I know exactly what you are going through. I have had similar treatment from doctors. My suggestion is that you try and find another doctor. Be persistant and take a copy the "Patients Bill of Rights" with you. I believe that you can find it in the archives here. IF not, I will be more than happy to email you a copy of it as I have it sitting right here in from of me. It states "The patient has a right to appropriate assessment and management of pain." Remind your doctor of this! Many hospitals give you a copy of this when you go in for treatments or any kind of surgery. I know you said your town is small, but if there is not a doctor in your town that will manage your pain, are there any other towns close by where your insurance will cover their visits? It may be worth the drive. And whoever you go to see, make sure that you are armed with knowledge of your adhesions and your rights. You might want to look into other options as well. The doctors in PA, NY, or Germany are the best from what I hear. I am working on going to Germany myself since the doctor there can use the adhesion barrier SprayGel. The friends that I have who have gone to Germany and have had SprayGel used in them are adhesion and pain free. THis is my goal exactly. After 8 surgeries and being full of adhesions for the last 5 years at least or that I actually knew about them and understood what they were, I feel this is my best option. I surely hope that you get the help you need. If there is anything else I can do, please let me know. I surely understand your frustrations and your pain and will be a listening ear if nothing else.
Love and hugs, Jenny
At Wed, 2 Apr 2003, Bonnie wrote:
>
>Hi Everyone. I have been to this site numerous times before, and
>everyone here is so helpful, that is why I am writing now. It has been
>awhile so I will give you a background before I address my problem. (
>Bare with me ....it's a long background.) I have undergone multiple
>surgeries for chronic abdominal/pelvic pain since 1997. It was thought
>that I had endometreosis (sp?) at first, but was later reprised. I went
>to see an OB/GYN in March of 1997, he immediately scheduled a diagnostic
>lap. which showed minimal endo, with minimal adhesions from an
>appendectomy in 1994. He decided to put me on Depo-Lupron, which worked
>for the first month. I went back to see this doc in June, the pain that
>I had prior to the surgery had gotten progressively worse. He scheduled
>a Uteral Sacral Nerve Ablation, which was done via laproscope. (this
>was done in December of 1998.) This surgery really didn't help me much,
>just caused me more pain. So, again I went back, this doc then
>scheduled a Presacral Neurectomy which was done by laparotomy( surgery
>was in April 1999) After this procedure, I was in Hell. Constant pain
>all the time,not just periodically like it was before the surgery. At
>this point I was not only frustrated but getting extremely pist off. (
>Sorry for the potty mouth, even talking about it gets me angry) So, I
>went back. I told this doc that I was worse off than before and he
>needed to help me. So, what does he do, he recommends the removal of my
>right ovary. Since my pain is mostly right sided, I agreed thinking
>that was the proble. Well, I went in October of 2000, to my surprise,
>woke up to my doc leaning over the gurney telling me that he couldn't
>remove my ovary due to the fact that it was adhered to the pelvic wall.
>He said that it had to be removed by laparotomy. ( I should have
>realized at this point that this doc was a quack. Any idiot knows that
>when you sign a surgical consent it gives the doc permission to treat by
>any and all means. Why put me through another surgery for the same
>thing? SO 2 weeks later I was back in the OR. I ended up having a Total
>Abdominal Hysterectomy in April of 2001. When I went to see this doc
>for my year post op, he asked me how I was, I told him, my life is hell.
>I wake up in constant severe pain and I spend the rest of my day crying,
>doubled up on the couch. He looked at me and said, there is nothing
>more I can do.
>So, on went the search to find someone who could help me. While I was
>looking, I spent countless nights in the local ED in pain, with them
>looking at me like I was a drug addict looking for a fix. Not to
>mention that everytime I was in the ED I had to be carried in screaming
>in pain. This got old real quick. I met a doc who was an angel. He
>basically told me that I needed not to suffer anymore, it was right nor
>was it ethical to let me go on the way I was going. So, he put me on
>different meds, strting with Percocet, then Morphine, finally the
>miracal drug OxyContin. I could not beleive how my life had changed,
>just by one little pill. I had my life back, my daughter had her Mommy
>back. This docotr was my life saver. Until he left the practice. Then
>the current doc took over and said "I don't think it is appropriate to
>prescribe OxyContin for Intractable Pain." He pulled me off it, without
>warning, just stopped. This current doc refuses to give me anything for
>pain. He claims he doesn't feel "comfortable".
>He refered me to a surgeon, I went in tears, telling this guy I couldn't
>take much more of this pain. I was becoming suicidle. He said well
>let's go take a peek. So, I underwent another surgery. It showed that
>half of my inside were adhered to my abdominal wall.( This was Oct.2002
>) So, for 2 weeks I was pain free, well almost pain free. Then the pain
>came back. Again, and again there is nothing anyone can do for me.
>In November I was seen in the ED, Doc gave me 2 types of medicine,
>didn't work, he wanted to admit me for pain control, but my admission
>was denied by the attending say it was unacceptable.
>I need help. I don't know what to do anymore. I live in a small town
>that doesn't have much in the way of medical care. I have state
>insurance. The closest teaching hospital is in Boston which is 2 hours
>away from me, and I have no car. I am in excruciating pain and I can't
>take it anymore. There's only so much I can "block" out. I haven't
>slept in 3 days, can't eat. Please does anyone know of anything I can
>do? Iam eating Motrin like M&Ms, tried hot baths, heating pad,ect...ect.
>Thanks for listening. Sorry it is so long.
>God Bless All Of You!
>(((Gentle Hugs))))
>Bonnie