hi everyone - I had an mri to assess whether or not to go ahead with a lap. I have recurrent miscarriages and dull aches constantly lower stomach (but not awful) but especially when I’ve been pregnant (before losing). I’m investigating whether my pain is linked to infertility and where the pain is coming from
I’ve posted here before and everyone has been brilliant and also that’s why I went ahead with mri to try and help make decision on surgery (which I know is also tricky as doesn’t always show)
in my appointment to review mri he said it was all clear - but - now I’ve got the results it’s flagging adhesions. Are adhesions normal?!? Can they cause pain. I know only a lap can really tell but Im Surprised this wasn’t flagged to me 😭. I saw an endo specialist and the mri was done by endo specialist too. Now I don’t know if I have endo or not and whether I do surgery.
I’m worried to go ahead with surgery without more severe pain or more clear results as could make things worse Or not actually be the cause.
Would appreciate any input x
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Ooh that's a really tough one. To me the MRI implies maybe there could be more going on and I'm guessing those cysts need monitoring regardless.
In terms of the pain when you've been pregnant, the problem is that can also be really normal so it's hard to see what's what. I've had two children and one miscarriage and had pains with all them. It must be horrible because I'm sure you will assume negative things from those pains regardless now and I'm so sorry about that.
Are you looking at this mainly to see if it aids you to maintain the pregnancy rather than it causing you a lot of issues? Have you got good medical advice / consultant?
No adhesions are not normal and yes they can cause pain. I had a lap in March to look for endo due to chronic pelvic pain and heavy periods. No endo was found but widespread and severe adhesions. Endo is one of the main causes of adhesions, but also surgery and PID. I'm still trying to find out the cause of my adhesions as they were found on my ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, vesicouterine pouch, bladder, bowels and liver. My bladder is entirely fused to my abdominal wall, causing unpleasant symptoms, my left ovary is fused to the side of my abdominal wall causing ovulation pain and severe period pain. I am in pain a lot of the time and I'm waiting for Adhesiolysis surgery.
Gosh I’m so sorry to hear this. Did you have an mri and did it show any of this before the lap? I’m guessing the original lap was diagnostic? Your journey sounds awful and isn’t it crazy no one really knows that much about the female body. It’s crazy. I’ve seen so many people and feels like a guessing game at best. I hope everything for you goes ok 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I didn't have any scans before my lap, ridiculously. And I was also told "all normal, just some adhesions" 😅 There is nothing normal about my adhesions. I have requested an MRI before any further surgery but I'm being refused. The lap was fine but unfortunately didn't give me all the answers I needed. I feel like my hospital are doing everything backwards! You've got part of a diagnosis with your MRI so I would definitely go for the lap to get a full diagnosis. Having an MRI before makes so much sense as they already have an idea of what they're looking for.
Gosh. What a nightmare. Is it with an endo place/specialist? I had to push so bloody hard for my mri. They didn’t want to do it but I managed to get it. I think I was lucky with the insurance I was on as I know others who just don’t get one.
No just general gynaecology. I'm in the process of receiving my full lap report and photos so I can take it elsewhere for a second opinion. I've got a TV scan and a hysteroscopy this week (it's like they'll do anything EXCEPT an MRI 😅) and if I don't get anywhere with those then I may ask my GP to be referred elsewhere. My daughter is 14 and already struggling with her periods so I'm not giving up trying to get answers. I fully plan on making an absolute nuisance of myself.
I just don’t understand why they don’t give mris. They’re also relatively painless so they should just help us out. Mine didn’t want to give to me as he said it will unlikely show anything if it’s superficial etc but I wanted one for peace of mind.
Absolutely advocate for yourself. Sounds odd to me. We shouldn’t be opened up by people who aren’t specialists otherwise it means more investigations. Keep pushing 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I had several adhesions noted on my MRI, seemed worse that the Endo and cysts to me! They can come from the damage to the tissues and inflammation from Endo and is normal.
My surgeon removed mine successfully, I think it gets trickier if someone needs a second laparoscopy down the line if the Endo returns and the adhesions get much worse after the first surgery, how that’s some help!
Good luck with your treatment, sorry to hear of the troubles you’ve had!
My MRI's were completely clear before and after my laparoscopy even though I had been diagnosed with stage 4 endo during the lap, which was (is) fusing my bowels and uterus together, and my uterus and ovary. I have a dull ache in my tummy every morning and throughout the day sporadically, caused by the bowel and uterus adhesion.
