Re: New member/bladder adhesions?????

From: Wally (wallamara@hotmail.com)
Thu Mar 15 16:12:59 2001


Hi Rose, my name is Joanne and there are many of us here who know exactly what mean about adhesions around on or near the bladder. Just the day before yesterday, my GYN told me that adhesions on the bladder are quite common. Nice of them (doctors)to tell us that BEFORE surgery!

Rose, I had my hystorectomy in Feb 2000, and if you look it up in the archives you will find my story. I now have reduced capacity in my bladder.....just 300mls immediatley AFTER being stretched under anasthetc. It is healthy on the inside as confirmed by the uroligist when he did the "stretch". My problem is caused by adhesions all over my bladder, after 4 c-sections my bladder, uterous and abdomen were "glued" together with thick adhesions. My hystorectomy took 5 1/2 hrs. I returned for emergency surgery 5 days later. Because the same area had been opened now five times, my muscle wall was weak, and half of my bowel pushed through the muscle wall, forming a large hernia and heamatoma (spelling....agh!). Because of the blood loss during surgery and these 5 days, adhesions rapidly filled the empty space.

Rose, I now experience pain before during and after urination and cannot hold even a cup of urine in my bladder. The adhesions prevent the bladder from expanding (the bladder is a bit like a balloon and swells as the urine collects in it), therefore it can cause leackage and or the urine can back up into the kidney's causing infection and can cause other serious problems.

I have been using Chinese herbal therepy, and find it has helped with this part of my problem very well, I don't have the pain, and my kidneys donot ache as much. (IT is wonderful to not have a constant back ache). Everyone is different, and because the herbal is working for me, doesn't mean that it will work for everyone. My advice is to try everything, do lots of reading and research....ask lots of questions here on the board. I have been able to make very serious decisions about my future treatment with the help of some of the information here.

As for seeing adhesions on a scan, I'm afraid they don't show up. The only way to diagnose adhesions is by laperoscopy. This is a small incision in the or just under the belly button, a small camera is inserted into the abdominal cavity so that the doctor can look around. Laperoscopy provides the least opportunity for more adhesions to form.

My laperoscopy revealed that my ovaries are attached to my vagina, my bladder is encased in adhesions and my bowel is adhered to the abdominal wall. I am scheduled for surgery on April 9 to "clean up" and seperate my organs, I was going to have my ovaries removed, but I have reconsidered and will ask the surgeon to just seperate them first, and only remove them if they are too damaged to remain, I am only 37yrs old.

Don't loose hope Rose, as a support group, we will answer any question, my motto is the only stupid question is a question that isn't asked. So don't be afraid to ask ANYTHING, if we can't answer it, we will help you find the right place to get the answer.

Welcome to the board Cheers and Hugs Jo

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You will never never know.......if you don't give it a go :)

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