>I feel for you Irene. I have just posted a message to the board about
>my rectal pain but didn't mention my kidney problems as I didn't think
>there was any relationship.
>
>About 1996 I developed a very sharp pain underneath my right ribcage. I
>suffered with it for about two years because I couldn't figure out what
>trigured it. My Family doctor suggested it could be my Gall Bladder,
>sent me for tests and lo and behold it was full of stones so in 1999 it
>was removed.
>
>The surgeon who removed it told me at my post-op visit that my Gall
>Bladder was full of adhesions and said it was a good sign. Dr. Wiseman
>explained to me that he probably meant the adhesions were preventing it
>from rupturing.
>
>So there I was thinking great no pain anymore. Yeah, don't count your
>chickens before they hatch! Within months the pain was back. Again I
>suffered with it for a few months and then informed my family doctor. I
>was experiencing excruitating urethral pain this time. We couldn't find
>anything wrong and I was going to resign myself to the fact that I would
>probably always have this pain.
>
>However, in December 1999 I went for my pre-op for the Vaginal prolapse
>that was supposed to be done Dec 9th but got postponed to Feb 2000. I
>went through the usual blood, urine, X-ray checks. By now the pain was
>radiating down to my groin and it was all I could do to stop from crying
>but I plodded on regardless and prepared myself for my forthcoming
>surgery.
>
>That afternoon, the pain got worse. When I went to urinate all I saw
>was pure blood. It scared the living daylights out of me. My hubby
>rushed me to the ER where they got me in right away into X-ray where
>they performed an IVP on me. (Injection of dye and then X-rays taken at
>short intervals to monitor the flow of the dye). They gave me a
>morphine shot when I arrived and then after the X-rays had been taken
>they told me I would not be going home that night, that something was
>wrong and they needed the Urologist to speak with me.
>
>I didn't get to see the Urologist until the next morning when she told
>me that I would need emergency surgery. I was shocked and when I told I
>was preparing for surgery the following week she told me it would have
>to be put off because I needed surgery now.
>
>Apparently, I had bilateral ureteroceles (in place of the dimples that
>are usually seen as the ureters enter the bladder I had pouches full of
>stones). I also discovered, like you, double ureters on the right side
>and all three of them were full of stones. My urine was already backing
>up into my kidneys which I found out later could be fatal.
>
>So off I went into surgery, the stones were removed, the ureteroceles
>were cleaned out and deflated and I had a stent (sp) inserted that would
>have to remain inside me for at least two weeks.
>
>That stent was agony, worst than the kidney stones themselves. I could
>barely move so just laid down for almost all of the two weeks.
>
>At my post-op check up she told me that what I had was a hereditary and
>that I had the ureteroceles from birth as I did the double ureters and
>she couldn't believe that it hadn't been picked up before 1999, when I
>was 39 and had ultrasounds during my pregnancies, multiple pelvic
>surgeries and so on.
>
>I know this may sound like a stupid question but have you been checked
>for kidney/bladder stones or ureteroceles?
>
>Another problem cropped up on my left kidney recently, they discovered a
>polycystic cyst on the top of it. From what I was told this was
>probably causing the pain on my left side but the pain on my right side
>could be ribcage related.
>
>I don't know whether the type of kidney surgery you may have to have is
>dangerous or not but I would imagine that if it is adhered to your liver
>that it would be pretty risky. You now have me wondering about this
>seeing as my gall bladder was full of adhesions wouldn't the cavity have
>adhesions too? I've not heard of adhesions of the ureters but when it
>comes to adhesions anything is possible.
>
>As I have osteo arthritis & kidney problems I have been on a pain
>management regime for years, sometimes my body gets used to a certain
>drug, stops working and then we have to switch, right now I'm on
>Percocet, after using Tylenol 3's for quite a while. I also take Vioxx
>and Panteloc.
>
>I've just switched to the Percocet and was given the slow-release type
>but I'm having a hard time adjusting to it as there doesn't seem to be
>enough pain killing agents released into my system long enough. ;-)
>
>I don't think I answered your questions but just wanted you to know that
>there are others suffering with the same ongoing problems and we know
>what it's like.
