Went to a GI specialist....
#48998 - 03/09/04 12:06 PM
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fishnets
Reged: 10/09/03
Posts: 515
Loc: MA
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So I went to a GI specialist today. I told him how I was diagnosed with IBS though hadn't I hadn't had any tests done(my doctor just heard my symptoms and said "you probably have IBS"). He basiclly was like yeah those are IBS symptoms. So I asked if I should get tests done to rule out other problems, and he was like no there aren't any ways to test for IBS, eat a bowl of bran everyday  At this point I realize the guy is a total moron....I was like I can't eat bran it gives me symptoms! He said just try to eat more fiber. So yeah, that's my GI experience Apparently no one gives a crap enough to actually test me for anything!
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IBS-C
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Sadly I can relate. I have been to 3. They all said more fiber, so I loaded up on whole wheat ceral and got worse and worse. I had to kick and scream to have any tests done at all. My husband is changing jobs in the next few months and I will be able to choose the doctor I want to see instead of being sent to the ones that are part of our current coverage. Excited about that! Hope to find one who will listen and is willing to try new things.
Keep Looking!!
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I can sympathize! I just got out of a 4 1/2 minute appointment that I waited 1 1/2 for in the waiting room.
OK, I exagerate about the length of the appt. by a little, but not about the wait.
He gave me a prescription for Tofranil (an antidepressant) and said "we'll see ya again in a month."
What a waste of my time. I learned tons more from you all on the board. At least I wasn't SURPRISED that this is all I got from the GI dude.... I didn't want to go back anyway but my primary guy wants me checked for celiac.
OY! At least it's over.
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This attitude from doctors just makes my ill!! I also went to every doctor in my plan but luckily they covered themselves enough from malpractice by sending me for all the tests to rule out things like cancer, crohns, parasites, etc. and I've had all the tests more than once. However they had the same attitude, eat more fiber, it's not gonna kill you and stop being a baby or stop being a hypochondriac female. None of them even suggested lactose intollerance or anything else to help me (which by the way I found out about that over 10 yrs ago on my own by seeing lactase in the store and reading a pamphlet) I wish there was something we could all do to EDUCATE DOCTORS! Try calling back and say you INSIST on having a colonoscopy & stool test, that this is a standard practice by good physicians.
Edited by crampgirl (03/09/04 12:57 PM)
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Your Doctor failed to mention "Soluable fiber"
I to loaded up on insoluable fiber I was in bad shape for 2 weeks. So I did a bowel cleansing then tried the soluable fiber diet. I Feel great. Try it. It Works!!!
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I can absolutely relate. My husband ( the ibs-D sufferer) has over the last year seen 2 gastro specialists. Last year he went for both an endoscopy and colonoscopy which showed nothing ( good news). Since he was still suffering so much, a few months ago, we consulted with another gastro. This one took all kinds of blood tests, did stool studies, did another endoscopy and colonoscopy ( this time to check the small intestine..which he says the first doc did not do) and other than a few benign polyps found nothing. ( again good news) However, when I called for a follow up appointment to discuss what alternatives we had..could it be a food allergy, should we see a nutritionist, etc. ..the doctor wasn't interested in seeing us. All he said was take metamucil and immodium. He absolutely did not want to help us any more. I guess he had already made his money on the tests. I'm sure there are some competent and caring gastroenterologists out there, I just haven't been able to find one!
I was very grateful to have found Heather's site, ordered and read her book, and just ordered the acacia. At least there is someone out there to listen and offer both help and hope. Thanks Heather!
Good luck!
Roz
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I have never been actually diagnosed with IBS but did go to a PCP a year ago and he believed that's what my symptoms were pointing towards. My symptoms are not severe, but enough to feel uncomfortable a lot. I have been wanting to get several tests done to rule anything else out. But after reading these comments I am reluctant.
Do you suggest I still look into it? I just want to be sure it isn't just a food allergy, or something else that might be serious. Many have said it is very important to get everything else ruled out.
Any advice??? thanks!!
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"Love isn't love, until you give it away!" 
Edited by Bethany (03/10/04 08:28 AM)
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DO NOT let your doctor get away with that. I had to go to 4 different doctors before one would even begin to test me for anything. It is 100% within your rights to request specific test. Heather mentions them on this site, I'll have to look up exactly where, but they include being tested for celiac disease, for starters. I printed out the entire list and brought it to the doc who finally diagnosed me with gastroparesis, with IBS symptoms, after doing a gastric emptying test as well as a sitz-marker test. I pretty much told the specialist that I refused to even HEAR the word IBS until everything else had been ruled out. Mind you, my symptoms started 3/02 and it took until 2/04 to finally get the correct diagnosis. The first doctor I went to told me the same thing yours did - "Eat more bran". He ran NO tests, didn't even take my height/weight/blood pressure...GRRRR that makes me so mad when docs do that.
