Hemorrhoids :: No Further Treatment After HALO?
Aug 1, 2014
I'm a 25 y.o male and have been suffering with stage 2-3 hemorrhoids for two years following a long term stomach infection. For many months local GP's telling me nothing was wrong and to leave it alone. It was only after kicking up a huge fuss did they finally refer me to a surgeon who confirmed I had 3 malteaser sized hems in my rectum. They were treated by banding twice in the course of 4 months to no avail, and eventually I was offered HALO in April this year.
The HALO helped stop bleeding and reduced swelling/pain, but not enough that it no longer affects my life. And the itching - OH MY GOD THE ITCHING!! Also since the procedure I have been experiencing pinching of the nerves which cause sharp stabbing pains. About 90% of the symptoms are coming from the larger of the 3 hems on one side.
I had a follow up with the surgeon last month to discuss surgical removal as the constant itching and pain are still unbearable, but he has refused ANY further treatment on the grounds that it's too soon after my last op and also that it may cause further nerve damage.
While I trust that he is giving me his best advice, I cannot continue to live like this and was thinking about booking further treatment privately. I'm afraid to have a hemorrhoidectomy especially after what he's said, but I was considering going back to less invasive treatments such as banding or sclerotherapy now that the hemorrhoids are smaller.
I would be very grateful for any advice or personal experience you guys could pass on to me as I don't know what to do, I just know I can't "learn to live with it" as the doctors keep telling me.
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I had a haemorrhoidectomy about 4 years ago with a very painful recovery and problem now back so going for the Halo/THD procedure very soon.
Has anyone had this done and how was the recovery from it?
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Has this happened to anyone else. I had my op 18 months ago and they have returned with a vengeance !!
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I had a halo procedure for piles 5 weeks ago and treatment for a prolapsed pile how long does the bleeding last with bowel movement I'm still having discharge and spot bleeding afterwards
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I am a 49-year old male and had stage 3 piles for about 5 years. They never really caused me any pain or suffering per se but were an inconvenience. I had been to my GP ages ago to make sure it wasn't anything serious. Towards the end of 2009 I decided to see what options I might have for sorting them out as I figured I wouldn't want them to get worse and despite being fit and healthy and eating well, they had not gone away of my own accord.
I went to my GP and she did a digital exam and said they were very small - didn't seem like it to me - she said she could refer me if I wanted but I declined. A few weeks later I figured I was copping out and returned to get a referral. I went to see a consultant locally who got me to come back for banding. This was very easy and though it was a bit uncomfortable I was optimistic that it would sort it all out. It didn't - even though it seemed like it would work it in fact made no difference whatsoever. I returned to him and he said he would try the sclerotherapy and another banding as they were quite big and the portable banding machine wasn't up to it. Again nothing really changed.
I read all these forums and was in two minds like so many others whether to pursue it any more. After all I was not in pain per se and clearly some people have really awful experiences, sometimes made worse by the treatment - I knew I certainly didn't want anything slicing off! I read up what I could about HALO but it seemed to be mainly sales pitch. I decided to see the consultant again and ask him about it. He said he didn't know anything about it but his next step would be banding under GA and he was confident that would do it.
For one reason or another I wasn't convinced and so I called the HALO people and found out where there was locally that did it. They also told me how much it would cost privately (?3k+) but that with a referral I could probably get it on the NHS. A few weeks later I had a session with a consultant who explained the whole thing - also diagnosing a polyp as well as piles - which would never have responded to banding so I was glad to have taken the 2nd opinion. Anyway he put me on the waiting list for a polyp excision and possible HALO.
Time came around in about 6 weeks and I went into hospital for the first time in my life to have day surgery. I was apprehensive but quite positive. The whole experience was very reassuring - the staff were great and I felt very cared for and the surgeon was friendly and explained things. I signed on the dotted line, had my pre-med and felt the curtains close
Woke up feeling fine about 30 mins later. The surgeon explained to my surprise and a bit of shock that they had had to cut a large pile off so I might have a longer recovery time than expected (he had said at least 2 weeks for HALO and up to 10 for pilectomy). That concerned me a bit, especially when the nurse brought my meds to take home - 3 types of opioid painkiller, 2 types of laxative and some antibiotics. I got the impression they were trying to tell me something. I stayed about 2 hours to satisfy them I'd had a wee, eaten and drunk some fluids etc and got my wife to pick me up.
