I've had them for years, though they only flare up every few years. Make sure to take fiber or stool softeners to insure soft bowel movements. I haven't had a problem in over five years, so don't despair. One of the difficult realization of growing older is that we are really not in control of the illnesses, maladies, or conditions we develop. We're alive. We develop health problems.That's the way it is.