Re: therapy

From: Nancy (anonymous@msn.com)
Sun Oct 10 23:09:44 2004


I have received physical therapy two different times in treatment for adhesions. They were both positive experiences. I have posted on this board before. I have had six surgeries for adhesions. The last was with Dr. Reich and Dr. Gerhart in the summer of 2003. The last surgery prior to that was an open total abdominal hysterectomy in October 2000.

Symptoms returned shortly after the hysterectomy. I went to a physical therapist to see if she would have any luck with stretching the adhesions. I had pain and significant digestive difficulties. I saw her twice a week for a few weeks and then weekly for a few months. The technique is called visceral mobilization. I'd have to say that it was helpful. Some pressure was relieved and I had improvement in my digestive function. Shortly after that, insurance changed so my therapist wasn't covered, so I stopped. Not many therapists are familiar with these techniques, so I couldn't find one in my new network who knew what to do. Basically, she would press on different areas in my abdomen. When something felt tight, she pressed harder for a longer period of time, several minutes at a time. It was painful when the pressure was applied, but I could feel it "letting up." She could also feel less restriction when she tried to move my organs around. I'm sure that the adhesions didn't go anywhere, but the restrictions weren't as tight for a while. I was encouraged, however, by the moderate success. I don't know that had I kept up with the therapy if things would have gotten as bad as fast, but I would have to say that it helped to lenghten the time between surgeries.

Over time, things got much worse and I had surgery with the two doctors I mentioned above. I wondered about the visceral mobilization again and asked if I could receive the therapy shortly after surgery, when there are little or no adhesions and those that do exist are supposedly weak and flimsy. Dr. Reich and Dr. Gerhart said that there was no research that showed that this worked, but they didn't think that it would hurt. I had my hometown OBGYN write the order for me. I started again about a month after my surgery. Things were very loose. I went weekly for about 3 months. I have no idea how much of my current outcome can be attributed to the PT or how much to the surgical techniques employed by these specialist surgeons. I'll never know. It has been 14 months since my surgery and I still feel good. I have twinges of pain and I take miralax to makes sure the my digestive system keeps moving, but other than this, I am living a normal life. Fifteen months ago I was living in the depths of dispair due to this illness. Now I have hope.

I do not believe that I am "cured" but rather I believe that I have had a better outcome this time. I guess the sixth time is a charm. Or I guess the charm is seeing doctors who deal with this a dozen times per week instead of a dozen times in their career. It makes a difference.

If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail.

--
Nancy

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