Please, for your health, do not let this go. Your doctor might be willing to pay more attention if he was slapped with a medical malpractice lawsuit down the road for not taking the time to diagnose you correctly - I'm in the middle of such a lawsuit as we speak.
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I had doctors tell me that too - eat more fiber! I only found out about soluble fiber from this website. Thank goodness. This site has helped me more than a lifetime of doctors.
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Heather
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I've been avoiding a specialist for years just to avoid the tests, but this year when things got worse, I decided it was time. I had several people recommend a doctor to me so I went. I described how many years (20) I had battled the symptoms on and off, and how it had recently acted up again. He put me back on the medication I had taken years ago that actually helped at that time. Other gen. pract. were hesitant b/c it contains a small amount of a sedative. He said he hadn't known too many "Librax" addicts and wasn't worried. I had to laugh b/c that really is the truth. It treats the stress issue as well as the bowel problem. He said if it worked, he wanted me to be on something that helped. Recently, I came down with stomach flu which was a major setback. I called him and went in. He took blood, ran a stool test, and sent me for an upper GI of the small bowel. He said if all of that checked out ok but I was still having the D, he would set up a colonoscopy right away. He did not want to miss anything that might be brewing. I feel almost the opposite of many who have replied. I really feel like he cares about what is happening, and he wants to eliminate everything else if it is IBS. We discussed diet, and yes, I will agree doctors are not as knowledgeable as they should be, but he only recommended fiber if I got constipated. I'm very happy with my doctor so far, and feel like I might be on the mend (I hope). Good luck.
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they need to run tests to rule out inflammatory bowel diseases and celiac. They may be able to do this with just bloodwork, they may need to do a colonoscopy. And depending on your age, symptoms, and family history, they might need to run other tests as well. All the info is in the glossary here IBS
I'm so sorry you had such a bad doc. I do hope you find another, much better one, soon. 
- H
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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I know exactly how you feel. I've been to so many and they were all so rude and cruel they make me want to scream. I can't stand docs that are so clueless! My currant doc is such a moron. He's one of the worst people ever. And guess what his daughter and wife are docs to and they are just as bad as him. Take laxitives, drink lots of prune juice, eat what ever you want etc. That's what they say!!! Irritating idiots.
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I completely understand about unsympathetic GI docs, too. I went to one who supposedly had a great reputation but who treated my symptoms as if they were nothing, even though they were debilitating to me. He did do blood tests, an Upper GI, and a Sigmoidoscopy, but said he knew without a colonoscopy that I didn't have IBD. Then once he had officially diagnosed me as having IBS he blew me off and pretty much told me to just eat more fiber and deal with it, just like so many others have heard. He seemed to think that if it wasn't Crohns or Colitis it wasn't worth wasting his time on. My mother has been bugging me recently to go to another doc who will do more tests and possibly get into some medication with me, but at this point I just have no desire to because I have no faith in the medical profession when it comes to dealing with IBS. It's sad that it has to get to that point for so many of us... but thank goodness for Heather. I don't know what we'd all do without her! 
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"Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
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Well, I've posted my GI story several times, so I won't repeat it again here. Suffice it to say, I've had the same lousy experience as everyone else. Stupidity and GI seem to be inter-related; ignorance just goes with the territory. I just believe that GIs don't know anything about IBS. If they can't treat it with a pill or surgery, they show you the door. Don't get me started.
Another gal on the boards came up with a pretty good solution, though, in a private e-mail to me the other day. She said the most we can hope for is to find an understanding primary care physician who will listen to our woes and try to help us out, after our GIs will not. I'm lucky enough to have such a doctor. He knows about my GI -- he referred me to him -- and he has heard all my complaints about him. Although he is non-committal about him, he understands my anger. I go to him with my problem, explain what I need and tell him what I want, and he gives it to me. I've gotten so much help from these boards that I don't need to turn to him for advice -- I get better advice here -- but when I need a certain medication, I can ask him for it. He hasn't let me down yet, and I'm doing a lot better than I have in a very long time.
I can live with this situation until the day that GIs finally figure it out.
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Wow looks like GI's in general suck! One of you mentioned lactose intolerence...I'm severely lactose intolerent, and I just realized, shouldn't he have asked/tested me for that?? I mean I already know I am, but he doesn't know that. And he didn't even ask me how long the symptoms have been going on either!
To be fair, he did seem more concerned about my upper GI problems (potential hatial hernia, may need surgery ). But still, there's no reason to focus on just one problem and not another, right? I'm seeing him again for the stomach problem, so I think I will print out that list Heather, and bring it to him. Maybe then he will take me seriously!
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IBS-C
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I'm sorry you had to go to this doctor and not get the right answers.
A word of encouragment. There are good doctors out there and not always easy to find. Once I got the referral to my GI he ran all the neccesary tests to "rule out", even though he was 100% sure it was IBS.
My suggestion is ask around and find a GI who believes IBS exists and get the tests and treatment you need.
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