I know that you are desperate to make your son feel better. I would like to tell you that you should consider yourself lucky that these doctors have not performed surgery on your son. Should your son have adhesions...and that is entirely possible....you do not want to have anyone but a doctor who is fully capable of removing adhesions without having them return.
My own personal opinion is that there are only two doctors in this country that perform the appropriate procedures to allow this to happen.....Dr. Reich and Dr. Redan at the adhesion center in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The technique that they use is the key to a life as painfree as possible. Number one, almost all of their surgeries are done via laprascope. They are very cautious in the way that they handle one's insides (you wouldn't believe the way that doctors will handle things....or for that matter actually rip those adhesions with their hands). To me the most important technique is their attention to making sure that the abdominal cavity is free of every tiny speck of material....including blood. Leaving things in the abdomen is asking for adhesions to form as is the rough handling of ones body parts. Lastly, they leave a large amount of ringer's lactate inside the abdomen. This is absorbed quickly, but in some way deters the reformation of adhesions.
Dr. Reich and Redan are having the best success in this country. If it were me and my child, that would be where I would go......even if I had to break the bank. Unfortunately no insurance plan pays what these doctors deserve. They tend to pay the standard amount for an adhesional lysis.....even though these doctors take hours making sure that everything is done right. Therefore, these doctors require payment above and beyond what the insurance will pay. It is possible to appeal to these companies to pay more....that is not an area I am not familiar with.
There is another doctor, Dr. Matthias Korell, who is located in Germany. He, too, is having success in preventing adhesions from reforming. One might question the idea of traveling all the way to Germany to have this done.....and the expense behind it....but people on this list have found that they can travel to Germany....stay the required length of time (approximately 10-14 days)...all for less than what it would cost with Dr. Reich and Redan. Dr. Korell does a second look laprascopic procedure after a week or so to make sure that the adhesions have not reformed. (Adhesions reform within hours of surgery) It is my understanding that for those who have gone to see Dr. Korell the expense involved was between $5,000 and $6,000. I also remember some people seeking coverage from their insurance for this....I believe that they were successful, but I am not sure. Perhaps someone else can answer.
I started this response by saying that you are lucky these doctors have refused to perform surgery.....I have to reiterate this. If surgery is not performed properly your son could be doomed to a life of pain. People with adhesions get into a cycle.....surgery after surgery....with the pain only getting worse with each one. Doctors will tell you that there is nothing wrong.....or that adhesions don't cause pain. They will be rude and insensitive. But please know that for every doctor that refuses to operate there are probably five that would jump at it....its money in their pockets, but more pain for the adhesion sufferer. I know you want to take your son's pain away right now, but if you are to find the right treatment for him you must take the time to educate yourself. Arm yourself with all the information you can and when you do find a doctor insist on knowing their surgical technique. If it does not involve clot evacuation and the use of ringers run the other direction.
Hope this helps. My thoughts are with you and your son. God Bless!
-- Karla
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Wanda" <Pookeyb98@hotmail.com> To: "Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS" <adhesions@forum.obgyn.net> Sent: Sunday, February 18, 2001 8:18 PM Subject: My son!!!
> My son has been having pain for the last 11 months and > has been in and out of the hospital with every test that > can be run. He is 11 yrs old and 11 months ago was the > most active kid in the world. He is world champion in > martial arts and a first degree blackbelt. He plays base- > ball in the summer and basketball in the winter. He wants > to be able to play soccer and football too........but > as he is now.......he cannot do anything but lay on the > couch most of the time and scream in pain. We have been > to the best children's hospital in Houston and at first > they thought he had appendisitis and did a lapros surgery > and found an adhesion and took out his appendix even > though they were fine. He was pain free for about a > month and a half after his surgery....the doctor said that > the adhesion was really nothing to worry about. His pain > came back and we returned to the doctors and they ran more > tests ...ct scan,x-rays,u name it they ran it. The surgeons > scratched their heads....sent us to a GI doctor...and he > never did anything but give him laxitives because he was > constipated. The GI doctor scratched his head and sent us > to a sports med doctor and he scratched his head. Then they > told us they did not know and sent us home saying it was > all in his head! He cries ...saying it feels like something > is ripping and tearing inside his side and his right side > where your appendix is suppose to be is so tender he can't > bend over , he is bloated, he has gained about 60 pounds, > he can't run and play like the other kids and he hates it! > If he tries to play or work out in karate......he suffers > for 2 to 3 days nonstop. I found a doctor that is an > internal doc and he says it is adhesions and has been > treating him with Vioxx and Prednisone......but it is not > working. He sent us to a surgeon a few days ago and he told > us he would not touch it! HELPPPPP I am at my wits end with > this.......I want my baby to feel better and be able to be a > normal child again!!! I need the name of some surgeons in the > Houston,Texas area that does this kinda surgery and is good, > I want someone that knows what they are doing!If anyone can > help me ....please email me! Thank you.......A very desperate > mom! >