I was interested in your comment about having a "total abdominal hysterectomy"- TAH. but you did not say that you also had a "bilateral salpingo-oopherectomy"- BSO. These terms and abbreviations are described more fully here: http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/announcement.php?s=&forumid=23 (this is the first message in the pre-op HS board) So unless they did that, then you still have your ovaries. Here is a website that describes that: http://www.2womenshealth.com/Figure24-04.htm
Another site that you might find very useful is http://www.hystersisters.com. There is a section called the Road Less Travelled that you might find interesting.
I don't know anything about your particular medical troubles, but I know how aggravating it is to find some of these doctors. Not only aggravating, but dangerous, medically and healthwise. I always heard that the only problem with the abbreviation MD is trying to decide whether that stood for major- or minor- deity! It looks like you have been finding all those sorts of doctors. But there are some really good ones out there... Keep looking.
Hope you have a good day.... wr
At Tue, 4 Feb 2003, Jenny wrote:
>
>Hi Cheryl,
>
>I am having problems getting a doctor to touch me because of the
>adhesions. After my gyn had done a rectocele and cystocele repair in
>July 2001, I went to see my gyn in October of 2001 because I was having
>pain in my right kidney and told him then that I couldn't empty my
>bladder. He sent me to a urologist. That is when I had the first
>cystoscopy. That Urologist told me that everything was normal and I
>wasn't forming kidney stones. He said he did stretch the urethra. Two
>months later, I was passing stones at my house. By April 2002, I felt
>something tear and could feel something had dropped again. So I went
>back to my gyn. He said that the bladder and rectum had dropped again ,
>but since he had already fixed it once and it hadn't even lasted a year,
>he wanted me to see a different urologist. So I went to see Urologist
>#2 in May. He did another cystoscopy, stretched the urethra, ran the
>flow test, and checked me for interstitial cystitis. He's the one who
>said I had scarring on the urethra and it was much smaller than it
>should be. He said I had a cystocele, a rectocele, and an enterocele.
>Then he talked to my gyn, found out how many adhesions I had, and told
>me he wouldn't touch me. He sent me to Baylor College of Medicine in
>Houston to Urologist #3 in July 2002. This doctor came in with one
>doctor who was starting his residency, another doctor who is considered
>a "fellow" (I believe they have finished their residency), and his
>nurse. THere were 4 of them in there to for the examination plus my
>husband and me. They stood there with a flashlight shining it up my
>rear! It wasn't even an examination lamp! Two of them examined me laying
>down and then standing with one foot on a stool. They said I had a
>cystocele. He said there was no way that they would touch any adhesion
>if they did do surgery. Then Urologist #3 told me he wanted to repeat
>all the tests I had just had done over the last 2 months. I told them
>that I was getting ready to start nursing school and I needed to get
>them done as soon as possible. He said they couldn't even start to
>schedule it until after September. SO when they called to schedule I
>told his nurse that I didn't want to repeat any tests. That was a waste
>of my money and my time. So I never heard from them again. SO I
>decided to go back to Urologist #1 since he has been my urologist since
>my pregnancies (Stones really bad!) starting in 1988. I had to wait 3
>months for that appointment. I went in November 2002. I sat in his
>office for 3 hours. He walked in the room, asked me why I was there,
>and then said, "Oh! That's a gynelogical problem!" I seriously wanted to
>scream. He said it was no big deal that I was holding so much urine and
>it was probably from the cystocele. I told him that when the problem
>started 15 months ago I didn't have a cystocele. He just sort of looked
>at me and said that I wasn't leaking so it was no big deal, and I should
>go see this other gyn, and no one else but this particular doctor. So I
>saw that gyn in December. We waited for 2 hours in his office before
>being called into his personal office. He asked me if we were there for
>a second opinion. I told him we were there for a doctor. He started
>right into that he would not be my doctor because he didn't want to get
>involved in any legal entanglements. He had just written out a check
>for $50,000 for malpractice insurance for one year. And he did not want
>to go sit in a courtroom for hours and days because that took time away
>from his family and he was not willing to do that. HE said he had paid
>the price once before and he was not willing to do it again. He said I
>know you are feeling feelings of hopelessness and rejection and I
>understand that. Anyway he went on to be even more of a jerk. He made
>me move from one room to the next with a paper sheet around me. Those
>don't even go all the way around. Luckily my husband was with me and
>walked behind me. I walked with my butt towards the wall. There were a
>few patients but in rooms themselves and most of the workers had gone to
>lunch. I still can't believe I actually did it though. But he was
>yelling at me to come on and hurry up because he had patients waiting.
