At Sun, 27 Apr 2003, Laura wrote:
>
>To all you fellow long term suffers of the SNEAKY MECHANICAL DISORDER
>called adhesions;
>I am back from Germany. Dr. K. did my adhsiolysis. I had surgery in
>the US last Nov, and an OBGYN removed adhesions in my pelvis (from
>peritonitis) but he saw a mass in the ULQ (upper L quad) and was afraid
>to deal with it (even tho he had assured me that he could deal with any
>thing in the ABD cavity.) Those pelvic adhesions apparently did not come
>back., but DR, K. found a very large mass that included an (old)
>ruptured spleen wrapped up with small bowel and omentum that stuck to my
>rid cage for about 6 inches. This mass was pulling the spleen and ribs
>together. I could not lay down for about 10 years, sleeping sitting up.
>I could not take a deep breath and had a loud friction rub left lung. I
>also had all the bowel back up symptoms and assotiated long term
>complications from that ( most of which appear resolved after this
>recent surgery).
>Don't let any one tell you that you are depressed, or that diet exercise
>etc. will cure you. Most of us have tried all that anyway out of
>desperation as well as many other things, and just became even more
>discouraged when that failed to really help. These blind alleys make
>you doubt yourself. The cruelest thing of all the MANY tests they do
>here (and waste thousands of dollars doing) is that they can serve to
>confuse you, but the Docs know that adhesions don't show up on them. If
>they want to do yet another small bowel series, ask yourself if you have
>problems with fluid going down as you walk., or do you have problems
>with solid food going thru, especially after lying down after dinner?
>Consider all the tests, and nuclear med. and then think of me... I was
>labeled cardiac and got every possible work up including cardiac cath
>and was even told I might have to have my pericardium removed. Bullshit.
>All the while I kept saying I think I have adhesions. As a nurse, I had
>patients with peritonitis, and alot of them got adhesions. The mistake
>I made was suffering in silence (only my hu8sband really knew how bad it
>was). When tests come up neg. you really don't want the Docs to think
>you are a wimp, or even worse,a hypochondriac,menoppausal,depressed
>feamale with stomach problems!!
>Think of adhesions like any other mechanical prorlem, only they can
>affect many body functions and organs and will not go away by themselves
>and so they must be dellt with. As a patient, I had sucess with Dr. K.
>and I highly recommend him and his wonderful nurses. I am wishing a
>cure for all of you,
> ALOHA, LAURA GRAY RN