Funny til you NEED it (Preparation H Clear Gel - 25g)

Member Name: shroud

Product:	Preparation H Clear Gel - 25g
Date:	03/04/03 (384 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: over the counter, simple to use, colourless and non staining

Disadvantages: provides relief but not a cure

With less than 8 weeks to go before sprog number two appears, and this child has already provided me with a big pain in the backside. Literally.

Piles, haemorrhoids, grapes, call them what you wish, are an unfortunate fact of life for many people. Sufferers can range from the very young to the very old, and can be gooten in a variety of ways. In my case, the pressure from carrying a baby has produced this very common affliction to present itself. Odd how you get samples of this and that over teh counter stuff, but not this in Bounty packs! Hey you, are you Bounty people listening? Even a voucher would be nice!


Basically piles are veins that become engorged with blood and remain swollen and are often painful and even itchy. They can be inside the rectum or outside, and can be get quite large, making it difficult to sit or even lie down where any pressure at all makes for unendurable agony. Even wearing certain types of underwear and trousers can inadvertently increase the flow of pressure to the area below your waist, and increase the swelling! OWWWWWWWWWWWOOWWW.

Preparation H gel is a colourless gel available over the counter in 25 gram tubes with an applicator. It contains witch hazel as a main ingredient, which gives a cooling sensation and also helps shrink the offending veins with its astringent properties. this in turn reduces the pain from the swelling and the itching caused by the nerves reacting to the pressure of the swelling. you apply it when you first get up, before you go to bed, after you go to the loo, or have a shower or bath for maximum effectiveness. It does NOT completely shrink or get rid of them, it merely helps provide relief until you can see your GP to get remedial treatmnet for them. Do not use on children unless directed by your GP.

How effective is it? Well, I was nearly in tears late the night before we ran to the chemists and that morning along the way, and now I can sit on a big soft cushion, so
it does help. So does an ice compress if you can stand that though, as ice helps reduce the swelling as well. If the pain is too severe, ice first, let area dry, then try the ointment. Seems to work better that way. I have spoken to my doctor about it, and reme
dial treatment has to wait post baby, so this could very well be one of a pregnant woman's new best friends. Along with breast creams, foot gel, and all those other soooooo lovely personal care items we all tend to hide at the bottom of a shopping basket and try to bag first after checkout!

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