I've been lurking for a short time now and really enjoy the list. Found the UK site first, then this one and its mailing list. Am going through the quilt and see so many things that resemble my own experience..."You need more to do, take 4 Advil, it's all in your head, wait longer and the pain will get better (when? when I've died of old age, right?! <G>) No, adhesions are real and so is the pain they cause. They have altered my life in an extreme way, on a daily basis, since my hysterectomy 19 months ago. I put a brief version of my experience on the quilt.
Last Tuesday I had a laparoscopic diagnostic that revealed the extent of my adhesions. Obviously, I went to a different doctor than did the hyst...the one who did the hyst, on my many return visits to her, would hear me say things like, "It hurts so badly I cannot move...intercourse produces such violent, exquisite pain that I throw up and then cannot walk for three or four days..." and such. Then, what would she write in my chart? Nothing that sounded remotely like what I had said. She did what I think was a botch job on the hyst anyway, I had seemingly endless complications, bleeding, trips to go to the ER for more stitches on the cuff, truly a nightmare. It was done vaginally but it was not fun, nor easy.
When I marched into her office in January of this year and demanded to know why I was in so much constant, horrid pain, she told me I was old (I am 37) and my ovaries probably had to go, that they were probably "going bad." This after months and months of my trying to get to the bottom of the problem. (My ovaries, BTW, have never given me a minute's trouble -- the hyst was for prolapse. Had rectocele/cystocele too.) She told me take 4 Advil, take hot baths, wait and see. She can take a hot bath, alright. Even my regular doctor was horrified when I finally went to him in despair in February. There was visible swelling of my lower right side from inflammation -- I am small and you can see things quite clearly...all he had to do it begin to palpate externally, and I thought I would die of pain. He put me on Vioxx, which took the edge off a little, and sent me to a new female doctor right away.
The new doctor is a good listener and realizes how I've suffered. Things like walking have been horrible, bowel movements would send me right over the edge. During the surgery, the new doctor found that my right fallopian tube was stuck down where my uterus used to be. She took out the adhesions she saw, put my fallopian tube back where it belonged, took pictures of my ovaries which were perfect -- hubby saw the pictures while I was in recovery but I was too out-of-it to see them. I will see them when I go in for my post-op check up, I suppose.
After the lap, I took Vicodin and had a few pain-free days. Maybe it was because of the Vicodin. Once I started trying to wean myself of the meds to see what things felt like, I experienced a good bit of pain... I hope it is because of the snipping and rearranging that went on, not because the adhesions already are starting up again. Is it true they can start as quickly as 3 days??? Horrors. I've also been very bloated since the lap, and am still having bowel trouble...that sharp pain that sometimes doubles me over. So I am taking my Vioxx again and doing a good bit of walking, resting in between. Anesthesia always makes me want to sleep for a few months <G>. But I still am in pain. Dear Janet, of this list, e-mailed me privately and told me it could take some time, I am grateful for her support and encouragement. Hope is an exhilarating feeling! Tomorrow marks 2 weeks since the lap.
I hope I will be better now than I was before the lap, I am so afraid the pain will remain and/or get worse. I suppose if it does, it's time to save money for what, a trip to Pennsylvania or Germany, yes? <G> I love both places.
My husband tries to be understanding, but he is a total linear thinker, a mechanical engineer (not saying this as a slam, it's just how he is). I'm studying to be a psychologist, when I am able to take courses. Have about a year left towards my BA in Behavioral Science. We've been married for going on 15 years and have two remarkable, wonderful boys, ages 5 and 9 yrs. Hubby thinks I am depressed (which I have been at times) and that I'm probably over-reacting, in general. He takes things the wrong way sometimes, thinks I am mad at him when really sometimes I am just venting, being mad in general. That negative energy from the really bad pain days has to go somewhere though, and even if I say to him, "This is NOT about YOU!" it still sometimes frustrates/angers him when I have an outburst. I don't stay mad, in fact I find good things in life every day. Joy and beauty are everywhere I look. My sense of humor has always been good, even though it has changed dramatically since the adhesions. I find humor in different places than I used to, lol.
So that's a little about me, what I've done and been through...it pales by comparison to some of the things you all have undergone. I admire each of you, your bravery and tenacity. Thank you for sharing information, support, and of yourselves, you are a tremendous inspiration to us all. Now back to lurking, best to you all,
Lynda Montgomery Scottsdale, Arizona