Right, I need some wisdom from people with piles please

[lofwyr]

I am trying to be good. I am staying clear of google now, but I fear I have done a good deal of damage to my calm already. I am pretty much in full panic mode, and could use some reassurance to see me through the weekend.

To that end, here is the situation, for those who missed my previous panicky posts. My wife, in the beginning of February got constipated, and in the process of clearing things up, discovered she had a good sized lump inside her rectum. I won't go into graphic details, and with her knowing about my HA, she wouldn't give me details about the lump itself, but it is definitely there.

I am hoping it is piles, but I have little experience with what piles actually feel like. I have internal hemorrhoids and deal with them the usual way--in fact I have never freaked about my own bleeding or itching etc, but have no lumps or bumps as a result of them, so I have no experience with more significant piles.

What I am hoping to hear, is it reasonable to have a lump like this that won't go away almost a month later, and have it be anything benign? Can a hemorrhoid enlarge and remain irritated and swollen inside like that? I was always under the impression piles would go away, which this one does not seem to be. I just don't have that information, and cannot go near google, one more colon cancer survivor story and I am done for.

She is going in on Tuesday to see the GP and get it looked at, so that's good, but Tuesday feels like a year away to me now, and I only have the information my negative brain latched on to when I googled and symptom surfed for the first time in over ten years.

Thanks for hearing me out, I try to give help to my fellow HA sufferers on this site to make up for the times I feel like I am taking, but right now I would love to hear from anyone who has gone through this sort of thing with a rectal lump and come out with a good or normal outcome.

[PASchoolSyndrome]

How did she feel her lump? Did she use her finger? I don't mean to be graphic but sometimes the normal curvature of the rectum can feel like a lump to an untrained finger!

[lofwyr]

No, sadly it was a very definite lump, but I don't know more details than that. She actually thought it might be hardened stool, so she used an enema, but it is still there, so I suspect it was hard, which is also scary.

I know she is untrained, but its all scary just the same. She has the opposite of HA whatever that is. She used her finger via a latex glove.

[PASchoolSyndrome]

Oh I'm sure it's scary. I'm sorry that you are having a hard time over this. She seems like she's a rock so try to let her balance you out a bit. Tuesday is so close just take things day by day!

[MyNameIsTerry]

That type of examination is for a doctor. That being said, I remember an earlier thread about this and potential issues with diet being mentioned.

As for whether they can stay for months. They can stay for years. Sometimes you need them removed if they are causing problems.

I've had mine since my early twenties. I have a large one that never goes. It doesn't cause me any real issues hence I've never followed it up for anything more invasive (rubber band, anal stretch, etc).

Mine was diagnosed at the time and a sigmoidoscopy carried out later to check for anything else which revealed nothing. Twenty years on, I'm still here.

[Capercrohnj]

Yes it could be a hemmorhoid in her anus (unless it's more than 5 cm up it's anus not rectum). I have had hemmorhoids for years.

[lofwyr]

Out of curiosity, does anyone know if hemorrhoids can interfere with passing a bowel movement? I would ask google, but it would inevitably end up with a terrible result.

Thanks guys, it really does help knowing that just because this suspicious lump is in evidence, it might not actually be the worst case scenario....

[MyNameIsTerry]

If you've got roids, you very likely have issues with bowel movements. I would put money on many IBS sufferers alone having roids.

Roids tend to come from too much pushing which tends to come from stress, lack of fibre or good diet, etc. So, it may not be an obstruction in the manner you are thinking, rather that it's constipation which means roids get inflamed as you find yourself straining.

Your wife is doing the best thing, a doctor can easily spot roids.

[Capercrohnj]

Roids can also be caused by too much diarrhea too oddly. I had a huge thrombosed external hemmorhoid during my last Crohn's flare and definitely wasn't constipated

[lofwyr]

Thanks guys, hopefully it is nothing. Still terrified, but you did help. Just wish it was Tuesday, but I suppose then I will wish it weren't.

And sorry about your thrombosed Capercrohn, I have bad internal roids that get worked up, but never had the thrombosed, at least that I know of. Those have always sounded painful.