>Both Urologist #2 & 3 and this doctor all confirmed the large amounts of
>urine retention. Sad thing though, only this jerk ran a urinalysis to
>find out if I had an infection. They called me at home 2 days after my
>visit to tell me I had a urinary tract infection. He told me before we
>left that it would have been better for him if he had never seen me. I
>apparently was taking too much of his precious time because he had told
>me he would review my stack of medical records and refer me to someone
>here in the medical center. I never got his second opinion, but I sure
>got a bill. I went to a new gyn last Friday, one that I found. He told
>me adhesion don't cause pain. I told him I would like to hit anyone who
>thought that, and anyone who thought that didn't know what they were
>talking about. I told him my gyn of 12 years knew adhesions hurt
>because he had them himself. He shut up about that real quick. The
>thing is, this new doctor says I don't have a cystocele or a rectocele
>after 4 other doctors have said I do. That I don't understand. Now I
>found out that my left ovary has grown back (TAH 2000). It has
>something on it or near it. They ran some blood tests. HE said it
>could be a Suedo cyst (Fluid trapped and when they get it to take it
>out, they can't find it), a hemorrhagic cyst, endometriosis, or cancer.
>I am not going to believe the worst at all though. He did tell me I had
>the vagina of a teenager and very full breasts. Well, I've never been
>told that before, but my hubby isn't complaining! LOL Okay, I probably
>shouldn't have shared that. The reason he told me that is because after
>my total hysterectomy, my gyn had put me on hormone replacements. The
>jerk gyn yelled at me for taking those hormones and said I could have
>had a stroke because that ovary had grown back and is producing
>hormones. Jerk said to quit the hormones and have blood work taken
>after at least 2 weeks. So this new gyn said that postmenopausal
>women's vaginas become smooth and dry when they are normally full of
>wrinkles and very moist, and their breasts begin to shrink. Anyway,
>that is why he said that. He gave me the names of 2 general surgeons
>here in Houston that are supposed to be masters with adhesions. But
>none of this helps my bladder problem. The jerk gyn from December said
>he believes it is an actual functioning problem with the bladder.
>Honestly I believe it is something to do with adhesions. That seems to
>be the root of most of my problems if not all. I did have to go to the
>ER a few weeks ago because I couldn't hardly pee at all and my pain was
>out of control. They put in a catheter and gave me a shot of demerol.
>They wanted to send me home with the catheter but it was causing my
>bladder to have more spasms than it was having without it. Weird thing
>is, after they took the catheter out I could pee fine for about a week.
>Now everything is back to what it was before....push, push, push. I
>just wonder if that catheter stretched things a little. I know it hurt
>like crazy when they put it in and took it out. I'm sorry I didn't mean
>to write a book! Anyway, maybe we can keep in touch and help each other
>with tips. Talk to you soon (I hope!)
>
>Big bear hugs!
>Jenny
>
>At Mon, 3 Feb 2003, Cheryl wrote:
>>>
>>> Hello Jenny, I was surprised to see your post as I am having exactly the
>>same problems. I have had the urethra stretched twice now. The last
>>time was
>>3 weeks ago and the urine flow is slowing down again already! Scar
>>tissue blocking it is the problem. My urologist also told me that as
>>women age and
>>the hormones decrease, that will also cause problems. He did a flow
>>test and
>>said the flow was like an old man with a huge prostrate. Let me know if
>>you find out any more that we can do to get relief, other than more
>>stretching. When he does that it burns like crazy for at least two
>>weeks after!!
>>Please know I am praying for success for all that are planning on
>>surgery soon.
>>Painfree hugs and love to all.....Cheryl