>
>Take care
>
>--
>Jayne
>Canada
>
>At Mon, 31 Mar 2003, I and J wrote:
>>
>>Hi: Hi, my name is Irene and am a fellow adhesion sufferer. My husband
>>has
>>been researching and going out of his mind regarding my suffering. He
>>found this website, and probably has read every single persons story. My
>>constant pain has not allowed me to be fortunate enough to be able to
>>read everything.
>>I have read a few and it helps to know that there are other people out
>>there with similiar problems and I wish I had a magic cure for all of
>>you.
>>I had two C-Sections in 1978 + 1982- Two years later I started with
>>right abdominal pain (under my ribcage). It mimiced Gall Bladder pain.
>>All tests were negative, for 5 years we went from doctor to doctor and
>>what seems like millions of tests-- everything was negative. Finally,
>>in 1986 I found a surgeon who was willing to perform an exploratory. He
>>removed a benign tumor off of my liver and felt that was the cause of
>>the pain. Approximately, 2 months after the surgery my pain was back
>>(at first I did not want to tell anyone). Of course that didn't last
>>too long, In 1994, a surgeon proceeded to remove my gallbladder through
>>laposcopic and had to abandon it and perform open surgery due to
>>extensive scar tissue. In one hospital an ERCP was performed and I
>>wound up with Pancreatitis- the doctor then shut my pancreas down for
>>approximately 5 months (meanwhile- the pain was still there and getting
>>worse). The doctor could not get into my bile ducts, another doctor
>>sent us to Racine, WI to see DR. Geenen (the doctor who founded the
>>ERCP procedure). He was able to get into the bile ducts after a very
>>lenghty test,he stated that he stretched the ducts and said I must
>>suffer from spastic colon. (yeah right).
>>In 1994, a surgeon proceeded to remove my gallbladder through laposcopic
>>and had to abandon it and perform open surgery due to extensive scar
>>tissue.
>>
>>In 1999 the pain returned- even stronger same place plus severe pain in
>>my right flank area. ( I do have a double ureter on my right side and
>>had considerable UTI infections). Again, we went from doctor to doctor
>>and test after test. With of course negative results.
>>In 2001, I started having trouble digesting food on top of the pain. Two
>>friends of the family in PA who happen to be physicians (one a gyno and
>>the other a surgeon) along with a urologist performed an open surgery to
>>remove extensive scar tissue from my bowels, hepatic area, small
>>intestines, ureters, and the surgeon stated he had to rip my kidney off
>>of my rib cage. I was pain free for a year in a half.
>>Guess what???? Yep, the pain has returned but only in my right flank
>>area. We started doctors again, hospital stays and tests. The pain is
>>life altering. I had to stop working and basically live on pain
>>medication, which is hard and embarrassing to ask for.
>>We went back to our doctor friends in PA- who sent us to other doctors.
>>Today I was told that the adhesions could possibly be on my kidney and
>>liver (probably fused together) and the surgery would be very delicate
>>and difficult.Because of this fragile area surgery in this area
>>sometimes are fatal.We're not sure if the doctor really wants to get in
>>there.He stated that he would have to open me and could not do
>>laporscopic surgery in this area and that we would do surgery as a last
>>resort. The surgeon would prefer if I try pain management. I just want
>>it fixed, we do not want pain management that would entail all kinds of
>>medication for the rest of my life. Has pain management worked for
>>anybody who suffers from adhesions?? Also, has anyone had surgery on
>>their kidney area? Is the area really too dangerous to operate on??The
>>doctor also stated that there is a small portion of bowel behind this
>>area of the liver.
>>My husband and I would appreciate any input regarding surgery on the
>>kidney and if pain management works and what does it entail.My husband
>>will probably be sitting by this computer all night to see if anybody
>>can direct us in the next step.
>>Also if possible if anyone has had a similiar problem like this and had
>>Dr. Riech perform his way of operating and technique was the procedure
>>successful?
>>
>>Thank you and we wish you a pain-free night!
>> Irene and Hubby
>