need feedback on pain level and ER

Dr Anderson is pretty sure it IS adhesions, and so is my PCP, but Dr Anderson does not treat adhesions surgically because she says that the surgery to remove them just causes new ones.  So I'm seeing another surgeon about it.  (I will continue to see her for my yearly RNY follow-up and labs, but her answer of "you'll just have to live with it" regarding this pain is just NOT acceptable to me...  not with the amount of pain I am in and the amount of work I have missed.) 

I understand her point/concern, but I would think that I would STILL be better off trading a few new adhesions from one lap surgery to get rid of the adhesions from three open surgeries and one lap surgery (all in the last 3 years).  I have a hard time believing that the new scar tissue from removing the old scar tissue would be as large and bothersome as the original scar tissue, especially if I have scar tissue on top of other scar tissue from the multiple surgeries (if that makes sense).

Ironically, my first choice of who to see for a second surgical opinion would have been her soon-to-be-ex-husband, since he is the one who did my gallbladder removal, but that just seemed WAY too awkward!

Lora

That is ABSURD! I can't believe someone would tell you to just "live with it". Terrible if you ask me! I had endometriosis (which is roughly the same thing) and I had 2 laproscopic surgeries to clean it up. Yes, they come back, but you have several good years before the pain comes back. That's a better trade-off than living with it in my book!

Hope you find a different doctor soon!

I agree.  I was very upset and disappointed that she would tell me that.  She, however, is firm in her belief that surgery is not appropriate no matter how much pain I am in (or perhaps she does not believe I am in that much pain...?). 

I do have another surgeon, just getting all our ducks in a row to see if they can find anything WITHOUT doing surgery.  (My guess is "no".)

Lora

*smdh* 

Adhesions can lead to a small bowel obstruction, which could be fatal if not corrected in time.

I'll be sure to mention that as one of my (many) concerns about this pain when I meet with the new surgeon next week.  It just blows my mind that ANY surgeon would tell someone that they just have to live with frequent abdomninal pain that requires Vicodin or something stronger.  She compared it to someone with chronic back pain.  I have chronic pain from the arthritis in my knees, too, but that's not even close to the same situation...

Lora

What arevyour thoughts on Tramadol and Tramadol ER? My percocet stopped working. Dr gave me script for both!

I'm concerned about your taking the Tylenol PM, in addition to the prescribed Vicodin.  the 24 hour maximum for Tylenol is 4,000mg.  If you are taking the Vicodin as instructed AND additional Tylenol, you could easily exceed 4,000mg, and kill your liver in the process.

What is the dosage of your Vicodin???  It is available with 5mg, 7.5mg, or 10mg of hydrocodone with 325mg of Tylenol in EACH tablet.  Perhaps you could get a prescription for the 10/325mg and take one tablet every 3 hours.  BTW, they are usually prescribed every 3-4 hours, so they are lasting you the expected length of time.

Aw you beat me to the punchline about the tylenol.... which was my number one concern here.

You know, Sharyn, I had not even thought about the Tylenol aspect!!  The Vicodin are 5/500s...  (and I did nto know they came with less than 500).  I left a message for the doctor to ask about one with a higher dose of hydrocodone and less acetominophen.  His prescription says one every 6 hours, so I also asked about that.

Thanks.

Lora

Thanks again for this info.  My PCP gave me a new script for 30 of the 10/325s (every 4 hours) to address the pain until I see the surgeon next week.  Hopefully it will disappear again quickly.  Sometimes it lasts only a day and sometimes it is three or four days...

Lora