Introduction
Subj: PLEASE HELP ME. I
AM AT A LOSS!!!!
Date: 98-03-25
To: david.wiseman@adhesions.org
This e-mail I am hoping against all hope
gets to Dr. David Wiseman. I am a 38 year
old woman. Here is a little about my history:
1976--Appendix Surgery
1978--Perforated Ulcer Surgery
1981--C-Section Surgery
1981--Bowel Obstruction Surgery
1982--Kidney Stone Surgery
1984--Gallbladder Surgery
1985--C-Section Surgery
1986--Perforated Ulcer Surgery (Again)
1986--Ovarian Cyst Surgery
1987--Gastric Resection Surgery
1987--Hysterectomy Surgery
1989--Bowel Obstruction Surgery
1992--Bowel Obstruction Surgery
I am now in Pain all the time and have
massive amounts of ADHESIONS and all the
doctors tell me there is NOTHING that can
be done. The doctors tell me to chew my
food better and to eat less often. I weigh
125 pounds and am in pain all the time.
I hate to eat that is the worst pain of
all. My husband and two children would like
their mom and wife to be in some kind of
a comfort zone. can you PLEASE help me.
I am getting at my wits end. I am
still young and would like to be able to
live my life. My work, my family and I am
all suffering. PLEASE |
Unfortunately, this letter is typical of the many
email messages I receive from patients who are desperate
to be relieved of their pain and suffering due to
ADHESIONS. Another typical story was posted
a while ago on one of the many message boards around
the Internet.
Subj: ADHESIONS/pelvic pain
Date: 96-11-04
I am about to face my fourth surgery for
pelvic ADHESIONS. The first one, 9 years
ago was a clean-up laparotomy for endometriosis.
This was followed by continued pain and
an eventual complete hysterectomy 3 years
ago. Then pain free for a few months. Then
back to the same old pain. Another surgery
11 months later for severe ADHESIONS. (Bladder
adhered to stomach wall, colon, bowel, etc.
all stuck together-apparently quite a mess)
That was 13 months ago and now after severe
pain has returned a CT Scan has revealed
a cyst (or something) the size of a softball.
I am due to have surgery in a few weeks
to remove it. Has anyone else had similar
problems? What can be done to prevent these
ADHESIONS from re-occurring? My body can
not continue to have surgery year after
year…..If anyone has any suggestions
please e-mail me or post here on this board.
Thanks. |
Permeating my email as well as message board postings
are feelings of desperation:
"I am at the end of
my rope…...I am tired of living my
life in pain"
"I almost don't want
to bother with additional tests; there seems
to be no hope for me and I am at the end
of my rope, barely hanging on by a thread.
I need HELP - is there ANYTHING I can do
to have a life that has quality?? How can
I get relief? PLEASE - any info you can
give me would be extremely valuable. I need
to know that I don't have to live the rest
of my life this way. thank you." |
and sometimes suicide:
"For the suicidal thoughts
I have thought of them but have come to
realize that suicide is not the escape"
|
Patients often report that they are told that their
pain is a figment of the imagination:
"I have been told I'm
a wimp, it's all in my head"
"Remember
doctors are taught A+B=C. Any diversion
from this is in 'the patients head' "
|
Thoughts about the medical profession range from
quiet resignation:
"There are no
doctors who can really help me." |
to cynicism:
"It seems that every
time a member of the medical profession
gets their hands on me, I come away with
less and less" |
to open hostility and mistrust:
"My doctor would rather
have me suffer in pain. Most doctors don't
understand pain, and refuse to treat it.
Why must we suffer? Pain should be treated
with strong pain medication. I have spent
far too much time laying on heating pads,
in bed, suffering excruciating pain. Why
should people suffering in pain go to Jack
Kervorkian to end their pain forever. Doctors
are irresponsible, and insensitive." |
especially towards male doctors:
"Find a female GYN
with a brain who will understand what you
mean when you say 'pain'. If men can't feel
it -- they don't 'get it'." |
Many report the human cost of their ADHESIONS or
suspected ADHESIONS:
"A lot of relationships
have also been ruined simply because I was
unable to be there because of the extreme
pain that I have been experiencing. Adhesions
DO CAUSE PAIN!! It has been a 28 year ordeal
for me. and it is still not over. My faith
in doctors has been shattered."
"My
Husband is so understanding that I feel
guilty often for depriving him of intimate
times (because of pain). It is so hard on
him because he knows that if there is any
activity below the belly button and above
the knees that it will usually make me bed
ridden the following day in pain." |
The frustration with the lack of a treatment for
adhesions and the agony of their affliction is tempered
by the camaraderie of fellow sufferers, as in this
message board posting:
"Subj: Scar tissue
and adhesions
Date: 97-04-07
I have been suffering from this for 10
years now and I am happy that I am not alone
(well not happy but you know!) I have been
put through the mill with the testing and
dr's and all the famous diagnosis' and I
still have not found a solution. Why is
this? They can put an artificial heart into
a human but they can't get rid of ADHESIONS!
Pain meds are taking there toll on me and
I still have not found any relief. If anyone
can offer any advise for me please do so."
|
This brings us to the reason for this article:
- What treatments are currently available?
- Is there something more we can do for ADHESIONS
sufferers?
Before we attempt to answer these questions, let's
make sure we understand something about ADHESIONS.
|
