Going to try and schedule an appt tomorrow but not sure can get in. Long story short. Just had a baby 10 days ago, given pain meds: norco (like vicatin) and ibruprofen. I think they were suppose to also give me a stool softener. They were giving me one in the hospital but not prescribed when I left. Last night really had to go (bowel movement) and it hurt and took almost an hour. By the time it came out saw it was the size of a small apple and hard as a rock. I've always had hemorrhoids off and on that would flare up but not like this. I had my DH take a pic in case I had to describe to dr and it looked like it was full of blood (purple) and large and next to a couple of smaller ones with skin color. I'm using prep H which is helping and tried to use the tucks pads but they burn so not sure if I tore skin. I NEED INSTANT RELIEF. PLEASE ANYTHING! I've even considered putting ice on it to see if that helps. Any home remedies or creams I can use. I'll try just about anything. Standing, blowing my nose, walking everything makes it hurt. HELP PLEASE!
Thanks for all of the suggestions. I'm restricted from baths for another 3 weeks but have tried the hot shower which helped for a little while. The hospital did give me a numbing spray for the episeodomy(sp?) and I have sprayed that a couple of times and will try again. Haven't tried the Vaseline yet but about to try that. I haven't taken the Norco all day and going to discontinue use so maybe can get back to normal. Started drinking my vitamin shake again which is high fiber an usually makes the bowel movements easy but almost afraid to go. If none of these work then calling the doc in the am. At this point if he wanted to stick a neede in it to drain it I would be up for it as long as it relieved the pain. Between hips hurting, nipples sore, stitches and now a hemorrhoid the size of a baby........I think God is reminding me that my decision to stop at 3 children is the right choice. UPDATE: called the drs office and they said there was no need for me to come in bu called in a strong cream to te pharmacy. I'm about to pick up and dr said it would relieve the pain speed up the process of getting rid of it. In the meantime used the prep H and the numbing spray which made it bareable for the most part. Can't wait to try the cream.
I was given MOM (Milk Of Magnesia). I started eating my Fiber One cereal and that helped me a lot. Try Miralax it's a stool softener, and you can take it on a daily basis. Good Luck.....
You may be restricted from baths but a sitz bath is perfectly okay. I had the same symptoms after birth and I sat in (more than warm) water, about one to two inches only and sometimes I'd add Epsom salt. The no bath rule is for body soaking.
Call your doctor-and delete the picture whatever you do
Try hot compresses-get an OTC softener and good luck! I feel do bad for you-take care!
Bless your heart. I'm so sorry. I know what you're going through - it happened to me after surgery, but was more like a golf ball. I can't imagine apple size.
You need to get hubby to run down to the drug store and get you the over-the-counter stool softeners. If he can't figure out what aisle they're in, he can ask the pharmacist. You go by the directions on the box. I think it's 3 times a day. Go by the directions. He also needs to pick up a box of Fleet Enemas. Two come in a box. While your husband is at the drug store, have him buy a couple of containers of bite sized prunes (or if they don't have that, regular size.) Eat 5 bite-sized ones or 3 regular sized ones for breakfast. Drink plenty of water. Between the stool softeners, the prunes, and the water, your stool will be a lot softer.
The doctor can call in a script for prescription strength medicine for your hemorrhoid. Prep H isn't enough, that's for sure. Right now, you're still using medicine on your bottom overall, right? If you aren't, it's probably easier, but you can do both. Squeeze the prescription hemorrhoid medicine onto a Tucks pad and place on your hemorrhoid and then stand up so that the medicine and the Tucks pad is still in place. Pull your underwear/period pad (if you are still wearing a period pad) up and try not to mess with it for a while. When you need to pee, try not to wipe behind - pee towards the front if you can.
Your doctor should see this hemorrhoid right now, I think, but if he can't, at least there's the meds. He may recommend a hot sitz bath, but I think you should hear that from him 10 days after birth. Personally, 10 days after birth, I had to have a COLD sitz bath. But I don't know that cold will help your hemorrhoid.
