Tips to help those with adhesion pain

[TrudieC]

Many of us suffer from adhesion pain from multiple abdominal surgeries.  There are some non-medicine ways to help deal with the pain.

1)  Massage therapy - find a good therapist who has experience dealing with this area.  They can help to release some of the adhesions.

2)  Pilates - Here is a link explaining some exercises that can help.  http://www.ehow.com/way_5530781_pilates-abdominal-adhesion-pain.html

3)  Ball Rolling - Here is a link to a description of ball rolling for helping adhesions. http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Ovarian-Cancer/Relief-for-Surgical-Adhesions/show/447?cid=187  On the net search for Yamuna ball rolling - I bought their ball and use it.

Hope this helps.

[Jaybay]

I am SO with you on the clothing issue Sara!  Elastic is AWFUL.  As far as blue jeans go, they have to be low-rise and even then they aren't exactly comfortable.  I'm so skinny I look like a praying mantis, but maternity wear sounds like a plan to me.  :-D

[Sarajmt]

Great Tips!  Thanks.  

I stay away from any clothing that presses on my abdomen.  I can't even put on my swimsuit this year.  I'll have to swim in clothes or really embarrass myself and get a maternity suit to account for the horrid swelling we experience.  

I do take stool softeners daily and gas medications.  Helps the pain.

I love my heating pad.  Sometimes it is the only relief I get.

As much as I'd love to eat a big steak or some fibrous vegetable or fruit, I don't.  I may occasionally but I do pay for it.

Take it easy on the pain medications. It will just help constipate you.  Constipation is not just an inconvenience for us, it's very painful!

Stay very hydrated.  Drink a lot of water.  Helps fight constipation.

I'm sure I'll think of more later.  Thanks for starting this thread.

Sara

[Jaybay]

That's true.  Massage therapy and just movement in general can help.  In my experience, those things are the most helpful early after surgery when the scar tissue first begins to form.  Unfortunately, when we're a week or two post-op exercise is the last thing we can think about and depending on the surgery may be contraindicated.

As a general rule for anyone with CP, staying on your feet in one way or another will keep you going longer than if you spend you days on the couch.  Once you lay down, chances are good you won't ever get up again under your own steam.  If you can walk even a short way, do it!  If you can't walk, start watching "Sit and Be Fit" videos and follow along.  Anything to keep the blood flowing and muscles toned.

Diet is important in managing abdominal adhesions that affect intestines.  I live with partial obstruction 24/7.  To help avoid a total obstruction, I have to be very careful what I put in my mouth.  Mostly, I live on liquids.  Bulk fiber is a huge no-no.  Of course, we do need dietary fiber, but adhesions patients do better to stick with a water soluble fiber like that in citrucell.  A juicer is messy, but will get rid of non-soluble fiber in fruits and vegetables leaving all the nutrients behind.  Avoid large meals with a lot of fiber and fat and take small amounts throughout the day if you can.

With any obstruction, waste movement is slowed from moving through the body so some patients throw laxatives at that problem.  Not a good idea.  Long-term those laxatives will only make things worse.  Short term, stimulant laxatives will increase the pain tremendously as the muscular walls of the intestines strain uselessly against the obstruction.  You're better off staying with small daily amounts of water soluble fiber to maintain some form of regularity.  If you're desperate, use a small amount of magnesium citrate or Fleet's PhosphaSoda.  Those are over-the-counter laxatives that are also used for bowel prep before colonoscopy.  They work by taking water out of your body and sending it to the colon, so STAY HYDRATED if you use these products.

Thanks for starting this thread.  Hopefully other adhesions patients will chime in with their tips and tricks too.  :-)