At Sun, 09 Jun 2002, Nancy E. Hale wrote:
>
>At 6/8/02 10:19 PM -0500, you wrote:
>><snip> Many people have them will no ill effects. Just having adhesions
>>should not hinder any physical activity. Maybe the others have more info
>>for you.....
>>
>>Your Friend,
>>Cheryl
>
>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