Lgapmon@aol.com wrote:
> Hello everybody --
>
> 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
>