Felt pretty OK generally even with after effects of the GA - ate and drank lightly and feared the first pooh which came 2 days after the op. Uncomfortable certainly but not especially painful. The absolute best thing after each BM was a nice warm shower spray for a few minutes which really soothed the bruised feeling. This got better over the next 7 to 10 days. I work from home so was fortunate that I didn't need to take time off per se after the first day getting my head clearer but I wouldn't have wanted to have to commute or be away from home.
There were some bad bits but not what I would have expected. The worst bit by far, and it was _horrible_ was the antibiotic (metronidazole)- I had to take it for 5 days and didn't realise what a nasty drug it is (check it out on ****)- around day 3 I was finding alternate nights of complete insomnia, nausea, sweating and a really depressing state of mind feeling like I would never get better. I googled all the meds and realised it was the AB and that these were fairly common side-effects. If I had had a longer run of them I would have asked to change but I figured I would see them out. It was awful and I did have another day off cos I just felt so damn bad from them. My advice here - don't just take what is given to you and not check it out - be aware of what has been prescribed (in fairness they did say that some of the meds could give nausea, constipation etc but I didn't expect this one to be so heavy).
The other downside was the laxative - I should have had clearer instructions. You definitely want to make sure you have soft stools etc and are acutely aware that what you eat has to come out the other end - soups, bran flakes, porridge etc are great for this. However if you just take teh laxatives as prescribed - and you are not already constipated (I am always regular)- then they will just play havoc and have you very windy (which also seems to come from the GA gases) and farting all the time with a sore anus is quite painful/uncomfortable in itself (esp if you're not too sure what might be coming down the pipes!) It kept me awake a bit.
What I should have thought with the meds from the start is - take them /if/ needed (except see below)
So I had been prescribed metronidazole as mentioned - I took that for the 5 days. I had 3 painkillers - Tramadol which I didn't bother taking, Co Dydramol, I took a couple but then didn't bother (and my wife used them all up on migraines!) and Diclofenac - this last one I should have taken all the time but didn't. It is an anti-inflammatory and because I didn't bother with it I think I put myself back a couple days with a very sore and inflamed bottom - so this one I would say take as a matter of course (and I didn't have any side effects). For laxatives I had lactulose syrup and ispagel husks - both are palatable enough but as above I realised after a coupe of days that I probably didn't need them.
All told I was not incapacitated at all. It took a good week to not be too worried about the next BM. After that it just was a process of it getting better every day. The main thing was that the prolapsing piles/polyp were gone and that was a great relief. Had a check up last week and I would say I now feel 100% down there and no concerns at all.
I am very pleased I went ahead with it - I had overcome embarrassment about it ages ago and plain speaking is all that is needed - my reticence had been around being "operated" on but that all went very smoothly. I know there are some horror stories on here where people say that the op is worse than the piles but I am sure that complications are in the minority and I would not hesitate in recommending anyone suffering and holding back, check out a good consultant and have it all sorted out. I was glad I had it sorted out when I was fit and in good shape - I think that plays a big part in making the op run smoothly and the caring for oneself that much easier. If was old, infirm or very overweight I think it would be harder. Weight wise I had lost nearly 3 stone over the last 18 months and again I think that helped keep recuperation short.
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I had op 17 days ago and feel today like I can finally see the light! After suffering the agony, bleeding (continually wearing san towels) and life changing effects they bring you i finally decided to have the op. I have had a terrible 17 days 2 visits to docs and 2 to hospital. part of the prob was caused by managing pain relief, allergic to anti-inflammatories, Tramadol gave me a panic attack and made me vomit, been on 60mg codeine 4 X per day and have been more or less sleeping in the bath. Saw surgeon day 15 who told me the op had worked and delay in recovery was because i couldn't take anti-inflam. He offered me morphine for the terrible pain which I declined. Had 6 hours sleep longest since op (only been cat napping due to pain) so cut down on codeine all positive today. Then I went the loo and felt a lump come out like my old piles (only 1 use to have quite a few), now stressing that I have had a prolapse. The surgeon warned me I would have flaps of skin left but this feels more hard and shiny sorry to be graphic!! Just wondered if anyone else had experienced this and whether it would go down again, I have never been able to push them up as some people mention.
