I'm in a very similar situation with my sister. She is very sick and has been for many, many years. During her last surgery, the doctor punctured her bladder upon doing the laproscopic surgery. Her pelvic area is absolutely filled with adhesions. He never told her he punctured the bladder and after the surgery she came home with a colostmy bag. She needed to see a urologist for the bladder damage which he claimed came from the adhesions. But now we know better....only because we asked for copies of her medical records from the hospital. To make a long story short, since my sister's last surgery, she has lost about 35 pounds because she cannot eat. Basically anything she eats, she either vomits or moves her bowels. This has led her to check herself back into the hospital and me finding this web site and message board.
The people on this message board have helped me immensely. The doctors they've recommended to me is Drs. Redan and Reich in Pennsylvania. I believe if you looked up Advanced Laparocopic Surgeons - you will find them. I am waiting for Dr. Redan's office to let me know what my sister's medical coverage will be. I do know that they are expensive and take little or no insurance. The problem for my sister is that she's on permanent disability with medicare as her insurance coverage. These doctors do not take medicare. My sister has been living with a man for about 6 years who has BC/BS. She recently married him so that she can use his coverage.
I've read a lot on this message board about SprayGel and a Dr. Korrel in Germany who uses this. We do not use SprayGel here in the USA - it has not been approved yet. Please go back and read the prior messages. My subject is very similar to your's - something like - Help, my sister needs help.
I know it is extremely difficult for you as, hopefully, a healthy woman. I know sometimes I could never really understand what my sister was going through. I would feel like it was sometimes all in her head. Through her last bout of illnes and this message board and reading all the stories of these other women, I now realize my sister is in desperate need of help and she IS seriously sick. She also is not strong enough to do this on her own. This is where I step in because I refuse to believe that there is no help. I just don't believe it!! No matter what it costs or what I have to do, she will see Drs. Redan and Reich. That's my goal and that's what I've been working toward.
I live in New Jersey - what about you? I know how scared you are for your sister - I feel the same way. Please keep posting and read the other messages. Education is part of your's and your sister's well-being..... knowledge about this horrible illness is good. Good luck and let me know how things go.
Rosemary
At Wed, 17 Jul 2002, Kim wrote:
>
>My sister has been dealing with pain since 12. She lost first tube by
>12 and 2nd tube by 20. She had complete hysterectomy by 25. Adhesions
>have wrapped around bowell, kidneys, ureters, and bladder. She almost
>went into kidney failure once, adhesions caused hole in bladder another
>time. Her bowells have been so damaged she may have to get colostomy
>bag. We really need to find a doctor who can help. I am afraid that
>this may cut her life short. Her last surgery to remove adhesions they
>put a mesh in but she is already in terrible pain and they think they
>will have to go in again, fairly soon. I only pray we find a doctor who
>can help her.