At Thu, 7 Dec 2000, jackie wrote:
>
>At Sun, 12 Sep 1999, Helen Dynda wrote:
>>dear helen dynda or anyone that can help me,
>
>I have undergone 17 operations in the last five years.2years ago I had
>an operation to remove extensive adhesions to my bowel this gave me
>18months reasonable quality of life BUT since July 2000 I have
>deteriorated rapidly the pain in my abdomen is absolutely ecrutiating,
>and immence swelling. It is not the passing of motions but the pain
>after doing so,my surgeon says he won't perform another operation unless
>I have a clinical obstruction. how am I supposed to know when this
>happens as all the symptoms that you are supposed to display when there
>is an obstruction I am suffering. I am now on morphine to try to ease
>the pain but they only just manage to keep it bearable. I CANNOT do
>anything physical like the simplest of household tasks and I have lost a
>stone in weight since october because I find I cannot keep my food down
>apart from that I have no appetite, this was before the gp prescribed
>morphine. I cannot walk even the shortest of distances and I feel that
>I will have to use my wheelchair again as I did 2 years ago. Having 2
>children and a husband who I must say are extremely supportive, but this
>makes things even harder because I try to do the things a wife and
>mother should be able to do. I am really scared that I am losing so
>much weight, as before I went down to 7 1/2 stone it was only then that
>the surgeon decided he would operate to remove these adhesions. People
>just dont understand how debilitating this problem is. I am in bed 22
>hours a day as this is the only position that it relatively
>comfortable.I'm constantly vomiting again even before the morphine and I
>am Just not only PHYSICALLY tired but emotionally Tired as well. NO I'm
>not suicidal but am DESPERATE for someone to be able to help me. Perhaps
>clutching at straws, there might be someone who reads this that can help
>me out with my situation. Im in Pain 24/7 and it really is dragging me
>down. my daughter even said mum I wish you were like other mums being
>able to take me to school and interact with the other mums. Imagine the
>guilt. I can't even cook a daily meal as the physical strain makes the
>pain unbearable.
>IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE THAT CAN HELP ME? I'm 38yrs old and I've got
>so much I want to do with my life but cant.
>Thankyou for taking the time to read my plight but who knows there might
>be just one person who can change my life. I do hope so.THANKYOU.
>JackieB.SURREY.ENGLAND
>>Teresa,
>>You have certainly gone through alot!! YOU ARE NOT GOING CRAZY!! You are
>>just another victim of the medical profession - of medical professionals
>>who have a difficult time accepting that ADHESIONS DO CAUSE PAIN. At
>>least that would be my non-professional guess as to what is causing you
>>pain.
>>
>>I have used the directions for PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, which I posted today,
>>to do a search on the drugs which you listed: Keflex and Robaxin.
>>
>>Keflex is a Beta-Lactim Antibiotic and Robaxin is a skeletal muscle
>>relaxant. Neither drug is a pain-reliever! No wonder you are having
>>pain!!!!!
>>
>>Both Keflex and Robaxin are Brand Names - which means they are more
>>expensive than the generics.
>>
>>Cephalexin is the generic of Keflex. Methocarbamol is the generic of
>>Robaxin.
>>
>>I suggest that you read the information for both of these prescription
>>drugs at the Planetrx site. If you have any trouble following the
>>directions, which I have posted today, you can write to me personally at
>>the above address.
>>
>>Since your adhesions are attached to your small intestine and colon,
>>unless you are able to find a doctor who specializes in doing surgery
>>for adhesions, it would be very unwise to have just any surgeon do an
>>adhesiolysis for you.
>>
>>* * SURGEONS WHO SPECIALIZE IN ADHESIOLYIS SURGERY * *
>>
>>Surgeons, who specialize in adhesion surgery (adhesiolysis), use
>>microsurgical techniques.
>>
>>These surgeons do many more of these kind of surgical procedures - day
>>after day - in comparison to regular surgeons.
>>
>>These specialists have developed special techiques - which they strive
>>to improve on from one adhesiolysis to the next one.
