6th Surgery Scheduled TAH/BSO

I need feedback from anyone who has had a situation like mine. History as follows:

Age 11 right overy and appendix (and felopian tube?) removed due to ovary swollen to the point of potentially bursting. (abdominal surgery)

Age 14 cyst removed from left ovary (abdominal surgery)

Age 21 scar tissue removed from left abdomin with hopes of becoming pregnant. Never became pregnant. Thank God for my Loving DH (Laporscopic surgery)

Age 31 endometrioses mass (size of grapefruit) removed from left ovary along with extensive endo removed from various organs in left abdomine. (abdominal surgery)

Age 39 (4/1/05) cyst removed from left ovary. Intestine cut inadvertanly (1/2 inch per Doc)due to scar tissue. (abdominal surgery) Doc said abdominal pain due to "very dense" scar tissue.

I am now in extreme pain. Predominantly in left abdomin. The pain is sharp (knife stabbing) off and on. The pain is off and on like every other day. One day extreme pain, the next mild pain. The doc says it is time to take the rest of the repro. organs out less the vagina of course. The scary part is I feel the pain is being caused by scar tissue which the doc says he can do the best he can do but can not guarentee it will get rid of the pain due to scar tissue reoccuring. He said the TAH will relieve me of painful monthly periods which have been painful but controllable. The pain from the scar tissue is what is uncontrollable. I would love to hear from someone who has had multiple abdominal surgeries and won the battle with scar tissue. (Please excuse my spelling errors)

Thank you and God Bless.

Hi,
I can't say I've won the battle, but I did have a TAH/BSO in May. I"ve had multiple surgeries for endo and adhesions (1 abdominal surgery, called laparotomy; 2 laprascopes). I finally had this surgery because of recurrent bowel obstructions. I had a great surgeon, an oncologist-gyn, who did a great job. Nearly 8 weeks and I feel great. I had a lot of adhesions (uterus, bladder, ovaries, bowel, ligaments, appendix). I am soooo glad I had this done. I am keeping optimistic that this will be my last surgery!

Good luck with your decision.

Thank you so much for the reply. Right now I am desperate for hope and your post helps. The decision is made to have the surgery due to the pain. I just do not like the idea of my GYN stating he can "not" guarentee it would relieve the pain. When I asked for some vague statistics on previous situations such as mine that he has dealt with he refused to comment at all. I really need hope. Would your doctor happen to be in the Houston Texas area?

Thank you!

There is a link to an article on Hystersisters site about adhesions. If you go up to Post op articles, and click on Adhesions, you can find it.

I would not trust a doctor that would guarantee he could solve the pain or the adhesions issues. Almost everyone that has abdominal surgery gets adhesions, some have pain and symptoms and some do not. It is scary though.

My sister-in-law just had surgery 3 years after her hyst. for adhesions around her colon and appendix. Her surgeon said there is no way to tell who will get them and who will not have problems. Her surgery was laprascopic though, and so a little less intrusive to clean up the adhesions and remove her appendix.
I hope you find the answers

	Quote:
Originally Posted by PraireLakeLady I would not trust a doctor that would guarantee he could solve the pain or the adhesions issues. Almost everyone that has abdominal surgery gets adhesions, some have pain and symptoms and some do not. It is scary though.

I agree with this statement. I have found that it is very rare for a doctor to guarantee something. Can you imagine what would happen if a doctor said, "I guarantee I can rid you of your pain with another surgery," and then the pain returned? Can you say lawsuit? This is the reason doctos DON'T guarantee things. They say they will try, they say whether or not it usually works, and they say what they *expect* to happen with you. But, they don't, or at least shouldn't, EVER guarantee anything. Too many patients would then be let down...people who have spinal fusion hoping it would solve their pain, endo patients have surgery and have pain return...there are just so many variables.

I would place my trust in a doctor who told me the truth, and it looks to me like your doctor is doing just that. By telling you all the possible outcomes, he not only protects his hide, but he also prepares you mentally (and maybe physically) just in case it doesn't turn out well. People respond much better to the truth, even if it means bad or scary news, than they respond to egotistical doctors. Just taking a look at the post-op board would show you both sides...some women were well-informed of what to expect with hyst and what could possibly go wrong, and others were led astray or misinformed by doctors who thought they were gods and believe that, if they do the surgery right, then you will be fixed (which we all know is not a guarantee).

OK, off my soapbox now. Find a doctor you can trust, and maintain an open and honest relationship. That is your best bet.

Maria

(edited because I am going on no sleep for 3 days in a row now (stupid insomnia) and didn't read Prarielakelady's first sentence correctly.

Hi
I had my appendix removed when I was 10, followed by 2 c-sections (one ovary removed during a c-section), gallbladder and then the hysterectomy. I also had a thermal ablation. I have had fairly painful periods all my life - I assumed everyone did. I always had cycles of 21-24 days, with bleeding of 10-12 days. When I had the hysterectomy the surgeon found alot of adhesions (surprise!) and endo. I had severe pain in the last 6 months before surgery, but the pain prior to that was what I would call manageable. I dont know for sure, but I presume my recent pain was caused by the swollen fallopian tube found during the surgery. Whether my period pain was caused by endo or adhesions or both, I don't know.
In your case if your pain is caused by the adhesions, then more surgery might just make it worse. Its a tough call.
I have been pain free so far since my surgery.