It took me 27 years to find a doctor, who would believe me when I told him I had been suffering with severe chronic pain; and he told me a diagnostic laparoscopy is the only way to know for sure if adhesions or endometriosis were the cause of my pain. ADHESIONS!! I had never heard of adhesions!! The only way endometriosis and adhesions can be diagnosed is via a surgical procedure - a diagnostic laparoscopy!! No other diagnostic test is able to diagnose these two painful conditions.
Every surgical procedure will cause adhesions!! Yes, that's true; because the formation of adhesions is how the body heals and protects itself. If the source of your pain is from any surgical procedure (including a tubal ligation or a hysterectomy or a C-section), there is a real possibilitiy that adhesions may be the cause of your chronic pain.
If you know that your pain resulted from a surgical procedure, perhaps having surgery with the use of the NEW SprayGel adhesion barrier ( http://www.confluentsurgical.com/ ) could make strong pain medications totally unnecessary!! SprayGel adhesion barrier is not available in the United States: but it is available in Germany and Australia.
In August 2002 Jo Eslick had a successful adhesiolysis at Sydney, Australia. Her surgeon applied 6 kits of SprayGel adhesion barrier at the conclusion of her surgery. Jo says she continues to be pain-free. She also mentioned that having a surgical procedure at Sydney is much less expensive than having surgery in the United States!!
I am aware of three very experienced laparoscopic surgeons in Germany (Duisburg and Frankfurt), who are doing their very best to help adhesion sufferers become as pain free as possible. If you are interested in receiving information as to what is involved in "Planning a trip to Germany for surgery", you can contact me at: olddad66@runestone.net .
I have been to Germany twice (in November 2000 and January 2002). My surgeon applied both Intergel and SprayGel at the conclusion of my surgery. So far I have been free of pain - caused by adhesions - for 8 months!! Having surgery in Germany IS much less expensive than in the United States; and some insurance policies do have an out-of-country clause.
In Friendship,
-- Helen Dynda (Minnesota)