I do want to tell you that instead of continuing to push for an hour, you needed an enema. It would have helped. It wouldn't have FIXED this, but it would have helped. That's why I'm telling you to have your husband pick up the Fleet enemas. Here's the thing. Your pain medicine is what is causing the constipation. You can still take the pain meds, which you SHOULD take to help you through this period, but you need the stool softeners, prunes, fiber, decent food, liquids, and occasionally give yourself an enema to help. You can lay on a towel in the bathroom floor and do it, laying on your side. Keep it in as long as you CAN, looking at your watch and following the directions. Use vaseline on the tip so that you don't hurt your hemorrhoid. Once you've got your body back where it needs to be, you'll be much better.
You can get through this, but you have to be proactive. Do it anytime you have to take pain meds - everytime I have to have any procedure that involves anethesia or pain meds, I have to do this.
It's important to handle this hemorrhoid now. Dealing with the constipation is the first step.
HTH,
Dawn
Just wanted to say sorry
Oh I feel so sorry for you and can so relate to your situation. For years I suffered like you and used all the products you are using now. I had a really bad hemorrhoid where I actually drove myself to the emergency room thinking it was going to explode! They gave me pain killers and told me I had to see a "colon and rectal doctor". I finally found one in my insurance plan and that made all the difference. They have creams and other things that you can't buy over the counter that work wonders. I wish someone told me sooner. I hope my story helps you. Yes, it is embarrassing but if you find the right doctor, he makes you feel comfortable and it happens to males, females, young, old, and all races. You are not alone. Yes, ice cubes help. Also warm baths. Time. Don't sit on the sofa or stay in bed. Get up and walk even if you don't feel like it. You need to go to the right doctor. I promise you, you will be better in no time. I will pray for you. Don't suffer in silence like I did.
Stool softners you can buy OTC in very rare cases they can be prescribed there are next to the Senokot vegetable laxative.I know exactly what your going through however i'm too damn scred to get them removed.Here is what I do when the pain is so freakin bad & they feel like boulders.I get in the shower sit down let the bath water fill up to relax while I had already taken a pain reliver,then dain the tub go on all fours butt in the air & let the water just hit me,all my stuff is in the fridge since coldness helps with shrinkage use a generic form of Tucks wipes they are less expensive wipe then let dry before applying ointment either on a fresh tucks pad or cotton ball I have a scrip for the ointment or the best one that comes close is Dollar General brand it has some shark oil in it oh my that worked better than Prep H,I also use the heating pad then I put ice in a ziploc put it in my undies then relax it's so painful I hate them but with the use of stool softner & a vegetable laxative helps things move along,keep hydrated & eat well you can also add the fiber into your foods.I do the same treatment if they bleed oh and also stay off hard surfaces use a pillow to sit on
Hopefully by now you have called the Dr. or been seen in ER. IF the hemorrhoid is dark purple and protruding out, it is thrombosed (full of blood clot). They put numbing stuff on it and lance it, cut a small slit, remove the clots, INSTANT RELIEF!! Yes it is a bit sore afterwards, but that burning searing itching pain is gone. Then you can use TUCKS for wiping. TUCKS have witch hazel, an astringent, in them. This reduces pain and swelling too. There is a procedure that they "tie them off", my son had that.
You can also get anusol cream or nupercainal ointment, I don't think you have to have a prescription. Ask the pharmacist, there are also anusol or Anusol HC (HC means HydroCortisone) suppositories, will probably need script for the suppositories.
Stool softeners are over counter also, so that is why they didn't give you prescription. Colace is name brand, Docusate sodium is generic store brand, it works just fine and is much cheaper.
The sitz baths help a lot too, and yes they are ok.
Thrombosed hemorrhoids do not shrink or go away on their own very fast if at all. If they do, they can flare back up.
I feel for you! Been there done that!
I dealt with an anal fissure last year - the most painful thing I have ever had, and I have been through major back surgery, 3 babies and breast cancer! This sounds like what you have, but I sure hope not for your sake. My doc said I needed surgery to correct it, but I was going through Hep C treatment at the time and my Hep doctor wouldn't clear me for the surgery because my immune system was so compromised. One thing that seemed to help was sitting in a hot bath with epsom salt. Good luck!
I had two rectal tears and two external hems and the thing that helped the most was miralax. I mix it with some warm herbal tea. It makes your stool contain more water. It's been a life saver. My husband also bought a water jet (bidet) for our toilet. It lets you spray a stream of water to clean you instead of so much wiping plus the water is cold so it feels good on hems.
