I found out that my bladder was adhered to my uterus in a second caesaran operation performed on the 5th January 2001--delivering my fifth child. Since then I have had a barrage of UTI's, Cervical and pelvic inflammation and pain on a monthly basis when I have my period. I was admitted to hospital 7 months ago in severe pelvic pain but ultrasound only picked up a small cyst on my left ovary and was thought not to be the cause of my pain. They booked me for a sx monthly check up though and ultrasound which I have just has done in recent weeks and kidneys, uterus and ovaries look "perfect." The same day I went to the records office in the hospital to order all my gynea notes for the past 5 years. I was particularly interested in the notes made at the last caesarian as they told me during that op that it was taking so long to deliver baby due to adhesion of my bladder to the uterus and that they would have to seperate them before cutting in to the uterus and delivering baby. I assumed that this was done successfully. My appt with the gynea folllowing my scan I noted I still was in some pain when menstruating but that vitex herb helped me some and lessened the cramping. That and prosta glandins if taken "before" the menstrual cramping. That I was also using natural progesterone rubbed into my abs during menses and that it alleviated some symptoms. This week finally I received a copy of my hospital notes as per request, and when pouring through them note that during the second c section, they had a difficult time separating the bladder from the uterus, so they left the adhesion and cut in above the area to deliver the baby and then proceeded with my tubal ligation. I assume from this that I now have two scars on the uterus. In the first caesarean, I had placenta praevia so they had to cut transverse but in a different place on the uterus. I suspect this is why it adhered to my bladder but that is pure speculation on my behalf at this point. I had a spinal block during that operation and the tubal ligation went well from what I can read though I did not have the clip method but the cut, tie and cautery method. All this time I assumed that they had been successful in separating my bladder and uterus though... and no one told me any different. However, I now realise that my current Gynea has either not looked that far back in my notes, or has and is worried possibly that such procedure to seperate will not be successful? he did mention briefly it could be adhesions and only laparoscopy would tell him that. I am in a great deal of discomfort on a monthly basis. cannot lose the extra 10 lbs of fat on my abdomen but have got down from 185 lbs to 145 lbs. I am depressed as every time I workout now or do my fitness, I wind up with a hefty time around menstruation if I work out. Doing abdominal exercises causes a lot of aches and pains in my pelvis.
I now realise looking at my notes that I will never achieve correct healing w/o the laparoscopy and attempted seperation of bladder and uterus and as I am in New Zealand I doubt very much they have the benefit of new surgical procedures around this type of problem, u.e. the anti adhesive shields they are using to prevent organs adhering. I was reluctant to go ahead with surgery and tried to treat myself holistically but three weeks ago I had gastroenteritis and the vitex I was taking could not be kept down and consequently I had a bleed at the 21st day of my cycle and the cramping was sever.
Currently my bladder is very tender and inflamed or feels that way. have a sense of urgency without necessarily peeing when i go to the loo. Obviously I can't live like like this but have been reading of similar stories and worried that it may be suggested at my age that they remove my uterus. I want to keep my uterus as I am aware that it helps to produce a certain amount of hormones even after menopause? Obviously though, one cannot live w/o a bladder and I am very worried monthly when my bladder reacts. I am reluctant to take pain killers incase it masks a UTI or bladder infection or worse a kidney infection. So I dont take them and it is rough. Very rough. Obviously this Doctor is not going to diagnose mme with such adhesion until he has seen such laparoscopically for himself and indeed I am concerned that he will simply be able to free up the uterus from the bladder in such an op and that it will result in an emergency operation that could result in hysterectomy. Rather like being between a rock and a hard place..but I know where your at at the moment and just thought to post and say, f you need to chat to someone, email me. I am all ears. Maybe we can compare notes and learn a few things. :)
My additional question would be, "How long is it likely to be before new surgical techniques using the new advances to keep organs from adhering will be available and useable by surgeons and can one purchase such by mail and have one surgeon use such in any operation to seperate adhesions?"