I cannot have a colonoscopy or even a sigmoidoscopy because my bowels are so tied up with adhesions they can't get the instruments inside!
I have had problems since 1966 when I had a ruptured appendix and peritonitis. Since then I have had multiple surgeries for lysis of adhesions and have had many bowel obstructions from adhesions. Sound familiar?
I've been told that any more surgeries for lysis of adhesions is extremely risky and not recommended. My doctor said my bowels can be compared to a garden hose stuffed in a barrel and then cement poured over it. Trying to do surgery through that cement is extreeeeemly difficult. My girlfriend's sister had the same thing. When her bowel obstruction didn't open after several days they had to do surgery and she died! She was only 38!
I have learned two very important ways to control pain from adhesions:
1)It is absolutely mandatory that you keep the bowels open with stool softeners and also with diet! Metamucil does not work on me at all.
Forget it. My doctor only has me taking DSS stool softeners. I usually take 350 mg.(one 250mg plus a 100mg) at bedtime and may take 250 again in the morning and in the afternoon. Another way to keep them open is to eat nothing but juicy fruit (no bananas) before lunch. Plus 250 mg. of DSS.
2) Avoiding any gas forming food will lessen my pain. 3) Also, taking BEANO with problem foods or lactase pills for milk products. But, you have to take lots of it. Don't think you can take 2 or 3 BEANO pills. I may take 7 or 8 with a meal plus several lactaid pills as well AND a couple GAS-X on top of that!
Many people don't realize that as they get older they often become intolerant to milk products (except for yogurt or goats milk). Even some vegetables that didn't cause gas when you were younger begin to cause gas (and pain) as you get older. The reason being that as we get older our bodies no longer create needed enzymes for digesting certain foods and it creates gas instead. Gas forming food on top of adhesions can result in terrible pain and obstruction. Your pain is often because of the food you are eating. Also, overeating can cause pain as well.
One more thing: Have you noticed how old people prefer to eat their big meal at noon? It's because as we get older our bodies (and bowels) become sluggish as the day wears on. When older people eat a big meal at night they feel full all night, have indigestion, bloated, etc. It's worse for those of us with adhesions. Don't eat a big meal at night! All my bowel obstructions have been at night!
Once I learned to take BEANO and Lactase (vegetable and milk enzymes) and Gas-X, I no longer need pain pills!! Besides, pain pills are so constipating and that's the last thing anyone with adhesions needs!
Be sure and take your stool softener at bedtime with lots of water. Forget the surgery!!! It can kill ya!
> Sender: molleebrown@verizon.net (Christina Brown)
> Subject: At the end of my rope
>
> I have had as many others here multiple operations.
> 27 to be exact.
>
> Most all laporoscopies, starting at age 15, I am now
> 36 I suffered from Endo, and ovarian cysts the size of grapefruits
> throughout my teens, and twenties.