Securing Your Medical Records

From: Beverly J, Doucette Sat, 6 Nov 1999 13:01:21 -0600 (CST)
On Thu, 4 Nov 1999, Gina wrote:
I read with interest and sadness about your discovery at having had an adhesiolysis without your knowledge. This is very unfortunate but far from uncommon, Gina! I too discovered that I did indeed have adhesions the same way. I cannot count on both hands how many times I have heard that same story repeated from adhesion sufferers. Far too often a happening.

If you have presented to a Dr. with pain and symptoms that occurred following an invasive medical procedure -- even years after it -- and have undergone diagnostic testing that resulted in no abnormal pathology being the cause of your symptoms, you must secure your operative reports! Many a surgical procedure that is done for pain unassociated with any abnormal pathology detected results in a removal of the " offending " organ, and then that organ is found in pathology as NOT being the cause of your symptoms! You'll never know that. You may be told that the organ was removed, or that the organ is the cause of your symptoms, only to present again in a year or so, or less with the very same symptoms as before..and you wonder why? ...

I have stated before the importance of finding out as much as you can about your medical condition, to educate yourself as to reasons for your symptoms and suffering, to take responsibility for your medical care...ultimately it is your responsibility to know what, when and how your medical provider is handling your case.

By securing your own operative reports, and ALL associated pathology and any cytology reports, you are beginning to take on the responsibility of educating yourself. You will be able to understand if you had adhesions for a fact, you will be able to understand just what organs have been affected by adhesions, and you will better understand why you feel the symptoms that you present to your Dr. with! You can also bet that you are more involved with adhesions than you

Reading in the report -- as denovo ( new ) adhesions as well as reformed adhesions are present as a result of the surgery.
If you saw that you had adhesions attached to your bladder -- and you're presenting with frequent urination or pressure -- then you know that there is a high probability that the adhesions that were lysed around or on your bladder have reformed. This is as long as you have NOT been diagnosed with any other means of a cause for the symptom! You will be able to recognize what to discuss with your Dr. as possibilities for your symptoms by securing and reading your operative reports.

You can secure your reports by signing a release form at the medical facility the surgery was performed at. You should NOT be charged for these records as you are entitled to have them for a second opinion. And who isn't getting a second opinion, right? One never knows when they will be looking for a new care provider; so you actually ARE securing the records for that purpose! And in the event you will be taking them to another Dr...make copies!

Please do this now, be sure to request ALL associated pathology, cytology, post surgical reports. And all pre- surgical ultra sounds or any other diagnostic tests that you had prior to the surgery.

If you have any questions as to your reports, ask for assistance in understanding them...ask on this blog, look up the question on the net, or post on this site .

Whatever you do, secure your records! This should be done NOT as a reflection on your surgeon or Dr., but as part of your overall responsibility of knowing what is going on with YOUR health care!
Adhesion related disorder is NOT so elusive that surgeons and Drs. don't know it's there at all...it is just difficult to diagnose for a fact without an invasive procedure. And if all else proves negative as to the cause of your symptoms -- and especially if you have had prior adhesiolysis and the symptoms are much the same -- you can bet that you probably have them back! YOU can bet that...but a Dr. cannot! But be sure to at least know for a fact that you did indeed have adhesions at one time! Don't wait for your surgeon or Dr. to tell you that..as you may just wait forever!
My best regards to all of you and I pray for an answer for each of you in your suffering...peace within your pain can be found if you take responsibility for understanding it as much as you can!