I'm glad I found this website, because I am really freaking out. Perhaps I should start at the beginning of my story, though...
At the beginning of this month (March) I kept waking up in the middle of the night in pain. The pain started as a complete wrap-around (back, side, and front) on my right side. I took pain medication and it went away... until the following night. After three nights, the pain localized more in the front and became so unbearable that I woke everyone in the house up with my cries of pain (I live with my parents and sister).
My mother insisted that I go to the ER, and though I usually hate doctors and will avoid them at all costs I was in so much pain I agreed to let her drive me to the hospital. There, they did blood tests and an ultrasound and, based upon my previous medical history, diagnosed me with an ovarian cyst (which really isn't an inaccurate diagnosis, as the ultrasound showed a 2.5 cm cyst on my right ovary). The doctor gave me a prescription for pain medication and scheduled an appointment with a gynecologist for me on the following day.
Next afternoon, I went to see the gyno. He told me that really all I could do was wait it out until the cyst dissolved normally, but if it continued to be bothersome he would remove it. He gave me MORE pain medication and put me back on birth control pills (I was on them for nearly six years with my previous bouth with cysts).
Two weeks went by, with me popping Vicodin like M&M's, taking them every 4 hours like clockwork for the pain. Then, one day last week, the pain wouldn't go away. I even upped my dosage of pain meds from one pill to two (don't worry, though, the directions said 1-2 per 4 hours as needed for pain). But still the pain persisted and grew worse until I could barely move. I called my gyno and told him what was going on and he said to come into his office right away. There, he had me fill out the necessary forms and scheduled me for emergency surgery that afternoon.
Well, the surgery was delayed a day due to a slight bladder infecion I had developed. Then the next day, I went under the knife. Originally, the surgery was only to be explorartory, to determine eactly what was causing my pain. My reproductive system was fine (thank goodness!), my appendix and gallbladder looked perfect, but they did find an adhesion on my bowel... right where my pain was.
I've been pain-free since my surgery last week - aside from the awful aching where they were poking around in my stomach - but now I'm really concerned. What exactly caused this adhesion in the first place? What are my chances of having a repeat incident (which I really, REALLY don't want)? Is there anything I can do to PREVENT a repeat incident?
You may think I'm over-reacting. After all, it's done, it's over, and I'm pain-free now. But I'm only 22 years old. The pain, not to metion the surgery and extended hospital stay (I went in on Tuesday and didn't come home until Sunday for what I thought would be same-day, outpatient-type surgery) are enough to have me a bit worried that it would happen again.
So, in closing, I just want to say thanks for this website. While I can't explain why I had an adhesion (and neithr can my doctor, for that matter), it's nice to know I'm not the only person out there who has gone through what I have.
Bless you all, Heather