To make a long story short, I had three more surgeries after that one, to make a total of four in the last year. The pain in my lower abdomen that was Just bothersome a year ago, has now become disabling. It has also spread to My lower back, lower left abdomen, and middle abdomen, and I can no longer tolerate much physical activity.
I have been to several different doctors for their opinions, and each one has told me that adhesions are the cause of my pain, but that with surgery, More adhesions are likely to occur.
After my last surgery about 3 months ago, which was a hysterectomy, my ob/gyn basically gave up on me. He had hoped that the hysterectomy would've helped, and instead, it made things much worse. I found an excellent colon/rectal surgeon who, after extensive testing, has concluded that I most likely Have severe adhesions.
He has given me two options: an open surgery, where I would be cut from Hip to hip, and have seprafilm adhesions barriers placed throughout my colon, or to consult a pain management specialist, to see if there is anything out There that would help to alleviate the pain somewhat. I have been taking Demerol for about a year now for the pain, Tigan for the nausea, and gloycolax for The constipation, and have not found much relief from any of these drugs. I Am therefore, a little leary about pain management, and continuing with Drug therapy, as I feel that continuing to treat this condition with drugs is Just masking the problem.
I am also very reluctant to have an open surgery, for fear that the Seprafilm barriers will not work 100%, and that I will wind up worse off than I am now. I already have had 4 Interceed adhesion barriers used on my colon, and They have not prevented adhesion reformation, so what makes Seprafilm that much more effective?
I was wondering if any of you have had success with the, "hip to hip" surgery, and the use of Seprafilm barriers, or if any of you have found pain Management to be helpful with treating ARD. Your opinions would be greatly appreciated!