Internal Hemorrhoid

Hello @pinelake77,

Hemorrhoids can be so uncomfortable and painful! I’d like to invite @darlia @angiejimez @arieon69 @tallygirl @lamerex4 @fotula and @ew100 to join this discussion as they may be able to offer their insights as to what could be causing the discomfort.

You may be interested in some of this information on hemorrhoids from Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hemorrhoids/symptoms-causes/syc-20360268

@pinelake77, if you feel comfortable, would you share a few more details? What type of removal surgery did you have?

Hello. Thanks for your interest. I’m 66 years old. Had a feeling something was up in my lower rectum. A dryness. No pain or bleeding. This was about a year ago. Got a colonoscopy. Showed hemrhoids One internal and one external that I knew about. Decided to get a hemorrhoidectomy feb 25 2019. After 4 weeks the external hemorrhoid was healed perfectly but the dryness in the area of the internal hemorrhoid had returned. Returned to surgeon in July 2019. He went back in and said everything was fine. As the dryness continued to get worse the surgeon went back in again Monday March 9 2020. Said everything was healed perfectly. That my rectum was not dry. Said for me to try pelvic floor therapy. Called them to get info. I’m not sure if this is going to be a waste of time. Ps. No creams, vasoline,or lidocaine has had any effect. I’m going crazy. Not sure what to do. It is a dry nawing uncomfortable sensation. Not sure if the internal hemorrhoid was the cause of this.

I’m 63 and have a general question. I’ve had a couple of bouts of diverticulitis and now have c-dif. But I was also diagnosed with internal hemorrhoids. Is it normal to feel like stool might be stuck? Or can hemorrhoids cause stool to get stuck?

@judy75 You have my empathy! Anything amiss with the digestive tract is a “pain in the butt”, pun intended. I’ve not had C-diff or diverticulitis but I did develop an internal hemorrhoid during all my cancer treatment/chemo.
To answer your question, yes, an internal hemorrhoid can cause the stool to get stuck...behind the hemorrhoid. I needed some assistance by way of an enema while I was in the hospital. Let’s just say it was very effective in short order. Due to my platelets being extremely low at the time, I had to wait days for my platelets and white blood count to go up before my oncologist gave the ‘go ahead’ to my nurse. So, you can imagine my relief and many giggles after delivering what felt like a 9 pound baby. 😂.

Being at home, perhaps try a suppository or there are enema kits. Just be cautious and maybe ask the physician/NP, who has treated you for the C-diff, if this is something you can try. Don’t be embarrassed to call and ask for advice. Best of luck to you!

You know, after years of being embarrassed, etc, I decided I was going to open up and talk to a GI specialist about internal hemorrhoids. It's the best thing I ever did. I had hemorrhoid banding 3 weeks ago. I never felt any pain, or bleeding or discomfort. I wish I had it done sooner. The initial prep for the banding is minimal and post procedure care is also minimal. Don't be afraid of getting the work done.

Hi Lori,
Oh my goodness, first of all I hope that your cancer has been eradicated. I can't even imagine what you must have gone through. And secondly, thank you for answering my hemorrhoid question. Every now and then things just don't feel quite right. I don't know much about hemorrhoids and from what I understand they can swell. So I have been doing sitz baths every now and then to try to shrink them. But I get worried about having an impacted stool.

I have not hesitated to call my gastro Dr whenever I'm concerned. I think every receptionist in the office knows my voice by now. But I suffer from anxiety and all these other things really make me nervous.

@judy75 Hi Judy, Thank you, knock on wood my cancer has been remission since having a bone marrow transplant almost 2 years ago. Someone else’s immune system is standing guard now. ☺️.

I didn’t know much about hemorrhoids either! Baptism by fire or whatever the expression is. Anytime we put strain down there, whether from diarrhea or constipation, it puts undue pressure on the blood vessels and they can swell. You had C-diff so you’ve been through a battle with a lot of action in the nether regions!! I sure hope things are getting under control for you. No wonder you’re anxious and concerned about something else going wrong. Those situations can leave us hyper sensitive to any changes.

From what I’ve learned along the way, you’re doing everything right. Keep fiber moving through so you don’t have to strain. Even consider, with your doctor’s ok, adding a daily does of something like Metamucil. Keeps ‘things’ consistent. Adding yogurt daily, drink lots of water and definitely the sitz baths can help. Another thing given to me in the hospital were Tucks medicated pads to keep the outside area comfortable.

Anxiety is a beast...makes us vulnerable and saps our energy. Have you tried any mindfulness or meditative exercises? There are some really relaxing and anxiety relief apps and, videos on youtube. A particularly soothing meditative leader is David Gandelman. He can be found insighttimer.com Wishing you peace and continued good health. Lori.

I had sigmoid resection in December of 2020. I am now suffering from hemorrhoids. The burning is just awful. Purchased everything in the drug store nothing seems to help. My hemorrhoid doesn’t bleed just extremely uncomfortable. It is external from what my GP told me. Never had an issue until this surgery for my diverticulitis. They removed 9 inches of my sigmoid and repaired my bladder because I developed a fistula to the bladder due to diverticulitis. Has anyone else had any of these awful issues?

Oh gosh, there are so many awful things that are related to the gut, it's so scary and can be so painful, not to mention inconvenient as it's hard to schedule fun things as you never know how you are going to feel. I've had divert three times and resectioning has been mentioned. I'm now dealing with c-dif from the antibiotics of the divert I had back in late Feb. But the internal hemorrhoids feel weird as you don't really know if you are constipated or if the hemorrhoid is swollen. I take a sitz bath now which apparently helps to shrink them.

I very sorry to hear that you are suffering so. Antibiotics as helper as they are harmful in other ways. From everything I have read about hemorrhoids they say they resolve within a week. Not for me anyway. It seems like you also have unresolved issues with your hemorrhoids. I am at my wits end with these thinks.