>>
>>A surgeon, who specializes in this kind of surgery, must be able to have
>>the virtue of PATIENCE because these kind of surgeries can take many
>>hours to complete. These are also very risky surgeries for the surgeon
>>to perform and especially for the patient.
>>
>>I had an appointment to talk with a colon-rectal surgeon at the Mayo
>>Clinic in January 1997. He said that he *would not* do an adhesiolysis
>>for me - unless
>>I, as his patient, were having a bowel obstruction. He did not advise
>>surgery!!!! So what is there left to do? PAIN MANAGEMENT -- and this is
>>what doctors at the Mayo Clinic advise patients, who come to them with
>>adhesion problems.
>>
>>This does not necessarily mean that these surgeons do not believe that
>>adhesions do not cause pain. It means that surgeons have learned
>>through many failed attempts at adhesiolysis, that adhesiolysis is not
>>the answer *at this time.*
>>
>>Considering the risks involved, surgeons do not encourage surgery for
>>adhesions at this time. There is not an adhesion barrier available yet,
>>which has been proven to give adequate protection from the
>>re-development of adhesions. Our bodies are in control. Adhesions are
>>how the body heals itself.
>>
>>* * SO WHAT AM I DOING? * *
>>
>>So what am I doing? Since January 1997 I have been seeng a psychiatrist,
>>who specializes in pain management, on a regular basis. She has
>>prescribed Carbamazepine (200mg) for me to take in the morning - and
>>400mg of the same drug for me to take at bedtime. Carbamazepine is the
>>generic of Tegretol.
>>
>>In January 1997 she prescribed Amitriptyline (100mg) for me to take at
>>bedtime. Amitriptyline is the generic of Elavil. Amitriptyline was the
>>*first and only* medication which had given me any relief from pain back
>>in 1975 - after having suffered from very severe intractable pain
>>following surgery in 1970. This drug is an anti-depressant and it has
>>also been recognized to relieve pain.
>>
>>I also see a psychologist on a regular basis for talk therapy - about
>>how pain has affected and is affecting my life; and also so I can share
>>concerns in a safe environment - instead of "stuffing them" and never
>>talking about them.
>>
>>I have also allowed myself to become involved with life again - instead
>>of isolating myself and suffering in silence. I have joined a Weigh
>>Down Workshop group for weight reduction. I teach piano lessons to
>>young people, teen-agers, and adults. I am the accompanist for our
>>church choir.
>>
>>As I've said before, I have been doing a lot of research on the
>>Internet. In the process of researching, I just recently learned that
>>there is psychological term for doing something like: It is known as
>>DISTRACTION. It really works!! As I have been absorbing all of this
>>information, DISTRACTION has been keeping my brain so busy that it has
>>prevented the full impact of pain-messages from reaching my brain. I am
>>a firm believer in the mind-body concept. In order to accept the
>>mind-body concept, it was necessary for me to read about it and take
>>whatever time was necessary for me to understand and accept it - which
>>has taken me a long time!
>>
>>* * ADHESION BARRIERS * *
>>
>>Some of surgeons use adhesion barriers. Some have made a decision not
>>to use the adhesion barriers which are available now - because of the
>>less than satisfactory results which surgical patients have had with the
>>application of an adhesion barrier. The use of an adhesion barrier does
>>not guarantee that adhesions will not return!!
>>
>>Both INTERCEED (TC7) and Seprafilm adhesion barriers have been approved
>>by the FDA for use in laparotomy surgery (open abdominal).
>>
>>Although there are some surgeons who have learned how to apply Interceed
>>laparoscopically, Interceed has not been approved by the FDA to be used
>>in laparoscopies. Seprafilm cannot be applied laparoscopically.
>>
>>* INTERCEED (TC7) *
>>
>>For Interceed to be effective, there must not be any blood left in the
>>abdominal cavity.
>>
>>* SEPRAFILM *
>>
>>Seprafilm's texture is something like waxed paper. It is brittle and
>>once it is moistened, becomes sticky and unmanageable for the surgeon to
>>use.
>>
>>I am not an expert on the above subjects. The information, which I have
>>just shared with you, is based on the research I have done on the
>>subject of adhesions and adhesion-related topics - which I started
>>almost two years ago.