>From: samuels1@us.net (Rhonda)
>Reply-To: adhesions@obgyn.net
>To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS <adhesions@talk.obgyn.net>
>Subject: 4 Questions
>Date: Sun, 7 Nov 1999 20:20:07 -0600
>
>This is my first posting to the list so please excuse its length. I
>have had a total of 6 belly surgeries (4 laporoscopies, 2 laporatomies).
>I had the last laporatomy in 1997 and was told that I had extensive
>adhesions. A few weeks ago I had another laparoscopy due to extreme
>pain and was told that I had pelvic adhesions again as well as adhesions
>covering my liver and gall bladder. My primary physician told me that
>she thought that I needed a general surgeon instead of letting my gyn
>(who did the laparoscopy) do the surgery. I have now consulted with a
>surgeon who thinks that surgery for adhesions is a bad idea unless I
>have a bowel obstruction. She also said that adhesions covering the
>liver is a symptom of gall bladder problems; necessarily gallstones but
>some other type of problem. Because I have spent the last 18 months
>going from doctor to doctor, having test after test done, being treated
>as if I'm nuts when all the tests come out positive, I'm not very
>hopeful that this doctor will find anything different and so I've given
>her a timeframe to find the problem or to go in and look. Basically,
>I've told her that she needs to have an answer for me by Christmas. I
>am just now realizing that apparently for me the adhesions will not go
>away and so I'm exploring other options to treating them. I would still
>like to have the surgery to remove them but I have four questions: 1.
>How successful is pain management therapy; 2. Can anyone recommend a
>surgeon in the Maryland/Washington, D.C. area; 3. Is there a referring
>organization for surgeons in my area; and 4. Am I being unreasonable in
>expecting an answer to exactly what my problem is by Christmas?
>