Dear friends; please help. I feel like my pleas to doctors fall on deaf ears.
I have suffered from hemorrhoids for nearly 15 years. Every time I go to a doctor I get the same story: eat more fiber, drink more water, exercise. The thing is, I couldn't possibly eat more fiber, or drink more water, or exercise more than I do. If I were to eat more fiber or drink more water, I swear I would turn into a wheat husk. I have exercised hardcore 6 times a week for 20 years. I have never been constipated a day in my life. Every single morning since I was a boy, like clockwork, somewhere between 6-8AM, I have a large bowel movement.
3 weeks ago I just gave up and started taking Docusate Sodium daily. For 8 days it was the greatest thing that ever happened to me. My stool was finally soft and I was passing stool without irritating my hemorrhoids. Then, on day 9...it just...stopped working. I don't know what to say. My bowel movements are exactly as they were before I started taking it.
I'm at my wit's end with this condition. It's starting to affect my self esteem and erectile function (swelling in anus as I relax into sex; pain).
Does anyone out there have any advice about what to do? I have an appointment with a colorectal surgeon to talk about banding/surgery, but I feel like if I could just make my stool soft I could avoid it.
Morning I eat a giant bowl of whole wheat cereal, banana, apple, dried prunes, raisins, nuts, and figs.
Lunch I have a sandwich on whole wheat.
Afternoon snack I eat more apple with peanut butter.
Dinner I have a massive homemade salad and a little bit of some takeout food near me: Indian, Greek, Japanese; whatever.
Please help.
Thanks
36 y/o male