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had the above operation done 5 days ago,i would be very grateful if anyone who has had the same operation would be able to advise me as how long the pain and discomfort will last as i am getting like a contraction type pain in my anas area and when braking wind it is very painful.Going to the toilet for a poo is not normal as i was a one a day person.I Am hoping this will all settle down with time.
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I have been diagnosed as having Grade 1 hemorrhoids, and it has been suggested I may be treated by having them binded. Has anyone else had experience of this and what does it involve ? I have already had a sigmoidoscopy and am awaiting further results from that. Original diagnosis was from initial consultation.
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I've made progress with my stage 3-4 internal hemorrhoid, though I thought I never would. Three months ago I went to two doctors who had a look, and said I needed serious surgery--rubber-band ligation would not work, and neither would THD. Since my insurance only covers work done in California (I am living in Michigan temporarily), I ruled out the $11,000 procedure.
My life was pretty much wrecked by the grape-sized hem that had to be pushed back into my anus pretty much constantly, and which made walking and standing unbearable.
From a variety of sources, here is the routine I've put together which has helped:
1. Every morning I take a stool softener, 500 mg. of magnesium, and a mineral supplement with copper and zinc. Also 2 big fish oil capsules every morning, and 2 more at night.
2. I can't eat foods that irritate my hem, so I don't: chocolate, nuts, coffee especially. And I avoid wheat products most of the time.
3. I do all the usual dietary things to avoid constipation: oatmeal, prunes, flax seed, green vegetables, fruit, yogurt, etc. (but I'd already been doing these things for years with no help for the hemorrhoid).
4. I put turmeric in something every day: salad dressing usually, but also in soups.
5. Stopped wearing anything tight around my waist.
6. This one's weird, but essential: I began talking nicely to my anus. However you do it, you have to start respecting this organ and stop taking it for granted.
7. Trying (always trying) to reduce stress, and get more sleep. This is nearly impossible in my life right now, but any small improvement helps.
8. A hot bath in the morning, and another hot bath at night.
After about 2 1/2 months of doing all this, the hemorrhoid has shrunk about 75%, and I don't have to push it in anymore, except rarely. I did use the crushed aspirin technique a lot before, but don't need to now. I can't emphasize enough how severe my case was, and how the quality of my life had been reduced to zero. I'd tried all the creams and preparations (prescription and nonprescription) and all of them are a complete waste of money.
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Ok, so I recently turned 30 and just had my very first hemorrhoid trouble ever. First it was just internal bathroom bleeding, then I got this weird "skin tag" near by butthole, then the external pillow of doom appeared and all the horrible itching began. That was about 2 weeks ago. I don't have insurance so couldn't see a doctor, just researched online a lot and got some prep h suppositories. I used those butt bullets for a couple days but on day 2, I started to feel super nauseous after insertion. Don't know if it was the prep h or something else, I was sick that week so might have been unrelated but either way, had to use the bathroom right after insertion and lost it anyway.
Rather than trying to put another one in there, I decided to just clean myself with baby wipes as I'd gotten used to doing and instead grabbed some castor oil (that I'd been using to hopefully clear up some old acne scars on my face - it's the organic health food store oil, not the constipation drugstore oil). I added a squirt of sesame oil (that I'd bought to try that oil pulling thing before switching to coconut oil, recently started getting pretty holistic with the healthy stuff). Anyway, so I smeared that stuff all over my inner bum, figured it'd at least keep things from chafing and maybe cool down the discomfort. I reapplied once more before bed and the next day the hemorrhoid was about half as big as the day before. I was completely shocked! So I continued to apply after cleaning the area, did it maybe 3 times that next day and by that night it was even smaller. This is my 4th day using castor and sesame oil and the pillow is still there but just barely - it's not hanging out of my butt anymore, just sort of lining the hole-rim.. so now when I apply, I dip my finger inside just a tiny bit to make sure I'm still smothering the thing all over (I know, I'm graphic AND long winded, but if this helps anyone else it'll be worth it). I have zero discomfort, can't even tell it's there when I'm not applying the oil. There's a chance it could just be a coincidence and it would have gone down on it's own by now anyway, but I know I'll be reaching right for the oil again if it ever flares back up. If this really is what's curing it, I gotta spread the word and I hope you do too!
