Watch a former patient discuss her extensive surgical history, which left her with debilitating adhesions and chronic pain. You’ll also hear from her husband, describing the Clear Passage® experience from the spouse’s perspective.
Click on the video below to play.
Transcription
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1997, and I had a radical mastectomy with a trans flap reconstruction, which involves taking belly fat and bringing it up to reconstruct the breast from the right side to the left side.
I would say that within a year to a year and a half, I knew that there were problems. I was having a lot of pain, and no one could explain why to me. I went back to the doctor, and the doctor didn’t want to even acknowledge the pain. He just blew it off and didn’t want to go any further, so I went and found another doctor who would listen to me. He went in and did surgery in the same area, from hip bone to hip bone. He removed scar tissue, but I also had one hernia at the time that they had to repair. It was 18 months after that, I started having problems again, and the doctor said he didn’t know what more he could do for me. We started looking, and through friends, we found another doctor who was able to go in, and this time, he removed the mesh.
Then, in 2008, I had to have a hysterectomy. After that surgery, within a year, there were problems — really intense pain, burning, and running down my legs, just curling me up. I couldn’t do anything – everything was so painful. He removed clumps of scar tissue in my lower abdomen and off to the side, and I started coming back to my original self. Six months after that, I was starting to do really well; then, around eight to ten months later, I was back in excruciating pain. Across my whole abdomen and running down my legs to the top of my toes was this intense burning pain. Just walking from my bed to my bathroom, 20 feet away, was so incredibly painful, and I didn’t know what I was going to do. The doctors didn’t know what to do.
It has been five days, and what you did to my body in five days is just unbelievable — releasing the tension, the pain, and the agony. Right from the beginning, everyone was very thorough in explaining what was going on and helping me understand what was going to happen when they started working on my stomach, where all my problems were. They went slowly, and they started stretching out those areas that were so tight. You could feel the release of the tightness in those muscles and adhesions, and scar tissue. You just felt them release in your body. At the end of the day, I would go lie down, and the second night I lay in bed and fell asleep. When I fell asleep, I slept a sound consecutive eight hours. I don’t remember the last time I did that. When I woke up, just from the rest alone, the relief from all the tightness, pain, and tension was incredible. When you have an incision that goes across your pelvic bone, every move you make — even riding in a car — causes excruciating pain.
We went to pain management, and the doctor walked in the door. He asked us, “Who sent you here? Why are you here? We can’t do anything for you.” It could have saved years of aging and time lost with my family, and my friends – if I had this therapy from the beginning. My life was non-existent – and now it is. Now the possibilities are endless, and I can’t wait to get out there and do them all.
Therapy From the Spouse’s Perspective
I thought I was going to come here and be sitting in a waiting room watching television for a week, but I was right there with her. I got to ask questions and watch. I saw how even the slightest hand movements make such a difference. I would ask, “What are you doing?” and they would tell me what they were doing. They told me when they felt the release of scar tissue. I can see that now she is going to be able to go back and work and do what she likes to do around the house — yard work, and the pool. We will be able to go back to what we were used to doing. She will be able to drive. She couldn’t even drive for months, probably a year. I was definitely skeptical prior to coming here. It just seemed too good to be true. You don’t have to be skeptical. I’m the biggest one, and I’m not skeptical anymore. It opened me up.
Do you have post-surgical adhesions that are causing pain and/or dysfunction? Request a phone consultation with a therapist, at no cost to you, to learn more about our therapy and whether it can help you.
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“If the information in this article sounds like it may relate to what you’re experiencing, the team at Clear Passage® Physical Therapy is here to help. Many people living with this condition simply want to know if there is a natural treatment option without drugs or surgery that could work for them. The good news is you don’t have to figure it out alone. You can request more information to speak with a knowledgeable team member who will review your situation and help you understand whether this specialized therapy may be a good fit. If you’re ready to move forward, you can also apply for therapy so the clinical staff can carefully review your health history and determine the best path toward relief. Taking a few minutes to reach out could be the first step toward getting answers—and possibly getting your life back.”