ARGHHHH!!! Attack of the Rhoids!!!

[annettemarie]

TMI, I know. It's been a problem in 2 out of 3 past pregnancies and I was hoping it would not be an issue this time, but my little pregnancy pals showed up two days ago, and OMGosh does it HURT! : So now I'm desperate to get rid of them before Babymort arrives, because I don't want to end up in the ER like I did after Thing Two was born, and having the doc slit them open like she had to a year ago. Why me?!?!?!

[peacelovingmama]

Not something I discuss with many people but I'm in the same boat. Mine aren't really painful, believe it or not, but I keep thinking I'll need treatment at some point due to their... uh, prominence. The "slitting open" part of your post does NOT sound pleasant! Was it because they were really painful? Or just large? If you don't mind my asking....

[MommytoTwo]

good grief that sounds horrible!!!! I have not had them with any of my pgs (knock on wood!!!!) but I am a little afraid this time around because I have been so constipated. tmi..

Can you use those creams or pads or something to help?

[annettemarie]

Both. They were just dreadful. But the cure was just as horrible.

Right now I'm attacking them with witch hazel pads, sitting on ice, elevating my pelvis, taking bilberry capsules and a homeopathic remedy, and using Earth Mama Angel Baby Bottom Balm. I'm open to just about anything though.

[peacelovingmama]

Yikes -- I was kind of hoping mine would just naturally clear up after birth but I'm thinking probably not. This is such a NOT fun problem to have.

[krismarie]

i hope that you can tackle them with everything you are doing--sounds like you are doing the right things.

i never had at all until after ds' birth...and i've had them off and on ever since then--i'm sure that i'll have them bad after this birth too. but man, slitting them open sounds horrible! just keep doing what you are doing!

[annettemarie]

I do have one question--I keep reading sitz bath. Would just sitting in some hot water in the tub help, or do I need to add something?

[krismarie]

i make a sitz bath with witchhazel and yarrow for rhoids... but yea, i just infuse the herbs and add it to a shallow bath.

[crunchy_mama]

oh, I have that problem here. I didn't get them all last pregnancy, the forever long pushing out a posterior babe did me in though. They never did go away. I really have to watch it if I have a very busy day they flare up. Most of the time they aren't painful though. Speedwalking KILLS me. I had read before on Mothering Rutin being suggested. The lady at the hfs recommended this as well, however I didn't know if it was safe in pregnancy so I haven't used it. After a flare up I had asked the mw and she recommended that as well. So, I found info in my Natural Pregnancy book that recommended it as well. Evidently Rutin is just a bioflavanoid, which are recommnded to balance out sodium ascorbate (buffered vit C) dosage anyway. So, I have been taking that at night. They are still there, but I think it may be helping some. I had an extremely busy day yesterday and they are not flaring today, so that seems promising. Maybe I can get them to actually go completely away(after only 3 years )

[aran]

If the rhoid is kind of firm, it might be thrombosed (that is, it might have a clot in it). Those are supposedly the most painful kind. I had one earlier this month. Nothing that works for regular hemorrhoids worked for this thing, because that clot was stuck in there. (Nothing that shrinks swelling could shrink this because it was not flowing blood in there). I understand that if you see a doc in the first 3 days, they'll cut it out, because the surgery pain is supposedly a bit less than the rhoid pain. After 3-4 days though, it should slowly and gradually start numbing up and dissolving.

The only relief for me was keeping it lubed so there was no friction, and keeping my bum elevated, legs apart as much of the day as possible (but that precludes doing anything useful except maybe reading). The only way I could sleep was to stack several pillows between my legs to keep pressure off it. And it *still* hurt... just enough less that I could sleep, though. G/L

[annettemarie]

Yep, they're thrombosed. I don't know about the surgury pain being less than the rhoid pain, though, and I don't know that it would be good for me or Babymort to go through that either. I'm already having borderline blood pressure issues as it is. Where did you hear about the 3-4 days? That's hopeful! It's been 2 so far.

I sent hubby out for some sitz bath herbs and even just soaking in hot water helped. More TMI, though--I know conventional advice is to pop them back in, but I can't. Two of them just won't go. I know it's stupid, but this all just makes me feel so gross and yucky.

[koofie]

You can do a sitz bath with just water, but herbs can help more, but with nothing else just really warm water can help shrink them or at least alleviate some pain. I like the sitz baths for the toilet, because you can have the warm water aimed directly at the "problem" but just a few inches of water in the tub feels good too.

[Queen of my Castle]

I have this problem too, although mine aren't really painful or anything. The cropped up for me at the end of the last pregnancy, and are coming back more now, due to pressure I believe. I use witchhazel on a cotton pad I go poop (lol, sorry tmi) but otherwise I don't do anything. I do have a witchhazel and yarrow 'bath' that I have ready for after, or if they get worse. Sucks! But I'm just glad mine aren't really bad.
A

[aran]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

Yep, they're thrombosed. I don't know about the surgury pain being less than the rhoid pain, though, and I don't know that it would be good for me or Babymort to go through that either. I'm already having borderline blood pressure issues as it is. Where did you hear about the 3-4 days? That's hopeful! It's been 2 so far.

I sent hubby out for some sitz bath herbs and even just soaking in hot water helped. More TMI, though--I know conventional advice is to pop them back in, but I can't. Two of them just won't go. I know it's stupid, but this all just makes me feel so gross and yucky.

3-4 days was from a google search of "external thrombosed hemorrhoids." I believe several reputable medical sites (with really graphic photos!) said that was the duration of the worst pain.

I couldn't pop mine back in either. I think that's another hallmark of a thrombosed rhoid. All the soft ones go back where they belog, and respond to things like witch hazel, but these thrombosed buggers are basicaly untreatable from what I read (and I read a lot, because I was stuck with my bum in the air for 2 days with nothing to do but read!)

My mw suggested wild blueberries every day for the rest of my pg (at least) to avoid more of these. That's an easy prescription to follow, whether it works or not! [ETA: eating the wild blueberries... not applying them anywhere I just re-read this post and it is TMI TMI TMI!!!]

Anyhow, the 3-4 days was right on for me (although it was a gradial reduction in pain after that), so G/L

[neetling]

I would know if I had them right?

[annettemarie]

Originally Posted by neetling

I would know if I had them right?

Definitely yes!

I went to the doc's today and she said they're not thrombosed. She also prescribed something. Anyway, I'm feeling a little better, like either way I'm probably through the worst of it. Right? Just humor me, .

[mezzydotes]

Oh yikes! I have one (that I know of) but it's not really bothering me that much. I've had them with my last 2 and they just went away afterwards, and hopefully the same will happen again.

Yours sound really awful - hope the prescription you've been given helps.