Re: Adhesiolysis with Harry Reich, M.D. - Beverly's message >> TO: Toni

From: Helen Dynda (olddad66@runestone.net)
Sat Jan 22 15:27:38 2000


Toni, Karla is telling you the truth! Karla has a very severe hernia problem which is complicating her already complicated adhesion problem. In searching for the best help for her adhesion/hernia problem, Karla has been to the best hospitals in the world. Both Johns Hopkins and the Mayo Clinc are world-renowned medical centers.

Both Karla and I have been to the Mayo Clinc - and learned that their surgeons do not specialize in adhesion cases. Surgeons at the Mayo Clinic expect their patients to have an emergency bowel obstruction before they will accept an adhesions patient. I can make that comment; because I was actually told this by a colon-rectal surgeon at the Mayo Clinic.

I believe Karla plans to have Dr. Reich do her surgery for her. I hope that you will read her story at the Adhesions Quilt. Her full name is Karla Nygren. To locate the name of her and other ARD sisters:

1.) click: Adhesions Quilt - at the top of this webpage.

2.) scroll all the way down to the bottom.

3.) click on one of the following: *last name - *location - *years - *date created.

Dr. Harry Reich is one of a few surgeons who specializes in doing difficult surgeries laparoscopically - and he is an expert!! Yes,Toni, it is very possible that he would be able to help you in the least invasive way possible - laparoscopically!!!!!!!

I have viewed videos of his surgical expertise - all three were done laparoscopically!! One surgical procedure involved adhesions on the bladder - where he literally peeled(like an orange)the adhesions off from the patient's bladder.

I also was able to view Bev's surgery. In addition to additions, she also had a tumor - which did not show up on diagnostic X-ray studies, which she had done before the surgery. The adhesions, which had glued Bev's intestines together, were carefully lysed and "swept down" - with a lot of patience on Dr. Reich's part. Her surgery took 5 hours for him to complete.

Bev's roommate's surgery took 10 hours - as a result of the extremely severe adhesion situation which she had. What patience this doctor must have!!! Her bowels were so glued together that it was difficult for me to identify where the intestines actually were. Bev. keeps in touch with her and says that she is recovering nicely.

According to Bev, Dr. Reich is not only one of the best laparoscopic surgeons; he is also know as being the most ambidextrous surgeon - meaning that he is able to shift his body position whenever and wherever his laparoscopic skills are needed in difficult-to-reach parts of the patient's anatomy - in order to do a careful and complete adhesiolysis. He is also a very caring person when it comes to the welfare of his patients. Bev. can tell you about that!!

Dr. Reich's experience and skill as a laparoscopic surgeon could spare you another possible laparotomy. Laparoscopic surgery is a much easier surgery to recover from; and if any adhesions were to develop, they would be very minimal. Dr. Reich is known to be a very meticulous surgeon - in that he does everything possible to be sure that there is no blood left in the abdominal cavity. He believes that when any amount of blood is left behind that this blood, left in the body cavity, plays a big part in the development of adhesions.

The success of another adhesions surgery will depend on your choice of a surgeon. If this were my decision to make, I would choose the expert. In my case I do not have adhesion-involvement on my intestines - and do not suffer as much as those of you who do. I am doing fairly well with pain management - which means that I feel that I will be ableo to wait for FDA approval of a gel-adhesion barrier.

Whatever you choose to do, Toni, is entirely up to you. I have shared what I know about Dr. Reich here to allow you to be aware that there are surgeons who do specialize in difficult adhesions surgeries. Familiar is not always the best choice. Whatever you decide to do is entirely up to you! Please know that your ARD sisters hope and pray that your decision will be the right one for you.

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At Sat, 22 Jan 2000, Bernie and Beverly Doucette wrote:

Toni,

This is Karla....on Bev's computer. I would like to say something that really struck me when you mentioned that your gyn would "never hurt me" and that he was the best around. I don't know if you have read my history.....I have had 26 operations since 1991...soon to be 27(no choice there). I have been everywhere....I went to a teaching hospital in our state for all of my surgeries....I have been to Mayo Clinic, Boston and most recently out toJohns Hopkins in Baltimore. All of these places were supposed to be "the best". But NONE of them were able to provide me with the answers that joining this support group has. No doctor goes in with the intentions of hurting us....they want to help make us better....but it is their ignorance to the condition that ultimately really hurts us. What we all need to find is a physician that has thoroughly studied adhesions and can deal with them appropriately so that we may better lead our lives. Once we do this we will begin to feel better and can once again become productive. Perhaps Dr. Reich would be a wise choice for you to see....I am pretty new to this group and don't really know of any others....from the tapes I have seen...I wouldn't want anyone else.

Take Care!

Karla

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>----- Original Message -----
From: toni welsh <twelsh1@hotmail.com> To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS <adhesions@forum.obgyn.net> Sent: Friday, January 21, 2000 10:11 AM Subject: Re: Adhesiolysis with Harry Reich, M.D. -- Beverly's messages

Thank you Bev, and Helen. I have to go to the store soon, and take my husbands aunt - predicting more snow here for tomorrow.

I guess I am a little confused here, the trouble the gyn thinks now is that the pain meds, and the other meds are causing me to lose more weight. I am NOT vomiting, but as far as burping alot, the GI drs have tried prilosec for awhile, now I take Ranitidine for that. The surgeons have all told me the laparoscopy surgery is out of the question now, they all say that it is too risky for me. Right now I am confused again, but I still do not think my gyn would do NOTHING to hurt me. He IS the best gyn around in my city, and he too deals with adhesions. I am still going to look into all this. The pain meds are hurting my stomach, and now the laxatives too. The cramps with senekot are really bad. And my GI dr tried to get me to start takingmilk of magnesia daily. That was worse!

I will keep in touch with you, thank you both for the info!


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