Hi all,
So I definitely have an external hemorrhoid/skin tag. It seems to be a blend of the two because it sticks out a fair bit (it gets squished by my butt cheeks). I've had it for a while (3 months) and was given a hydrocortisone cream about a month and a half ago which was supposed to help it go away. At the time, I wasn't in much pain at all. I used preparation H and the hydrocortisone cream whenever I felt pain and after every bowel movement, and I was fine.
About 3 weeks later from when I started using the hydrocortisone cream (which is 3 weeks ago from today), the pain started to increase by quite a lot. Now I don't remember at the time, but now I'm sure that the pain seems to only happen AFTER I pass a stool. Passing the stool doesn't hurt at all. I'm on a vegan diet and eat high fiber foods along with a psyllium supplement (recently added). However around 1 hour after I pass the stool, I have this intense pain that lasts for around 4 hours. So one week after this pain started, I went back to the doctor and was prescribed 0.3% nifedipine 1.0% lidocaine ointment. I've been using this for the past 2 weeks however it doesn't seem to help the pain whatsoever. I use it in the morning, after passing my stool, and at night before I sleep. I'm still in pain 1-5 hours after passing my stool. I can barely walk straight, it feels like I have a stick up my ass. I have to lay down or lean to one side to try to get some type of comfort.
Now about a week ago I started thinking hmm, maybe I have an anal fissure? But the thing is there's no blood, and I don't feel pain as I'm passing the stool, only starting 1 hour later. I've seen a bit of bright red blood maybe 7 times total in the past few months, but not recently at all. Would this rule out the possibility of a fissure? Could an external hemorrhoid really cause this much pain? I also don't see why the lidocaine ointment isn't stopping the pain. I went back to the walk-in doctor yesterday and he examined me and couldn't see any fissure, and he also stuck his finger up there (very roughly might I add so he stopped abruptly as I said OUCH) but couldn't detect anything. I'd like to see a colorectal expert but it would take months to get an appointment under my free health care (currently waiting). I'm considering getting the external hemorrhoid removed by a general surgeon and seeing how that goes.
Sorry for this wall of text, I hope someone has had the time to read it. This issue has truly taken over my life for the past month. Luckily I'm not currently working. However I am going on a trip to Europe during the entire month of May and I'm praying that the pain is reduced by then. I'm also going to be starting a full-time job in mid to late June. This sucks.
Also as for sitz baths, I've looked online at some studies and there doesn't seem to be much evidence supporting them. I've tried taking a warm sitz bath after passing a stool but that didn't help whatsoever. What kind of sitz bath has worked for you? Anything else I could try?
Thanks for any input you have to offer.