Greetings all. What a nice thing to finally find some people who are
like me. It's been a frustrating many years dealing with some un-named
monster in my midsection. "Need to work on your abs and stretch those
hamstrings!" was the best diagnosis I had for years. Endo,
hysterectomy, gall bladder removal and a "hernia" surgery (in quotes
because I strongly suspect that there was no hernia...that what felt
like a hernia to the doc was really adhesions...why don't I get the op
report?....I guess I don't need one more thing in my pain/doctor history
to upset me). The day that I was driving home from work and met a semi
coming at me in my lane....and for a split second considered NOT getting
out of the way...was the day that I finally knew....that the pain I felt
was not "just abs and hamstrings." Within the last year, been going to
one of the MD founders of the International Pelvic Pain Society. First,
he sent me to a physical therapist specializing in pelvic floor rehab.
It felt good to be given exercises that I could actually do. Also
started taking Elavil...that has made the pain more manageable. I still
wanted the monster gone. Had two three hour laps (the first with pain
mapping) this year...close together because the doc said if you break up
adhesions and then quickly go back in a second time to hit them as they
begin to reform, the success rate is much higher. Didn't work for me.
So in the process of re-ordering my thinking and life to deal with this.
This week I found a simple thing to do that has given me a good
week....that is, I take all the stairs one at a time like a toddler
does. (Going down I lead with the foot on my bad side, going up I lead
with the foot on my good side). I also have been using great caution
this week in not torqueing(sp?) my midsection. Does getting in and out
the car just drive you nuts???? I've been doing that really slowly this
week...and it makes a difference, I think. Next week...my pharmacist is
going to talk to the doc about a compound of meds that he combines in a
salve to be absorbed transdermally... that has work well for some of
his fibromyalgia patients. Since that pain is similar to our myofascial
pain...pharm guy thought it might be worth a try. I'll let you know on
that one. Anyway, it's great to find all of you. I have never met
anyone who shares this little adhesion pain world that I live in. Glad
to know there are other natives on this planet!