Removal Of Adhesions? Can It Help Ic?

[LuvMaui]

My IC symptoms began just days after my hysterectomy in 2006. My Gyno now thinks I have a lot of adhesions that may be contributing to the IC. She wants to do laparoscopic surgery.

My questions is...

Has anyone had laparoscopic surgery to remove Adhesions?

Did it help your IC?

[hdb1982]

I just had a diagnostic lap in which adhesions were removed. My colon had adheared to my abdominal wall. I had been having pain in my left side that we thought was related to my ovaries and that has subsided for the most part since the surgery. The surgeon now thinks the pain was caused by the adhesions there because my left side was the worst. He was afraid during surgery I was going to loose part of my colon, I didn't know this until I saw him Wednesday. My IC pain is worse, I think due to the surgery itself. A simple pap smear can cause my pain to increase and not return to the level it was prior. I am hoping my bladder will settle down as time goes on. After every procedure/pap I have had it has never "settled down". My uro said that anything like that can cause trama to the bladder and make symptoms increase. That is just me though. I am glad I had the surgery even with the complication of nerve damage to my arm. Without it I wouldn't know for sure if I have endo/how bad it is and never would have known about the adhesions either. My surgeon said if the pain returns in my left side he will do the surgery again because of the adhesions being so bad this time because they went untreated for so long. I am not telling you this to scare you okay I just want you to know my experience with it. Again I would do it all over in a heart beat. I hope that whatever you decide to do works for you. You just have to go over the possibilities of different outcomes and weigh that against the possible damage being caused by not going in and knowing what you are dealing with. Only you can make that decision. For me, the not knowing was maddening.

[LuvMaui]

Heather, How did you get nerve damage in your arm from abdominal laparoscopic surgery?

To be honest... Your comments make we very leary about having the lap.

It sounds like it did more damage than good for you.

[mlzippy7]

I have had surgery for endo and adhesions numerous times. My IC has remained severe since my last endo surgery. By severe I mean I can no longer work, leave my house besides to see doctors, urinating every 10 minutes day and night...you get the picture.
So for me the surgeries make my IC worse BUT some do get relief from the removal of the adhesions.

Good luck

[LuvMaui]

I have had surgery for endo and adhesions numerous times. My IC has remained severe since my last endo surgery. By severe I mean I can no longer work, leave my house besides to see doctors, urinating every 10 minutes day and night...you get the picture.
So for me the surgeries make my IC worse BUT some do get relief from the removal of the adhesions.

Good luck

Thanks for your honesty. This is what I need to know.

I had severe endomyosis. My Dr. told me it's a sister decease to endometriosis. (excuse any mis-spellings)

I just really don't need things to get worse than they are now.

I personally can't understand why I would have a pain free 8 month remission is I had severe adhesions.

I'm just trying to reason it out.

[stef000]

I think it depends on where you have adhesions too....if you have them all over your bladder then it probably would cause your bladder to be angry....
I have had two laps done....
First one saw that the big ligament that holds the uterus in place was very inflamed and had spots on it.....
Then the second one showed lots of adhesions around the uterus and a bit on the bladder and funny enough one of my tubes was attached to my appendix...
What i can say is that the lap didn't make me worse with IC but it didn't make me better.....
Its really your choice whether to go for it or not....
I am happy though that i got the adhesions burned off though since my pain in the right hand area was gone pretty quick but now i got the left hand area bad.....
So anyway i hope this sorta helped (kinda tired and thoughts get all scrambled)
i hope you find some relief whatever you decide to do...
take care
:angel::smile tee

[Briza]

When I was in the IC diagnosis process my gyn did a lap to rule out endo as the cause of my pelvic pain. No endo was found, so it was a relatively easy surgery for me. I was already in the worst flare I've ever had so I can't say that the lap caused my IC symptoms to worsen, because they were already at their worst. I don't regret having it, though...knowing that everything inside me in that area was ok gave me some peace of mind. I did find out some interesting info that I otherwise probably would have never known...that one of my fallopian tubes is blocked w/ scar tissue and I got to see the photos that were taken and that was interesting...of course I know you don't want to have this surgery just b/c you're curious what your innards look like...whatever you decide to do I hope you feel better soon and if you do decide to have the lap that it will give you some relief! I'm probably the only person who has ever cried after a surgery and being told no endo was found:loco:...I was hoping that that was the cause of my pain, it would be removed, and that would be it. But nope...it was on to the uro and a hydro and the IC diagnosis finally.
Anyway, I'm rambling...sorry. Best wishes! I do hope you find relief soon. :)

[hdb1982]

Heather, How did you get nerve damage in your arm from abdominal laparoscopic surgery?

To be honest... Your comments make we very leary about having the lap.

It sounds like it did more damage than good for you.


How my arm got damaged is the million dollar question.

I do not believe it did more damage. If it weren't for this surgery I possibly could have lost part or all of my colon. IMHO anytime something like that is prevented it is a good thing. I no longer feel I have to justify my pain. There is now pics of my endo and adhesion showing that I am not making this up. If I ever have to try for disability I have this documentation. If I have to switch drs. for whatever reason I have this. I said I didn't want to scare you but I thought I should be honest. As far as my IC goes, I was aware it could worsen my pain. I have learned this after going through different procedures. I decided we needed to know what was going on inside to better treat me. Who knows, my IC could straighten back up tomorrow. But I still would do it all over again to get the information I know now.

