Welcome to the board! You have come to the right place to find people who will understand your pain, and will be able to offer you comfort & support.
Yes, painful orgasms can be a symptom of adhesions, it is one of the hardest ones to Psychologically accept or deal with.
I have this problem, and I take an Oxycodone tablet about half an hour before, and then I take another immediately after. This doesn't completely remove the pain, but it makes it a little more manageable allowing you to rest. I also take a valium sometimes if the pain is especially bad, this simply helps me to relax. Pain makes our bodies tense; it is a natural response to pain.
There are a number of reasons why you could be experiencing these pains, adhesions is definitely one that I would consider, and perhaps endometriosis. Has any doctor ever suggested this to you? Either way, the only reliable way to find out what is happening is for a surgeon to look inside your abdominal cavity with a small camera. This is done by laparoscopy (key hole surgery). Once the surgeon has determined what the cause of your pain is, you can both sit down and consider your options.
The pain you are describing that is new, sounds similar to how I felt when my ovaries were attached to my vaginal wall, bladder, bowel & abdominal wall. That may sound impossible, but what it means is the adhesions have attached to something...such as my bowel, then grown around my ovaries and then attached to my vagina. The adhesions pull organs out of shape, or move them from where they should be. Our organs should "float" and don't naturally become attached to each other.
Adhesions can be caused by a variety of things, and all that information is found in another area of the Adhesions web site.
Make sure that you discuss your discomfort with your partner, and ask him to read some of the information available here. It is really important to help him understand why you are in pain, and then he will be able to emotionally & physically support you while you find the answers to your pain.
To find a surgeon who understands adhesions in your area, Helen Dynda, or Dr Wiseman will be able to help you. There is also a list of support people from IAS listed on another page of this web site.
If you have any other questions Clare, or would like more information about my personal experiences with the pain & situation you describe, feel free to email me privately at wallamara@hotmail.com
Love & warm gentle hugs,
Jo (Australia)