In my experience, the laparoscopy wasn't a big deal, the pain from the surgery itself was minimal. It all boils down to whether or not you want to spend more years wondering what's going on inside your body. The laparoscopy will greatly help to a reveal that. Being told I had endo after the lap was invaluable for me.
Laparoscopy is the gold standard for endometriosis diagnosis, MRI and ultrasound are aids to support diagnosis, they're not the gold standard (which is why they can show up as being all clear) so keep that in mind.
I’ve noticed that the scan results show fibroids and cysts, this is reason enough to go ahead with the surgery in any normal circumstances. Adhesions are always a cause of something, they are not natural, eg caused by prior surgery or by Endo. Adhesions can definitely cause pain. Personally I went ahead with my surgery when I had cysts and it helped fertility as I got pregnant when I was told I’d never get pregnant. Sadly my little one didn’t make it, I only found out 20 years later the reason was abnormalities in my womb which was never picked up. They didn’t find it till I had a hysterectomy last October and noticed lumps so sent it to the lab for testing. The reason was then revealed as the cause of me never being able to carry a pregnancy. So if I’d never had the surgery I would never have known anything. At least I knew a reason by body had always let me down, even though it was still my fault I could put a reason to it apart from being just a failure and a broken women that didn’t work right. At least having surgery we know that we have done everything we possibly can to make sure everything is as well as possible inside to hopefully cradle a little one snuggly as possible. We can only gather all the information and make informed choices at the end of the day. Best of luck I hope you have great support and a consultant who listens.
Adhesions are not normal and they do cause pain, in my experience premenstrual, when full and emptying bladder, similar with colon. A laparoscopy is a minor operation and probably the most certain way of determining whether you have endometriosis. Good luck.
I would strongly recommend a laparoscopy especially because of where the adhesions are.
Most of my scans pre diagnosis came back normal or not showing much. Then when I couldn’t get pregnant and had my first diagnostic lap very it revealed incredibly severe endometriosis affecting pretty much the whole pelvis and caused irreversible damage, especially to bowel and bladder due to how long it was left untreated. Leaving me in life long constant pain.
Even now with a diagnosis, scans never show anywhere near the full extent of disease and I really wish they weren’t relied on so much these days. It always used to be said that a lap was the only way to diagnose and in my opinion that remains the case.
best wishes to you, feel free to message me anytime ❤️
Also adhesions always come from some where, either previous surgery or disease. They’re a form of scarring so definitely persevere in finding out the cause ❤️
Thank you for your messages and I’m so sorry to hear what you have been and are still going through.
I cannot tell you how much terribly bad medical advice I have been told to date - it’s all in my head is my favourite. Apparently the stress is causing the pain 🙄🙄 it’s only when I look back at the last year and realise it’s not normal to be in bed a lot or have scarring from hot water bottles - we normalise it all don’t we! Thank goodness for forums like this where people can talk openly and helpfully 💜💜💜
That’s so true. The way we are treated by people that are paid to help us is a massive insult. Especially when our lives are so significantly impacted. I often think how utterly lonely I’d feel if it wasn’t for the online community which reassures me it’s not just me.
One thing I would recommend and it’s a shame we have to resort to this but if you can afford £200 for a private consultation with a BSGE registered specialist, it’s well worth it to have a thorough and in depth appointment. Any further investigations and treatments ar then fast tracked through their NHS clinics. Or some employers have private healthcare policies too.
I’ve found more recently they tend to minimise everything in the nhs, whether it’s a cost cutting technique or they genuinely just don’t care I’m unsure.😢 ❤️
Hi all - thanks for all your advice. I had the lap this morning and now back home. Somehow with ice packs and shoulder warmers simultaneously 🤣. They found minor adhesions in 2 places and excised it as well as a fibroid.
I almost backed out because my period suddenly chilled out for 2 months since I’ve tried an anti inflammatory diet (tbc if connected) but I’m glad I did the op. He classed me as having superficial endo so I’m very lucky it’s not like that bad
The advice has been wonderful on here and fully prepped me. And yes, the gas pain is for sure more painful but actually given what my body has been through I’m ok praying no infections so I can crack on thank you allll xx
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otherwise it means more investigations. Keep pushing 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 
praying no infections so I can crack on 
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