i just had an ob-gyn surgery, and 7 weeks after surgery am having unexpected pain. this is my 4th abdominal surgery, and i recovered pretty quickly from all the others. i suspect this pain may be an adhesion or stricture. i got a ct scan, and the surgeon said he couldn't see anything on his end, and that i should see my g.i. dr. i'm having to strain to have a bowel movement since my surgery. i have pain near my stoma scar that is worse after i eat, when i cough, go to the bathroom, or stand for a long time. it didn't improve last week when i took three days off, and really took it easy...when i went back to work (where i stand all day), it was even worse. so i don't think it's muscular. i drank tea and ate soup the last two days, and had my back-to-normal diarrhea, but the pain is still there. i guess my real question is this: what tests might be best to look for an intestinal problem like an adhesion or stricture? would the ct scan tell the tale, if the right dr. looked at it? (during the gyn surgery, the cyst they removed was adhesed to my small intestine, and they had to cut it away, then repair a small hole. but i don't think that is in that area, is it?)

thanks!
ellen

I wish I had some answers for you. It must be quite frustrating not knowing what is going on.

Have you gone to see your GI yet?

I am sure there will be someone who can give you some advice.

If it was a double contrast CT (with both oral and IV contrast media), that is probably as good as it gets. MRI is used sometimes, but I don't know that it is any better. Strictures are easier to find than adhesion problems. Adhesions don't show up well on imaging because they are soft tissue, plus they are not revealed by IV contrast, like other soft organs. Problematic adhesions are diagnosed by excluding other causes of similar symptoms. So you have to rule out kidney, liver, gallbladder, uterine, and ovarian problems with imaging and blood tests. When everything comes up negative, adhesions are assumed. Then you either live with it or have an exploratory laparotomy and release of adhesions.

Jan

jan, thank you. i saw my g.i. guy today, and he's very thorough. he said the ct scan shows a small gap at the top of my incision. that's not where my pain is, but he said my symptoms sound muscular rather than intestinal, and that the gap may indicate that i tore some muscles somewhere in the healing process. he recommended gentle exercise to slowly strengthen the core muscles. i really hope he's right! it just hurts so much, and the rest of my muscles feel so good. my only concern is that it has been bothering me more, whether i rest for days or not. but exercise is the one remedy i can actually look forward to, and i figure walking will be great for those muscles. so i'm off for a nice walk in the woods! thanks again,
ellen

oops, i guess i mean i pulled those muscles, not "tore". thanks again!