If you are looking for reviews of a proctologist, the most honest answer comes from patients' own stories. On this page we have collected the experiences of people who lived for years with hemorrhoids (piles), anal fissure and rectocele, and finally decided on treatment. We share them because shame and delay often cost people years.
All the stories are anonymous: names, surnames and any details that could identify a patient have been removed, and some particulars have been generalized. Every patient's situation is different, and results may vary. The treatment that suits you is chosen only after an examination.
In most of these stories, the hardest step was not the operation but making the decision. Right after surgery, one of our patients said: “I was so scared, but I didn't feel a thing.”
Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids are one of the most commonly delayed conditions: people get by for years with pharmacy remedies while the lumps keep growing. You can read about the stages and treatment methods on the hemorrhoid treatment page.
Lumps endured for 30 years were left behind after one operation
Our patient had suffered from hemorrhoidal lumps for about 30 years. In recent years, she could only use the toilet by supporting the lumps with her hand, which made everyday life seriously difficult. During the operation, the large hemorrhoidal lumps were removed. Lumps this large are usually removed surgically. After the operation, our patient said she was free of years of discomfort and felt at ease. This story shows once again that a problem endured for decades can often be left behind with the right treatment.
A four-year follow-up: no recurrence
Four years earlier, we had performed a combined operation on this patient: hemorrhoids, an anal fistula and a polyp were treated in the same session. Four years later, he came back for a check-up. The examination found no recurrence, no pain and no discomfort, and our patient was very happy with the result. This story matters for anyone afraid of hemorrhoids coming back. Recurrence is possible, but choosing the right method and following the recommendations on diet and toilet habits after surgery can reduce it considerably.
Anal fissure
An anal fissure, commonly called an anal tear, shows up as sharp pain during and after bowel movements that can last for hours. Many patients, afraid of the pain, eat less, which makes constipation and the whole situation worse. Ways to treat it are explained on the anal fissure page.
Six years of pain and blood on the toilet
Our patient had lived with an anal fissure for six years. Every time she went to the toilet, she felt strong pain and discomfort and saw bleeding. Complaints like these make a person afraid of the toilet and even eat less, which makes constipation and the fissure worse. After an examination, an operation was planned and performed. After the operation, our patient was free of the pain she had had for six years. Pain and bleeding are not normal: the sooner you seek help, the simpler the treatment of a fissure is.
She came in time: a 15-minute operation
Pain, burning and bleeding from a chronic anal fissure made our patient's daily life difficult. She came in time, before her symptoms got worse. A chronic fissure means the wound has not healed for weeks, its edges have hardened, and medication alone is no longer enough. After an examination, a short operation was planned, and it took about 15 minutes. The fissure was treated before it caused complications such as an abscess or fistula. The length of an operation varies from patient to patient, but this story clearly shows how seeking help early makes treatment simpler.
Rectocele and problems after childbirth
Women often tell no one, not even a doctor, about the changes that happen after childbirth. Yet rectocele (the front wall of the rectum bulging toward the vagina), perineal injuries and urinary incontinence are treatable problems. More here: rectocele and aesthetic proctology.
Using the toilet with help for 15 years: the cause was a rectocele
For 15 years, this woman could use the toilet only with special assisting maneuvers. Women often tell no one about complaints like these for years because of embarrassment. The examination found a grade III rectocele: the wall of the rectum was bulging considerably toward the vagina. In advanced cases like this, treatment is usually surgical. An operation to correct the rectocele was performed. The goal is to give our patient back a normal quality of life. Needing to help with your hand on the toilet is not normal: it is one of the most typical signs of a rectocele.
After a difficult birth: perineal and vaginal plastic surgery
After a difficult birth, our patient was left with complex injuries and adhesions in the perineal area. Women are often reluctant to talk about problems like these and live with them for decades, yet such injuries can cause pain, difficulty with hygiene and low self-confidence. After an examination, perineal and vaginal plastic surgery was performed. The aim was to restore the normal anatomy of the area. When she came in for her follow-up, her recovery was going well, and the smile on our patient's face made us happy. Anatomical changes after childbirth are not unsolvable.
Rectocele and hemorrhoids: a check-up on day six
For a long time, our patient had been dealing with discomfort from a rectocele and hemorrhoids. These two problems often occur together: a rectocele causes difficulty and straining on the toilet, and straining makes hemorrhoids worse. After an examination, both problems were treated in the same operation. Just six days later, she came in for a follow-up, shared her impressions and said she was beginning to return to daily life comfortably. Recovery time varies from person to person, but solving two problems in one session allowed her to avoid separate operations and two recovery periods.
Combined (“bouquet”) operations
Sometimes a patient has several problems at once, for example hemorrhoids, an anal fissure and a rectocele. If the patient's health allows it, we treat them in one session under one anesthesia. We call this combined (“bouquet”) surgery. We explain who it suits on the surgical and conservative treatment page.
Five operations in one session
Our patient came in with several complaints: urinary incontinence, constipation, hemorrhoids, an anal fissure, a rectocele and a polyp. Many of these complaints are connected: for example, a rectocele can lead to constipation, and constipation can cause hemorrhoids and fissures. Instead of doing a separate operation for each problem, we planned after the tests to treat them all in one session. At the check-up just one week after surgery, everything was in order. A combined operation is not suitable for everyone: the decision is made after the general state of health and test results are assessed.
