Anyone with adhesions problems?

[Mharhi]

Hi there is anyone else suffering with problems with adhesions after surgery? I just had my surgery in December and have had to go to hospital with small bowel obstruction from adhesions. I'm now at home but waiting to see if will have an op to remove the adhesions. I still have signs of partial bowel obstruction though and on Monday the doctor could hear tinkling bowel sounds associated with this. I have to have a low residue diet. Does anyone else have this kind of thing or has had surgery to remove it? I have heard from the doc the surgeon may be reluctant to operate unless it causes further full obstruction, as adhesions may recur after surgery

Hi, I have v bad adhesions since surgery in 2001. Last year I had to have some bowel removed after years of pain and low-residue diets and loo issues. The difference is amazing (though I have different issues eg b12 deficiency and anemia); I can eat and poo normally for the first time in 10 years!

Ops to remove adhesions don't work - the risks outweigh the benefits as you WILL get more adhesions. They only operate if you're being affected by the adhesions (my pain and bowel issues weren't enough but developing peritonitis was!)

My son had a burst appendix and developed adhesions through out the bowel after the appendix operatation. His bowel was completely blocked with adhesions and he had to have emergency surgery only 2 weeks after the appendix operatation . It was a major operation which involved a few days in intensive care and 2 weeks in hospital however he has done brilliantly ever since, no stomach pains or signs of the adhesions returning .

I'm waiting for surgery. Mine is from an appendix op in the late 1970s, nothing until recently, then about 18 months ago agony and a trip to A/E via ambulance.

2 more emergency admissions and various tests ruled out ovarian cyst, IBS, Chrons, ovarian cancer and a couple of others.

Thanks for your replies, sorry I haven't been on here to check over the weekend. It's really helpful to speak to others with this problem.

Chasingautumn I'm glad for you it must be such a relief after those years, I'm having pains after anything but very low residue diet (mainly liquids) just now and it's hard! I read that, after 'lysis' (cutting the adhesions) that they return again most of the time although with laproscopic surgery less new ones for than with open surgery. However you were saying you had a section taken out, I wonder if that could then remove the area then meaning it's less likely to reform (which seems to be the problem, them re-forming) I couldn't find anything on the web about rates of reformation with bowel resection compared to lysis of adhesions. Yes, my surgeon said he'd operate as an outpatient with laproscopic surgery if I get continued problems and I'd rather that was planned rather than an emergency. That's bad that you had to get peritonitis for them to operate, although good it worked out well afterwards.

Shesadancer what a thing for you and your son to go through, glad to hear he is hopefully ok now. At least if he gets any future problems you know what's going on, hope it all goes well for him.

Sashh My goodness, how bad to go through those trips, at least you know what it is now. I heard that, it can affect you years later, they don't mention it though do they? When is your surgery? Did you know it helps to eat low fibre in the meantime? There are some good info sheets on the net. I say this as they just gave me a vague waring about being careful with nuts and sweetcorn. Hope you don't have to wait long...

PS Chasingautumn the nutritional deficiencies you mentioned, is that due to the bit taken away not being there to absorb the nutrients? Does it help to take a supplement or not? Hope it all settles down for you. can't help feeling a bit cross on your behalf it took so many years for you to get helped.. it turns out I was eating totally the wrong things eg apples, bran flakes, and quickly rushing out to get the children, no wonder really I had to go into A and E.

I got adhesions after my CS's. They have got a lot better over the lots of years since, and I agree with chasingautumn's comment about surgery only if absolutely necessary.

Hi catsareevil, that's good to know yours got better with time. Did you do anything to help that, eg exercises or did they just get better? What happened did you get pain from them or obstructions?

It was mainly pain, and some 'disruption' in the way things seemd to be functioning if that makes sense, but no overt obstruction, so clearly very minor compared to some other people.
I didnt do anything special, just have noticed that what was a bit of an issue in the first few years isnt really any more, Im not aware of anything other than time making it better.

Thanks. Good to know things can settle down over time. Hope it goes well from now on [smiles]

Thanks, I hope that your symptoms improve too (and hopefully without surgery)

Yes, thank you. I am in a quandry about having more surgery as it seems sometimes people get stuck with having more and making things worse. I am feeling a bit better today and managed a bit of toast and yoghurt with just a little bit of a twinge, hoping to go a swim later as exercise seems to help things a bit. Hope it goes well for the others too.

Mhari

Thank you