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I'm looking for advice. My 60 year old father (who has had HCV for more than 10 years; previously treated with Interferon but bad side effects) finished his 12 week Sofosbuvir+Daclatasvir (considered same as Harvoni) treatment a month ago. Already first tests after 2 weeks showed virus was Undetected, but yesterday he received his most recent results and he has a relapse of the virus. He is genotype 1, fibroscan result 4 (close to final stage). He is based in Poland and I'm not sure if our doctors are fully informed of the new generation medications and HCV itself.
Is anyone able to give us any advice? We are pretty desperate and my dad is just so depressed as he thought he finally got rid of the virus (he got infected while on an operation in a public hospital) and now it is back...
Are there any specialists that you are aware of I could possibly get in contact with?
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A few weeks ago my bf noticed some bumps in his pubic area. He went to the dermatologist and was diagnosed with molluscum contagiosum, which is thankfully not that big of a deal! He got his treated with cryotherapy. Around this time I noticed a few bumps and because of the area they were in, went to an OBGYN for treatment so my bf and I don't keep spreading it to each other. The OB GYN agreed that they were also MC bumps and lightly scraped each one, then applied an acid treatment. That was a few days ago and while the bumps are mostly gone, the skin surrounding each one is dark and almost looks like a scab in color. Is this normal post acid treatment?
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Does anyone here relapse after harvoni treatment?
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Do you know if second degree internal hemorrhoids can give a positive FOBT test if you do not have noticeable blood.
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My internal hems. are not responding to a doctor's injections. They (3) are not major, but I wish (almost) they would become thrombus so it/they could be cut out. I had that years ago.
The pain is not so great as to cause bleeding, toilet trouble but the pain is there every day for two months.
Putting on ointments in public toilets all the time to cool the pain. Awful. Inconvenient and interferes with daily life.
Gets worse with stress.
Getting desperate, looking online - Venapro. But online wonder-meds never seem to work so I'm sceptical.
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I've felt so frustrated for many years. I too was told muscular/skeletal. While experiencing short breath, extremely tired, pain that shoots like a spear on left side from upper rib cage, center of left breast through to back.
In 2012 after hours of waiting, the blood clot I guess hit me hard, I was out, woke in room with heparin drip. Then told blood clot in upper lobe of lung and pleurisy.
After doctor visit Thursday my pain got so unbearable, and cough, husband drove me to ER this past Sunday. Again sat for hours. Then x-rays, and told had pleurisy. Sent home, told to take tylenol and bed rest.
My pain is off the chart now, I can't take NSAIDS since on coumadin.
I'm feeling very spacey, lightheaded.
I can't drive myself anywhere.
I need to work around husbands very long work hours.
And, if do go, what do they do, say, "more bed rest and stay hydrated"?
I don't have money to burn, for such non-sense.
Is there not any treatment for pleurisy at all?
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Just recently, me & my boyfriend were diagnosed with Chlamydia. I got treated one week before him...on a Tuesday & was told to wait 2 weeks before having sex again. I did. He got treated a week or so after me but we ended up having sex (with a condom) during the 2 week period he was taking his medication. Is it possible that he could still have the disease? Im afraid now because since then, we've had sex again (with a condom) but we also gave each other oral sex.
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I'm curious if anyone has any experience using Cialis as a treatment for BPH? Any "unpleasant" side effects?
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Has anyone done Keratin hair treatment? I want to know how could it is and if they have faced any side effects after that. Thanks in advance )
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what is the best treatment for bell's palsy.
herpes zoster and bell's palsy illnesses
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I have been diagnosed with Hep B. I was admitted to hospital with exceptional readings (ALT >4,000, bilirubin 180, all pho 162, gamma get 417, AST >2,500). I've been given various drips and the numbers are coming down. ALT has now halved. In addition to the drips I was also put on Viread.
My physician was concerned how my immune system was attacking the liver and between all treatments, in three days the readings are coming down. My jaundice is going and my urine now looking paler (almost normal).
Given the symptoms indicate a severe acute response to infection, does this suggest my body will put up a good fight to rid itself of the virus. Also, is there a risk Viread could actually lead to my body not developing the antibodies? I've read the following study, which suggests Viread can be highly effective in treating severe acute Hep B and also assist (or at least not inhibit) the development of antibodies.
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