Good luck and seek treatment so you can enjoy that baby!
Did they give you a sitzbath kit when you left the hospital?
I didn't have hemorrhoids but I know it felt like heaven after I had my son & came home.
Send hubs to the pharmacy--they should have them.
Sorry. Hope you feel better soon!
You could also take some mineral oil to help soften the stools while you're healing.
Good luck! I can feel your pain!
I am so sorry! That's really painful! What has probably happened is an internal hemorrhoid has slipped out. When you have pain meds they can cause constipation. You can look up internal hemorrhoids. I am not a doctor and am no substitute for one but I have had bad hemorrhoids. A hot bath is soothing. But really that hemorrhoid needs to get back where it belongs. If you have some KY or Vaseline you can lube up, well, this is gross but so is everything about child birth, well, put it back in....you will be gentle but it will feel better. Or you can wait on your doc!
I have hemorrhoids and severe constipation ever since I got pregnant and had kids. I even had one so bad it had to be lanced and drained so I feel your pain. Take milk of magnesia (MoM) MINT flavor. This helps you go easier. Its in the laxative aisle, is cheap, and way better than stool softners. I've tried them all powders, pills, creams, sprays, fruits, etc.. Take it every couple of days then weekly to keep regular. You can get it at any store and the name brand or generic works for me. Good luck.
After I had my son, I was instructed to do sitz baths 3 or 4 times a day for 2 to 3 weeks.
A sitz bath can be a basin that fits on your toilet.
http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=3775341
You just soak your sore area - you are not immersed - and my doctor told me I could (and should) use it right away and as often as I could to ease the discomfort after birth.
You can take fiber and drink lots of water and prune juice.
Avoid binding foods like Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Toast.
http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/14749/1/Sitz-Bath-Rec...
Call a local urgent care or ER or your regular doctor or the OB floor of the hospital you just left, NOW and ask questions. You may need to be scene right away. There is no reason to be in so much pain.
You can get OTC stool softeners, send hubby to pharmacy or closest grocery store. Drink lots and lots of water.
Call the facility you are the most comfortable with talking to about this.
Sitting on a ziploc bag full of ice does help.
I too have exactly what you are describing on and off and after my kids. I used tucks pads, a chlorshol spray that was a cooling spray and the doc gave me a prescription for a cream that healed me from the inside out. You could call the doc and should be able to call it in. Apparently, this is pretty common. Hope you some relief soon. I know they hurt like crazy! Hang in there! The cream from the doc will help a bunch.
Epsom salt baths help some. Yes get on stool softeners. However if you are taking narcotics (vicodin), it won't be enough (I was on narcotics because of C-section).
Check to see if this is safe while nursing, but i have found that taking a supplement dose of magnesium citrate vs. a laxative dose, works really well. no cramping.
Magnesium citrate is Epsom salt. You can take a half dose strait from you Epsom salt bag (but it tastes horrible). I buy the high grade supplement form and stick to the suppliment dose, which is about half the dosing for laxative.
You can also give yourself a water enema. Saline enimas will sting too bad, but you can still buy the Fleet enemas, empty them and fill them with warm water. Retain it a while to help soften whats stuck up there.
Once you deal with your initial constipation, its important to move your bowls daily until you are functioning normal again. A glycerol suppository is the gentlest way to get an instant bowl movement without cramps or waiting around.
I'm no expert on the hemorrhoids. I had them, but worse yet, I tore rectally after my first baby and it required surgery. So I do know a thing or two about preventing constipation and keeping stools soft.
Gosh I'm glad for anonymity on this site.
Oh, I feel for you! I got hemorrhoids so badly after my baby, and I swear that my first poop post baby was way more traumatic than the birth itself. I was not prescribed anything stronger than what you have, and they also refused to give me a stool softener. There was some kind of numbing spray I had, but that was a joke. Definitely call and describe the situation. Oral painkillers would probably have the most effect, but I was afraid to use those too much while nursing. It does go away, but for me, it was at least a month of pretty intense pain. Do you have episiotomy stitches, too? I also had those, compounding the problem.
