Re: Surgery again? I need your advice!!-Melissa-Tests
From: Valerie Gates (IBUYMED@AOL.COM)
Mon Aug 9 21:52:03 1999
At Mon, 9 Aug 1999, MeLissa wrote:
>
>At Sun, 8 Aug 1999, Valerie Gates wrote:
>>
>>Well, here I am faced with the difficult decision of whether or not to
>>have surgery again! I swore 8 1/2 years ago that I wouldn't let anyone
>>cut on me again unless I was dying! Well, I'm not dying...(feels like it
>>sometimes) but I'm seriously considering surgery again. The tests I had
>>Friday showed a partial bowel obstruction due to adhesions kinking the
>>bowel on my left side. I'm out of sick leave because I've been sick
>>with this stuff so much this year, and I really don't know what to do!!
>>For over a week and a half, I have been so miserable that I am only able
>>to lay around and sleep. I have so much I need to do.....so many things
>>I'm supposed to be.....and all I can do is nothing because of my stupid
>>gut!! I'm supposed to get up tomorrow and go to work and sit at a
>>computer all day.......I don't know if I can do it! WHAT DO I DO? Please
>>offer any advice you might have!
>>
>>Valerie
>>
>>--
>>Valerie Gates
>>
>Hi Valerie,
>
>I'd seriously consider having the surgery if I were you. I know that
>another surgery will increase your likelihood of growing mor adhesions,
>but a bowel obstruction and be deadly if left untreated. I realize that
>what you have is a partial obstruction, but if you let it go, it could
>become a full one.
>On another note, I'd greatly appreciate it if you could either email me
>or post here, what testing you just had done to let you know for sure
>you have an obstruction. Also what are the symptoms you're
>experiencing?
>I ask because I'm fairly sure that I too have bowel adhesions again. I'm
>going to the dr.s today and plan on demanding that some tests are done.
>In the past, they've just cut me open without running any tests first.
>So far, I've had 3 surgeries this year because of them
>
>--
>Good luck to all,
>MeLissa
Melissa, they did a Sigmoidoscopy....where they look at the inside of
your intestines....the scope would'nt go as far as they needed it too
because of the obstruction. They they did a Barium Enema.....where they
give you an enema with a substance that shows up white on X-rays. With
that test, they actually watch the barium go through the intestine and
they could see that it slowed down and would hardly go through the area
that is obstructed. STRONGLY URGE them to do a series of tests similar
to this! I flat told them I had sworn 9 years ago NEVER to have surgery
for adhesions AGAIN!! They did the tests to convince me that I was going
to have to go through this again! Thanks for your interest and take
care!!
>
--
Valerie Gates