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CharK60 Asked July 2020

Care for hemorrhoids?

Hello,


My 94yo mother is complaining of hemorrhoids, as well as, what sounds like a bed sore in the same vicinity.


She is mobile but spends most of her day in a recliner.


I have her propped on a pillow. She has an rx ointment for the bed sore and I bought otc products for the hemorrhoid.


No one has seen the affected area and I don't want to take her in unless it's absolutely necessary so I hope to avoid that from happening.


Thank you in advance for any suggestions.


CharK60

CharK60 Jul 2020
This is why I come to the forum. Because it seems that I have brain farts and need some direction sometimes.

I took advice and I've been reviewing the care topics and I had forgotten all about online doctor visits due to the virus, which is ultimately my dilemma right now. Duh....

It may be wierd but I'll be taking pictures of my mom's butt today to send to the doctor tomorrow.

This will be so funny because it's my sister who has the link to the doctor's office. They only allow one person to have access and she's it. It will almost be like she had to get her hands dirty! Pun intended.

Thank you,
CharK60
MargaretMcKen Jul 2020
I hoped that your mother could get a chuckle out of me in the chemists shop in Spain trying to explain with gestures that I had something that turned out to be hemorrhoids. If she gets difficult about the photographs, try and make her laugh with that!
ShenaD Jul 2020
Sounds necessry.

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Geaton777 Jul 2020
If it is at all possible, can you sit with her while she's in a bathtub of very warm water (that she can tolerate)? Soaking (sitzbath) has been very help to my mom and me. Even if she sat in the tub with her undergarments on, it would still help, but the water needs to be nice and very warm. Also, spending some time laying on the stomach, rather than on the back helps to take the pressure off. I realize she's 94 and may not be able to do any of these things. I wish you success!
CharK60 Jul 2020
Thank you. My mom has a walk in shower that she rolls an aluminum Walker right in with her, no bath.

She is so stiff she doesn't change her sleeping position except for her legs. She acts like it pains her to lay on her side even for a minute.

I gave her a rolled up towel to put under one side of her butt to try and get the pressure off but she stubborns up about using it.

She needs to walk around more because that is exactly what I read about the sores is poor circulation.

I quit riding her about walking around because I was causing stress and not helping anything. It's hard but I'm trying. She's going to do or not do whatever she decides.

In the meantime, I'll keep an eye out on this latest problem and get her medical attention, (damn the torpedoes!) if necessary.
Grandma1954 Jul 2020
I have to ask...
How did she get a prescription for an ointment for a pressure sore that no one has seen. I would think any doctor would want to examine a pressure sore to determine if it is even treatable with a "simple" prescription ointment.
With the diabetes I would think that looking at a wound would be particularly important.
If she has mobility problems, arthritis and incontinent are you helping her in the bathroom at all? If not you probably should, she may not be cleaning herself as well as she should or could. If you were helping, looking at the pressure sore would be an easy task to do. And with the pressure sore and the hemorrhoids it is even more likely that she is not cleaning herself as well as she should. (I do not mean to make this sound like I am dumping on you but it is part of caregiving)
I would make an appointment with her doctor as soon as possible, much less risky taking her to the doctor than waiting for an infection or a massive pressure sore that would require an ER visit and a hospital stay.
The problems is 2 fold. Pressure sores are caused by little blood circulation to a particular area. Diabetics also have problems with blood circulation and often this causes problems in extremities (toes, feet, fingers, hands) and that can cause sores that may end up leading to amputation. The same sores may occur on your mom's coccyx. These are very difficult to heal.
I would be more concerned about the pressure sore than the hemorrhoids.
CharK60 Jul 2020
I help in the bathroom to the extent of giving her the products to use and tell her how to use them.

She's had the prescription Calmoseptine for bed sores for awhile that we refill.

She would not allow me to help wipe her especially if she's sore. I play the role of a nag bitching in her ear, warning that this could get serious if she doesn't take care. She doesn't even get up to toilet very often.

She doesn't even talk about it too much and then I mostly corner her at bedtime to assist her with treatments.

I'm not medically trained at all except for researching issues as they come up. I've been real clear to all concerned that I'll take care of her up to the point that I'm able. Who knew it would be going on twelve years that I've been here. I usually rely on her medical team until this darn virus. They have trained me how to manage care at home, as needed.

I'm not discounting what you're saying, that is the purpose in my asking. I'm looking into visiting nurses. We've had visits from them before.
MargaretMcKen Jul 2020
The OTC ointment for hemorrhoids has worked well for me, so long as it is re-applied every time the flap gets through the anus, then pinches and hurts. Make sure that her clothing allows her to reach in to do it during the day.

'Care Topics' at the top right hand side of the screen has an alphabetic list of topics including bed sores, with articles, questions and discussions that might help you work out what to do.

Have you seen the area yourself? It’s difficult in a recliner. Probably better to look when she’s in bed. With children, you wait until they are asleep and then go in with soft words and a torch so that they are drowsy while you roll them on their side to check the area (usually for threadworm in kids). Perhaps you could try that technique (and perhaps warn her in advance).
MargaretMcKen Jul 2020
PS I learned to see the funny side of hemorrhoids the first time I got them – on holiday in Spain, no idea what they were or what to do, and ‘hemorrhoids’ was not in my tourist phrase book (they miss all the useful bits). The pharmacist and I both embarrassed ourselves thoroughly before we worked out what my problem was. Pointing was a bit too vague, and the torch in the dark unfortunately wasn’t an option. After that start, perhaps I’m a bit laid back about discussing them!

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