Please read Millie's post to you which followed mine. That's sort of what I was trying to say. As far as your adhesions are concerned, don't expect them to be cured by surgery - in fact, you may have more adhesions after the surgery...and if you think you're in pain now.... Dawn, I'd avoid a laparotomy at all costs. Laparotomy is THE most unadvisable surgery as far as adhesions are concerned. It exposes your organs to air, and the surgeon usually has to use sponges etc, and this exposure then causes more adhesions to form. If you do have surgery for the endo, it should be with an endo specialist, not just an endo surgeon. Most gyns do endo surgery, but they are not endo specialists. Maybe you should read as much info on this site as possible. I didn't realize that you were new to the site.
Please, please, please don't have another surgery without researching the heck out of adhesions. Welcome to the forum, by the way. "Stick" around, and we'll help in any way that we can. (Oh goodness, I must be feeling better - I just realized that I've been answering posts and emails all evening, and now all of a sudden I'm getting back to my chatty old self!) **Jo, move over, this old chatterbox is back** LOL
A LUNA is one of the most archaic, useless surgerical procedures done today. Most knowledgeable surgeons don't do them anymore, and yes, I was horrified when I realized that my surgeon went ahead and just did it while he was in there. What they do is cut your uterosacral ligaments, which help to hold your uterus (that's a very non-technical way of describing it). The idea used to be that it helped with pelvic pain, but that theory has since been proven wrong. I guess surgeons here in Canada must be way behind in technology. BTW, my endo was cauterized too,and that was just this March. Only in Canada, eh? Pity. (Nan, that was for you)!
Dawn, please feel free to ask us anything you are wondering about, and we'll do our best to help you out.
Hugs, Clare
At Fri, 3 May 2002, Dawn wrote:
>
>At Fri, 3 May 2002, clare wrote:
>>Dear Clare,
>How kind of you to respond. You are right. I do need to find and endo
>surgeon.
>This will only be my second surgery in 12 yrs. Had a lap long ago. I
>don't even know what a luna is?? The hysterectomy left one ovary (which
>now has a good sized cyst to boot. I want them to do a lap, take the
>ovary to stop it's hormonal stimulation, then clean up the endo and
>adhesions, if they see a way to repair any of the bowel damage, go to a
>laporotomy and be done with it. I just read my operative report and the
>cauterized and lazered everything in their path. I did not know it
>would only make it worse. I am bad off now. I would not be able to get
>to Atlanta. Have a seven year old.
>Blessings to you Clare. Helped me with a bit more insight.
>Just found this sight today.
>Best to you all.
>
>>Hi Dawn:
>>
>>I'm sorry that I don't know of a doctor in Boston. However, I know a
>>gal who had stage 4 endo and massive adhesions removed successfully by
>>Dr. Robert Albee, who is in Atlanta, GA. I know it's a long way to go,
>>but my friend swears that by having total excision of the endo performed
>>she feels cured, (and I think she had a second look lap that showed no
>>endo, but I'm not 100% on that).
>>
>>This doctor is part of the Center for Endo. Their site is
>>http://www.centerforendo.com
>>If you are interested in this, I can ask my friend if she would discuss
>>her experience with you. I think the key is (if you're sure you want to
>>try another surgery) to get one of the most skilled laparoscopic
>>surgeons possible. I've read quite a bit about endo, and it seems that
>>you need an endo specialist who uses excision rather than laser or
>>cautery.
>>
>>I do shudder inwardly every time I read another post to the forum about
>>women having another surgery. Please, be as cautious as you can. I
>>just had a laparoscopy for lyses of adhesions, endo and a LUNA, and I'm
>>sorry to say that now I am even worse than before. That said, I wish
>>you luck, and let me know if I can help you in any way. :o)
>>
>>Best wishes,
>>Clare
>>
>>At Fri, 3 May 2002, Dawn wrote:
>>>
>>>Hi all,
>>>have had endo for years. Looking for a doc to clean me up after
>>>abdominal hysterectomy. I thing my gyn was overwhelmed when she opened
>>>me up. Stage 4 again. Organs adherede to everything...you know the
>>>story.
>>>Well I am getting desparate again. Had bladder nerve damage and my
>>>bowels are a mess...
>>>I go to BI here in Boston, my docs are wonderful folks but I am just
>>>about incapacited at this point.
>>>Please help if you know anything.
>>>Thank you for your time.
>>>Best wishes to all,
>>>Dawn