Hi Cheryl & Flick:
I just wanted to clarify something here - having adhesions that don't cause pain should not hinder physical activity. But if you have adhesions and they are already causing pain, then you will most likely lose parts of your life to them. I used to be a productive, active person - I drove taxi for 10 to 18 hours a day. As this damned disease has progressed, I have given up my job, I no longer drive even our own vehicle unless it is an emergency, I can't sweep or vacuum my home, I can't lift, stretch, bike, swim, skate, or enjoy so many of the other activities I used to love doing with my stepson, without a definite increase in pain and a corresponding increase in pain control meds. I know a lot of the others here on the board (and I think I recall you making a comment to the same effect Cheryl) have experienced the same thing. There are some things that I can still do - most days I can do the laundry, wash the dishes, help with homework, craft, work in my garden (with restrictions - no digging or lifting) - without increasing the pain levels. But there are other days that I simply find it almost too much exertion just to get out of bed. Those are the days that I have to force myself to get up and get dressed, even if I only go from the bed to the sofa. If I am awake, out of the bedroom, and dressed, then I have asserted my control over my disease.
The important thing is to decide how each of us will manage our pain. We have got to make a conscious choice to manage it, not to let it manage us. Over-the-counter meds will not control chronic pain from adhesions by themselves for most people. We need involved medical professionals - family doctor or general practitioner, a pain management team which should include an anesthesiologist (if you can find a clinic that knows what they are doing), mental health counsellors, surgeons who know what adhesions are all about, etc. If and when it comes down to surgery to save your life, not just to lyse the adhesions, you want to know that the person who is cutting into your body knows the proper procedures to follow so that you don't end up in more pain than you were to begin with - ask for references if necessary, but make sure that the person behind the knife is not someone who does not believe that adhesions can and do cause chronic debilitating pain.
I have been fortunate in that I have a family doctor who believes me when I say "It hurts to do this", and " I am experiencing this symptom, could it be caused by the adhesions in my belly?" She was extremely cautious about prescribing narcotic pain control in the beginning, but having seen the difference in me, she is sure that she has made the right choices to control my pain at this time. I have taken an active part in managing my own pain and researching what may help and the progress that is being made in treatments, and my doctor thanked me for the work I have done for her! She now knows more about adhesions and ARD treatments and research than any other general practitioner in this province. I also do things without her asking me, like keeping a pain diary, contacting her office instead of going to the ER if I need medical attention between visits, making notes between visits about side effects, symptoms, going to the pain clinic (which in this case was a waste of time) and reporting back to her, having tests done, etc. It has been a long hard road to get this far - I've spent four years attaining this level of mutual trust with her. She is also of the opinion that not just any surgeon can properly take down adhesions without recurrence, and will not refer me to just anyone for possible surgery. She is currently searching for someone in-province who is experienced in dealing with adhesions for future reference - if I have to have surgery, she wants to be sure that necessary surgery will not put me in worse condition than I am now.
I guess I got off on a tangent here, I started this just to clarify one statement - oops! Hope everyone is having a decent day.
Gentle pain-free hugs,
Nancy in NB