ongoing post-operative pain -- dealing with adhesions

Hi all,

It's my six month anniversary today! I'm so happy to have my book shaped 10"x6.5"x2.5" tumor out!

However I've been struggling with pelvic and abdominal pain since the surgery. It feels different in different areas: pulling, kind of a 'socked in the gut' feeling, or side stitches or cramps. This has been continuous since the surgery. When I went back to work it got a lot worse due to stress, muscles contract and pain got more intense.

There is a common complication from surgery, adhesions. There is useful information about this condition on WebMD and other sites. WebMD says these occur after 90% of surgeries. Most people don't seem to be bothered by them, but many do. The most useful site for me has been adhesions (dot) org.

What I've been told is that surgery to cut the adhesions can cause even more adhesions. Because I'm experiencing pain but not obstructed intestines or other organs, I didn't want to risk it and hope I never have to.

My experience of it has been that most of the surgeons I've seen refuse to acknowledge this complication, or that it can cause significant pain. It's like being in the dark ages of medicine on this one. I've gotten a lot of "It's in your head" from surgeons. Funny because that's what doctors were telling me about my uterine tumor for 20 years -- they couldn't figure out my IBS-like and urinary issues and so it must be in my head. Now those symptoms are gone, and this time I was not going to passively letting someone else to tell me there isn't an answer for this pain.

My acupuncturist saved the day. When my doctor wasn't able to send me to an expert, she sent me to her own gynecologist and a physical therapist she knew who worked on abdominal adhesions -- it's made all the difference!

Her gynecologist sent me to a masseuse who specializes in abdominal massage specifically for adhesions. She uses the Mayan Method. And the physical therapist does visceral manipulation, which is a specialty. Before I wasted a month with a PT that worked on only 3 abdomens and had no idea how to treat adhesions like this, don't let that happen to you. Ask if they've had specific training. They work to loosen and relax the adhesions and other areas of the body that could contribute to the tension and pain.

In the right hands I started feeling relief and the pain shifting around (a sign of healing) almost immediately -- after months of it being constant. This Monday I had an entire morning of pain relief for the first time since surgery. This is a big deal. I'm only 2.5 weeks into these new therapies.

Just wanted to share with others who might be experiencing the same thing. A few of the doctors I saw to help were rude about this. You'll see from adhesions dot org that isn't unusual. Don't let it stop you from seeking help if you've got this issue. We're on the forefront of getting this acknowledged and dealt with!