Abdominal adhesion, symptoms, and therapy or surgery?

An adhesion is fascial tissue that has dried up, dehydrated if you will. It is no longer pliable and in many cases is stuck to the surrounding bone structures. Getting rid of adhesions is not easy and requires a very good therapist. Check out John Barnes Myofascial release and find a practicioner near you.

I haven't had the experience of abdominal adhesions. My mother did. The doctor delayed operating to remove them. It eventually led to her death.

For heaven's sake if the doctor recommends operating, DO IT. It will releave pain and spare your life!

I had a similar experience that I posted here a few weeks ago. Basically I had pain following gallbladder surgery and the surgeon refused to believe that it could be adhesions. The scans showed nothing wrong because they were all done with no food for 12 hours and eating is what caused the pain. I finally had another laparoscopic procedure that found a portion of my stomach was stuck between the lobes of my liver. The release of those adhesions improved my pain significantly but it returned about a year later. New adhesions had formed and trapped nerves creating an abdominal neuroma.

@lesmac I'm struggling terribly with abdominal adhesions. Digging into my stomach, ribs and pelvic bone. I had my last surgery 3 years ago. I've had recurring hernias due to bowel obstruction. I had been doing pretty well, then needed Ortho surgeries for hip and ankle due to a fall. The PT in December started bothering my adhesions, too much core work. Now my diaphragm is distended, I can't eat right, sit up or bend forward. I can't find anyone who can help me. Drs don't want to do more surgery but I would risk to feel better

I had a Hysterectomy March 31st. and for the last months I have had severe pain in my abdomen
on the left side. After C T 's, colonoscopy / endoscopy & scans if my stomach, liver, gall bladder, no diagnosis. Thank you for the info on "abdominal adhesions." I will check into it.

I'm struggling with abdominal adhesions. I've had recurrent hernias since a bowel obstruction years ago. 3 yrs ago I had another hernia repair, Dr cleaned out old mesh and metal tacks, cleaned out adhesions. I do have nerve pain in left pelvic region. Drs feel my ilioinguinal nerve was damaged. I've been doing ok for the last 3 years. But last year I needed Ortho surgeries for injuries after a fall. The PT exercises I did for the gluteal repair aggravated the adhesions in my abdomen. They have gotten worse in the last month. My diaphragm is distended, the adhesions are digging into my ribs, stomach and pelvic bone. I can't eat, can't sit comfortably and can't bend forward. I can't even wear most of my clothes I'm so distended and full in the abdominal area. I've tried pain management, acupuncture and next week I'm meeting with PT to see if they can help. I am not socializing because I can't sit comfortably or eat. I can't find a Dr to help me. I understand more surgery more adhesions, but I would risk it. I was good for 3 yrs. Can anyone recommend something that might help me? . I'm desperate to get comfortable. Thank you

I see this is an old post. Have you found comfort? I am struggling with severe abdominal adhesions.

@debrap57
I understand what you are going through. I've not found anything for relief either. I've tried acupuncture and pain management without success. I've had an appointment with a different gastroenterologist, who ordered some lab work, CT, and endoscopy. The lab work and CT were normal, and the endoscopy is scheduled next month. I've been trying, again, low FODMAP foods and digestive enzymes. Not sure that it's doing anything. I'm having normal bowl movements and urine output. But the mid abdominal area from R to L and over the belly button area are painful and tender most of the time. Heating pad helps. Maybe the endoscopy will show something? It's frustrating to deal with and to deal with a slow to coordinate health care system with long waits for appointments and authorizations.
I wish you luck in your struggle.

@kremer1 thank you so much. I had endoscopy and it was fine, had CT scan negative for new hernia. I honestly don't know how I'll learn to function normally. The tightness, digging in are unbearable. I'm trying red light therapy, massage and heating pad. This is such a common diagnosis amongst people like us, I can't believe there isn't something they can do to give me relief

What I've read is that some massage therapy can help, or surgery to cut them, but with surgery they likely will come back.
I wish I would have been told that adhesions are a common occurrence with abdominal surgery, the doctor never said anything about it. I might not have done the gallbladder surgery, I still had 20 percent function. But it's too late now. I'm just trying to find a way to deal with it, like you!