Pain related to Adhesions?

[internetjunkey]

I'm 22 years old. I'm a happy bubbly person. I Live my life to the fullest always have...always will. however, I ran into a little issue at birth. my Umbilical cord was causing an obstruction when my intestines wraped themselves around it. At 5 days old I had a colonostomy put in, at 7 days old i had an exploritory surgery done. They resected my bowel taking six inches of my small intestine out. Reversing my ostomy. I grew up. Living the rest of my life.  But as time went on.. I'd move a certian way, I get up too fast..what have you and I'd be buckeled over in pain screaming until it went away. When I turned 17 I was having issues. I remember one night being in really sever pain. I ended up passing out from the pain and woke up the next morning fine.. It had happened once more. And I went on. March 7th 2006 rolled around and the same thing happened again. I blew it off thinking it would go away.. Nothing happened. It kept coming and kept getting worse. Along with that I began throwing up. I couldn't keep anything down. It was my worst nightmare. Knowning my parents didnt have health insurance i refused to go to the ER. Mom and Dad just thought I had a bad case of food poisioning. After 2 days I couldn't take anymore. I called my parents and soon we were on our way to the ER. Where they couldn't figure it out. My Doc. came in and decided to do an exploritory surgery on me. From there March 10 2006 I was cut open..And 31 staples across my stomach showed me that this was going to be a life altering surgery. And it sure was. The cause was sever adhesions. I went on with my life for 3 years. I had another operation April 7, 2009 where we had more adhesions removed. And Now.. 2010 I'm going through it all over again. I spent some time in the hospital at the end of june with an abdominal obstruction. Put on pain meds and a liquid diet. Went to barned jewish hospital in Stl. and the doc dissmissed me with IBS and sent me on my way...and then the mayo clinic told me to go to a pain management center. I can only go on so far. If there is anyone out there with any tips which do not include surgery. I'd like to know what I could do.

[sandee1818]

Hi and I am sorry you have been thru so much pain. You have been dealing with this for a long time now and that is terrible but you too have the ability to know what has worked for you and what has not so that is very helpful in trying to relieve some of the pain so that you can function and have some quality of life. I would suggest going to pain management and be honest with them as to what has worked for you and be open to new options they may have. There are many alternative treatments too, have you tried any?
Have you been referred to pain management, I know you mentioned that the Mayo clinic suggested it. There are options to controlling the pain for the adhesion's but as far as curing them I would say that would be left to the surgeon and then as you know they can come back so that is a vicious circle.
I would suggest seeing a PMP and get the pain under control. Dealing with pain 24/7 with no help as you know is draining and no one should have to live that way.
I do hope you find some relief soon and will keep us updated:)

[Tuckamore]

Hello InternetJunkey,

Welcome to the Pain Mangement Forum. I am sorry to hear about your chronic pain (cp). We can relate to the havoc that cp bring into our lives. You went through so much as a newborn, too much. I am sorry that you are now facing even more medical issues.

Adhesions can and does cause severe pain. Unfortunately there is not a lot of successful treatments available. Some ppl do find releif with the approaches that TrudieC has suggested. It's all what works for the individual.

I have massive adhesions, had over 99cms of my small intestine removed and have numerous other abdominal/pelvic injuries. I have found nothing to releif the pain accept medications.

Often surgery just produces more adhesions. However we recently had a poster that was undergoing adhesion removal surgery. Her surgeon was going to use a new barrier product that is suppose to reduces the formation of more adhesions. I haven't heard how her surgery went or if she has even had it as of this date. I've read some promising information of these new barrier products.

I wish you the very best. I know that we have other members that suffer with adhesions. Hopefully they will see your post and respond.

Please keep in touch and feel free to post additional questions. We all learn from one another. I will look forward to hearing from you again.  

Best if luck to you in your search for a remedy.

Peace,
~Tuck

[TrudieC]

Here is a link about using ball rolling to help with adhesions http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Ovarian-Cancer/Relief-for-Surgical-Adhesions/show/447?cid=187.  I have tried it and it works.  I bought my ball from Yamuna (google Yamuna body rolling).  I have also found relief with a registered massage therapist who practices myofascial release.  I hope you can find some relief.