Help - it hurts! (TMI)

[Cricket]

I managed to make it through delivery with out any tearing, and very little bruising or swelling (hurray, hurray!) but I've got a whole new problem here. I'm pretty sure I've got hemmorhoids, and they REALLY HURT!!! I'm not constipated, and I've been having normal BMs since delivery. I noticed a small "lump" in that region shortly after giving birth, but it didn't trouble me too much - it was just "there". Now, however, the "lump" is bigger, and it feels like I'm sitting with a knife half way up my rear! Sorry, more than you needed to know! I've gotten some cream and have been applying it for 3 days, morning and night, and I haven't noticed any improvement really. DH just picked up some witch hazel for me this afternoon, so we'll see if that helps at all. It is not bleeding, thankfully, but can anyone tell me what to do to fix it!?!? Any reading I've done just says avoid constipation and it should resolve itself. But how long? And what else can I do to help the pain? I could not sleep last night or the night before because of it, and heavens only knows I need all the sleep I can get right now! I really don't want to have to go to the doctor for this - I've had my bum shown off to enough people for right now, thank you very much!
On another note, what do you say to people who ask how you are doing?! I just say, oh we're fine. What I want to say is "My boobs are killing me, the afterpains were terrible, I'm exhausted from taking care of a 4 year old, 2 year old and newborn, and keeping house, my rear end feels like it's on fire, and I don't want ANYONE else to 'just pop in for a quick minute!' "
Anyways, if you have any suggestions or remedies for my poor rear end, PLEASE let me know!

[Trish]

Awww Cricket hun I am hearing you on the sore butt. Sure does sound like piles (only coz I can't spell the H word) to me. What makes it more painful is that it has come to the outside. Now I know this is grose and some might idsagree with me, but I found when my butt was hugely sore I would just pop it back in. Like if I was in the shower and washing myself and I could feel it I would gently just push it back inside. The relief was instant.

Hey when your bum is that sore you'll do almost anything right !!

[Cricket]

No worries Trish - doesn't gross me out! (maybe it should, but your perspective on gross changes a little I think, after having kids! ) Anyways, I've tried a couple of times to put things back where they belong, and it feels better for a minute, and then slips back out again. I talked to my midwife though this afternoon, and she recommended a different cream (proctofoam?) so we'll see how that goes. She said it's supposed to be a much better product. Here's hoping!

[blue daisy]

Hey Cricket

it sounds like you might have an anal fissure...which is not all that uncomon with subsequent births...the cream your m/w suggested sounds similar to what most Drs would recommend

lots of fluids

wishing you lots of relaxing moments and wonderful sleep

xx yogababy

[Cricket]

Well, if anyone else out there is suffering from the same thing - I have discovered a WONDERFUL relief! Witch hazel is good - really did help the swelling/pain, etc. But the proctofoam stuff is GREAT! I'm totally pain free. Hurray! Now I finally feel like we really starting to get back to normal. Can't wait!

[~Raven~]

Glad to hear it has helped.

Don't be embarrassed to go to the Dr for it if the roidies are still there. Putting it off can make it worse in the long run.

[Kazbah]

For some more pain relief, pop a glove with a little water in the fingers into the freezer, and put a "finger" of ice on your bum. (wrapped in paper or something of course!) It helps heaps.

And if its not getting better sooner, go to the docs and they can pop it, which sounds really gross, but doesn't hurt that much and gives marvellous relief.