Six problems in one operation: a story shared at the patient's own request
This patient was suffering from six problems at once: a sagging fold of skin and fat on the abdomen, umbilical and linea alba (midline abdominal) hernias, an endometriosis mass, hemorrhoidal lumps and an anal fissure. After an examination, all of them were treated in a single operation. We share this story at her own request. Our patient's words were: “Doctor, share this on your page so that no one suffers the way I did.” An operation of this scale is planned only after careful preparation and a thorough examination.
Gallbladder and anal fissure on the same day
Our patient was troubled by two separate problems. Pain under the right ribs that spread to the back and shoulder pointed to a gallstone. Pain during bowel movements, bleeding and burning that lasted for hours were signs of an anal fissure. We treated both problems in one session: the gallbladder was removed along with its stones (cholecystectomy), and the anal fissure was treated by lateral internal sphincterotomy (LIS), a small incision that relieves the spasm of the internal muscle closing the anal canal. That way the patient avoided two separate anesthetics and two recovery periods.
The cost of delay
We share the stories in this section not to frighten anyone but to show how important a timely examination is. Sometimes the cost of delay is years of pain, and sometimes it is more serious consequences.
An operation put off for 15 years took 40 minutes
Our patient had put off treatment for a full 15 years because he was afraid of surgery. During those years, pain and discomfort had become part of his daily life. He finally came in. After an examination, the planned operation took about 40 minutes and was completed successfully. Right after the operation, our patient smiled and thanked us. Proper preparation, an experienced team and the patient's own positive attitude were the most important parts of this journey. His greatest loss was not the operation but the 15 years spent waiting in fear.
Bleeding assumed to be hemorrhoids
Our patient thought his bleeding came from hemorrhoids and did not see a doctor for months. He finally came in for hemorrhoid surgery. The examination found that the cause of the bleeding was a cancerous tumor completely blocking the lumen of the bowel, and the patient needed a much larger bowel operation. Had he come in at the first bleeding, the disease could have been found at an earlier stage and treatment could have been much simpler. You cannot determine the cause of bleeding at home: every anal bleed needs an examination and sometimes a colonoscopy.
Rare but serious: an abscess from a delayed fissure
In a woman in her 50s, an anal fissure had not been treated in time or properly. Such a complication is rare, but it shows what delay can lead to. Over time, the inflammation spread deeper, and a horseshoe-shaped abscess formed around the anal canal: pus had collected around the sphincter muscle and the rectum. An abscess like this does not clear up with medication. It can only be opened and drained surgically, and healing takes far longer than treatment of an ordinary fissure. Yet at the beginning, this problem could have been solved with simpler treatment. More here: anal abscess and anal fistula.
Waiting 25 years for a female surgeon
Our patient had lived with a hernia for about 25 years. She had told her family that she would trust only a female surgeon, and had put off seeing anyone for years. She finally came to an appointment and made her decision: she no longer wanted to live with this hernia. The hernia was removed surgically. A hernia can grow over time and, rarely, become strangulated, so living with one for years is risky. The need for a female doctor and a female team is entirely understandable. But this story also shows how much time can be lost to embarrassment and waiting for the right doctor.
Patients who travel from far away
Our patients include people from other regions, from Nakhchivan and from abroad, and even a fellow doctor living abroad has come to us for treatment. If you are traveling from far away, message us on WhatsApp beforehand: we try to fit the examination and, if needed, the treatment into a single trip.
A patient from Nakhchivan: after five years of pain
Our patient from Nakhchivan had suffered pain for a full five years. After an examination, she had an operation, and a week later she said the difficult days were behind her. On day eight she came to her follow-up with a smile, and even jokingly got “permission” from her doctor to have shakarbura and pakhlava. For a patient who has traveled far, the first week is especially important: the wound is under supervision and new questions are answered right away. That is why we try to fit the operation and the first follow-up visit into a single trip.
A child sent for surgery went home without an operation
A child from one of the regions was sent to us for surgery. He had already been under treatment for three years. After an examination, we first prescribed a two-week course of treatment. After the course, no operation was needed, and the child returned home and to school. In cases like this, the child's age, how long the complaints have lasted and the results of earlier treatment are assessed together. The main advice for parents is simple: don't hide a child's complaint, and don't delay an examination. This story is a reminder of an important truth: not every complaint means surgery, and treatment is chosen individually after an examination.
Frequently asked questions
Are these stories real?
Yes. The stories are based on our patients' real treatment cases and are shared with their consent. To protect confidentiality, names, surnames and all identifying details have been removed, and some particulars have been generalized.
Will my result be the same?
Every patient's situation is different. The stage of the disease, general health, the method chosen and following the recommendations after surgery all affect the outcome. After the examination, we explain openly the treatment plan that suits you and the recovery time to expect.
The first step: a short, confidential examination
Most of the patients on this page waited for years before seeking help. The first step is simple: a short, confidential examination, then a clear explanation of the plan that suits you. Every patient's situation is different, and results may vary.
Every patient's situation is individual; results may differ.
Medically reviewed by: Dr. Ellada ManafovaLast updated:
The information on this page is for education only and does not replace an examination by a doctor. If you have symptoms, book an appointment. In an emergency, call 103.