Scar Tissue Removal and Chronic Pain

HI,

About eight months after I had my children (twin, csect, first birth) in 2002 I began having severe pains on my left hand lower pelvic region.  After a few months of treating it conservatively with Motrin/Tylenol, they decided to do a lap. surgery to look at the problem.  THat surgery showed severe amounts of scar tissue on that side that was tacking my bowel to my abdominal wall as well as my ovary to my abdominal wall.  She took the scar tissue down and I felt instantly better, didn't even need to use th epain meds post op!  Now, almost 8 years later, I have begun with the same pain again and it's worse on some days than it was originally.  I've had cysts before on my ovaries that have been hemorhaggic cysts, diagnosed one when I had my appendix rupture.  Regardless, I have a really high pain tolerance and this is truly starting to bother me.  I don't want just pain management, I'd like forthem to take a look and see if its  the same problem.  Is that too much to ask?  They're wanting me to wait two years before they try lap. surgery to look at it. (diff. doc, diff. state) What do you recc?  I have the feeling it's the same problem and am willing to have the surgery if I need to.

[J T Junig, MD PhD]

I don't understand the 'two years' thing;  if it is really causing you pain, I think you have a right to treatment!  They may be able to do it through a laparascope again, although the more times they go in, the more adhesions some people develop.  If you had only slight improvement after your first surgery i would suggest being very conservative, but since you did so well after that surgery, I think it is appropriate to go forward.  I would suggest getting a second opinion if you can't get your current doc to take a look inside.

[ellamargomom]

You're so right. I know, it's been terrible.  Every time I've been to see them, they just think I want pain meds which isn't true.  I'm an author, I have two kids, I HAVE TO be able to function and pain meds are never the answer for long term anything.

Thank you!