New to this group, glad I’ve found it! I’ve tried to post something but it won’t let me is that maybe because it’s a long message?

I have been suffering for about 6 months. I had a really bad bout of constipation last August. At first I thought it was piles but new effect from creams, it felt like passing razor blades every time I went to the toilet and would have a gnawing pain for hours after. I went to the GP who said she thought it was piles, she couldn’t see a fissure. Anusol cream has no effect. She referred me to see a CRS. I saw the registrar and it was the worst experience of my life!! The pain was unbelievable. He used a camera just inside and said he couldn’t see anything obvious but the symptoms I had sounded like a fissure, he said my sphincter muscles were so tense. He also said piles were not painful!!! He prescribed diltiazem which I have been using for 2 weeks with no effect. I decided to try Anusol suppositories and for 2 days they were amazing. After going to the toilet, no dreaded pain for hours on end. But after 2 days the pain is still bad! I can pinpoint where the pain is when I go to the loo and when I was being examined...it is just inside on the left side. Has anyone else experienced this gnawing pain from just piles and not a fissure? I am back to the hospital in 2 weeks for a flexi sigi which I’m dreading! I am going to demand sedation! Has anyone else had midazolam for sedation?? thanks so much for reading, this forum is great. I wouldn’t wish this pain on my worst enemy!

Internal piles are not known for causing pain unless they are prolapsed. What's the reason for doing a sigmoidoscopy? Do they suspect something else is going on?

They didn’t say, maybe it was because I was in so much pain when he was examining me he couldn’t see properly. I managed to get hold of some Anusol suppositories with hydrocortisone in today and although it was a bit painful to go to the toilet today I haven’t had any burning, gnawing pain all day. But it says you can only use the HC ones for 7 days

If the hydrocortisone helps then that's good. Just keep in mind that those cause thinning of the skin over time so if you have a fissure then it won't help to heal it, but will delay healing. Best to take your doctor's advice on what medication to use.

Hi, if you are in any doubt about the sigmoidoscopy and want to postpone it, I think you should not feel guilty about doing so. It's your body, after all, and if you feel that the camera investigation will cause too much irritation at this stage, maybe just tell the hospital that you would like to wait before having the procedure done. I am not a doctor, and this advice is based on my own personal experience as a patient.