Yes, I did view your video (which you so graciously sent to me)- and I have no problem in agreeing with you that the additional surgery which you had certainly had to increase the amount of time that you were in surgery.
If you have not read about Bev's successful adhesiolysis, the following account, by Bev, will help you to know some of the facts about a successful surgery for adhesions.
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At Fri, 25 Feb 2000, Bernie and Beverly Doucette wrote:
You are correct, Helen, when you say that Dr. Reich does a same day surgery! We have been lead to believe that adhesiolysis procedures are so consuming that they require a surgical procedure that parallels open heart surgery! That is just not true in most cases...and yes, I mean most cases.
Helen, you viewed my adhesiolysis procedure under Dr. Reich, and saw massive dense adhesions that were the result of five previous surgery's, both laparotomies and laparoscopic procedures...my complete surgery took 5 hours, and the majority of the surgery was in removing both ovarys and a tumor or three!!
Do you agree Helen, that had I not had the associated surgical removal of the tumors and ovaries that the adhesiolysis, in and of itself, might have taken 1.5 to 2 hours in duration? And would you agree that I had massive adhesional involvement in that surgery? YES I AGREE!!
I would like to share this: I was so ill for years with the pain and suffering with adhesions as well as the associated disorders that accompany this disease: bowel dysfunction, urinary stress incontinence (and urinary non-stress incontinence too!! :-) GERD, sleep deprivation, social dysfunction (which simple means that I had no social life anymore), vehicular dysfunction (which means that I could not ride in a car longer then 10 minutes without experiencing an increase of pain in my abdomen), and kitchen table dysfunction (couldn't sit in a chair to even eat with the family due to adhesion pain!!) I make light of some of this, but those who suffer it know what I am describing!
I really thought, and was actually convinced, that any surgery involving my adhesions was going to be a major procedure requiring: a laporotomy and extended recovery time, nasal gastric tube and hospitalization of a couple of days. There is always the possibility that a bowel will be nicked during surgery and that will cause an extended hospital stay; but even in Dr. Reich's procedure, he does not resort to a laporotomy to correct a knicked bowel, that is compromised through the laparoscope as well.
When I was reviewing Dr. Reich's adhesiolysis procedure and every thing he did was done through a laparoscopic procedure, I was convinced that he for sure could not help me. With all the suffering & pain I had, I knew I was a severe case.. and Dr's, whom I saw, always told me I would need a laparotomy as my case was so severe....no way was I going to be able to have a laparoscopy let alone a Same day surgery!! No way! But one thing kept me from giving up on Dr. Reich's procedure...NO nose tube or major incisions..that was so enticing to me and that is why I kept studying his procedure.
When I felt secure in the answers that I received from him regarding how MY adhesiolysis would be completed and just why his procedure would do me any good when others seemed to think otherwise, I elected to give it a try...and he was right on all accounts!
I did have severe adhesions, and it was done through the laparoscope, and not only a same day surgery, no nasal tube, no knicked bowel, and up and walking the next day (slow but walking!!) and today I have NO adhesion pain or suffering at all.
I am on medication for the GERD, and thanks to Helen and Christina, that is under control and I have no adverse medical symptoms at all..none! If someone would have told me I could feel this way a year ago, I would have called them crazy....but I AM walking, talking proof that life after adhesiolysis is possible!
I am of the opinion that no one who suffers ARD is in such bad shape that they require a laparotomy! I would welcome the call from any surgeon who would like to try to convince me otherwise, as I am willing to listen to their reasoning as to doing one; but I will tell you this much, to date I have not been convinced that a laparotomy will offer any sort of benefit to a person suffering with adhesions and will ultimately result is worsening their condition!
I have the same feelings regarding adhesion barriers as there is no proof to date that any have or will be of benefit to an adhesion sufferer; in fact it has been proven that they ARE not a benefit and anyone - who is still making the claim that they will use them during a laparotomy (talk about adding insult to injury here) for the benefit of the adhesion sufferer - needs, to be challenged by the patient on that idea!!
I agree with Helen, that there are a few surgeons who have the expertise to perform viable adhesiolysis procedures; but that is exactly what we mean when we say only a few...as that is all there is out there as far as qualified surgeons for adhesiolysis procedures.
You sure wouldn't go to your local general surgeon for a heart bypass, or a limb attachment procedure, or even a tonsilectomy for your child, as there are now specialists that deal specifically in that area of medicine and you only want the best to handle your children, right? What about your medical disease..ARD?
