Doing the opposite of what everyone suggests for Haemorrhoids... is helping?
Okay I've never wrote on Reddit before so please bear with me. I'll try and cover as much detail as I can but I just want to get a bit of a discussion going.
This has been an ongoing issue for about 2 years now. I use the toilet in the morning and then the hemmy comes out, and then it either bleeds or doesn't but causes discomfort either way. If there is no blood, chances are it won't be as painful. This discomfort typically lasts for the rest of the day, particularly if there is blood.
I've done all the usual guidance you see on here such ointments/creams/mayinglong musk etc, none of which
have helped. Also the sitz baths and all that sort of thing have done nothing for me. I have also increased fibre in my diet, and taken both Psyllium husk in powder form and in capsule form (not at the same time ofc). Water consumption has never been an issue for me as I'm pretty active, both in the gym and walking/running so 3 litres is pretty much standard. Again, no improvements.
Now it all sounds pretty bleak up until now right?
So what has (sort of) helped?
Vaseline - before and after going to the toilet seems to slightly ease the experience. I'm sure this is a pretty standard piece of guidance online, so if you're reading this you've probably tried it at some point.
Some guidance I saw in the past was to 'use the bathroom as soon as you feel an urge', which is exactly what I was doing. First thing in the morning, get it all out. But that was causing so much discomfort!! I'm not sure if it's because I eat a lot (healthy food in a weight gaining stage with the gym) or it's the psyllium husk, but I'd almost have to be running to the toilet first thing. I've now stopped the powder/capsules, and I can now give it about an hour or so until I go. The texture of stool is different if I wait, almost as if it's hardened a bit more but this seems to be causing less discomfort? But this is pretty much the opposite of what you'll be advised to do, so I'm really confused at this point. Was I getting too much fibre with the additional supplements?
I will also add, by doing this the bleeding has stopped for the past couple of weeks. Fingers crossed it doesn't crop up again, but I will also continue with the vaseline trick.
Extra note - I do a normal office job so seated most of the day, but now making a conscious effort to use a standing desk during the day.