty of water etc but MY haemorrhoids are getting worse!!!!
Anyone out there in the same boat?
Are you treating them?
What with?
Today i have felt like i'm walking with a carrot in the appropriate place and have been rather uncomfortable. I did mention them to my midwife team on Tues and was told that they will go away after the birth, 7+ weeks is too long to feel like this, i have even been in tears feeling sorry for myself. I have read the related Article but was hoping someone could tell me what works for them or what i should try 1st.
TIA

[Lesh2]

I have heard that witzhazel applied directly helps, I have suffered from them in the past and had to have surgery to fix the problem and luckily have not had them reappear in this preganancy - am assuming after birth with be a different story though! Try warm salt baths too perhpas and try sitting on tube you can get from the chemist which has the middle cut out to take pressure off.

[Visitor7]

I got them after the birth of Nina, and used some stuff from the chemist (can't think of the name though, sorry). You can only use this stuff for 1 or 2 weeks, and if it hasn't fixed the problem, best to see your GP.

[Beccas]

i had them with my second pregnancy and again this third pregnancy. used rectinol cream from the chemist. also i have been taking fefol an iron supplement which i think has a softener in it so that has been making things easier in that department.

you poor thing, they are so uncomfortable and another seven weeks of them must be an unbearable thought!

[krysalyss]

Hi Nat,
Yep I did get them but not until about 6 weeks after so I was a bit surprised.
Firstly have lots of fibre. I personally found that a fibre supplement like metamucil wasn't that good as it really bulked up my motions (TMI - I know) and therefore really hurt. If I ate a lot of natural fibre particularly fruit, this didn't happen. It was just softer without the bulk.
Secondly drink lots of water because that will help soften everything.
Thirdly - make sure you are going to the toilet correctly. The correct position (according to my hospital's physio) is: lean slightly forward and rest your elbows on your knees (as if you are reading a newspaper - lol). Raise your feet onto your tippee toes so your knees are higher than your hips. Don't over strain. I found that kind of body rolling my tummy muscles down helped move things along so I didn't over strain. Go when you need to go. Don't put it off as that trains your muscles not to work properly.
Lastly - you can use rectinol afterwards to help numb you a bit but don't be tempted to use it before because then you can overstrain without realising.

I hope this helps. Its such a drag isn't it?

[myllissa]

Ouch! Sound like you are just miserable. I use an over the counter cream to help and I've heard that witch hazel works well, too. Another thing that I find a bit comforting is using wet wipes at the toilet instead of regular toilet tissue. It is a little more gentle and the cool cloth feels better then the dry wipe. Hope you find some relief soon.

[Lesh2]

My surgon told me not to bother with metamucil, he said bascially just 2 litres of water a day, bran in the morning and 3 peices of fruit is enough to make everything "normal" ! He also told me a big no no to sit and read on the toilet (!!) and to only go when it is "touching cloth" so to speak!!! rather than havingyour bowels open for longer on the tot.

Hope you heal soon as I know what you must be going through!

[Ellibam]

paw paw ointment was great for me!

[Hoody]

thanks everyone for your replies i am eating a whopping amount of fruit and upped my water intake too. DH bought me some rectinol cream i used for 2 days but today i am feeling much better. Hopefully if i watch my diet etc they wont get too much worse it makes me feel better knowing i'm not alone its not something many ppl are happy to admit to.

[BekZ]

Witch Hazel (sp) is excellent and put the rectinol cream in the fridge. Keep your feet up as much as possible, eat heaps of fibre and drink heaps of water.

If they get really bad an ice pack on the area is also good.

HTH's

[all girls]

I got them after 1st dd and have suffered them ever since, they are the worst thing ever.

I had them so severely for #2 and #3 and not much helped me, the Dr told me to get dh to push them back in (what the??) I did end up having to do that myself and i used rectinol and used ice also. I find that dealing with the constipation firstly helps the most i now swear by prune juice and pear juice.

Hope they don't give you too much trouble, i will be suffering too in a few months.

Good luck

[sconeonamission]

I had them in my pregnancy, but was never constipated or had to strain. They were just there. I still have them(no idea how many!) but they don't bother me.