Painful hemorrhoids

This is embarassing, but I have had this condition for a month now. I'm 36 years old, and about 60 pounds overweight, though I have lost 30 pounds in the last 3 months. My diet has been different during that time, too -- lots of fruit and vegetables, not much meat. I have had flare ups in the past (not often, maybe once every five years or so), but none this bad. I finally went to Instacare two weeks ago because the pain was so bad I couldn't hardly work, sleep, etc, and I was given some suppositories and stool softeners. Over the course of a week, I noticed little or no change in the pain that accompanied a bowel movement (4 - 6 hours of excruciating agony after a movement, whether standing, sitting, or lying down). I went to my family doctor a week ago, and more of the same -- pull down your pants, let me look at your butt, and now let me give you another prescriiption for another usless cream. I'm typing this message at 12:30 am -- I had a bowel movement at about 7:00 pm, and it still hurts too badly to allow me to sleep.

I am very worried, very nervous, and very scared. I've read about many of the different procedures for treating hemorrhoids, and they all sound terrible, with potentially bad after affects (like not being able to control your sphincter). I sure could use some advice from people who have gone through, or are currently going through, the same thing. Please help. Tweet