[ICNDonna]

When I was first diagnosed, I had a full blown laparotomy, incision from belly button to pelvic bone, and had adhesions clipped that were covering all of my abdominal organs. The surgeon told me it was no wonder I was in pain. After I recovered, it was really wonderful. I still had discomfort from my IC, but before the surgery it was so bad it was hard for me to even stand straight and going for a short walk was agon. After the surgery I could go for long walks. It was well worth it for me.

Donna

[LuvMaui]

When I was first diagnosed, I had a full blown laparotomy, incision from belly button to pelvic bone, and had adhesions clipped that were covering all of my abdominal organs. The surgeon told me it was no wonder I was in pain. After I recovered, it was really wonderful. I still had discomfort from my IC, but before the surgery it was so bad it was hard for me to even stand straight and going for a short walk was agon. After the surgery I could go for long walks. It was well worth it for me.

Donna

Thanks Donna, I appreciate your post. I would truely love to take a long walk again.... with no pain.

[MakinIT]

My initial hysto was a laparotomy although my surgeon knew my proclivity towards adhehsions so she made a very small (enough for one hand) incision to do what she needed to do. She did leave in my left ovary because I was 33 and young to have a change of life SO lucky me, 2 years later I had my "second" hysto, er, that is, an oompherectomy. Yay. I had lost, like, 100 pounds since my first surgery and my ob/gyn said this was going to be an easy surgery. (scans showed it was on the verge of blowing and was huge and my side was killing me...) she was going to open me on my original scar, we could even see it. (a little self deprecrating humor) Um....well I woke up, and I don't remember this part because I was very medicated but my doc was hovering over me (she is very patient conscious and nurses are give numero uno care to you when you are her patient) she was talking to me and I flipped up my gown because my bandages didnot feel right. I looked at her and guess I asked "geez doc, how many bleeping hands were in there??" (apparently a comment she still laughs about) She told me she had to call her partner to help, then a general surgeon, then a uro surgeon because that little ovary had erupted so many times there was nothing but a wad of "yarn covered in super glue" and she had to dissect a whole bunch of very tiny blood vessel and my colon was attached to my bladder. (apparently, she was rough on my bladder and nicked it a couple times, she was very concerned about the urethra and ureters she left those to the other surgeons) Anyway...She did cut away the adhesion that went from my pubic bone to my belly button, making sex a drag (everytime and Orgasm began I felt like I was being punched) However, I do believe the rough handling on the bladder started my IC.

As far removal of adhesions..have you had other surgurys and had adhesions? If so, remember chances are these will come back....mine have. I'm ignoring them for now. Once my bowel is constricted, well that be a problem...I certainly recomment it for relieving pain for a while or forever if you are not a big adhesion producer.

Good luck..don't be scared by my story, it's a 1 in 1000 thing. And I was stupid to ignore the pain in my side for so long.

Tracey

[Dolphjoy]

Hi..

I've had adhesions removed twice already, within 5 years of each other. I am now in the process of trying out Lupron Depot to see if we need to do it again.

[hdb1982]

Tracey,
I agree, once my colon was unadheared from my abdomen my pain on that side greatly improved. That alone made it worth the surgery

[LuvMaui]

I had 2 C-sections before the age of 20. Then my Hysterectomy just a couple years ago. (I'm 45 now).

My Gyno is supposed to be the best Gyno Surgeon in Northern Nevada, So when she told me that I was the worst case of adhesions she had ever seen, it concerned me that yet another surgery may cause me even more problems.

What happens if my bladder is stuck. See if that's the case, maybe detaching it may cause additional damage. I don't want her to cause a tear or cut into my already messed up bladder. :mad:

[ICNDonna]

I had one surgery for adhesions and they have not returned. It's been over thirty years now so I honestly don't think they'll be back.

Donna

[BrittanysDance]

My doctor used a mesh lining on my abdominal wall to help prevent my organs from adhering together again - like Heather, all of my internal organs in my pelvic area were all adhered to one another. This resulted in a ruptured bladder as the surgeon was trying to remove the adhesions :( I'm doing better in this area now as the surgery was about 8 years ago or so. I cant recall what the lining is called, but my sister also has it due to severe endometrosis.

Hugs
Brittany

[LuvMaui]

My doctor used a mesh lining on my abdominal wall to help prevent my organs from adhering together again - like Heather, all of my internal organs in my pelvic area were all adhered to one another. This resulted in a ruptured bladder as the surgeon was trying to remove the adhesions :( I'm doing better in this area now as the surgery was about 8 years ago or so. I cant recall what the lining is called, but my sister also has it due to severe endometrosis.

Hugs
Brittany


Brittany, Did the surgery help with your IC symptoms?

[MakinIT]

That's great! I'm so happy for you Donna. LuvMaui: I was sorta in the same boat, as you can see...and I got my bladder nicked twice, which my gyn shrugged with a "it's a strong muscle, I really was worried about your ureters and urethra" (my uro just shook her head when she heard that...she gives seminars to doctors about the sensitivity of the bladder...man...shoot me first before I have to hear THAT lecture...although it is good for surgeons to hear. I wonder what the title is " Listen to exciting breakthroughs on bladder surgery...how to disentangle all those little delicate whachamajigits without screwing up your patient!)

gotta go...T