I am new, so please excuse me if I ramble on a bit.
I suppose that my problems probably started with childbirth, 40 years ago. Only one child, and then treatment for infertility (laporoscopy and surgery)which seems to have involved removing one of my ovaries at the time (going over old records that I have).
Surgery after this has been:
1. Two hemorrhoid surgeries in the late 1980s. 2. One strangulated hemorrhoid surgery (emergency)which left considerable scar tissue in the anal area - 1991 3. Hysterectomy due to large fibroid. Left with one ovary which could not be removed due to adhesions to the sigmoid colon. Described as 'difficut' - 1991. 4. Fibroid surgery, where there were many adhesions, especially to the sigmoid colon - 2003.
After 2003:
Up until June this year, everything was as normal as can be expected for someone who has constipation from time to time, but with no real problems after strangulated hemorrhoid surgery. Then in June this year, everything started to go downhill. I had been standing more (?). Pain in the rectum which has gradually increased until the only time it is not there is at night, and even then it wakes me up sometimes. Difficulty with everything in that area. It would seem that there are adhesions in the rectum, and across the anal area. Very very painful with persistent pain and difficulty. A horribly difficult time for me. On top of everything else, I have an autoimmune disease which complicates my life further!
My questions in all of this, and thanks for reading this far : I live in an isolated area of the country, with no access to doctors with experience in delicate non-invasive surgery. The nearest doctor with experience in this is a 350 mile trip by car or bus one way. No air service to that town. Can get an appointment to see a doctor in December at this location 350 miles away.
The 2003 surgery we had to drive down, then back down, then down and back after the surgery. It was an unhappy experience. All these surgeries have been hell, especially the three that concerned hemorrhoids.
Next question: I could fly out of the town I live in to other areas further south, and wonder if that is a better course of action. I live on the East Coast, so would not want to go to the West Coast.
I would be very grateful if someone might point me in the right direction to a doctor where I might be able to get an appointment, see the doctor, then hopefully have whatever is to be done, a few days later. A doctor that I might be able to talk to first.
Thanks for reading all of this. Hope it makes sense!
Bernadette