Hi Cathy. Sorry it took me so long to answer. I haven't been feeling
too good. :( I picked up the papers from the hospital today, but the
doctor didn't put his dictation in yet. So, basically I have learned
nothing yet. I am thinking some of the adhesions were on my bowels. I
have had diarreah for several years now, and now my stools are much
harder, and I am hurting in that area. TMI, I am sorry! LOL
I go to see my GYN on Monday. I haven't heard from him what he wants to
do yet. In the files that I did get, he indicated that I have had PCOS
for several years. I have been having pain in my abdomen, and now I
know it must be from the adhesions. :( Although I have been having MORE
pain since the surgery. I know he told my Mom that he removed them. Is
that why I am in so much pain? I was so bad two nights ago that I almost
went to the ER. I was in so much pain, I felt like I was going to pass
out. I felt like that again today. I don't know what is wrong with me
and it is scaring me. Especially since I have been in so much pain.
At Sun, 19 Jan 2003, cathy:- wrote:
> >Hi, Teena, > >Before consenting to a hysterectomy I think that you need to get a very >clear story of how the doctor thinks that this will help things and the >risks that it will make things worse. > >The way I understand PCOS is that this is a disease of the ovaries. And >the ovaries are controlled by hormones that are secreted by your >pituitary, which is part of your brain. So my first question would be >how the doc expects to make PCOS better by surgery on your uterus? > >If the cysts on your ovaries are bursting, then that certainly would >explain your adhesions. Are you having symptoms from your adhesions? >Approximately 1/3 of the people in the US have adhesions, and for the >vast vast majority they have no symptoms at all. If the adhesions are >not causing you any problems then it is almost always the best thing to >leave them alone. Virtually anything that any surgeon can do will end >up making them worse in the end. Now for most people, for whom >adhesions cause no problems, having a few more isn't a big deal, but on >the other hand you are taking the risk that you will get symptoms like >pain or bowel obstruction from the new adhesions that you wouldn't have >gotten if you had just left everything alone. > >So in order to take the risk of more surgery and more adhesions, you >need a very very clear story out of your doctor and the doctor that you >get a 2nd opinion from as to how the removal of your uterus will help >YOUR body given the disease that YOU have. Several people who post on >this board have had unnecessary hysterectomies just because their >doctors couldn't think of anything that would help them, and when you >are a gynecologist (a surgical specialty) if all else fails you do a >hysterectomy! Not because they think it will do any good but because it >is something they know how to do. (There is an old saying, "When the >only tool you own is a hammer, all problems look like nails to you.") > >Also, always go to http://www.google.com and do searches and check out >the things that doctors tell you. If stuff does not add up, then either >you are not understanding the doctors' explanations correctly, or the >doctor doesn't know what she/he is talking about. Either way you need >to do some more close questioning of the doctor before you can even >begin to give informed consent for anything. There are several things >that doctors say that are just wrong and they really clue you in as far >as their level of knowledge on the subject. For example, if the doctor >doesn't seem to realize that the surgery that you have to diagnose >adhesions or to cut adhesions (called an adhesiolysis) will cause more >adhesions. Or a doctor who doesn't realize that when adhesions are cut >then they grow back together and also form new adhesions because the >only way you can cut adhesions is by doing surgery and surgery causes >adhesions. Also any surgeon who believes that adhesions don't cause >pain sure ain't gonna be allowed to operate on MY belly! The first step >for a doctor to take measures to minimize adhesion formation in surgery >is for the surgeon to think that it is important. > >Good luck! I'm kind of hoping that somebody else here might have more >information about PCOS and adhesions. > >At Thu, 16 Jan 2003, Teena wrote: >> >>Hello My name is Teena. I've been married for 7 years to my Dh. I am >>29 years old. I live in Michigan. I have 2 children Dd who is 9 and Ds >>who is 3 1/2. >>I was recently diagnosed with PCOS. My GYN just did a Laparoscopy on me >>Tuesday Jan. 14, 2003. He spoke with my Mom after the surgery and told >>her that he found adhesions and lesions, and that I would probably need >>a hysterectomy to take the uterus out. >>I posted on a site that I frequented about this, and one of the >>wonderful gals there gave me the link to this site. I am glad I have >>found it. I have lots of questions!! I am very scared and nervous about >>having the hysterectomy but if that is what will make everything better, >>than I am all for it. >>When I started reading on this site it scared me even more! The only >>other surgery I had was a tubal ligation the day after my son was born. >>Could anyone please direct me to the things I need to read?! I had no >>idea the adhesions were bad! I thought by taking the uterus out it would >>make everything okay. >>If anyone is interested in emailing me, my email is tena2u@yahoo.com. > >-- >cathy :-) >