I've learned that adhesions are my bodies reaction to being cut open. There isn't much I can do to prevent it, so I deal with the symptoms. I'm trying to avoid yet another surgery. When one of my doctors tell me that the adhesions can't hurt, I tell them, they're right. The adhesions DON'T hurt, but what they're doing to my insides hurt like hell! If they don't listen to that, I change doctors. I now have an internist and an ob/gyn that actually listen when I say that I hurt and that it's the adhesions that hurt the most. (It took some time, but it was worth the effort. My surgeon and gastro can go jump in the lake for all I care, though.)
Unfortunately, because of my situation, I can't really take any pain meds. I have to deal with it the best that I can, and find what works for me. It helps having found this list. At least I know that it's not in my head, and that I'm not alone. My goal now is to make sure that there isn't an underlying reason for my adhesions, like an autoimmune disorder like Myasthenia Gravas or Lupus. (Both can cause your body to turn on itself, adhesions being one type of symptom.)
Good luck to you. Not a fun decision to make, but you'll do what's right for you.
Mary-Ann
>----- Original Message -----
From: "Renee" <renee@loveless.com>
To: "Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS"
<adhesions@mail.medispecialty.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2002 5:36 PM
Subject: Adhesions attaching uterus to abdominal wall
> I am 33 years old. I had a c-section in February of 1990. I had a
> second c-section in July 1996. I had no problems with pain until the
> year 2000. In October of 2000, I went in for laparoscopy to find the
> source of pain. Due to a large amount of scar tissue, they found that
> laparoscopy was impossible and had to cut me open fully. This surgery
> was done via a verticle incision about 6 inches long from my belly
> button down. They found extensive scar tissue and adhesions. My uterus
> was fully attached to my abdomen wall. The scar tissue and adhesions
> were cleaned up, and a barrier was put in place to, hopefully, decrease
> the risk of the adhesions re-forming.
>
> Unfortunately, I ended up in the operating room again in September of
> 2001. Less than 1 year after my initial surgery. This time, the Dr.
> tried laparoscopy from a different location (higher up on my abdomen and
> to the left), and found that the adhesions had returned. I again had
> the adhesions cleaned up (by being burned off).
>
> Here I am again, January of 2002, and the pain has returned with a
> vengeance. I am to have an ultrasound tomorrow morning to rule out
> other possibilities (possible cysts etc).
>
> I have reached the end of my rope, and reached the end of my patience. I
> do not know where to turn to next. My question is, has anyone else had
> this problem with the uterus specifically? If so, did a hysterectomy (as
> my dr is considering) take care of the issue? If the uterus, which is
> the specific organ that the adhesions are attaching to, is no longer
> there, will the adhesions come back and form on any other organ that is
> closest?
>
> I'm not sure what to do, or where to go to get answers. All my Dr seems
> to say with some repitition, is that scar tissue/adhesions are not
> painful. In the meantime, I am missing work due to the pain, and family
> functions are near impossible. I live in the state of New York and am
> looking for somewhere to go to speak to a specialist.
>
> Thank you for your time,
> Renee
>