# IBS or Abdominal Adhesions?



## KateyKat (Jan 4, 2001)

Hi,Confident with your IBS diagnosis?If not, have you ever thought you may have abdominal adhesions? If you have had abdominal surgery, pelvic infections or endometriosis then adhesions may be a contributor to you bowel dysfuncion.There is good info at a number of websites but these are esp helpful:International Adhesions Society: http://www.adhesions.org/UK Adhesions Society:http://www.adhesions.org.uk/Adhesion Surgery at EndoGynhttp://www.adhesions.de/This is the direction I'm going in now as it makes soooooooo much sense.Kate


----------



## 17176 (Mar 31, 2005)

thanks for adding that info kate, appreciated..


----------



## lkemerson (Feb 7, 2002)

Kate,I have been guessing since after my surgery [total abdominal hysterectomy, bladder repair and suspension] at my change in IBS.I was attributing it to the Vivelle Dot patch and the hormone differences, and still believe part of the change is from that.However, I was also covered in endometriosis and adhesions. My surgery ended up taking an additional 3 hours to clear all adhesions and endo from my organs, which included kidney, bladder and bowel. I have since gone from total diahrea, up to 8 - 10 times per day, to normal stools. One each a.m. and one in the p.m.!!!I am wondering if the combination of adhesion/endo removal, as well as the patch and hormone levels being evened out hasn't combined to help this out.Thank you for posting the article. I'm just thankful for whatever it was that changed this all...it has literally given me a new lease on life, new food options, and less stress!Now if I could just get this bladder to send out the right signals...all would be well in Karen's piping world!~Karen


----------



## kazzy3 (Apr 11, 2003)

Hi again Katey. Thanks for posting this on the women's forum. It's good for us to know. I find it interesting that docs downplay the possibilities. Before each of my c-sections my doc reminded me that c-sections were major abdominal surgery, and yet when I asked if some of my symptoms could be caused by previous surgery, she basically said no.


----------



## KateyKat (Jan 4, 2001)

Know just what you mean kazzy. They lead me a merry IBS dance for years, even had me consulting IBS Specialists, when it was pretty obvious I could not 'contract' during surgery - LOL!Karen's fortunate in that her adhesion division has worked - this surgery often doesn't work and can cause even more problems. That could be why they tend to downplay the possibility of adhesions causing so many problems but OTOH most don't accept they can cause pain and may not acutally realise all the symptoms anyway.Kate


> quote:Origi nally posted by kazzy3:I find it interesting that docs downplay the possibilities. Before each of my c-sections my doc reminded me that c-sections were major abdominal surgery, and yet when I asked if some of my symptoms could be caused by previous surgery, she basically said no.


----------



## lkemerson (Feb 7, 2002)

Kate,I still have adhesions...well, I should say new ones. Unfortunately me in the realm of of adhesions, the new ones seem to have gone to my bladder [which I am still having trouble with - no sense of urge, bladder spasm, etc] and to my NAVEL. That navel one is killer. Imagine someone with a rubber band sewn to the back of your navel, and they pull it and then let go. Miserable.IF the adhesions or endo were part of my problems with IBS...I wonder why the GI never said anything about any of that in my yearly [yes yearly] colonoscopy? Wouldn't you think he would have seen evidence of one or the other...or both? That is the part I can't understand.I do think that the hormones are also contributing to firmer stools and no diahrea. Its likely that both things are working together to give me the IBS results I am now experiencing.I do feel fortunate in that I am doing so much bette IBS-wise. My urology surgeon and ob/gyn both talked to me of adhesion surgery to remove the adhesions from my navel. I decided that the chances of another group of adhesions growing from the adhesion removal surgery - and maybe even BEING WORSE - was not something I want to face. I'll play the hand I was dealt for right now...loving the IBS troubles lessening and waiting for that buring/pulling from the navel/uretha adhesions.


----------



## 19179 (Jan 19, 2006)

I had endo adhesions removed from my abdominal muscles and lg. intestines 2 yrs. ago. The docs all thought I had a hernia, low and behold it was endometriosis. I have always attributed my pain to my gastro issues, so was extremely surprised when the report came back.My doc is pretty sure the adhesions were caused by me doing way too much after c-sect, I tend to agree with her. We were in the process of building a house, and had land work to do, and I was helping out after just 2 wks. I don't plan on doing anything after hyst., it will be 6 wks of dirty floors and piled laundry if DH and kids don't want to do it, if it gets real bad I'll just go to my brothers and hide.


----------



## Guest (Jan 20, 2006)

Adhesions caused my 2 small bowel obstructions and more surgery only causes more adhesions. But I am not sure that excess activity causes adhesions. Anyhow I am looking for the solution for my adhesions. Lately reading about low laser light as I am having this treatment for a hip ailment. This is one of the articles I have found: http://www.healing.org/only-7.htmlChar


----------



## 18680 (Oct 7, 2005)

Hi everyone: I've had IBS since the day I was born. However, I have a whopping case of adhesions. One surgery to loosen bowels from abdominal wall. After that one, they wanted to open my up from sternum to pubis, take out my intestines and "scrape everything out." The doctor said, "We're fairly sure we can get the intestines back in like they belong." I said, "No, thank you. I don't think so." I've learned to live with it, pain, spasms, diarrhea, constipation, gas, more pain, grouchiness, etc.


----------

