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Hemorrhoids and fiber

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 7/23/2010 12:30 PM (GMT 0)

A couple of weeks ago, I developed an extremely painful hemorrhoid.  My GI doc sent me to a surgeon and I'm going to have it removed next month.  I've been primarily on a low fiber diet because it makes my colon feel better, but I've also been constipapted.  I read that to successfully have the surgery, you need to be eating high fiber.  The past few days, I've upped my fiber to 30-35 grams a day, but it has made the colitis worse.  I generally eat 5 smaller meals throughout the day, but I'm beginning to lose interest in food and yesterday, the tenesmus was almost unbearable and I had a high fever.  I took a vicodin and it calmed things down almost immediately, but I'm scared to use them on a regular basis.

Does anyone have ideas on how to make the hemis less painful?  It was so bad one night that I couldn't climb the stairs to go to bed.  I am soaking in the tub, using a sitz bath, AD ointment, and hemi cream.

On the fiber issue:  Bread, crackers and processed carbs seem to process and sit best right now.  I'm having trouble with solid foods.  Proteins,  I can tolerate extra lean hamburger, ff hot dogs and ff bologna right now.  Sometimes I can do eggs, sometimes not.  Several egg whites with one yolk seem to sit best. Yesterday I had a chicken breast and it didn't cause discomfort, so I'll try adding that more often.  Veggies - the only thing I can tolerate right now is canned green beans and cooked carrots.  Potatoes sit very well - I haven't tried a sweet potato yet.  Yesterday I made a protein shake with greek yogurt, banana, unsweetened applesauce, protein powder, water & ice and it went down  pretty well.  I've read a lot here about eliminating wheat products, but that's the bulk of my calories right now and the low fiber, highly processed versions seem to sit best with me.  It amazes me that none of my doctors want to discuss nutrition and it seems such an important part of all of this.

Sorry, I know I'm all over the place here, but this is the first place I've found to unload with people who understand. I'm so tired of feeling miserable.  I'm fortunate in that I work at home, so going to the office isn't an issue.  If it were, I wouldn't have a job.  I can't function right now.  I pretty much hole up here and go out only when absolutely necessary.  Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Posted 7/23/2010 1:09 PM (GMT 0)
At the height of my last flare I thought I had a hemorrhoid which was excruciating. It felt like I was expelling shards of glass whenever I had a bowel movement. I took the herb Butcher’s Broom which is supposed to strengthen veins to help prevent hemorrhoids. It turned out that it was not a hemorrhoid after all but the beginnings of a perianal fissure or ulcer. I used to soak cotton balls with witch hazel and place it between my cheeks to help with the pain which eventually disappeared when my flare ended.

On an earlier post you mentioned that you did not have the energy to exercise. I had the same problem during my flare and my blood work showed my blood counts were so fouled up that I was referred to an hematologist to check for lymphoma.

To make a long story short all my symptoms disappeared when my flare ended. I am still in remission and watch my diet carefully. If I were you I would experiment with avoiding gluten especially processed wheat products that you are fond of eating. Many here on this forum who turned out to be gluten intolerant have experienced their UC symptoms helped or even disappear with just that diet change. You may also want to see if you are lactose intolerant. And if you have constant acid reflux try cutting back on caffeine and chocolate and see if that helps. If you are taking fiber please make sure it is SOLUBLE fiber like psyllium and not the insoluble fiber in wheat bran. You will be able to quickly tell if any of these changes help.
Posted 7/23/2010 1:38 PM (GMT 0)
Iron, your diet sounds like mine in a flare.
Eliminating wheat hasn't made any difference for me when I've tried that route.

The only thing about fiber - how much Metamucil have you been taking, and for how long...? If that doesn't do it for you, you might try Benefiber or Citrucel (my son's GI recommends Benefiber.) Being soluble fiber, it's easier on the system than insoluble, I believe.
I find it makes my poops softer and easier to pass, and also clumps them together (more formed.) I would hope that would bring you some relief, but, in a flare, sometimes it's difficult to find that relief.

Sorry for your pain!
And I'm glad you got your siggie to work. :-)
Posted 7/23/2010 5:21 PM (GMT 0)
Look mate,

I've been there... Hemorrhoids are incredibly painful I know - they render you powerless - ok here we go, my remedy tip - first take a long hot bath then carefully apply pressure on the little bugger with your finger - you know it came out of your ass and that's where it's going back, seriously these things can be pushed back into the rectum, you have to do it really slowly, I'm not kidding, if you manage to slowly push it back you will suddenly feel a schwooping sensation as the ring muscle closes properly and you will be healed. Then and only then is it time to start thinking about the stuff you eat but primarily you've got to push it back - some docs say it can't be done you need operation but i call bs on that, most all hemorrhoids can actually be pushed back if you are motivated enough and if you know that it can be done - on a separate note try to take a crap more carefully in the future and exercise the ring muscle regularly while on the loo or the 'hoid may protrude again.
Posted 7/23/2010 6:07 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone for your input. I spoke to the nurse at my GI office and we discussed the difference between soluable and non soluable fiber. That may be my biggest culprit right now. I have a list of foods to try/foods to avoid and I’ll see how much of a difference it makes for me. My colon is much calmer today than it was yesterday and that makes everything hurt a little less. She called in a Rx for Analpram - supposed to be similar to AD ointment only stronger.

I’ve been taking Metamucil twice a day – a rounded teaspoon full. Between that and the stool softener, I seem to be regulated fairly well although pooping is somewhat painful.
Posted 7/23/2010 6:09 PM (GMT 0)
Almost forgot.... The nurse also told me to try a probiotic. Yogurt isn't sitting well with me right now, so she suggested I try Align.
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