I am right there with you. I am on Oxycontin, Zanaflex, Sonata (to help me sleep) for the pain. I was taking Neurontin and have tried several antidepressants, which made me gain weight. I just recently quit the Neurontin. It seems to me that doctors only want to take care of their little area of specialty and nothing else. That is why I have been tossed back and forth between gyn and urologists. Hopefully the new gyn I went to last Friday will actually do something, although he doesn't believe adhesions cause pain. Jo, from Bombobeach, sent me a brochure that she put together about adhesions. I think I am going to take my doctor a copy of it. Somebody needs to get through to these people. I just wish for once that they could walk in our shoes and feel what we feel and have to endure what we do. They would surely think twice about whether or not adhesions cause pain. Pain is considered to be the 5th vital sign now. In nursing school they told us that "Pain is whatever that patient feels it is." Sad thing is, they teach them that in school and then some of them change their thinking when they get out. My sister is a nurse and she says they know which patients are there just to get "high". They will ask for a specific drug, they will say certain drugs do not work on them (like Tordol which is a non-narcotic), and they get mad if not given the pain medicine they want.
I know you stated that you are on pain killers, anti-depressants, muscle relaxers, but are you seeing a pain management doctor for those or just a PCP? If you're not seeing a pain management doctor, maybe they can send you to one who can better manage your pain. Or maybe your pain management doctor can change your medicines to something different that might work better for you. My own pain doctor had to increase my meds just 2 weeks ago. It has helped a whole lot although now I have more than just the adhesions going on, so I am in a lot more pain than I have been in the past.
How long ago did you have your appendix removed? I had an ectopic pregnancy in 1998 caused from adhesions and endometriosis. In all I have had 8 surgeries, 5 laparotomies and 3 laparoscopies. They have tried all the barriers that are in use currently in the US, sometimes more than one or two at a time, and the adhesions always come back. I have tried to be open (to a cetain extent within my beliefs) with what I have tried to help relieve my pain: accupressure, deep heat massage, hot tubs, heating pads, and of course my medications. My new gyn said that I should exercise every day and that would help break the adhesions down. But in my own experience, the more I exercise the more pain I am in. He says that the increased pain is temporary, but I think otherwise. And this comes from the doctor who believes the adhesions don't cause pain. How does anyone else feel about this?
Why would you have to wait a year before you could find out about the adhesion pad or not? Is this the same as adhesion barriers? Just wondering.
I have just recently come back to this site. I had started school and did not have time to read the posts every day. But my pain got so bad around October that I could no longer sit through class. I finished my 10 week course and had to drop until I get me taken care of. I have been really down and feeling all alone in this although my husband and family are a great support. I knew exactly where I needed to go...right here. It has been 2 years since I first started posting. These people were a wonderful support then, as I sure they still are. That's why I am here. I need it! And who better to understand than someone else who is going through it too. Anyway, I'm glad you're here (me too!). I hope you find comfort among these friends as I have. They are always here to answer. And if you need anything, so will I. You should try to talk to your doctor though and let him/her know that your pain is not being managed. Let me know how you are doing.
Love and hugs,
jenny
At Tue, 4 Feb 2003, Charlotte wrote:
>
>Hellow,
>e-mailed a while go..I had my appendix removed. This caused adhesions,
>I was put through aload of tests to come to this conclusions. My
>doctors were ignorant to the real pain involved with adhesions.
>Blah...blah....
>
>Well on an UPDATE!
>
>Yesterday I was at the consultant following a colonoscopy... Well all
>the tests were clear and the doctor decides that its ADHESIONS again.
>Now I am going to have to wait a year before I can even know if their
>going to use an adhesive pad to stop the adhesions forming again or
>trying to dissolve them.
>
>THE PROBLEM? My pain is getting alot worse! I sit in constant agony, Im
>on painkillers, ant-depressesants to stop the pain signals going to my
>head and anti-spasms.......
>
>--
>Charlotte
>