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>----- Original Message -----
From: Helen Dynda
To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS
Sent: Friday, February 25, 2000 12:14 PM
Subject: Re: Considering Surgery
Kay, You mentioned that your OB/GYN seems to understand your adhesions problem better than the gastrointestinal specialist you have seen. I need to tell you that when there is adhesion-involvement with the bowels, you will need a surgeon who specializes in that area. Your OB/GYN does acknowledge that you have adhesions and that adhesions are causing you pain; but since your bowels are affected by adhesions, this is out of the area of specialization of your OB/GYN.
If you are really serious about having surgery, don't make the mistake of having just any surgeon do your surgery for you!!! There are surgeons in the United States, who have the advanced training, who have the experience, and who have the necessary skills in order to give their adhesion patients the best chance for freedom from adhesions.
Some of the best known surgeons are located in New York City, Pennsylvania, Louisiana; and there are several surgeons from Atlanta, GA. Some of these surgeons specialize in doing these difficult adhesion surgeries laparoscopically. Kathy just had surgery done by Harry Reich, MD, who is known internationally for his ability to do surgeries laparoscopically. From the information, which I have read on the Message Board, it sounds like her surgery was Same Day Surgery!! This means that she had her surgery on Thursday and she is already out of the hospital!! Because her surgery was done laparoscopically she can expect to have less pain and a much quicker recovery from her surgery.
[]The following websites are from messages which were posted during February at the International Adhesions Society. These sites pertain to your adhesion problems:
1.) * Stop Suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome or Fibromyalgia - (2-08-2000)
http://www.adhesions.org/forums/ADHESIONS.0002/0085.html
2.) * Irritable Bowel Syndrome - websites - (2-07-2000)
http://www.adhesions.org/forums/ADHESIONS.0002/0089.html
3.) * Bowel Obstruction -- Constipation -- Diarrhea -- Digestive Disease -- Peritonitis - (2-07-2000)
http://www.adhesions.org/forums/ADHESIONS.0002/0091.html
4.) * Peritonitis - (2-07-2000)
http://www.adhesions.org/forums/ADHESIONS.0002/0092.html
5.) * Diets: for special needs - (2-10-2000)
http://www.adhesions.org/forums/ADHESIONS.0002/0159.html
6.) * surgery vs. no surgery - Tina Shelby - (2-11-2000)
http://www.adhesions.org/forums/ADHESIONS.0002/0164.html
7.) * surgery vs. no surgery (from my experience) - (2-11-2000)
http://www.adhesions.org/forums/ADHESIONS.0002/0168.html
8.) * Laxatives, stool softeners, etc... - (2-11-2000)
http://www.adhesions.org/forums/ADHESIONS.0002/0201.html
9.) * Laparoscopy versus Laparotomy: What are the advantages of each? - (2-12-2000)
http://www.adhesions.org/forums/ADHESIONS.0002/0211.html
10.) * Helen - Pain Management - Tina Shelby - (2-14-2000)
http://www.adhesions.org/forums/ADHESIONS.0002/0238.html
11.) * Special Diets for Special Needs...and...Distraction (personal account) - (2-15-2000)
http://www.adhesions.org/forums/ADHESIONS.0002/0271.html
12.) * [Chronic Pain] Opioid Potency - Tina Shelby - (2-15-2000)
http://www.adhesions.org/forums/ADHESIONS.0002/0281.html
13.) * [Chronic Pain] Pain Patient's Bill of Rights - Tina Shelby - (2-15-2000)
http://www.adhesions.org/forums/ADHESIONS.0002/0282.html
14.) * [Chronic Pain] Texas Intractable Pain Treatment Act -Tina Shelby - (2-15-2000)
http://www.adhesions.org/forums/ADHESIONS.0002/0283.html
15.) * mineral vs. flaxseed oil - (2-17-2000)
http://www.adhesions.org/forums/ADHESIONS.0002/0317.html
16.) * Stress and anger will adversely affect the immune system - Mark Perloe, MD - (2-18-2000)
http://www.adhesions.org/forums/ADHESIONS.0002/0339.html
17.) * Adhesions - Should you have surgery for adhesions? - (2-18-2000)
http://www.adhesions.org/forums/ADHESIONS.0002/0345.html