Re: ply to Chris - Choices we make-Marilyn
From: Christine M. Smith (smithy@maine.rr.com)
Wed Oct 13 20:47:43 1999
At Wed, 13 Oct 1999, Marilyn wrote:
>
>Hi Chris: My new doc is strictly a gastroenterologist, as was the old
>one that I miss so much. True, that GI's don't do the surgery, but they
>do work closely with surgeons all the time, and assist at surgery
>involving their patients.
>Although this new doc was very abrupt and businesslike, and I didn't
>care for his "bedside manner", I think he was giving me his honest
>opinion.
>
>I've lived a long time (I'm an old grandma) and have had many
>operations, plus have gone through countless surgeries with loved ones
>and friends. I feel that as soon as you go to see a SURGEON, you are
>most likely going to be scheduled for something! I'm not critisizing or
>knocking them---just that that is their specialty, and they are trained
>to believe that cutting out what bothers you, is the only way to fly.
>
>When I asked the doctor about the adhesions, I was not hoping for more
>surgery. On the contrary---- I really just needed to talk about my
>recent problems, and maybe get some reassurance that he was there for
>me, as my old doctor had been, in the case of emergency.
>
>The truth is, most of the people who post here, have had lapo's or more,
>in hopes of correcting adhesions. Unfortunately, they are not cured,
>and are sometimes worse. Consequently, if I can possibly manage my
>adhesions on my own, with the help of medication (when things get tough)
>or learn certain things to do or not to do when I feel a problem coming
>on---I would rather do that than to risk more surgery. But I admire
>you, and others, who have the guts (no pun intended!) to go ahead and
>take chances with yet another surgery.
>
>The bottom line is---each individual has to make the right decision for
>themselves. What might be right for me, would not be right for you,
>etc. We all want our quality of life to be as high as possible---with
>no pain or discomfort if it can be achieved. If you believe it CAN be
>achieved, then you should go for it!
>
>--
>Marilyn
Hi Marilyn:
I agree completely with you-every case is different and what is good for
one patient may or may not be good for the next, depending on their
situation.I disagreed with your doctor who said that surgery never helps
adhesions. There are people out there who have been helped by surgery
but they usually don't hang around forums such as this one. From your
post it sounded as if you were discouraged by your doctor's negative
attitude towards surgery. That's why I suggested the colo-rectal
surgeon. They aren't always knife happy though. It was a colorectal
surgeon who suggested my pain was from another source besides the
adhesions. I don't think I was made worse by surgery the second time,
although I have no way of knowing for sure without another surgery, but
I know I wasn't made worse by the first surgery. The reason I know this
is because at the time of the second surgery 6 months after the first,
the adhesions worked on the first time had not returned. The problem is
that the pain did return because it appears that the adhesions weren't
responsible for it.
Chris S.