Hi Laurie: I know the exact feeling you are talking about! Before my first lap I felt the same way. My gyn gave me the impression that we would probably not have any more of an explanation for my pain after the lap. I almost felt foolish but I pointed out to him that a laparoscopy is a diagnostic procedure. I told him I had been in pain for 9 months and that it started suddenly after years of no pain. Therefore, I didn't think it was a waste of time and it was almost as if this is what he wanted to hear! In your case if there is something on your ultrasound that they can't identify and "looks like adhesions" I think that should be looked into, don't you? I think these days doctors feel they have to justify every surgical procedure they do. I don't think they realize how they confuse the patient sometimes by the way they do this. I can't tell from your post if you've had a lap before. It may be that they won't be able to tell for sure what is causing your pain. As my gyn said, there aren't little signs down there with arrows saying "pain this way." He said it was sometimes very hard to tell where the pain is coming from (which is why conscious pain mapping sounds so promising) But it's (the lap) a start. Good luck.
Chris S.