Need advice, (kidney surgery and/or pain management)
From: I and J (ipnewwave@aol.com)
Mon Mar 31 18:10:52 2003
Hi: Hi, my name is Irene and am a fellow adhesion sufferer. My husband
has
been researching and going out of his mind regarding my suffering. He
found this website, and probably has read every single persons story. My
constant pain has not allowed me to be fortunate enough to be able to
read everything.
I have read a few and it helps to know that there are other people out
there with similiar problems and I wish I had a magic cure for all of
you.
I had two C-Sections in 1978 + 1982- Two years later I started with
right abdominal pain (under my ribcage). It mimiced Gall Bladder pain.
All tests were negative, for 5 years we went from doctor to doctor and
what seems like millions of tests-- everything was negative. Finally,
in 1986 I found a surgeon who was willing to perform an exploratory. He
removed a benign tumor off of my liver and felt that was the cause of
the pain. Approximately, 2 months after the surgery my pain was back
(at first I did not want to tell anyone). Of course that didn't last
too long, In 1994, a surgeon proceeded to remove my gallbladder through
laposcopic and had to abandon it and perform open surgery due to
extensive scar tissue. In one hospital an ERCP was performed and I
wound up with Pancreatitis- the doctor then shut my pancreas down for
approximately 5 months (meanwhile- the pain was still there and getting
worse). The doctor could not get into my bile ducts, another doctor
sent us to Racine, WI to see DR. Geenen (the doctor who founded the
ERCP procedure). He was able to get into the bile ducts after a very
lenghty test,he stated that he stretched the ducts and said I must
suffer from spastic colon. (yeah right).
In 1994, a surgeon proceeded to remove my gallbladder through laposcopic
and had to abandon it and perform open surgery due to extensive scar
tissue.
In 1999 the pain returned- even stronger same place plus severe pain in
my right flank area. ( I do have a double ureter on my right side and
had considerable UTI infections). Again, we went from doctor to doctor
and test after test. With of course negative results.
In 2001, I started having trouble digesting food on top of the pain. Two
friends of the family in PA who happen to be physicians (one a gyno and
the other a surgeon) along with a urologist performed an open surgery to
remove extensive scar tissue from my bowels, hepatic area, small
intestines, ureters, and the surgeon stated he had to rip my kidney off
of my rib cage. I was pain free for a year in a half.
Guess what???? Yep, the pain has returned but only in my right flank
area. We started doctors again, hospital stays and tests. The pain is
life altering. I had to stop working and basically live on pain
medication, which is hard and embarrassing to ask for.
We went back to our doctor friends in PA- who sent us to other doctors.
Today I was told that the adhesions could possibly be on my kidney and
liver (probably fused together) and the surgery would be very delicate
and difficult.Because of this fragile area surgery in this area
sometimes are fatal.We're not sure if the doctor really wants to get in
there.He stated that he would have to open me and could not do
laporscopic surgery in this area and that we would do surgery as a last
resort. The surgeon would prefer if I try pain management. I just want
it fixed, we do not want pain management that would entail all kinds of
medication for the rest of my life. Has pain management worked for
anybody who suffers from adhesions?? Also, has anyone had surgery on
their kidney area? Is the area really too dangerous to operate on??The
doctor also stated that there is a small portion of bowel behind this
area of the liver.
My husband and I would appreciate any input regarding surgery on the
kidney and if pain management works and what does it entail.My husband
will probably be sitting by this computer all night to see if anybody
can direct us in the next step.
Also if possible if anyone has had a similiar problem like this and had
Dr. Riech perform his way of operating and technique was the procedure
successful?
Thank you and we wish you a pain-free night!
Irene and Hubby
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