Hi! My name is Rosie & I just turned 50 in January (that still doesn't sound
possible!!!! OUCH!). I had an Abdominal Hysterectomy a little over a year
ago - October 15, 1999 (completely unnecessary in my opinion) and then
another surgery November 29 of the same year to insert a drain due to a
Staph infection in a Hematoma caused by the Hyst. This past year has been a
nightmare. I never really had many problems at all before the surgery,
except was beginning to have excessive bleeding during my periods. My GYN
had just retired so I ended up in the ER one night due to heavy bleeding.
They referred me to a GYN who was accepting new patients. On my first visit
he recommended a Hysterectomy (no other options mentioned). I was feeling
down at the time and figured he knew best, so got up like a dumb cow and
followed him from the room and scheduled the surgery for the very next week.
My life has gone downhill ever since. I had a horrible Staph infection and
was on IV & oral antibiotics for ages which almost destroyed my intestines &
caused bloody diahrea. When they did the 2nd surgery they left the wound
open to heal from the inside out & I had to have home health aides come
every day for 2 weeks to help pack the incision. It didn't heal right and
left a deep cleft along the incision line (it was a bikini cut) and it has
developed a thick ridge of scar tissue beneath it. I've had numbness in that
area, tingling, and pain - even after a year. The problem that is bothering
me the most now is that about 4 months ago I began to have discomfort -
pressure & a sqeezing type pain in the bladder area - around where the
incision & scar tissue is. I believed it was probably the scar tissue
pressing on my bladder. I went to a plastic surgeon and he said he wouldn't
touch me till I saw a Urologist. The Urologist did a Cystoscopy and found
nothing out of the normal, but said it was probably adhesions from my Hyst.
I went to a new GYN and he referred me to the Mayo Clinic. I don't want to
go as if it's adhesions I've been told that further surgery will just form
even MORE adhesions and besides the doctor said it was risky as the bladder
could be punctured, if indeed, that is what was causing the pain. I guess if
it's not life threatening I could learn to live with the pain, but I was
hoping with time I would feel better, not worse. This is really debilitating
& frightening. Has anyone else had anything similar to what I am
describing???? I've been told that adhesions on the Bladder can't cause
damage - just discomfort (if that's what it even is). The doctor said it
could also be an adhesion on my bowel that is pushing against the bladder.
Can't they do MRIs to see if that's what it is?? I asked, but they said they
weren't sensitive enough to pick them up - I would think they would be????
My sister-in-law had a Hysterectomy the week after I had mine and about 3
months ago had to have emergency surgery to take out a foot of her
intestines due to adhesions. She had felt fine and had made a remarkable
recovery from her Hysterectomy until about 3 days before her emergency
surgery when she felt like she had gotten food poisoning. The doctors have
already told her the adhesions will come back - it's just a matter of time -
how comforting!!! Anyway, thanks for listening to my story and I would
appreciate any comments and would love to hear of your experiences too.
Rosie