In December,2007 I went to my G.P. with a hemorrhoid that just would not go away. The doctor examined it (we all know how much fun that can be) and prescribed the normal meds to help it go heal. It was rather large & my Doc said that it may need surgical removal by a Proctologist (OMG) if it didnt go away. I was determined to treat this with all my might to avoid any kind of surgery, and I applied the meds religiously with no luck. Finally, I gave in and called the Proctologist to make an appointment. I just knew I was headed for surgery. The exam was very painful because by now the hemorrhoid had grown to the point that it was painful to walk & sit for any length of time. The doctor asked me lots of questions like…has your stomach been cramping, have you been tired lately, have you had alot of bloody stools? I answered yes to them all. And then he dropped the bomb…it seems that you have anal/rectal cancer and you are going to need chemo and radiation to get rid of it. I was stunned. At the age of 43, after further testing, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Anal/Rectal Cancer. The moral of the story is…if you have a stubborn hemorrhoid that doesnt respond to medicine, dont wait to have it checked out…it could be something more serious. Dont let the embaressment factor keep you from going!