Thanks so much for your response to my post. I live near Toronto, Canada, and the health care system here is really falling apart. Nancy, who lives in New Brunswick also posted a reply to me, and she's been waiting a long time already. I had a transvag. ultrasound and blood work done in Aug. before I had an ablation, and the only abnormalities were a low iron level and a very small uterine polyp (which was removed during the ablation).
I believe that there is a protocol here that defines when and how a patient procedes to the next stage in treatment. Our health system is publically funded, and there are "guidelines" (for lack of a better word) that prevent overuse and abuse of the system. We do not have access to pay per use etc. health care. For instance, when my general physician ordered a pelvic ultrasound which came back showing what appeared to be a 8.9cm pendunculated fibroid, pelvic fluid and an enlarged ovary, nothing was done but to wait for a follow-up ultrasound 3 mos. later. The next ultrasound showed it to be 11.9cm, and I was finally booked to see a gyn 5 months down the road. I was so sick by then and looked about 6 mos pregnant, so I insisted that my GP find me someone sooner. This gyn saw me in 6 weeks, and operated 6 weeks later. It was a 14cm benign ovarian tumour, and it, my ovary and some fibroids were removed.
Helen, I do think he's being honest with me, and he assured me that if he did a laproscopic surgery that he would not do a laparotomy until later with my approval. When he did the ablation, I wanted to sign something that if he saw anything suspicious that he do a hyst and his assistant said no way.
I also asked him what his success rate was with adhesions, and he said that to be totally honest with me he just couldn't answer that. He said it depended on so many variables - where they were, the type, and how extensive they were. He said that he has gone in to do a tubal, and found the woman to be just full of adhesions, and only done the tubal. He askes her later if she's ever had pelvic pain and she says never! He initially suggested to me that my pain was from adhesions, but he also says it could be from something else or a different (i.e. nerve) complication from the laparotomy.
As for getting a second or third opinion, I've already checked and it would take at least 6 mos to get in to see the first Dr., if I'm lucky. The system is so overburdened here that second opinions are just not a priority. I have checked with two GP's that I know, and they say my gyn is very highly respected and known as one of the best in this city. I'm sorry to be so long winded, but now you can see the position I'm in. I just have to decide how much longer my mind can take this pain without help, and then decide what to do. I'm very lucky this morning, as my pain is down to about a 3, giving me a break to ponder what's next!
It is so kind of you to respond to my post, and I really appreciate any suggestions you may have.
At Wed, 31 Oct 2001, Helen Dynda wrote:
>
>At Wed, 31 Oct 2001, clare wrote:
>
>Hi all:
>So I went to the gyn this afternoon. He's like the ideal Dr. - so kind
>and understanding and gentle. We discussed my pain and I asked him to
>refer me to a pain specialist. This is what he told me:
>
>The pain clinics here have extremely long waiting lists and he doesn't
>believe that they would take me at this point.
>
>~ ~ ~ ~
>
>Where are you from, Clare? If you don't want to post the name of the
>state where you are from, please write to me personally. I may be able
>to help you find a pain clinic.
>
>~ ~ ~ ~
>
>He said that he would have to prove to them that he believed that there
>was no "organic, treatable" cause for my pain first.
>
>~ ~ ~ ~
>
>Have all of your diagnostic tests (blood tests, x-rays, etc.) been
>negative or normal?
>
>~ ~ ~ ~
>
>Under the guidelines, if it was adhesions they would have to be
>confirmed and operated on before he could try to get me into a pain
>clinic.
>
>~ ~ ~ ~
>
>Under what or whose "guidelines" is he talking about? There are NO
>guidelines that say that a person has to have adhesions confirmed and
>operated on before a doctor can get them into a pain clinic!!! A pain
>clinic is the ONLY alternative available to a person, who suffers from
>the pain of adhesions.
>
>~ ~ ~ ~
>
>He said that means a laparoscopy. He said he'd do the lap, remove the
>adhesions (IF there are any), but that if I needed a laparotomy that he
>would do it later if I agreed.
>
>~ ~ ~ ~
>
>Oh, sure he would do a laparoscopy and remove the adhesions; and it's
>highly possible the laparoscopy would become a laparotomy. I would not
>trust this doctor to do surgery for me; because he is not being totally
>honest with you!!!
>
>~ ~ ~ ~
>
>He said that the pain I have with orgasm may not be adhesions at all but
>nerve complications from the first laparotomy, and if that was the case
>there wouldn't be anything he could do about that. He also said that
>there may be a totally different cause for my pain.
>
>~ ~ ~ ~
>
>Just the fact that you have had a laparotomy in the past is a definite
>red flag that you do have adhesions!! Adhesions are the way the body
>heals itself after a surgery; and there are other causes of adhesions
>such as any blood or foreign material left in the body cavity will cause
>adhesions too. Here are 2 web sites that will give you some good
>information about adhesions:
>
>http://www.adhesions.com/patient.html
>
>http://www.drcook.com/adca15.html
>
>~ ~ ~ ~
>
>Please understand me - I believe and trust this guy, but as I told him I
>really don't want another surgery.
>
>~ ~ ~ ~
>
>I'm sorry but I would not trust this doctor!! I suggest that you seek
>another opinion or two before you allow any doctor to do another surgery
>on you!! Better yet, do some searching on your own for a doctor, who
>deals with pain management.
>
>~ ~ ~ ~
>
>He told me to think about it, and here I am, thinking about it. I'm
>disappointed because I thought I could avoid another surgery. I have a
>demanding small business, so each time I have a surgery I have to hurry
>back to work before I'm actually ready, and now I realize I'm having a
>really good whine.... That feels better! I guess I'll be fine now -
>thanks for listening!
-- csheedy