Re: Frustrated and Afraid - would like response from medical professional please
From: anonymous (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Tue Dec 5 19:14:53 2000
Thank you both for your responses. I have heard of the adhesion barrier
stuff both sheets of it they can place between the bowel and abdominal
wall that disolves over time or a solution that they fill your abdomen
with before closing you up and you slowly absorb this.
In response to the keloid questions I form them all over my body except
my face (thank the good Lord for that) and my feet. I have had to have
repeated steroid injections into my scars (and I have at least 8 or 9
that required it) to to stop the growth of the scar. It evidently stops
the collagen cells from dividing since that is what a keloid is -
collagen cells that do not stop dividing evidently a genetic flaw in the
gene.
The problem is I scar on the inside too. This is a little harder to
address though. When I had my colon close up I had 4 surgeons that
would not give up trying to keep it open and it scarred shut within a
week of each day surgery they did (all 6 of them), before they finally
said they had to do something before I ended up with an intestinal
blockage. Hense the second resection.
Thank you again for your kind words and encouragement. I do hope that
one of the medical professionals on this site will respond though.
Blessing to you angels,
Frustrated
At Tue, 5 Dec 2000, NSMITCH wrote:
>
>Dear Frustrated,
>Welcome! 39, soon 40 here - Yes you can have endo in the places you
>mentioned and/or adhesions from endo or prior surgeries. And a sono does not
>always pick these things up. Endo can and does go anywhere....on organs, in
>organs, in tissue/skin, spinal column, pretty much anywhere in your body so
>no sonos do not always pick them up. I cannot speak medically as to whether
>you should have another lap or not but that is the only way I have yet to
>hear of to completely determine if endo or adhesions are present...Will they
>be able to remove it? They can only say once they are in there....Make sure
>your doc is skilled in endo and laps and people with endo on organs, etc. I
>know it has been removed from ligaments, arteries, ureters, lungs, etc.
>There are various devices to be used that can remove it through ablasion or
>laser...the laser, lysing or harmonic scalpel (I know to the rest of you I
>must sound like I have stock in this scalpel, but it saved me from years of
>severe pain because the laser could not be used on the areas that I had endo
>and this harmonic scalpel was able to be used there....) Anyway frustrated,
>check out the possibilities....You have survived it this long so you know to
>hang in there and keep at it. I am sorry you are going through so much. And
>the other ladies here are right, you've found a great place to come.
>Everyone is supportive and very nice...they are all angels ^j^
>Also you might want to check into what Marlene mentioned about the adhesion
>barrier stuff. That may be helpful to you. And where are the keloids
>forming? You didn't mention. I heal pretty well...you'd never know my belly
>button had been opened as often as it has, but I too have had keloids in
>other sites. If it is possible to have another lap, you may want to ask to
>have them cut over that area and see if they can remove the keloid and
>possibly you will heal differently. I have yet to find anything to prevent
>them and I only get them in the lower part of my body (soft tissue
>area)...I've used Vitamin E oil and aloe for bruising and some for scarring.
>Also 2% cortisone for the area around the incision and where I'd been shaved
>to reduce inflammation. I had a tumor removed in the pelvic area this summer
>and the doc had me use Polysporin which is like Neosporin but has other
>healing qualities.
>As I said, not a doc here but hopefully some of this dissertation has been
>helpful. Please let us know how you are and what the doctors and you decide.
>If you ever find out how to prevent keloids, I'd love to know as I am sure I
>will be opened up down there many more times before my time is up.
>Sally
>>----- Original Message -----
>From: "anonymous" <anonymous@obgyn.net>
>To: "Multiple recipients of list ENDO" <anonymous@obgyn.net>
>Sent: Saturday, December 02, 2000 7:01 PM
>Subject: Frustrated and Afraid - would like response from medical
>professional please
>
>I did not know if this was the right place to post this but here
>goes......
>
>I had severe endometriosis and had surgery at the age of 30 which
>resulted in TAH SBO, resection of my colon/rectum (18" of colon, 1/3 of
>rectum), removal of endo implants from all over the abdominal cavity,
>ureters, bladder, small intestines along with all the adhesions that
>resulted from having endo for many years. I then had my colon close up
>4 months later due to adhesions and had to have another modified
>resection done.
>
>One year after the first surgery I had a laperscopy done to remove
>adhesions which were making life miserable. They would not touch some
>of them due to them being vascular in nature. These have caused me much
>pain for the past 10 years. I have gone to the emergency room twice
>with such severe abdominal pain that they had to give me morphine. The
>diagnosis was possible kink in the bowel.
>
>I just had a colonoscopy Wed of this week and it was inconclusive. The
>procedure was extremely painful and they had to give me alot more
>medication than is normally needed they said. He said he gave me 50mg
>of Valium and 5cc of Phentynol and I was still in extreme pain. He said
>he has had patients receiving half this dose stop breathing. He told me
>when I have one done in the future it should be under a general. He
>used a pediatric scope for this colonoscopy also. Nothing is wrong
>within the colon but the doctor suspects it to be adhesions causing my
>pain. Which is intermittent burning, tugging and pressure both upper an
>lower right side and across the abdomen above the navel. I have
>episodes of severe stabbing pain that is totally incapcitating when it
>occurs. And most every bowel movement is like someone running a knife
>down the inside of my colon. I have had my gallbladder removed and
>recently had an ultrasound to rule out additional stones. The
>ultrasound was inconclusive all within normal limits.
>
>Can I possibly have adhesions or endo on my liver/abdomen that sono did
>not pick up?
>
>Further info - I am a keloid former on parts of my body. I scar
>normally on some parts and keloid on others.
>
>The doctor I saw is telling me they can do nothing for me because no one
>will do another laproscopy on me for fear of too many adhesions and the
>risk of puncturing something.
>
>I fear that endo has returned which the GI doctor said is a possibility.
>I am 41 and want to live a pain free life with all the body parts that I
>am currently in posession of.
>
>What can you suggest that is a reasonable treatment possibility for me.
>Why can't I have another laproscopy done and then the 5 day follow up
>like a recent article I read talks about. It would seem this would free
>up the adhesions I am plagued with and rule out if endo is present or
>not.
>
>Thank you for reading this and I hope you can at least give me a
>direction to go with this issue. Other possible screening test that can
>be done or should I request a lap?
>
>I really believe sometimes that my doctor(s) do not understand the
>amount of pain I live with daily. I know it is hard to put ones self in
>someone else place but I sure wish that my doctor could spend one of
>these episodes in my body and maybe he would try harder to find some
>relief for me.
>
>Thank you for your response in advance,
>
>Frustrated in the Northwest
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