Adhesions--Symptoms

How do you know if you have adhesions? What are the symptoms? How does the Dr. determine that you have them?

Cant really help you too much but am you up so maybe someone can help you. I see you haven't gotten any responses yet. Hope you get some answers! Very good question.

Where do you believe you may have the adhesions? I had an ovary and tube and teratoma cyst removed in May and went to the E.R. the other night realing in pain the doctor felt I had adhesions, but didn't really explain much more then that to me!

I had really bad adhesions on my uterus. The doctor didn't say much on the subject though, just that they were there.

Hi,

Pelvic adhesions are abnormal bands of scar tissue that form in the pelvis and cause organs to stick or bind to one another.

Unfortunately our bodies form adhesions after surgery as a defense mechanism to the trauma and tissue/organ handling that takes place during surgery. The formation process begins before we leave the operating room.

Adhesions are common after surgery. The pain they may cause can be quite severe as can the possible complications they can cause. They are an almost inevitable outcome of surgery - about 95% of women undergoing a hysterectomy will develop adhesions. Not all adhesions will cause pain or problems. Some people go through life never even knowing they have them. Then there are those that can have a small amount of them but suffer a great deal of pain & sometimes ongoing health issues because of them. Their location and what they are adhered to can make a big difference in the issues they may create.

The only way to positively diagnosis adhesions is by having lapraoscopic surgery.

Adhesions occur in the majority of women who have pelvic surgery. Adhesions are a common and occasionally serious outcome of surgery of all kinds, including common gynecologic procedures, including hysterectomy. Adhesions that form after surgery in the pelvic area are among the leading causes of post-operative pelvic pain and small bowel obstruction.

Here are a few sites and information that better describe adhesions; why they develop, treatment options & possible prevention:

What Causes Adhesions?

How Are Adhesions Treated?

You might also want to check out the HysterSister Resources section on Adhesions


I hope this answers some of your questions.

s

I had/have adhesions in the LLQ. My symptoms included pain upon exertion (sneezing/coughing/laughing/lifting), pulling, tugging, and a heavy feeling. Pushing on that area would make the pulling/tugging/heavy feeling subside. These symptoms showed up immediately after the hysterectomy. I had adhesiolysis done 8 month post-op only for the symptoms to return within a couple of months.

stay well
diana

Pain such as poking,burning,needle like pain,this is what im going thru i wonder if it is nerves still trying to heal or nerve damage? I cannot stand/walk for too long and im almost 5 weeks post op...anyone else familiar with what im going through? Jennifer

Jennifer I am also 5 weeks post and am getting the exact same thing hon, looks like it maybe just teh nerves re nitting, I was getting worried as well.

Can you feel any of you stomach yet > Mine is still numb

Lorn x

I also had adhesions.My pain did not start till around 6 wks. The doc. at first thought it was a herina until they got inside and seen it was scar tissue.The pain was awful!I really would only get pain when I did alot of activity.At first I couldn't get the doc. to listen to me.Finally I had to do alot of crying and begging to please have something done.So I had to have a second surgery and since then I've been alright.

I have a lower right side pain near my bladder that is there ALL the time. So far, they are waiting to see if it is "just part of healing" but I cannot do as much because it gets worse as I keep busy all day. It's near my appendix area but hurts when I do kegals. Like a pulling feeling. If I sleep on my left side, it feels like it is yanking the right side down. I am going on 11 weeks post op- is this normal? Dr said most people are DONE with pain at this time. He pressed on it and I just about hit him. I think he knows but he won't say and I have not been released yet from his care but have been back to my PCP who is also still waiting to see if it will go away or not. They will do an ultrasound if it is still there on Sept 22 - next visit to Dr and I have to also tell PCP on Sept 12 during visit to him if it still hurts.
Well, it feels like it is going to keep on because I lay down and it goes away a little but when I get back up and do anything, it comes back. Bowls go from runny to just soft and from many times a day to every three days so nothing is back to normal. No incontinence but last night a sneeze really ripped the pain all the way across and down. I have tiny bit of same pain on left side but not very much or often- just right side lower and it really does hurt and makes my vagina feel like it will fall out in the evening. Like a heaviness feeling. Only laying flat will make that go away.
WHAT is going on here? I thought the hyst would solve my problems or I would not have done it even though they highly recommended I go that route.